Sawmill Maintenance/Repairs

TimW · October 09, 2024, 08:32:06 PM

Quote from: SawyerTed on October 07, 2024, 10:16:37 AMOnce the ECU had fresh parameters for the injectors, it ran fine.

Ahhhh....... the ECU needed fresh parameters.
The ECU seems to be a red tape problem in itself. I have been asking the dealer and WM for a price of an ECU. They have to fill out forms and send that into Yanmar just to get a price quote. WM Dennis emailed me the ECU can be sent to Yanmar for testing.
I texted that to the shop foreman yesterday. When I don't hear from him, he is usually out in the field. I haven't heard back from him.

TimW · October 09, 2024, 08:36:27 PM

I apologize if I seem a little curt. I took Fritz to the vet today for a leg xray, thinking arthritis. She thought it was a back issue once we were there. Xray shows Fritz has a bulging disk and he can hardly walk. I have to carry him out to pee. He isn't drinking or eating. Hopefully the meds he takes tonight and tomorrow will help. He's 8 years old.

SawyerTed · October 09, 2024, 09:02:41 PM

Sorry about Fritz. Hopefully Fritz will recover quickly.

Just trying to help you nudge your engine guys to check on the easy stuff. Yanmar has a proprietary engine diagnostic computer/ECU programmer. It's specified in the engine manual. The techs should have it to re input the injector parameters.

Southside · October 09, 2024, 09:08:10 PM

So this has been in the back of my mind for a while reading this. My Super 70 sawed great until one day it didn't. Out of the blue I lost all control. Engine would run but nothing worked, no codes would show up, no idea what was wrong except one of the 5 ECU'S was dead. I paid for a lot of "you broke it, not under warranty" parts. Spent countless hours on the phone with WM and couldn't find the problem.

About the 5th time it happened and I knew I hadn't done anything wrong things got a little tense between the WM CEO, the President, and myself, it was the beginning of a holiday weekend to boot so that didn't set well with me as an excuse.

Long story short WM ended up hauling my mill back to Indy to "prove me wrong" and low and behold discovered the the primary power wire to the ECU was never installed. The backup was, but not the primary so every now and then the ECU pulled an "Atlas Shrugged" and down she went. This was not something that I nor the tech would have ever discovered, their design engineer was the one that found it. I think fish and game was called to address the number of crows that were killed out of season to feed a lot of folks that day.

Guess what I am getting at is that my gut agrees with you about this quite possibly being an electrical problem, but without someone who literally knows every part of the system the odds of discovering it may be slim.

TimW · October 09, 2024, 10:22:09 PM

Quote from: SawyerTed on October 09, 2024, 09:02:41 PMSorry about Fritz. Hopefully Fritz will recover quickly.

Just trying to help you nudge your engine guys to check on the easy stuff. Yanmar has a proprietary engine diagnostic computer/ECU programmer. It's specified in the engine manual. The techs should have it to re input the injector parameters.

That was done months about. I think the computer is called Yanmar Smartassist.
That computer is why it is at a shop 50 miles away.

TimW · October 09, 2024, 10:27:27 PM

Quote from: Southside on October 09, 2024, 09:08:10 PMSo this has been in the back of my mind for a while reading this. My Super 70 sawed great until one day it didn't. Out of the blue I lost all control. Engine would run but nothing worked, no codes would show up, no idea what was wrong except one of the 5 ECU'S was dead. I paid for a lot of "you broke it, not under warranty" parts. Spent countless hours on the phone with WM and couldn't find the problem.

About the 5th time it happened and I knew I hadn't done anything wrong things got a little tense between the WM CEO, the President, and myself, it was the beginning of a holiday weekend to boot so that didn't set well with me as an excuse.

Long story short WM ended up hauling my mill back to Indy to "prove me wrong" and low and behold discovered the the primary power wire to the ECU was never installed. The backup was, but not the primary so every now and then the ECU pulled an "Atlas Shrugged" and down she went. This was not something that I nor the tech would have ever discovered, their design engineer was the one that found it. I think fish and game was called to address the number of crows that were killed out of season to feed a lot of folks that day.

Guess what I am getting at is that my gut agrees with you about this quite possibly being an electrical problem, but without someone who literally knows every part of the system the odds of discovering it may be slim.

WOW......it's gonna snow. My gut in sinc with someone else's. I hope you don't mind me sending this to WM Dennis, but I am. Thanks bunches!!!

SawyerTed · October 10, 2024, 06:21:53 AM

Quote from: TimW on October 09, 2024, 10:22:09 PM
Quote from: SawyerTed on October 09, 2024, 09:02:41 PMSorry about Fritz. Hopefully Fritz will recover quickly.

Just trying to help you nudge your engine guys to check on the easy stuff. Yanmar has a proprietary engine diagnostic computer/ECU programmer. It's specified in the engine manual. The techs should have it to re input the injector parameters.
That was done months about. I think the computer is called Yanmar Smartassist.
That computer is why it is at a shop 50 miles away.

Months?!?

You are far more patient than I could be.

TreefarmerNN · October 10, 2024, 12:13:52 PM

Quote from: TimW on October 09, 2024, 08:36:27 PMI apologize if I seem a little curt. I took Fritz to the vet today for a leg xray, thinking arthritis. She thought it was a back issue once we were there. Xray shows Fritz has a bulging disk and he can hardly walk. I have to carry him out to pee. He isn't drinking or eating. Hopefully the meds he takes tonight and tomorrow will help. He's 8 years old.

That's tough when you friend is in pain. I hope the meds improve his live considerably.

