Bad news big repair

   / Bad news big repair #62  
Hay,

its pretty simple, find the hot wire at the glow plug rail if it has one. simply disconnect it. Does the tractor run? it probably will. Most sensors need 3 wires to actually monitor anything. if its a single wire, no monitoring.

generally the ecu will just short the ground side of the relay that sends the power, especially for a high load such as glow plugs.

it seems important to you to try to keep it factory. so you can test at the relay to see if power is at the relay, and if the computer is actually trying power it., if no power there. then check for ground /power at the glow plug pin at the computer. if no power is coming out at the ecu, you will prolly need a new computer/fixed computer, or just install a manual override. hell you don't even need new wire, prolly just have to power the relay control.

good luck.
 
   / Bad news big repair #63  
I assume that derating occurs when the computer detects a fault. BUT will the computer RERATE if fault is fixed or is it a tech call out once derating occurs.
Querry: If ecu software is problem, will an "ecu flash" restore/update the corrpt software in the glow plug circut, or is problem physical damage on the circut board for kubota to be talking ecu replacement?
Had a JD 7430 that was running rough, it was given an "ecu flash" and the problem was fixed(somehow 2 injectors were mistimed).
good luck
 
   / Bad news big repair #64  
I assume that derating occurs when the computer detects a fault. BUT will the computer RERATE if fault is fixed or is it a tech call out once derating occurs.
Querry: If ecu software is problem, will an "ecu flash" restore/update the corrpt software in the glow plug circut, or is problem physical damage on the circut board for kubota to be talking ecu replacement?
Had a JD 7430 that was running rough, it was given an "ecu flash" and the problem was fixed(somehow 2 injectors were mistimed).
good luck
generally its just a transistor controlled circuit, they can be burned out, but repairing them is generally specialized.
 
   / Bad news big repair
  • Thread Starter
#65  
ECU repair was discussed and they do not offer repairs to them. Reflash? Sure, but no repairs.

Keeping the tractor factory is preferred before a switch is installed.
The more I think about this, the more it makes me think the ECU plug could be corroded. The Ford Superduty problems I had were similar.
 
   / Bad news big repair #66  
The ECU reads the air and water temp sensors and they are both part of the glow plug wiring circuit and it has been stated that if the relays are bypassed, the tractor derates itself.
So how do you bypass all that and “simply install a switch”?

Well, on the one hand you don't know. But we do have some clues. I just replaced a $3000 ECU on the JD. Symptoms were that the air and water gauges were reading way too high of a temperature but I checked the senders and the wiring with an ohmmeter and found them good. Both were linear & within range. But the ECU was somehow convinced that it was reading zero ohms from the senders - which corresponds to about 250F. I'm told that is a bad connection WITHIN the ECU case and cannot be fixed. A known JD problem. Parts are in stock. So shell out $3K....which I did.

But all that did was fix my guage readouts. The motor ran exactly the same before and after.

So the point of this is that if your Kubota ECU and senders are anything like the JD ECU and senders....which seems possible, AND as long as your cab temperature gauges are reading right I think you may be OK to "simply install a switch".

But the option I prefer is to install a block heater on a thermostat. Then you don't need glow plugs. See how long you can go with that ECU.
BTW, they gave me a few hundred dollars credit for the old ECU. So somebody is fixing them....
rScotty
 
   / Bad news big repair
  • Thread Starter
#67  
As soon as I can get the tractor off the range and back to the shop, I am going to check the wiring and ECU plug.
Then it’s decision time, but I’m not spending $6000 and that’s for sure.
 
   / Bad news big repair #69  
On our JD the dealer (really good dealer) said the cause of JD ECU failure is sometimes the connector to the ECU, but more often because on early models the ECU is mounted in the engine compartment so sees a lot of heat cycles with fuel and oil fumes.

On later models they moved the same ECU into the cab and have zero failures. JD does offera wiring harness to move older ECUs into the cab. It's a pretty complex wiring loom with about 30 wires. $2000 for the part; more to install....

I said for $2k+ I'll leave the new one where it is. Dealer surprised me by saying then that I can expect to get about 5000 hrs or 10 years out of it. They've replaced enough ECUs on JD310s to not only know the symptoms, but can forcast the failure rate...
rScotty
 
   / Bad news big repair
  • Thread Starter
#70  
Messicks new, not installed (if I found the correct part). Kubota: ASSY ECU (V61,KB, Part # 1H005-60204

I didnt see any on ebay right now, just the M-135GX board.
If that’s correct, that’s better, but still not realistic.
They did quote me $6000 based on previous M125x replacement and they did seem to indicate they looked up a price for mine.
 
 
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