S/N: B1L01417 Code E329 trans filter plugged. I changed the filter and bypass switch. No change. The filter didn’t have any debris in it and the oil looked fine. What else is there to check?
What you have is not a Diagnostic Code, it is an Event. It's important to understand the difference. A Diagnostic Code occurs when a sensor/sender/switch that is desigend to monitor a particular parameter or similar malfunctions. An Event occurs when the diagnostic system is working fine but a parameter goes outside of the expected/desired range. As in this case the plugged filter switch is closing due to back pressure in the filter. Which bypass switch did you change.? I see two bypass switches on that filter head. What oil are you using in that system.? Are you using a Cat filter.? What Part Number.? Did you squeeze the filter media in a vice to remove all the oil before inspecting for particles.? Are you doing oil analysis.? Is the transmission temperature gauge working correctly.? The E329 Event is temperature-dependent on that sensor.
391-7125 is the switch I changed. It's located on the transmission housing just above the filter. We use TO4-30 oil in the trans. Originally, we had a Cat 139-1536 filter in there. When I recently changed it, I put in a Baldwin PT83. I have not yet inspected the filter for particles. Negative on the oil analysis I switched the temp sensor with a known good one and verified it was correct.
That would be the first thing I'd suggest to do. Generally from a visual external inspection you won't see much unless there has been a catastrophic failure. The filter needs to be cut open in order to remove a section of the media which can then be compressed in a vice before being opened out to inspect the bottom of the pleats for the presence of any particles. I don't know if you are familiar with the process but there is a good filter cutting/inspection video on YouTube produced by a Cat dealer tech who goes by the name of "Adept Ape". I've been doing a bit of digging and the filter element in that location is apparently extremely sensitive to what we'd call "resistance to flow" which is what moves the spool in the valve in the filter head and ultimately sets off the alarm. I would suggest initially to revert back to an OEM 139-1536 element and see what happens. Was the plugged filter alarm activating before you switched from an OEM to a Baldwin filter.? Can I also suggest that you remove the switch again and pull out the bypass spool #1 that operates it. Check that the spacer #8 (15mm diameter x 3mm thick) is not missing. Check the spring #4, it should have a free length of 35.5mm with an outside diameter of 17mm. If you put a 1 pound test load on the spring it should compress to a length of 23mm.
I cut the filter open and I couldn't see any shavings or particles. We put a Cat filter back in it and it threw the code right away again. The code would come on and off for the past couple months, but now it is staying on. We took the switch out and all the internals seemed correct.
Sorry I didn't ask this before. Which sensor did you swap it with.? There are a few different ones on the machine. Also have you tried running the machine longer until it gets up to temperature.? It would not be unusual for the filter bypass switch contacts to close with cold oil. That's the reason for the temperature dependency. If the oil temperature signal being sent to the ECM indicates below 60 DegC the alarm will not sound even if the filter goes into bypass. Therefore if your alarm is going off immediately when you start the machine from cold my first thought is that something is wrong with the signal from the temperature sensor. Just to tick the box. Was the spacer behind the spring present and correct.? Next step we might have to get into diagnostics of the electronics. IIRC you have ET don't you.?
I swapped the sensor with a sister 725's trans temp sensor. The alarm won't turn on until, I think, 124 DegF. I accidently left it idling for maybe 30 minutes and the alarm was still on. The spacer was present and the spring was correct. I do have ET.
Have you looked for any Logged Codes in the Power Train ECM that might strike you as being relevant.?
Nothing recent that relates to the transmission filter or pressure in that circuit. I'm starting to run out of ideas but have you tested the transmission pump pressure.?
I have not checked. If I'm seeing SIS right, the test port should be right next to the bypass switch and be these pressure? 25 Pressure At The Transmission Pump (High Idle) 1790 ± 140 kPa (260 ± 20 psi) 25 Pressure At The Transmission Pump (Low Idle) 1655 ± 140 kPa (240 ± 20 psi)
That's correct, spec of 240 at LI and 260 at HI.
Pump pressure is within spec
In that case I’ve got nothing. The only other thing I would try if it was mine, just for a short test, would be putting an additional spacer the same thickness as the original between the spring and the bypass spool but that is a decision you have to make for yourself. And it would only be for a test, not with the intention of leaving it in there.
Noted. I saw that the trans solenoid #5 current percentage stayed at 83.9% in neutral at low idle and it didn’t change when I put it in gear. Idk if that’s normal or not.
Take a look in SIS for what clutches are engaged in which gears. There will be one clutch engaged in neutral, usually #4 or #5. Not sure if there is a calibration procedure for the clutches in that transmission. It’s an ICM tranny so there ought to be. A new calibration wouldn’t go amiss under the circumstances. The 139-1536 is a high efficiency element. I’m going to have a look to see if there is an element of identical size with a different micron rating that might not create so much back pressure. Also I strongly suggest that you pull an oil sample and have it analysed, especially for ISO Cleanliness Code. The analysis cost is probably less than the price of an oil filter and it can potentially tell you a lot.
