Massey Ferguson 6180 Won't move- Dynashift Issue?

[Masseytinker]

I have a 6180 Dynashift which I was using to mix slurry.
When I went to lift mixer out to clear a blockage of netting/plastic I found the lift wasn't working and also the tractor wouldn't move in any gear. (the mixer was still pumping-just getting slightly blocked up)
Found no permanent 12V power supply to the lift control, so traced the problem to a corroded red wire behind the R/H step. There is a red & yellow wire together supplying the Autotronic controller and lift. Repaired that red wire and now the lift is operating.
However I still have no drive whatsoever-tractor won't move. I have no dash warning lights on. The Dynashift lever changes fromm A-D on the dash ok.
The yellow wire is supplying 12V to the autotronic controller behind the step.

Whevever I put the tractor in gear and let up the clutch nothing happens- listening closely I can just hear faint "whining" noise when clutch is let out.

The following are all working:
Lift
Spools
Brakes
Steering

She has the Auto2 controller- I did unplug Plug A on the controller when repairing/checking the red wire.
Does the Dynashift/autotronic controller need to be re-calibrated if it is unplugged?
Is it possible for the dynashift controller to cause total loss of drive?

Any ideas welcome?

 

[GHuggins]

dynashift is all of your clutch engaging controls. Something simple - try unhooking your battery connections and reconnecting after waiting a couple of minutes. While your there inspect the two small wire connections at the battery. You might even want to unplug and inspect the connectors under the hood/bonnet beside the muffler, especially if you run the lights a lot. Check fuses - air ride seat if bad can cause main one to blow, but your engine runs, so should be good. AND then you have grounds under the same step area... I've got a brand new, but has been sitting in a box for several years auto2 controller with wiring if you wind up needing one. I has to be programmed though - part of the reason I never put it in. I also fixed my electrical problem, so never actually needed it anyway...

 

[Masseytinker]

I’ll have a look through all the earth connections and check the power supply to controller with a test bulb rather than multimeter in case theres bad connection somewhere between there and battery not picked up with meter.

was getting worried that something mechanical wrong, thought would still have some drive even if the controller wasn’t working but must be a wire at fault somewhere

hopefully don’t need the controller, but good to know you have one there if end up down that road. Whereabouts are you? I’m in N.Ireland.

thanks for the reply.

 

[GHuggins]

I'm in the US, but I originally bought this from a distributor out of Europe. Guess I need to pop the box open and make sure everything looks good.

If your hydraulic pump is working then the usual flywheel dampener isn't the issue. Guess as long as it's not making any noise and pto is working most internal mechanically wise is good. I assume it hasn't had any slipping issues or issues up until now and it drove to where you were using the pto and then wouldn't move from there? No hydraulic pressure lights flashing?

Does the engine tone change when shifting through the ABCD settings? Do the gears feel like they're present or have you tried different gears? Tried shuttling from forward to reverse - before I adjusted mine, it would pop out intermittently, but that was because of the lousy shop that worked on mine before I got it...

 

[Masseytinker]

I'm scratching my head at this one.
I've triple checked the autotronic controller supply voltage with 55W bulb and cleaned all earth connections on the tractor including the controller body, battery terminals and connection to body.
The dynashift appears to be operating- the stalk allows me to select from A-D and the lights function as normal on the dash.
The hydraulic pressure light comes on as it should when clutch is depressed before starting the engine, and extinguishes once the tractor is started. There are no warning lights.
The lift arms, spools, steering and PTO are all working.
The gear select lever feels completely normal, as does the manual shuttle lever.

When I let the clutch out with the tractor in gear there are no noises. No attempt to move whatsover and no change in tone of engine.

Something I'm not sure about- I assumed that even if there was a fault with Dynashift control, the tractor should still move in some gear when the clutch is let out.
Can a fault in the dynashift control totally prevent clutch pack engagement?

I'm thinking the damper plate can't be at fault as I still have PTO and hydraulic power for lift and spools. There haven't been any slippage issues up to this point. It drove as normal to the mixing point and after mixing using PTO for a short period she refuses to drive.

