Dominator 98 Advice

[Qman]

The battery warning light won’t go out. It’s sort of half lit all the time from the moment you turn the ignition key on and once the engine is running. The alternator is not charging the battery. There is 6.75 volts at the alternator field input terminal from moment the ignition is turned on and it stays at 6.75 volts when the engine is running. The alternator output terminal stays at battery voltage. I’m assuming the alternator needs replacing. In the old days I’d connect 12v straight into the field input to test the alternator field circuit and if the output went to say 18 volts I’d say the regulator alone needs changing but not sure some of the modern electronics will like 18 volts so not doing that.
Has anybody anything to add or suggest as a way round going for complete alternator replacement though to be fair I’d say myself it’s probably most sensible option?

My advice is to get a quality alternator, not a cheapo one or a refurbed one....I did once and regretted it when it went kaput on a Friday afternoon.

 

[DrWazzock]

My advice is to get a quality alternator, not a cheapo one or a refurbed one....I did once and regretted it when it went kaput on a Friday afternoon.

I’m getting a genuine Bosch replacement. There are about 3000 variations but between us at the Motor Factors I think we found the right one. About £120. 90 amp output.
I do wonder if the hedge cutter on the rape extension hasn’t done the alternator a lot of good. I can feel a project coming on. Drive the hedge cutter from the spare output shaft on the RHS of the feeder housing with a belt. I should have enough scrap in the yard to make something up. It’s so easy from an armchair.

 

[Zippy768]

Finally gained access to the alternator by tilting cab forward and removing panel behind cab. Initially thought I’d have to get my brother to hold me by the ankles and drop me head first into the engine bay. A bit different to the JD with the engine behind the tank but I’m getting used to it. At least it came to light before harvest started.

Had 2 Local Claas fitters come out at different times, neither knew you could tip the cab on a 98?
Seems to be a yearly thing here, tipping that ba5tard

 

[DrWazzock]

Had 2 Local Claas fitters come out at different times, neither knew you could tip the cab on a 98?
Seems to be a yearly thing here, tipping that ba5tard

Yep. But had to unbolt the seat from the floor to get it to go full tilt. And remember to move the throttle lever to full throttle to avoid bending it and feed the air con and heater pipes through as you tilt, unhooking them from the supports. Other than that an easy job.

 

[zero]

I’m getting a genuine Bosch replacement. There are about 3000 variations but between us at the Motor Factors I think we found the right one. About £120. 90 amp output.
I do wonder if the hedge cutter on the rape extension hasn’t done the alternator a lot of good. I can feel a project coming on. Drive the hedge cutter from the spare output shaft on the RHS of the feeder housing with a belt. I should have enough scrap in the yard to make something up. It’s so easy from an armchair.

Cut alot of acres with an electric side knife on a 76, it just needs a big cable and it'll be ok. We used welding cable.

 

[bobk]

Looks like the Doc is dismantling before it's broke

 

[DrWazzock]

Looks like the Doc is dismantling before it's broke

It’s as well to know how to get it apart now in the shed before harvest. I put every bolt back in with copper grease as well. So on Friday afternoon on August 15th I can get to exactly where I want in 5 minutes.
Reality is it will be some other thing that goes wrong and still takes me a fortnight to fix.

 

[Barleymow]

The battery warning light won’t go out. It’s sort of half lit all the time from the moment you turn the ignition key on and once the engine is running. The alternator is not charging the battery. There is 6.75 volts at the alternator field input terminal from moment the ignition is turned on and it stays at 6.75 volts when the engine is running. The alternator output terminal stays at battery voltage. I’m assuming the alternator needs replacing. In the old days I’d connect 12v straight into the field input to test the alternator field circuit and if the output went to say 18 volts I’d say the regulator alone needs changing but not sure some of the modern electronics will like 18 volts so not doing that.
Has anybody anything to add or suggest as a way round going for complete alternator replacement though to be fair I’d say myself it’s probably most sensible option?

On my 116cs the belt needs to be kin tight

 

[Zippy768]

Yep. But had to unbolt the seat from the floor to get it to go full tilt. And remember to move the throttle lever to full throttle to avoid bending it and feed the air con and heater pipes through as you tilt, unhooking them from the supports. Other than that an easy job.

