TC40DA - hour meter stopped working

[RobertN]

It ran all the time, but it was based on rpm. @2600rpm(pto speed), if you used it for an hour, it mesaured an hour. If you were tootling around at 1300rpm for an hour, it measured 1/2 hour.

I put 800 hours on the meter while I had that tractor. I have used the TC40D the same way, but have about 225 hours in two years. By the old Kubota proof meter, the hours on the TC40 would be less.

Robert, I'm not challenging your description of the Kubota hour meter (proof meter), but that seems like a very weird way to mechanize the meter. For example, if it only records at PTO rpm, then I could run at PTO speed minus 100 engine rpm and never put any hours on my tractor. Surely, I'm misunderstanding your description.

 

[DieselMonk]

Same as my TC55DA and my Boomer 1030. 1 Engine hours are counted on engine rpm @ 540 PTO speed for 1 real hour. Less rpm it will take longer to add engine hours.

 

[RobertN]

So is my TC40D really that way, but my mental clock is off? I have racked up a lot of hours. But, like some mowing that used to take three days on the much smaller Kubota, only takes a day or less on the TC40D.

Same as my TC55DA and my Boomer 1030. 1 Engine hours are counted on engine rpm @ 540 PTO speed for 1 real hour. Less rpm it will take longer to add engine hours.

 

[Spicer]

It’s easy enough to test if your hour meter is engine speed dependant.

Check how many seconds it takes to increment the last digit of your hour meter at two rpm settings. The last digit on your hour meter shows an illustration of an hourglass, it increments at 1/100 of an hour. If both rpm settings increment at 36 seconds then it is not rpm dependant.

36 seconds x 100 = 3600 seconds = 1Hr

Mike

 

[jinman]

Same as my TC55DA and my Boomer 1030. 1 Engine hours are counted on engine rpm @ 540 PTO speed for 1 real hour. Less rpm it will take longer to add engine hours.

So is my TC40D really that way, but my mental clock is off? I have racked up a lot of hours. But, like some mowing that used to take three days on the much smaller Kubota, only takes a day or less on the TC40D.

Well, I don't know if you guys have an Operator's Manual or not, but if you do, please read the section on the instrument panel. I think it is highly unlikely that the Proof Meter on the class III Boomers is any different from the Class IV Boomers like the TC55DA. Here is a direct quote from my Op Man'l:

"Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated regardless of engine RPM. Use the proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals."

 

[RobertN]

Well, there is having a manual, and there is reading the manual

Yes, what you quoted is right there in black and white in the manual

Well, I don't know if you guys have an Operator's Manual or not, but if you do, please read the section on the instrument panel. I think it is highly unlikely that the Proof Meter on the class III Boomers is any different from the Class IV Boomers like the TC55DA. Here is a direct quote from my Op Man'l:

"Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated regardless of engine RPM. Use the proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals."

 

[DieselMonk]

Well, I don't know if you guys have an Operator's Manual or not, but if you do, please read the section on the instrument panel. I think it is highly unlikely that the Proof Meter on the class III Boomers is any different from the Class IV Boomers like the TC55DA. Here is a direct quote from my Op Man'l:

"Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated regardless of engine RPM. Use the proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals."

Jinman, for you I dug out my Boomer 1030 manual and I quote:

Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated based on an average engine speed of 3000 rpm (540 PTO). Engine speeds below 3000 rpm accumulate engine hours at a slower rate than clock hours. Engine speeds above 3000 rpm accumulate engine hours faster than clock hours. Use proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals.
Page 2-4.

My TC55DA manual sez about the same just using the average engine speed of 1833rpm. Difference here is that 540 PTO on this tractor is at 2500rpm.

 

[jinman]

Jinman, for you I dug out my Boomer 1030 manual and I quote:

Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated based on an average engine speed of 3000 rpm (540 PTO). Engine speeds below 3000 rpm accumulate engine hours at a slower rate than clock hours. Engine speeds above 3000 rpm accumulate engine hours faster than clock hours. Use proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals.
Page 2-4.

My TC55DA manual sez about the same just using the average engine speed of 1833rpm. Difference here is that 540 PTO on this tractor is at 2500rpm.

Well, there you go. . . I just wanted us all to be sure and it seems you've nailed it down on both of your tractors. I've never timed my tractor with a watch, so my manual could be fibbing to me. With your evidence, I may have to experiment to see what the results are. I'm really surprised that your tractor would be different. We'll have to do a timing and see.

 

[DieselMonk]

Well, there you go. . . I just wanted us all to be sure and it seems you've nailed it down on both of your tractors. I've never timed my tractor with a watch, so my manual could be fibbing to me. With your evidence, I may have to experiment to see what the results are. I'm really surprised that your tractor would be different. We'll have to do a timing and see.

Well... I have more news. I checked the manual of my brothers boomer 3045 with a digital instrument cluster and? It exactly has that sentence you posted earlier:
"Proof Meter - Records the hours and portions of hours that your tractor has been operated regardless of engine RPM. Use the proof meter as a guide to determine hourly service and maintenance intervals."

So after all... I guess it depends on what tractor you have, not class dependant!

 

[pak7819]

Hello everyone, just posting a quick update. I fixed the hour meter on my TC45DA in a much less technical fashion than that described earlier,...no diode soldering or rerouting excited electrons.... I'll tell you what, you guys sure know your stuff. In my case, careful disassembly to the point of getting direct access to the rollers on the hour meter, some gentle compressed air, and a few blasts of electronic cleaner (made by "Gunk") did the trick.

For anyone else who's ever stripped the gauge cluster down, you know that the gauge needles are extrememly fragile. I broke two of mine as they were very weathered, the previous owner did not store the tractor inside and my needles were literally white colored instead of orange from being baked with UV. Some 5 min epoxy and careful arrangements of toothpicks for support allowed me to get the needles properly repaired with a good bond. Some bright orange paint from an old Testors model paint kit I still had from a kid has the cluster looking like new,...and a working hour meter to boot!

Thanks for the initial tips guys....