PC160LC-7EO Diagnostics

[josephny]

I have a Komatsu PC160LC-7eo

Is there a scan tool that can be used to identify problems or is the diagnostic scanner built in to the machine and accessible with "secret" codes?

Thank you,

Joseph

 

[funwithfuel]

Built in, what's going on with it?
On the key pad , press and hold #4 then press 123 then release 4 .that should get you in.

 

[josephny]

Thanks very much!

Well, a few weeks ago I had an E15 and discovered fuel wasn't exiting the tank well. Removed the clog and it worked.

A week ago, oil started spitting out of the overflow. Thought maybe it was too cold and wouldn't circulate so Left it with a heater overnight. Still no good.

Changed the oil & filter. Oil was very thin. Still no good.

Also noticed fuel coming out from the lift pump area.

Oil smelled like diesel and was way too much of it.

Replaced all the injectors, which looked quite burned.

JB Weld on the spot where the lift pump dripped.

Put it all back together and it runs like crap, threw a CA553 and now an E15 code.

When waiting for the injectors to come, rain might have gotten into the engine (yep, left the valve cover off).

Changed oil and filter, and fuel filter. Lots of water in both.

Took rail off and I think port 3 is clogged. Thinking it might be ice, so I brought it inside overnight.

Took pressure sensor off and cleaned.

Cleaned out the return lines (CA553 is abnormally high pressure).

Cleaned the cylinder pressure relief valve (bolt).

Will clean everything again this morning, reinstall and see where we stand -- and report back.

Thank you!

 

[funwithfuel]

Was your fuel compromised in the first place? Did your source fuel have water contamination? Is your fuel system Cummins or Komatsu? With Komatsu, there are snubber valves on the rail, they are serviceable. If you had contaminated fuel, they could be rusted in place. Might be worth taking another peek. Very frustrating indeed.

 

[josephny]

It has a Cummins SAA4D107e-1 engine

I don't think the fuel source was contaminated originally.

It could be that somehow fuel contamination started this whole thing.

Lost 10 days of work so far -- super frustrating.

 

[funwithfuel]

That's the crummy part about Komatsu. It's all Cummins, but they put their Komatsu twist to it. I'd still look at the rail. Aside from a snubber or a bad injector, there is no other reason you shouldn't be getting fuel delivery

 

[josephny]

Does the PC160LC-7eo have snubbers?

 

[funwithfuel]

I don't have a parts catalog in front of me. So I wouldn't be able to answer till monday. Perhaps between now and then John C will chime in. That guy has forgotten more than I know about Komatsu.

 

[John C.]

Instead of pressing 4 and then 1,2,3 I think the Dash 7 had two triangles for moving up or down in the menu. Hold the triangle that points up and then 1,2,3 to get into the diagnostics. It should show you a new sub menu where you can go into electrical faults or mechanical faults and there is a lot of other stuff in there as well. I checked my notes and don't see the CA553 code. My stuff for the most part only shows codes related to the machine systems and not the engine. Dash 7 machines hadn't come out when I changed directions in my working life. Send me a PM and I can send you a file with all the codes that I have. I have a video that shows how to get into the Dash 8 monitors. The menus are basically the same with the big difference of using 4 instead of the up button.

 

[josephny]

So everything is cleaned and put back together.

Rail spreads air evenly across all 4 outlets.

Putting it back together, I get an E15 and CA553 code. The machine runs, but there is a ticking sounds that gets louder when I shut it off. Like maybe it's not firing on one cylinder?

Tried to enter diagnostics with holding down 4 button, then pressing and releasing 1 then 2 then 3 (all while holding down 4), then releasing 4. But nothing changed on the screen.

 

[josephny]

The UP TRIANGLE worked!

This doesn't look good:

Fuel is still leaking from side of lift pump, almost where it bolts to block -- JB Weld did not do the trick.

 

[funwithfuel]

That is a bit over 11,000 psi, not bad. Or are talking about Fpump?

 

[josephny]

Glad to hear the rail pressure is okay.

I was referring to Fpump (which I admit I don’t know what it is).

in the last hour or so I discovered the water separator had lots of water. I drained the tank and the fuel is dark, which I can’t explain. Here’s a pic:

 

[funwithfuel]

Looks like you had a bad injector. Combustion gases in the fuel. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Maybe run off an alternate source of fuel for testing purposes.

 

[John C.]

Front pump pressure is the front hydraulic pump and it should be reading the same as pump 2 which is the rear hydraulic pump. I believe the rail pressure should be over 20,000 PSI on start as I was told these engines run in the 30,000 PSI range when running properly. I could very easily be wrong about that but a book spec would tell. I'm assuming you put the monitor in hold mode when the machine was running at low idle. I think you have big fuel problems with any amount of water in the system and if the dark fuel is a result of compression going back into the fuel system, you need some on site help of figuring out what is going on.

How many hours are on this machine and engine?

 

[funwithfuel]

I just went through a nightmare job. Had 600kg rail pressure when I got her running right at 1000 rpm.
JohnC brings up a good point, frt & rear pump should both be online at similar pressure. I hope it's just a bad sensor.
If you scroll down further, you can see desired rail pressure, it might say rail pressure command. Select that and rail so you can verify whether your fuel system is up to speed. You can also go into testing and cancel cylinders 1 at a time to see who's contributing and not.

 

[josephny]

I am in the midst of this nightmare.

Emptied the entire fuel tank and found plenty of water and sludge. Cleaned it out pretty well, flushed it with diesel and with seafoam.

Changed filters again (plenty of crap came out).

Added some Diesel 911 and fuel and started her up. She ran for a few minutes then coughed and knocked and continue to exhaust white smoke.

The water separator's contents is black again (dark like grape juice).

A sample of fuel from the tank (taken from the top) shows it it pretty black.

I'm concerned that engine oil got into the fuel again somehow.

Is it possible a malfunction fuel injector pump could make this happen?

Here's a pic:

 

[funwithfuel]

Red Xs for pics

 

[josephny]

sorry -- fixed pics problem

That was fresh clean fuel a few hours ago (30 minutes of engine time ago).

 

[funwithfuel]

How many gallons of fuel would you guess? If you haven't lost significant oil, I'm still looking at injector allowing combustion gas in return fuel