 

[masseybreaker]

does the gearbox feel to be working when you change gear with the stick ? try changing gear without using the clutch and see if its grinding . it could be the coupler behind the gearbox moved back so you loose drive

 

[Masseytinker]

Hi Yes the gears are definetly engaging in the box, checked the linkage etc.
Dynashift is definetly operating- can hear the engine change tone as go through the A-D range and back.
Bled the clutch cylinder but doesn't seem to be any air in system.

I am able to use gear lever to select gears with engine running and foot off the clutch- no grinding.
Fairly certain at this stage that the clutch and dynashift are working as they should,

Coupling moved back sounds like it might be the issue- Is removing the pump from the side the only place to view in there to see the coupling?

 

[wdah/him]

You. Ould take the bracket off at the back and look in. From memory the oil filler bunk plate if removed is at 45 degree angle so u might see something and wouldn't have to remove the oil.

 

[Audi90]

Does it have a creeper gearbox by any chance? Sometimes the lever can get knocked into neutral by mistake.

 

[GHuggins]

Are gears grinding when shifting gears without using the clutch and trying to shift the gears?

 

[masseybreaker]

no go in from the left plate in front of the back axle . they have a roll pin holding the coupler that wears and lets it slide

 

[Masseytinker]

Are gears grinding when shifting gears without using the clutch and trying to shift the gears?

No grinding when shifting gears without using clutch. Gears feel like they are engaging in box and linkage looks good.

 

[GHuggins]

Double make sure the shuttle lever is actually turning the shaft under the tractor - If you can have someone else shift the shuttle from forward to reverse while you watch everything underneath with the tractor off...

I'll have to check mine and see if the engine tone changes when the clutch is depressed and shifting through ABCD as that's the only part that's confusing me at the moment.

Other than that part it sounds like the clutch either isn't working due to electrical problems, seal blown out problems, broken shaft or something like that, but other than possible electrical I don't see why it would just fail. You said there aren't or weren't any noises, so seems like hard mechanical failure shouldn't be it. You said no lights are on and it does the usual dash light up/wake up during fire up, so I would think the clutch switches were good.

I'm going to attach some parts diagrams for the clutch system, but I personally keep going back to the pin in the shuttle lever falling out or something like that - I red thread locked mine in because it was very loose 7 years ago... I assume you had it running in neutral - possibly with shuttle in neutral and vibrating while you were running the mixer??? Could have caused the pin to work loose.

Only other quick checks are of the solenoid and wiring for the clutch, but I still keep going back to the pin "allen headed bolt pin if memory serves" for the shuttle...

 

[GHuggins]

OK, this was really bugging me so I went out and fired mine up.

Engine tone doesn't change only if the clutch is depressed which is telling me your clutch is working and your dynashift is working just as it should. Engine tone only changes if clutch is engaged while shifting the dynashift ranges...

With Shuttle in Neutral - key part (in neutral) - you can shift into whatever gear you like with no grinding - in other words the shuttle has to be engaged for the main gear train to rotate...

All of this is telling me your problem is directly related to the shuttle - you should feel firm gear engagement when shifting from forward to reverse (feel syncro's engage right before sliding into gear)

It could also be something further downstream - behind the trans, but again no noise and never heard anything when this all started, so again going back to the screw in the shuttle shifter or associated shaft...

 

[Masseytinker]

Found the issue- thankfully it was something very simple in the end.
@Audi90 mentioned the creeper gearbox which this tractor has. Its behind the seat close to the lift controls. I had moved the lever to remove plastic panel when looking for the lift electrical fault.
I had put the lever back down into Hare position when finished. Checked it again by pulling lever up and pushing back into position again. Still no drive, so I rammed it down as hard/far as I could which finally engaged the transmission.
There was adjustment on the selector cable bracket underneath, so I adjusted that and now the tractor back working again as normal.

I'm glad I went through the wiring as I did find a host of plugs and wires with bad corrosion, especially around dynashift controller which would probably have stopped me in the not so distant future. I ordered some AMP seal connectors from RS components in the UK and replaced the plugs which go to the dyanshift controller. Also removed the battery earth connections and cleaned them all up.

