My new 2415 has a problem...

bill6 · Dec 12, 2007

Yesterday I was driving it, and it turned 10.0 hours. Immediately both the tachometer and hour meter quit working. Last night I looked at the tach cable, and everything looks fine, as far as I could tell. As you recall, my 3215 had the whole instrument panel replaced 3 times, because the hour meter kept quitting (the tach was fine, though) This is very frustrating, because of these reasons: 1) I'm a stickler for maintenance, so an hr meter is crucial for my schedules. 2) I need to know what RPM I'm running, especially the first 25 hours, as it's sort of in break-in mode. 3) My dealer is in a different state (Oregon) and is 1.5 hours drive each way. 4) I don't have a trailer to haul this thing, I have to borrow one, and I'm well into the limits of grace of the trailer's owner. 5) Many other tractors like JD's and Masseys, etc, accumulate 30 or 40 years of use, thousands of hours, and have no problems such as this. What gives?

Anyone, including Dave or other dealers, have any info that might help me identify the problem, or solve this? Thanks very much......

DavesTractor · Dec 12, 2007

Bill,

We've sold a lot of 15 series tractors, as much as about anybody, and we have only had one tach/hour meter problem, and that was on a 2815 a year or two ago. Obviously your issues are real and not your fault, but there hasn't been a pattern of failure that we have seen.

By the way, most 30-40 year old tractors don't have a working hour meter. Many do, but we get trades of all types and quite often the hours meters stopped a long time ago, even on good old american iron. Most older tractors set out in the weather a lot, and that is hard on things.

Call your dealer, have him walk you through a diagnosis. It can't take a but a few minutes to change out a dash if need be. Seems if that is the problem, and not a cable or something else, it would be easier for you to swap the part then to borrow a trailer, drive some distance, drive back later, etc.

You have't taken your dash apart and waxed the inside of the gauges have you?

xlr82v2 · Dec 12, 2007

Bill,

Have you removed the drive cable from the back of the panel and then started the engine to confirm that you have rotation?

Most tach/hourmeter problems are bad cables, I would think... whether it be an actual failed cable, or a cable that is too short... not the outer sheath, but the actual flexible drive cable. If the flexible drive cable is just a fraction of an inch too short, it could move either way in the sheath and either move toward the instrument panel and disengage from the engine drive, or move toward the engine and disengage from the tach input.

I'd remove the cable from the back of the panel, and push it in as far as it will go toward the engine, it might give you a clue as to how much cable is available to drive the tach.

Just something to check, that's where I'd look first.

bill6 · Dec 13, 2007

OK, I found the problem. Thanks so much Dave and Brian for your comments, it was a big help.

Last night I removed the side engine panels and opened the hood. Then I removed the instrument panel, and unscrewed the tach cable at the top. Then I started the engine, and the cable did NOT turn. So I disconnected the cable at the bottom (side of engine block right under the exhaust manifold) and sure enough, the cable was broken. It had broke about 4 inches from the bottom.

I phoned my dealer today, and he is ordering the part. Hopefully, the new one will not break....

rback33 · Dec 13, 2007

I bet Bill did not sleep a wink last night worrying about how he would know when to service his baby...

Outlander · Dec 13, 2007

Be sure to get the outer and the inner. Quite often when the inner breaks it is the fault of the outer.

civesnedfield · Dec 13, 2007

bill6 said:
OK, I found the problem. Thanks so much Dave and Brian for your comments, it was a big help.

Last night I removed the side engine panels and opened the hood. Then I removed the instrument panel, and unscrewed the tach cable at the top. Then I started the engine, and the cable did NOT turn. So I disconnected the cable at the bottom (side of engine block right under the exhaust manifold) and sure enough, the cable was broken. It had broke about 4 inches from the bottom.

I phoned my dealer today, and he is ordering the part. Hopefully, the new one will not break....

Now that you have that part of the tractor apart Bill, you could throw a good coat of wax on the hidden parts.

bill6 · Dec 13, 2007

Yeah, that's right. Tonight I will spend some time wiping down & cleaning some hidden areas that are now accessible. Even though there's only 10 hours on it, there is a small amount of dust in there.....

YanmarFever · Dec 13, 2007

Hi Bill, I always add some powdered grafite to my tack cable liner whenever I buy a tractor for myself. Its non oily and does a great job

Best wishes, Ernie