GC2600 tachometer/squealing noise

[piercedtiger]

Today I had been using my GC2600 for probably at least 20 minutes after letting it warm up around 10 minutes. After using the loader to make several passes on my yard to move snow into a pile for the kids I heard a squealing noise, and the tach shot up over red line. The engine RPMs did not change, and I could throttle up/down without issue. I shut the engine down, did a quick visual inspection, and couldn't see anything wrong so I started back up. Engine sounded normal, however the tach needle is still pegged all the way to the right, past red line, hitting the bottom of the cluster. I used the tractor for another 15-20 minutes when the squealing came back, fluctuated in tone a bit, then faded away.

I can live without an RPM readout, but the noise concerns me. Any thoughts? I'd been having trouble with the throttle cable freezing up until I sprayed Lock-Ease on both ends and worked the throttle for several minutes last weekend. Could the cable for that have started to freeze up too? I noticed it was about 20F when I went inside after putting the tractor away, and I know my knees and hands were starting to freeze!

 

[irvingj]

Search this forum for threads involving the dreaded "squealing tach" on 2600 series tractors-- there are a number of folks who have had this problem. Seems like it doesn't do any harm, other than the noise and maybe hour reading being off. IIRC, most fixed the problem by cleaning/drying the cable, applying lube, then sealing the ends (and maybe re-routing it) so moisture can't get into the cable. ijk

 

[Toddao]

Mine does it when is cold, I disconnected last winter, hooked back up once it warmed up, just wire tied it up so it wouldn't slap around

Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[piercedtiger]

Great. Thanks guys! I feel better knowing it's a common issue now. I wasn't even sure what the heck to search for! I figured I'd look into how to get the cable off once it warms back up a bit. Down to 14 now, but it's only Friday so I still have a couple days for it to warm up and play with it.

I know this is probably a dumb question, but why do all the cables on these things wrap around the engine at least once? Throttle, tach, etc. *sigh*

 

[Ed of all trades]

Not just in GC 2600. My GC2400 is doing the same thing.

 

[piercedtiger]

Yeah, I see it's a very common issue now. Guess I'll be pulling the cable tomorrow, and maybe the tach for the **** of it and take them in the house to thaw and see if there's anything I can clean. My impact wrench stopped working this summer, and when I opened it up the air tool oil looked like vaseline. Once I cleaned that out and re-oiled it worked again. Kinda hoping this will be something similar.

 

[piercedtiger]

Well, I pulled the gauge cluster out today. When I took the tach drive piece off the needle snapped back to 0. I cleaned out the old grease, put in some new, put it back together, and it works again. Will keep an eye on it, but it's fixed for now!

 

[irvingj]

Great! :cool2:

Just in time for the NEXT round of "wintery mix"? I'll be glad when it gets cold enough --and STAYS cold enough-- to just deal with snow!

 

[Egon]

Squealing speedometer cables were very common in the past. Regular lube or a silicon one worked well.

 

[piercedtiger]

Great! :cool2:

Just in time for the NEXT round of "wintery mix"? I'll be glad when it gets cold enough --and STAYS cold enough-- to just deal with snow!

Yup! We're supposed to get another 6" or so by Tuesday I think. I'll get to see if loading the rear tires makes a difference too since I did that on Saturday. Need to get some more washer fluid to do the fronts next, and I think that will have a bigger impact on steering. That was definitely questionable last time it snowed.

Squealing speedometer cables were very common in the past. Regular lube or a silicon one worked well.

Well now that I know how to get it off without taking the whole gauge cluster out I'll be able to keep it lubed. Also, I think the gears jammed or something because the needle was stuck beyond red line until I took the gear drive off the back, and then it snapped back to zero. Surprisingly nothing looked damaged so I just put it all back together again. :confused3: Although thinking about it now, I should wrap some electrical tape or a zip tie around the cable so the nut doesn't slide all the way down under the battery again. I'm getting tired of fishing for that thing!

 

[irvingj]

:laughing::laughing:

" Although thinking about it now, I should wrap some electrical tape or a zip tie around the cable so the nut doesn't slide all the way down under the battery again. I'm getting tired of fishing for that thing!"

Yep, BTDT too! I used a small hose clamp to prevent that nut from dropping out of sight. What a pain to retrieve! I had forgotten all about that until you reminded me.

 

[piercedtiger]

Luckily I had a long half inch wide strip of aluminum laying around to guide it back up this weekend. The zip tie is on my to-do list now! :laughing:

 

[Pageboy]

I had the same problem. So I tore it apart. The Tachometer is connected to the needle by a coupler with a viscus link...just like a torque converter. The oil that is inside ( assuming here... didn't part the coupler) must get cold enough that it locks up instead of slipping as it is designed. The only for sure fix is to keep it warm. It has nothing to do with keeping the cable warm, or changing the type of grease.
The only other fix is to hold the massey dealers 'feet to the fire' on the next tractor purchase of course.

 

[cdaigle430]

Post is a little dated, I also had same issue and disconnected for one winter. I didnt like the ID so I bought the new updated gear assembly from dealer with better lubricant inside and so far after three winters it has not done it since.

 

[Dmacleo]

I had a few (2 large 2 medium IIRC) bad spots in my cable so I replaced it, we'll see if it corrects problem.
been wondering if when replacing tach is there any way to get hours set correctly on it or is starting a 0 the only option?

 

[cdaigle430]

I dont think so but I remember watching a movie "Matilda" where a drill was used to roll back the odometer

 

[Pageboy]

www.tinytachcom has a universal unit for diesels which works off of a pressure transducer on an injection line for 125 $ US. It won't track hours, but we should likely change oil per season rather than on hours on these little unit anyhow.
Way cheaper than paying 700 $ Canadian for a factory unit that will do the same thing anyhow.

 

[Dmacleo]

www.tinytachcom has a universal unit for diesels which works off of a pressure transducer on an injection line for 125 $ US. It won't track hours, but we should likely change oil per season rather than on hours on these little unit anyhow.
Way cheaper than paying 700 $ Canadian for a factory unit that will do the same thing anyhow.

I'm averaging 150 hours a year on mine so need to track hours as changes would easily come due mid seasons
I'll know in month or 2 whether mine was due to actual bad cable. was worn through the metal sheath in one spot now I think about it.

 

[Racer4]

Post is a little dated, I also had same issue and disconnected for one winter. I didnt like the ID so I bought the new updated gear assembly from dealer with better lubricant inside and so far after three winters it has not done it since.

Would you have the part number of the gear housing that you replaced? Could this be it:

https://parts.agcocorp.com/us/en/p/housing/3756565m91

 

[Dmacleo]

thats the housing that inputs cable into tach but I have cleaned/replaced that and still squeal. suspect mine is in the tach itself. but may be worth trying the 100$ part beforte a 300+$ parts that needs to have its hours set if thats even possible.
one thing that helps me on my GC2400 is I put cardboard in hood (rear) to block cold air from coming in over the instrument panel to the radiator.
it was -3f this morning, guess what I am doing today