Oh yes, all coming back to me.
On our 108 can get away with putting the seat right forward and dropping the back rest....cab will just go over it.

 

[Hjwise]

Yep. But had to unbolt the seat from the floor to get it to go full tilt. And remember to move the throttle lever to full throttle to avoid bending it and feed the air con and heater pipes through as you tilt, unhooking them from the supports. Other than that an easy job.

The cab on my 228 tilts forward every time I stop too quickly. I’ve deliberated over the last couple of years whether to put the two bolts back in or not but just can’t make up my mind. Maybe this year I’ll put the bolt on the step side back in.
I’ll sleep on it.

 

[Zippy768]

The cab on my 228 tilts forward every time I stop too quickly. I’ve deliberated over the last couple of years whether to put the two bolts back in or not but just can’t make up my mind. Maybe this year I’ll put the bolt on the step side back in.
I’ll sleep on it.

Hahaha.
I've only got the bolt in each side on the bottom. Done away with the two behind the cab

 

[DrWazzock]

The photo above should be rotated 90 degrees. It shows the lift pump on the Mercedes engine in the Dominator 98. The stripey grey and white thing Is a sediment bowl under the lift pump, I think. Question is how can I remove the sediment bowl. Does it unscrew? Gave it a fair twist and it didn’t budge. Is there a strainer in it? Thanks.

 

[jamc]

View attachment 1044575
The photo above should be rotated 90 degrees. It shows the lift pump on the Mercedes engine in the Dominator 98. The stripey grey and white thing Is a sediment bowl under the lift pump, I think. Question is how can I remove the sediment bowl. Does it unscrew? Gave it a fair twist and it didn’t budge. Is there a strainer in it? Thanks.

it unscrews and it's a bigger to move when it's on a while put Vaseline on threads WHEN you have it removed

 

[zero]

While your cleaning diesel pipes, some of them have a non return valve in the fuel line that sometimes clogs up with chaff. Our 76 didn't have one but 108 did..

 

[DrWazzock]

Another filter question.
The engine oil filter looks like it’s contained in an “upside down” filter bowl with what looks like a bleed plug on the top end of it. Scant information in the manual about how to tackle this. Is there anyway to avoid a spill of oil into the engine bay as you take the “upside down” filter bowl off and is there a procedure to use the plug to bleed air out or is to allow oil to drain back to the engine before taking it off?
Thanks.

 

[zero]

Used to just pack around ours with rags. Not alot of oil left in if it had been left for an hour or so draining oil out before I took the filter off. It needs new copper washers when re fitting, think the vent screw is for re filling with a new filter but i used to turn the engine over a few times with the stopper in to get the oil round before i started the engine.

Check the oil pipes too and from the filter as the rubber perishes over time. We were lucky with ours and changed them when dad noticed one weeping..

Going from memory, there's a pipe above the turbo which sometimes drips from a join onto the turbo which dust and awns stick to then starts to smoulder if you don't keep engine bay clean.

 

[DrWazzock]

Used to just pack around ours with rags. Not alot of oil left in if it had been left for an hour or so draining oil out before I took the filter off. It needs new copper washers when re fitting, think the vent screw is for re filling with a new filter but i used to turn the engine over a few times with the stopper in to get the oil round before i started the engine.

Check the oil pipes too and from the filter as the rubber perishes over time. We were lucky with ours and changed them when dad noticed one weeping..

Going from memory, there's a pipe above the turbo which sometimes drips from a join onto the turbo which dust and awns stick to then starts to smoulder if you don't keep engine bay clean.

Thanks for those useful pointers. Trying my best to keep it clean and avoid a fire. It’s not bad and I hope to keep it that way. I also don’t want a fuel blockage with a full tank of grain!!

 

[7610 super q]

Well mine has finally arrived...........
First question.......... I suppose it's old enough to be OK to disconnect the battery ? No ECU's and all that guff ?

 

[Zippy768]

Well mine has finally arrived...........
First question.......... I suppose it's old enough to be OK to disconnect the battery ? No ECU's and all that guff ?

View attachment 1046017

What it replace?
Looks tidy, what year?

 

[7610 super q]

What it replace?
Looks tidy, what year?

My first combine. 1994.