How To Clear Case Ih Fault Codes

dpilot83

Posted 3/19/2013 21:40 (#2977125)
Subject: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Had a weird deal today that I'm trying to learn from so I don't experience it again in the future. This is a 2011 Steiger 400 with a little over 800 hours on it. Strip tilling today and the cornerpost gave an SCR failure message, then some sort of engine message. De-rated the power to a max of 80%. Dealer sent a tech out and found a sensor at the top of the muffler was bad. Replaced the sensor and then tried to clear error codes. He had a heck of a time getting one of the codes to clear. Seems like there were four codes because of this and three of them he was able to clear with a program called EST (maybe?). The fourth one had to do with torque limiting and could not be cleared by EST so he tried switching to something that had the word "easy" in the name of the program. He also failed to remove the code with that program.

The second program eventually had an error and it wanted to be restarted. When he restarted the program he was not able to get re-connected to the tractor. Finally he started the tractor just to see what would happen and for some reason the code on the cornerpost went away.

This is where the fun starts. I have two Raven 440's, a JD 2630, a JD2600 and a Leica auto-steer system in the cab. First thing I looked at happened to be the Ravens. One of them said "month" on the right side of the display which I've never seen before. I don't remember what the other display said but it was not normal as well. I was concerned that they had been reset to factory defaults but it appeared that all my calibration numbers, widths, volumes, etc were still in them. Next i turned my attention to the auto-steer because the tech wanted me to go test the tractor and I wanted to do a good job since we were strip-tilling. The Leica display was failing to communicate with the Leica steer kit. I couldn't get it to work so the tech went home. I spent a lot of time troubleshooting the Leica steer kit with no success and I was reaching the point where I believed the controller for the steer kit was fried. Then I tried one more time and it decided to start working. I shut down and restarted several times and it consistently works now.

After that I turned my attention to the JD 2630 and the JD 2600. Before the tech visited I had it set so that both displays were receiving GPS position via NMEA from the Leica. When I finally started looking at the two JD displays I found that neither of them were getting a position signal from the Leica receiver. I had just configured the Leica to provide a signal to the two JD displays this morning so I know how to set it up. I double checked all the settings and still was not able to get a signal from the Leica to the JD displays. Finally, I noticed a pixel on the 2600 that was red/orange unlike all the pixels in the surrounding error. I'm sure that it wasn't that way earlier today.

So my question is as follows. Is there anything that occurs when a laptop is connected to a tractor that can cause a voltage spike to be sent through the system somehow? The tech had his computer plugged in under the buddy seat and he had an extension cord running from a power inverter in his pickup to the laptop to charge the laptop battery while he was working. I don't know if his computer being plugged in to 120V could cause any issues but I wouldn't really think so.

I'm sure not out to get anyone on this. I don't expect the technician to know all about the tons of third party stuff I have in the cab. I just want to understand what happened and I'd like to know if I need to be disconnecting stuff in the future. Thanks for your help.

earnhart sil

Posted 3/19/2013 21:51 (#2977171 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

southern il.

I can't answer your question, but my case dealer picked up my 2011 400 to do several updates and one of them is on the software. Gerard

Posted 3/20/2013 06:43 (#2977657 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Woodham, Ontario

It sounds really strange turn of events. The 3rd party equipment doesn't really communicate with the tractor. I have heard of faulty alternators causing all kinds of codes. Probably should check grounds too... Redwrench

Posted 3/20/2013 07:15 (#2977711 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Short answer..no. The Electronic Service Tool (est) is the laptop that the tech connected to the tractor diagnostic port. EASY is the Iveco engine program in the EST. the Est would have been fried first had any voltage spikes occurred for any reason. Microprocessors & chips cannot tolerate static voltage.
The Easy program has been setting "phantom" fault codes on several models during software updates lately. It's a glitch in the program itself, and most of us are finding out about this the hard way. We spent several hours trying to diagnose a non-existent communication fault on a WD1903 windrower a few weeks ago, only to learn it was set by the est itself and only existed in the Easy program's "imagination"! I suspect that is where your tech's mystery fault was coming from.
Regarding your guidance system problems, suggest you check cab power & ground wires for possible low voltage issues. Sometimes these systems work better if they are hard-wired to the battery. Be aware that your Steiger has the 12/24 cranking system, don't connect to the battery post that gets switched to 24 volts!
Last suggestion is to not turn on your Leica until after you start the engine, it might be getting some voltage variances during cranking if it was already operating. Hope this helps. dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 07:41 (#2977761 - in reply to #2977711)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Thanks. During my troubleshooting I did quite a bit of testing for 12 volts at various locations. Always had around 12.3 (engine off). I wired all of the third party equipment in and went to pretty extreme lengths to make sure they had good power supplies so this was as I expected.

