TK smx/sl Damper motor

[djbe]

I've just picked up a new customer.

They have an SMXII SR in the fleet that has had a history of shutting down after a period of time. (They can't tell me what the fault codes are).

The guy who looks after the fleet told me that their previous repairer had persuaded them that it was a problem with the damper door motor. So they changed it and the problem has still occured.

I serviced it last week and apart from the low speed being wound up to 1400rpm. (presumbly to hide the motor/jackshaft belt slap as it was worn to half it's width and depth!!!!!!!!!) everything else seemed O.K.

Now the question is that I seem to recall from years ago that here was an issue with the SMX damper door motor causing a spurious fault code. Can anybody tell me what it was because I can't remember.

I just want to get an idea why the previous guy suspected this was the cause.

Thanks,djbe



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[Reeferjon]

What controlers's it got....from 'fault code' I guess its a uP.....things to check.

Damper door fit and finish...does it seal.
Is is adjusted.
Does it pass a pretrip.
Whats the fault code.

Is it an air flow problem....what is the actual problem?

[djbe]

Hi Reeferjon,

I haven't yet seen a fault code as the unit hasn't shut down on me yet.

It did pass a pre trip (after I had reset the low speed).

I'm just trying to piece together the info from the customer who told me that it would periodically shut itself down. The previous repairer seemed to think that the problem was related to the damper door motor but that didn't cure it (Hence previous repairer ).

I was wondering why the unit shutting down would have any bearing on the damper door motor. e.g why would he have suspected this was the cause?

Unfortunately the customer hasn't got any past service reports so I cannot look up the history.

Thanks,
djbe.

[reefermadness]

I tend to find that the fault codes only lead you in a direction, not always the right one. Saying that, i hae never worked on a TK with a damper MOTOR, only seen the damper solinoid. If i remember correctly there is a different fuse slot if the motor is used instead of the solinoid.

I'm guessing that the unit has a uP IV?? I have found that once these get a few years old they are prone to intermintant fault codes. These are generally due to corrosion on the realy board. These are the codes that you can get to re occur after a day of running them through the paces. In other words there is some sort of pattern. If its the micro, its very hard to pinpoint. Since even rebuilt ones are finicky at best, its tough to be sure that would solve the problem.

Then again, maybe you shouldn't take my advice, i just worked on a MD I that had the optional "diesel" engine. It had a heat/cool switch, with a controller used before the UE. Very simple, but i guess it works.

ReeferMadness

[Reeferjon]

Cor a UE....got a couple of them in the shed....complete with the £5 feeler gauge

[Latte]

Hi Djbe,

I seem to remember a problem with damper door motors on the smx II's and smart reefers.

There was a fault where the motors were incorrectly adjusted and used to stick, causing a problem on pretrip.

unfortunatly i can't remember the fault code. just the motor, it's easy to get to just check its a good seal but not too good so it gets stuck and cant turn.

Let us know when you come up with a fault code.

Anyway, while we have some reefer guys on, what fault code annoy's you the most. Personally mine was getting called out at 2 in the morning to a code 36 (dont you just love drivers that dont know how to use it)

regards

Fatboy

[thermo690]

Hi Djbe,

I seem to remember a problem with damper door motors on the smx II's and smart reefers.

There was a fault where the motors were incorrectly adjusted and used to stick, causing a problem on pretrip.

unfortunatly i can't remember the fault code. just the motor, it's easy to get to just check its a good seal but not too good so it gets stuck and cant turn.

Let us know when you come up with a fault code.

Anyway, while we have some reefer guys on, what fault code annoy's you the most. Personally mine was getting called out at 2 in the morning to a code 36 (dont you just love drivers that dont know how to use it)

regards

Fatboy

I like "No power" on Vector & Supra units and a driver waiting to get on his run @ 5 in the morning

Martin

[Latte]

Hi Guys,

I seem to remember on the last course i went to at MTK, Tk had just introduced a feature on their latest controller that if the unit was switched onto electric and there was no power or had a power cut while running on electric then the diesel engine would cut in automaticly.
Is this now a standard feature? Sorry been out of the loop on reefers for about 5 years so am lost about anything after the first batch of SL300's and early Vectors.

Regards

Fatboy

[thermo690]

Hi Guys,

I seem to remember on the last course i went to at MTK, Tk had just introduced a feature on their latest controller that if the unit was switched onto electric and there was no power or had a power cut while running on electric then the diesel engine would cut in automaticly.
Is this now a standard feature? Sorry been out of the loop on reefers for about 5 years so am lost about anything after the first batch of SL300's and early Vectors.

Regards

Fatboy

Hi fatboy
The vector has this feature but it has to be activated in the configuration set up ......it is defaulted to shutdown:roll eyes:

Martin

[Latte]

Yeah, Thats about right. Why would you have this switched off !!!!!!

From What i remeber the TK one was on a small rigid unit not a trailer unit (KDII size).

regards

fatboy

[nova]

TK truck & trailer SR units have had this feature for long time.

It is disabled as a default due the fact that switching from electric to diesel automatically inside a sealed area (driver sleeping in a truck with ear plugs or something) might cause dangerous situation. Also autostarting with diesel in a ferry might bring lots of problems (we all now so called 'electricity' of the ferries).

-nova

[djbe]

Found it & dead simple really.

The unit has been shutting down on code 25.

Cause - brush holder contact partially corroded, intermittent charging. Cleaned up the contacts and no problems since.

I've no idea why the previous repairer diagnosed damper door but at least it's fixed and I've got one happy customer.

Mind you I have learnt from this one, when I serviced it I checked the hours and thought brushes will be O.K! Wrong!!!!!!

Thanks guys.
djbe

[Latte]

Mind you I have learnt from this one, when I serviced it I checked the hours and thought brushes will be O.K! Wrong!!!!!!

Thanks guys.
djbe

Hi djbe,

The biggest problem i found with the smx alternators was that the vents on them were clogging up with belt dust and overheating them. Thankfully the new style alternators were quite easy to change the brushes, just two screws to get them out and blow the thing out with a airline. Dont know if the dust was coming from the top belts ot the main one though, although i am talking about the SMX days without the pulleys ot the guides for the main belt when they used to go slack and cut straight through the rear water pump hose. Joy of joys !

Regards

Fatboy