GAB · October 10, 2024, 04:18:00 PM

Quote from: Southside on October 09, 2024, 09:08:10 PMLong story short WM ended up hauling my mill back to Indy to "prove me wrong" and low and behold discovered the the primary power wire to the ECU was never installed. The backup was, but not the primary so every now and then the ECU pulled an "Atlas Shrugged" and down she went. This was not something that I nor the tech would have ever discovered, their design engineer was the one that found it. I think fish and game was called to address the number of crows that were killed out of season to feed a lot of folks that day.

Dear Southside:
Does the amount of crow (helping) one gets based on the amount of smugness and arrogance expressed.
Also has the attitude of individuals involved determine how much ketchup, mustard, bbq sauce or nothing one get to help it go down?
GAB

TimW · October 10, 2024, 05:33:07 PM

Months. If it wasn't for building the sawmill shed keeping my mind occupied , I would be going crazy. I also have the Lull's planetary to remove and replace the seals. I designed and cut out this tire sling and dreamed about finishing it the next day.
Right now I'm playing Grandpa and Dad as my daughter and Grand daughter have invaded my kitchen to make Graveyard Pudding cups.

LeeB · October 10, 2024, 06:32:16 PM

A question for the few of you that have the Lombardini 40. Have any of you ever replaced the fan belt and if so do you recall the part number for the replacement belt? The original was a Dayco belt made in Italy and I can't find it anywhere. Gates makes one that seems to be the same size. I just have to hunt one down. On the same topic sort of, the fan seems kinda hard to turn. Surely that's not right? Seems like it should just about freewheel with the belt off. A whole new can of worms to try and find a new water pump if it needs one. It's not leaking any or grinding but it is a little stiff to turn.

Magicman · October 10, 2024, 07:04:52 PM

No help from me on the belt Lee. Yes, I replaced the fan belt but....

I did have to do a replacement in the water pump neighborhood: Repair LINK

This could very well be your problem.

TimW · October 11, 2024, 01:17:41 PM

Lynn,
What are the model numbers on your Lombardini. Turbo and non turbo?

Magicman · October 11, 2024, 01:22:29 PM

LDW 1204T & LDW 1204. Lombardini is now owned by Kohler.

Yes, I could absolutely tell the difference between the T and the non-T.

LeeB · October 11, 2024, 02:56:09 PM

The Gates PN for that belt is 7304. MM, you may well be right about the problem being the bearing. I will have to dig into it and see.

LeeB · October 12, 2024, 03:43:30 PM

That Gates part number is a bust. The belt was way to small. After much searching and digging I managed to find the Kohler part number for the belt. ED0024400220-S. Kohler's parts site doesn't show anything for the 1204t. I just got lucky by putting the engine serial number in the search bar. If I hadn't had the part number off the old belt I don't think I would've been sure the one from Kohler was the right one. They're part number isn't the same as the belt but they also showed an old Kholer number that corresponds enough to the original belt I was able to comfortably use the new number. Got a new one ordered. The old belt lasted 26 years. If the new one makes it that long it should outlast me and/or the mill.

Old Greenhorn · October 19, 2024, 09:11:38 PM

Well nothing special going on here, but my last milling session I had noticed first a stiffness then some issues with the up/down barrel switch on our LT50. I would cut out the end of the log and hit the up lever and let it go and it would stay up and keep going up until I pulled it back to center. That was annoying, but I was on my last log of the day and just wanted it done. Then I tried using the 'mill up' option for another part of the cant and it would not go up, at all. I finished off the cant and quit for the day. Today, I went back and pulled the panel out, greased the contacts and put a few drops of oil on the shafts of both drum switches. 10 minutes work and both switches work great, the up/down auto returns to center again as it should and the 'mill up' option seems to be working also now. I milled out two 24" logs with no issues.
The only difficulty was find a piece of wood I could whittle into a little paddle to grease those contacts. I can't fit my fingers in there.
That was easy, I wish all issues went like that.

TimW · October 19, 2024, 10:15:32 PM

Tom, I use an acid brush to lube the contacts.

jcbrotz · October 20, 2024, 05:16:02 AM

I tend to grease with Q-tips

Chuck White · October 20, 2024, 08:11:08 AM

It's equally difficult to grease the drum switch's on an LT40.

By far, the easiest, most convenient drum switch's to grease are on the LT35, you can actually get to them.

customsawyer · October 21, 2024, 06:44:01 AM

I use the tip of a cable tie to grease the drum switches.

doc henderson · October 21, 2024, 07:09:16 AM

Jake, I assumed you occluded one nostril and blew into the switch...

Sorry I think I am working too much.

Magicman · October 21, 2024, 08:17:20 AM

I have a sliver/splinter about 3" long that stays in my control box and I have no idea how many years I have been using it.

Beavertooth · October 21, 2024, 06:20:32 PM

I put high heat bearing grease on my drum switchs in 2009 and havent had to add any since. Just check them a few months ago. Looks like I just put it on. Have never had any problem with them. That grease will last and last and stay put.

Magicman · October 23, 2024, 12:55:27 PM

OK, I am guilty. When I am sawing and have a blade guide roller (bearing) failure, I will measure it and quickly replace it with either a new or rebuilt unit and keep on sawing. I am also guilty of not taking the time to rebuild them until I had accumulated too many.

This morning I decided to tackle the blade guides. What, there were 6 !! Anyway I got busy:

The truck tailgate, a 15" Crescent wrench to serve as an anvil, hammer, 9/16" socket, and a 1/2" extension (to serve as punches) and snap ring pliers are all that are necessary.

I now have a huge supply of blade guide rollers.