The first reaction when a machine malfunctions is to think of expensive, catastrophic causes. Fortunately, a deep breath and careful consideration might offer simple cures for these symptoms.
Symptom: An engine routinely overheats due to low coolant level. There’s no coolant in the crankcase, no coolant on the ground where the machine is parked or no visible leaks on any hoses or the radiator.
Panic diagnosis: Blown head gasket, cracked cylinder head or slipped cylinder liner.
Potential simple cure: Replace radiator cap. A tired pressure relief spring in the cap can release coolant out the radiator overflow, lowering coolant level and encouraging engine overheating. Newer machines with a faulty radiator cap would have problems with the coolant recovery tank overflowing.
Symptom: A main gearcase on a combine, forage harvester or other machine is covered with oil that’s dripping on the ground.
Panic diagnosis: Leaky shaft seals, blown gasket or cracked gearcase housing.
Potential simple cure: Check the area around the gearcase’s vent. If there’s “clean” oil in that area the gearcase might be spewing excess oil from that vent. Check to see if the gearcase was overfilled when its fluid level was last checked. Big gearcases, if checked immediately after operation, might not have fully drained all the oil into the sump, giving a false reading on any sight glasses or dipsticks, leading to overfilling. Check gearcases after they’ve had time to drain to their sump.
Symptom: Some, but not all, functions of the electrical system on a tractor or self-propelled machine are dead. There’s no blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers in the fuse/breaker box.
Panic diagnosis: One of the #%*! computers that run modern machines has died.
Potential simple cure: A fuse or circuit breaker in an accessory fuse/breaker box has failed. Even machines made in the 1980s might have up to three fuse/breaker boxes hidden behind panels in the cab, under a trim panel on the back of the cab or near the battery box. Use the owner’s manual to locate and check every fuse/breaker panel on the machine.
Symptom: The display on a stand-alone seed or sprayer monitor goes blank or displays hieroglyphics.
Panic diagnosis: The console has “blown up.”
Potential simple cure: Check for 12 volts at console wiring harness connector. Check for damage to wiring harnesses on the planter or sprayer, especially at the back of the tractor and at hinge points where wings fold. Yes, monitor consoles fail, but not as often as broken or shorted wires cause them to do strange things.
Always try the simple stuff first. There’s always time to panic later.
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