TC40DA electric (over hydraulic?) anomaly. No joystick functions!

[tc40da-rg]

Update: I got the tractor to crank/run! On the third time through all the safety switches I discovered that the Range Selector safety switch (located on the side of the transmission) has gone out. When I had checked it before, I had discovered that the wires had pulled loose due to some limbs/shrubs, whatever, and I very mistakenly assumed that the switch itself would still be good. This time around, I simply disconnected the wires and jumpered them together; and wouldn’t you know … The darn thing started up.
But, as luck would have it, I still have the same issues with the LaneShark/grapple system, high/low range, and the instrument panel not working properly.
With the tractor issues, of not starting at all, I felt all along that it would’ve had to have been in some of those safety switches. Turns out I was right there. With these other issues, I’m tending to believe that something is shorting out in the electrical circuits for the instrument panel/tachometer, and Electrical side of the “electric over hydraulic” system which controls the high/low range and the third function valve for the root grapple/LaneShark. I have tried to follow every wire lead that I can find In search of a short to ground or something. I am either overlooking it or somehow looking in the wrong place. I feel sure that once it is found, it’s going to be something that really wasn’t that big of a deal if I had only known where to look.
I continue the search.

 

[tc40da-rg]

Wow. That last post of mine was May 6, 2022. Today is November 10, 2023 … and the problems with the New Holland TC40DA are STILL the same.

 

[nyone]

With your cluster going dead intermittently I would start by finding and checking power and ground to that location. It could be the main power or ground has a poor connection and when it loses power you loose power yo the other components that arnt working properly.

I breezed through these 3 pages a bit but couldn't read every long reply. Have you found and cleaned all the grounds? Also swapping relays is a valid test. These machines do suffer from spread connectors and some times pinching them shut a bit or twisting the blade side really helps.

 

[tc40da-rg]

With your cluster going dead intermittently I would start by finding and checking power and ground to that location. It could be the main power or ground has a poor connection and when it loses power you loose power yo the other components that arnt working properly.

I breezed through these 3 pages a bit but couldn't read every long reply. Have you found and cleaned all the grounds? Also swapping relays is a valid test. These machines do suffer from spread connectors and some times pinching them shut a bit or twisting the blade side really helps.

Thanks for the reply, nyone. It's not that the instrument cluster is "going dead", intermittently or otherwise The gauges jump radically when hi-lo range switches are touched and the battery light stays on the entire time the engine is running. I know that the battery light staying on is supposed to indicate that the charging system isn't charging, but it IS charging (14.8+ volts). I am in the process of trying to replace the diodes -- they all test as bad. The two smaller ones are $40.39 each and the big one is $142.52 from Messicks! I also think the "safety control module(?)" tests bad. It costs $121.14 from Messicks. Is it just me, or are these things just way over-priced? The diode that is supposed to be over the rear-left axle has been replaced with a jumper wire. As far as I know, that was there when I bought the tractor in 2009. I'm wondering if, with the diodes bad, is current being allowed to flow back through the electrical system -- to the instruments; causing the anomalies?
I have been through the electrical wiring system extensively; cleaning and securing every connection possible, and examining and testing cables, controllers, relays, battery, etc.
There is some sort of short or mis-wired "something" in the circuit that controls the hi-lo range selector switches and/or the third function valve operations for the root grapple function and Lane Shark motor activation (on/off). I just simply have not been able to locate the problem. . . yet. I am truly hopeful that correcting the diodes will finally resolve the issues.

 

[nyone]

What are the diodes for? The battery light coming in tells me theres not enough voltage at the cluster since you have checked battery voltage. Did you check charging voltage at the cluster?