I also do not manually start anything until after the engine has started. However, there are several things that receive power when the key goes on. That list includes the two JD displays and the steering controller for the Leica display. I don't know why they're supposed to be triggered by the ignition but that's what the instructions said so that's what I did.

This setup worked fine for us during 2012 planting, drilling and strip tilling. We bought the tractor in 2012 with something like 30 hours on it so it's been used a lot with no problems (at least not these kinds of problems). I guess I'm saying I feel like the way I set stuff up is pretty well proven.

Anyway, I really appreciate your thoughts. I'm glad to hear there is no way it could have been caused by the diagnostic procedure. Just seems really odd that all this happened immediately after the tech worked on things. I guess if it runs today I'm just going to have to chalk it up to a weird anomaly. I'd sure appreciate any other suggestions. Thanks.

dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 07:48 (#2977775 - in reply to #2977657)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

I don't watch voltage much of the time, partially because it's not on the screen I most commonly observe on the corner post. However, whenever I look at it it's always at 13.5 volts which is about .2 less than I expect. Additionally, I would think if there were ever high or erratic voltages, that would set a code as well.

I'm pretty sure all the codes were related to the sensor that went out or perhaps EASY imagining things like Redwrench said because the sensor truly was bad when tested.

As far as grounds, I have no idea where they all are and I imagine missing just one of them could cause serious problems. The only one I've seen was just because I happened to rest my eyes on it when I was looking for other stuff. Looked like it went between the engine block and the frame on the front right of the engine. It was absolutely massive relative to the grounds I've seen in cars and pickups but maybe it's normal size for tractors. I've never really paid that much attention on any of our other tractors.

Redwrench

Posted 3/20/2013 08:03 (#2977813 - in reply to #2977761)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

It is very strange that all of the failures came simultaneously. Gerard's suggestion about alternator voltage spikes could be the culprit. You would need a very fancy graphing multimeter or an oscilloscope to see those spikes; if they are indeed there.
If you have been getting by OK with wiring the steering controller & monitors to the ignition, well that's alright. But we have had several instances of STX/Steiger owners having similar glitches with their Trimble displays, EZ-Steers & EZ-Guides & planter monitores wired that way. When we re-wired them to work off a sepratate on/off switch or on the power switch of the display or monitor itself (rather than the cab power relay circuit) the problems went away. There's something about that 12/24 cranking relay that some microprocessors don't like. Might be worth a try if things don't clear up today. dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 08:13 (#2977829 - in reply to #2977813)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Sounds good. Thanks. CASE3594

Posted 3/20/2013 08:55 (#2977922 - in reply to #2977813)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Tuscola, IL

+1 Redwrench. I have battled several codes that just flat didn't make any sense on universal planter harnesses that we had wired to the power at the back of the cab (on Magnums). Would spend lots of time troubleshooting and as a last ditch effort just wired directly to the batter for power. Seemed to always take care of the problem. I'm not sure what caused it or why it happened but there are some things that just seem happier when they have that battery to pull off of.

Edited by CASE3594 3/20/2013 08:57

boggen

Posted 3/20/2013 09:02 (#2977932 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Trivoli, IL

not a clue about all the stuff you have,

but if you were talking a home computers and other stuff, i would say you are having "brown outs" not enough power coming in from the electrical poles out side.
if this was also a home computer, and you ran say a vacuum cleaner from some outlet as computer was hooked into. you can cause some problems with computer.

the starter for the engine is one of them battery drainers. and in idea cause a "brown out" per say, and not feeding the computer chips enough juice during starting of engine, if there are any sort of electrical motor on the same relay/fuse that is powering the computer chips. it may cause some problems. maybe some sort of glow plug for cold starting, kicking on for first few seconds when ya turn the key over, might be causing a drain.

start of the season, mice getting into a wire / wire harness? and messing things up over the winter? and some sort of interment vibration causing a short?