Much appreciate the comments on here, I found them very helpful and have a bit better understanding of the 6180 now. (don't have the tractor very long).
Although the wiring seems a bit of a soft spot, otherwise the engine/transmission seem to be quite reliable from what I have read.
I've read alot of people complaining on forums about the 6100 series- are the 6200 series a big improvement?

 

[GHuggins]

Glad you got it sorted. Good call to Audi90. The creeper option is one thing that I wish my 6180 had. I find that when I'm even in low 1st/A that it's still not slow enough on the ground speed with the 38's on the rear. Of course this is only when I'm running the three point side arm bush hog. The rest of the time it's slow enough

From everything I've seen the 6200 series tractors have a manual shifter almost identical to the 4300 series 24x24 sp with a hydraulic shuttle and column dynashift all built into one unit - the first to use the newer design column dyna shifter if you will. If I had money, I would personally get a 6280 or 6290 to have next. I figure that surely it would hold up and work good if the 4200 and 4300 tractors had the hydraulic shuttle of same design without many problems for years prior and I really like the 4355's shuttle that we have.

I think the worst thing about the 6100 series were all of the linkages - seems like everything gets out of adjustment way too easily or starts coming loose...

 

[Glenno]

I have a 6180 Dynashift which I was using to mix slurry.
When I went to lift mixer out to clear a blockage of netting/plastic I found the lift wasn't working and also the tractor wouldn't move in any gear. (the mixer was still pumping-just getting slightly blocked up)
Found no permanent 12V power supply to the lift control, so traced the problem to a corroded red wire behind the R/H step. There is a red & yellow wire together supplying the Autotronic controller and lift. Repaired that red wire and now the lift is operating.
However I still have no drive whatsoever-tractor won't move. I have no dash warning lights on. The Dynashift lever changes fromm A-D on the dash ok.
The yellow wire is supplying 12V to the autotronic controller behind the step.

Whevever I put the tractor in gear and let up the clutch nothing happens- listening closely I can just hear faint "whining" noise when clutch is let out.

The following are all working:
Lift
Spools
Brakes
Steering

She has the Auto2 controller- I did unplug Plug A on the controller when repairing/checking the red wire.
Does the Dynashift/autotronic controller need to be re-calibrated if it is unplugged?
Is it possible for the dynashift controller to cause total loss of drive?

Any ideas welcome?

Hey, it's March 31 and I blew the entire Easter Sunday fixing/diagnosing my problem, a very similar problem with my 6255.

I pulled out autotrophic controller (called a Switch box), pulled apart and cleaned and inspected-no blown printed board or diodes) and reassembled.
I read that much last night and today that I'm now very familiar with this machine.

On first start up, the same warning lights came on (triangle hazard to left and Autotronic symbol towards middle of dash. Disappointed.

I didn't want to disconnect batteries to zero computer,
Didn't find and broken fuses or corroded wires...

The Autotronic light still lights.

I remember Stevo or Timbo saying it could be a clutch safety switch and so "jump on it(clutch) a few times and see if warning light goes out," and it did!!

My manual and the tractors diagnose feature is nowhere near as good as the ideas on the forum.

Thanks guys

I have a 6180 Dynashift which I was using to mix slurry.
When I went to lift mixer out to clear a blockage of netting/plastic I found the lift wasn't working and also the tractor wouldn't move in any gear. (the mixer was still pumping-just getting slightly blocked up)
Found no permanent 12V power supply to the lift control, so traced the problem to a corroded red wire behind the R/H step. There is a red & yellow wire together supplying the Autotronic controller and lift. Repaired that red wire and now the lift is operating.
However I still have no drive whatsoever-tractor won't move. I have no dash warning lights on. The Dynashift lever changes fromm A-D on the dash ok.
The yellow wire is supplying 12V to the autotronic controller behind the step.

Whevever I put the tractor in gear and let up the clutch nothing happens- listening closely I can just hear faint "whining" noise when clutch is let out.

The following are all working:
Lift
Spools
Brakes
Steering

She has the Auto2 controller- I did unplug Plug A on the controller when repairing/checking the red wire.
Does the Dynashift/autotronic controller need to be re-calibrated if it is unplugged?
Is it possible for the dynashift controller to cause total loss of drive?

Any ideas welcome?