E-Hydro issues

[4410Frog]

Hello out there this is my first post!
I wish I found this board before I had issues, but now I am here.
I have a JD4410 and last year the thing just stopped. The engine and peripherals worked just fine, it just refused to move either forward or back. A call to the local dealer got a few checks on things like calibrating the pedals, with no result. After a service call and $900 later they replaced the transmission controller, and all was good. I have put only 120 hours since the repair and it is doing the same thing, or I should say NOT doing anything. My question is: is this a fluke or am I looking at replacing this controller all the time.
A $500 part is not what I really want to keep on hand just in case.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[kennyd]

Welcome to TBN

The eHydro tranny has been pretty bulletproof so far, this is the first I have heard of such serious trouble here on TBN. There have been lot's of problems with wires being pulled/snagged by sticks that caused problems, but not failing computers.

 

[jinman]

Considering that you've had the original and a replacement fail, I'd be looking at something external like spikes in DC voltage or loose connections causing early failure. What is your operating environment? Hot? Moist?

It just really sounds suspicious for something other than the e-Hydro is at fault here. Why would yours fail twice while most others operate trouble free? That would be the real issue in my opinion, and your post seems to indicate that is the way you feel too.

 

[4410Frog]

Thanks for your response, Jim and Kennyd,
Last year we were in an exceptional drought when it broke. Fortunately, we have had more rain this year, but still on the dryer side. The tractor is kept under a pole barn so it stays protected from weather, but not temperature.
I agree that it could be an external short. I know from experience with my pickup that they are darn hard to track down. My headlights still do not work correctly, har har.
I guess I really wanted to know that I did not get a lemon of a tractor. Thanks for your help.

 

[jinman]

Well, your e-Hydro board failing reminds me of a shipmate I worked with in the US Navy. He had a high voltage transformer fail in a circuit and replaced it. As soon as he turned on the power, the new transformer failed. He removed that one and four more, each burning up after replacement. He had logged all of this into his log book and his final conclusion was that all the transformers in our supply room were bad from the manufacturer.

Of course, the problem with his system was a short in a circuit the transformer supplied that caused the transformer to overheat and burn out. I would say your problem is similar. After the second failure, you have to believe that there is something abnormal with the circuit rather than the e-hydro controller card. Good luck with your troubleshooting. This is one of the hardest types of problems to find where the symptoms show up in a different location than where the problem is.