MAnthony0

Posted 3/20/2013 11:43 (#2978181 - in reply to #2977932)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

I would lean toward the brown out theroy as well. The service tech probably had the key on for extended periods without starting the engine, as well as cycling the key. Both senerios drain the batteries especially if its cool ambient temps, which turns on the engine grid heater each key cycle. After the tractor starts, the grid heater is cycled automatically until the engine temp comes up. During this period, I've seen the display show low voltage messages until the grid heater stays off and the alternator is able to overcome the load on the system. This cycle of brown out and charging is horrible on tech. We encourage our customers to always run a cold tractor until the engine temp comes up to operating temp before shutting it off, even if its just to move out of the way of something else in the barn. Three or four short moves and the batteries are drained and it will need to be boosted to start. ndarbuckle

Posted 3/20/2013 16:17 (#2978584 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

I have given up on mixing precision application. If I am running a case tractor it has case equipment in it only, You can mix in the occasional third party controller and run them on the virtual terminal. I have found this drastically reduces my down time. If I need something fixed there can be no finger pointing to the other brand. Same goes with deere. All of my rate controllers are either john deere or amity technology, all can run on the virtual terminal of any color tractor. Basically I have made all my implements that I am towing ISO compatable. I can hook onto either one of my NH3 rigs or my dry fertilizer cart and my airseeder with either of my quadtracks doesnt matter. This way if a tractor goes down, I get another out there, hook up and go. It doesnt even matter the color as long as it has iso capablity. I know it doesnt help your current situation but I have been in your situation before. All that got done was finger pointing between companies, countless hours of troubleshooting and down time. This is not the cheap route but, if I cant be running it cost me more. I have also been down the road of trying to get GPS into JD greenstar from a third party source and it is inconsistent. It works for awhile, until you do a update, then it done, update the other color software then it doesnt work.

Edited by ndarbuckle 3/20/2013 16:21

scott nelsen

Posted 3/20/2013 19:34 (#2978960 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Leeds, North Dakota

Daniel, look on l/h side of engine there is a short ground strap between engine and frame, there is a stud strap is mounted to on frame remove it, should be a hole drilled into frame close by clean paint of and reground, this has caused quite a few freak electrical gremlins, Scott. dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 21:49 (#2979541 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: Re: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

There are two places the Leica system connects to the tractor other than for power. First it connects to the factory steering valve to control that valve. I disconnected a connector on that valve and replaced it with a Leica connector. There is at least one other wire coming off the factory valve that is still connected as it originally was. I do not know if that means the Leica is tied in to the tractor or if the Leica only speaks with the steering valve.

The next thing is that there is an over-ride sensor. I believe it's somewhere in the steering column and senses the wheel being turned rather than sensing pressure on the valve like some of the older ones. I also don't know if that is somehow tied in to the tractor as well or if it's just a sensor.

I am beginning to strongly lean towards the low voltage scenario. When I was trying to unravel the mystery of why I couldn't get NMEA to the JD displays today I sat in the cab for probably over an hour with a computer trying to figure stuff out. I had the volt meter pulled up on the corner post. I would say it only took about 15 min to get down to 11.9 volts and I wasn't even turning the key on and off. When it got to 11.9 I hooked the pickup up to the charging posts with jumper cables so I wouldn't have problems again.

dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 21:53 (#2979558 - in reply to #2978584)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

I'be had very good luck getting 3rd party GPS in to John Deere displays. Even ran Row Command on the planter with it last year.

That being said, I absolutely know what you mean. Every time something goes wrong I wonder if we should switch everything to the same color.

Up to this point though, over the last couple of years it's been very reliable for us in season. The worst problems have been getting everything figured out before the season starts.

dpilot83

Posted 3/20/2013 22:00 (#2979571 - in reply to #2977125)
Subject: RE: Case service techs - resetting codes in tractors?

Thanks for all the thoughts everyone. The more I studied this today, the more I lean towards the low voltage scenario. I've got everything working again. The most puzzling one was getting NMEA to the Deere equipment. Finally ended up updating firmware on the Leica stuff, not because there was anything wrong with the way the Leica had been behaving up to this point but because I wanted to reset it after whatever it went through. Anyway, next time we get a service call I'm going to unplug stuff to be safe and also have a pickup next to the tractor as he's working with jumper cables to make sure he doesn't get the voltage low enough to hurt any Case computer equipment that controls the tractor. Thanks again for all the suggestions. BTW, if I have any more problems I'll definitely be looking in to getting everything set up so I can switch it on after the engine starts.