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Problem with 3120 Fuel gauge not working

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MikeMag
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 19 Oneida, New York
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2006-10-24          136254

Just took delivery of my new 3120. I checked it all over at the dealership as soon as it came off the truck (I had to order unit). The fuel gauge did not register but the salesman said that Deere only put enough fuel in to get it shipped. Upon delivery I filled the tank and the fuel gauge did not move. Dealer said it was the sending unit as there was a TSB that indicated problems in the field. Yesterday put in a new sending unit and still does not work. Has anyone experienced this issue with the new Deeres? If so I would appreciate any advice as the dealer is now stumped as to the problem. Very frustrating to buy brand new and have these kind of issues.

Thanks
Mike


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Peters
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 3034 Northern AL
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2006-10-24          136273

You normally find that the fuel gauge on the tractor does not last as the tank is close to the engine and the vibration takes it out. In my mind the best thing is the cork on a rod. Some companies locate the tank behind the seat which likely helps.
The dealer just changed the wrong thing. It normally is the sender, but can also be the gauge. I am sure he will get it, just be patient. The Deere are as good as most and the dealers tend to be a little better than average, don't worry. ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-10-25          136304

Could be a bad ground or even a connector on the back of the guage not connected, if the guage is not part of the instrument panel. ....

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hugheswill
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 17 South Texas
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2006-10-31          136435

Sorry about your fuel gauge problem, hopefully the dealer got it fixed. I bought a 3120 about a year ago and it has been a good tractor so far. ....

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hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 3583 iowa
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2006-10-31          136436

I don't know if plastic fuel tanks are more prone to guage problems or not but I had several Case farm tractors with plastic tanks and the guages rarely worked, usually it was a grounding problem with the sender. The guage on my 4310 has always worked but it's kind of a somewhere in the neighborhood indication of the fuel level. Frank. ....

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MikeMag
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 19 Oneida, New York
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2006-11-01          136465

Problem Solved !! Earthwrks gets the prize !! The dealer gave me a new sending unit to replace the original. When I went to remove the positive (orange) wire to the unit, the round tab that connects the wire came off in my hand!!!! I removed the black shrink wrap from the round tab and found that the wire had never been stripped and the tab had not been crimped. I stripped the wire end...touched the wire to the unit and the gauge worked perfectly. Apparently some assembler had a bad day.
Thanks for the replies!! Now I can start enjoying my new Deere.

Mike ....

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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2006-11-01          136466

Excellent I'll give you my address to the send the prize to.

That kind of crap with wires and terminals not attached ticks me off. There should have been quality controls that someone bought-off on at the harness mfg. for continuity (the entire harness can be checked in a matter of seconds), another one at the factory when they installed it(does the guage work?), and another at the dealer (ah, duh, does the gauge work?). And it's we the customer who pays for cost because the warranty (had it been warranty) affects the bottom line. So in my opinion that's at least three people who got paid NOT to do their job.

But Murf, I'm jis' sayin, ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-11-01          136467

What baffles me is the dealer who said he was stumped. ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2006-11-01          136469

The wiring harnesses have been a problem for years and not with any one tractor manufacturer. The harnesses are built to spec by different companies all over this and other countries. There are always quality control issues and the fact remains that even the best companies will develop cracks for things to fall through that end up with the customer. Seen it many times that the shop looks to deep when all that is wrong is a poor crimp on a wire end or just an unclean ground point. ....

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wingwiper
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 676
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2006-11-01          136470

KW

Don't be stumped about the Dealer.

I am sure they did a visual on the connections and they all looked fine. I had the same problem, several years back. I had replaced just about everything under the hood and then when I was replacing one of the last items, as I lifted it out, the wire just came apart and that is when I noticed that they had crimped over rubber and when the shrink tubing was put over it, it looked to be a PERFECT connection.

It would have been very easy to troubleshoot by putting Test Leads from a Volt Meter on the termnals of the guage to see if it was getting Voltage. I would think that would have been a Basic check, but when all looks good, I can see the train of thought.

How many here have tried to start a lawn mower with no Gas? raise your HANDS.
....

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oneace
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 1490 south central pa
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2006-11-01          136476

If I had a dollar for every bad wire crimp that I have come across. They are normally the last thing checked when a problem comes about. I have spent hours and hours trying to figure out a problem and then normally purely by accident find a bad connection. Then I proceed to kick my own as for over complicating the situation or looking too deep into it. ....

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wingwiper
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 676
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2006-11-01          136477

Oneace

DITTO ....

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kwschumm
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 5764 NW Oregon
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2006-11-01          136487

Wing, that's why they make meters. It seems a basic check would be to measure at the gauge. But if it's a bear to get to I can see why they'd skip it. ....

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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-11-03          136578

Glad to know you found the source of the problem. The gage on my 4310 sticks. But it's the float rod that sticks when I run the fuel down to 1/4 indicated or less or go on a hill. The last time I just reached in there with a clean metal rod bent with a hook and popped it loose. Then I filled the tank.

My wife works for Deere so she checked the warranty data on the 4310 and found the fuel tank level sensor device thingy was one of the most common problems on the 4310. ....

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