I’ll take a look at sis. Even with the engine off key on, #5 shows 83.9%. The only calibrations shown for the trans are trans fill and retarder performance. I had a sample sent out the day this came into the shop, just waiting for results.
The clutch fill calibrations are the ones you should be interested in. Each clutch will be calibrated individually. That wouldn’t surprise me. The electronically-controlled transmissions often work that way.
Try a 1R-0722. It's not so fine a micron-rating as the 139-1536 (33 micron vs 6). It won't do any harm in the short term. If changing the Part Number of the element turns off the plugged filter alarm I have a strong suspicion that the Particle Count when your oil sample analysis results finally arrive is going to be in the stratosphere, especially for the smaller particles up to 6 microns in size.
You did use a vice to squeeze the oil out of the section of filter media that you cut out of the filter element I hope.? See this video - Filter Inspection Did you by any chance run a magnet over the surface of the filter media just to see if it picked anything up.? I was out for a walk this evening and turning this issue over & over in my head. I can't get away from the suspicion that you have a clutch (or clutches) starting to come apart. A transmission fill calibration ought to be a good indicator.
In total, I have cut open 3 filters. Oil was squeezed out of them all. The first filter was a Baldwin which had minimal to no metal/ debris. The second filter was a Cat Due to it being a metal caged cartridge filter, I used an oscillating multitool to cut apart one filter. There was a very miniscule amount of metal/ shavings picked up by the magnet, which I'm kind of suspect that some was deposited from using the oscillating cutter. For the last filter, I used a box cutter for 99% of the cutting of the filter. That one I saw very little amount of debris (which I'm assuming there's usually always a tiny amount of debris in filters?). Not an amount of debris that I imagine would plugged the filter. I drained the fluid as well. The plug had a bit of shavings on it, but nothing that I thought was a crazy amount. I put in the 1R-0722 filter. Code still comes on.
I also did a successfull clutch calibration. I noticed when I was test driving, downshifting from 2nd to 1st gives a big clunk, but everything else works great.
Time to try an additional spacer behind the spring then.? Have you got your oil analysis results back yet.?
There should be no debris in the filter at all, metallic or not. The debris you are finding, which I assume is non-metallic, is most likely coming from clutch friction material.
Is/was the clunky 2nd->1st downshift what you experienced before or after you made the successful calibration.? Or was the clunk exactly the same before and after.?
I'll try that next. I called the lab and they said it should be done today or tomorrow. It seemed exactly the same as before.
If you try another spacer do it with the 1R-0722 element. The original element being high efficiency might just want to try to turn itself inside out with the higher pressure.
Just to confirm, I should stack another spacer on the existing spacer?
Yes. The 2nd spacer will go between the end of the spring and the spool right alongside the original one. And as I mentioned before it's only for a test - don't leave it in there......... Post the results as soon as you have them please. Did you confirm that they will be doing a Particle Count and ISO 4406 Cleanliness Code number as part of the analysis.? The results will not be much use if they aren't.
Understood I called the lab and they said they will be doing both.
I had one of my other guys look at the spring and spacer previously. He never measured them, but I just did and the spring is 62.5mm free length with an OD of 15.3mm.
Sorry I was reading the wrong numbers before. Spring #3: - Free length 62.5mm, diameter 15.2mm. Test Force 24 pounds, compressed length 46.1mm. The numbers I quoted previously are for the spring #2 that is wrapped around the head of the bypass spool.
I just tried the extra spacer and no difference.
Out of ideas now. Need that oil analysis report.
Report said everything is normal. Is there any other info from the report I should look for?
That graphic is really hard to interpret. Do you have the raw numbers for the most recent result, especially for the particle count.?
I've never used this system before. I don't know how to just get the most recent results separate.
Can you ask the lab for them.? In order to determine the ISO Code needs the actual particle count in three specific values - 4 microns, 6 microns, & 14 microns. They have graphed the results so they must face the numbers that generated them.
They just sent me this. Hopefully you can make it out and it helps.
ISO 18/17/13. That level of cleanliness is almost up to the standards of new fill oil. The result of using the 139-1536 High Efficiency filter I would imagine. All the wear elements are also low, so no issues there either. I must admit I am baffled. There must be something that we are missing somewhere. I know you have had the bypass spool out of the filter head a couple of times but will the filter head come off complete so that you can have a good look at it and at the same time check on the oil passages that are feeding to/from it.?
There is no filter head on this tranny. The filter fits right into the bottom of the trans. If that makes sense.
Sorry, should have been clearer. I meant the head of the bypass valve. It's mounted on to the housing with 4 bolts from what I can see.
Understood. I’ll try to get it apart today
Here's something it might pay you to check - electrical continuity. Thanks @ahart for the suggestion. At the filter bypass switch you have a 2-pin connector with brown wire and a black wire. Open that connector and check: - 1. continuity to machine frame ground on the black wire #202. You should read resistance of 5 ohms or less. 2. Unplug connector J2 on the powertrain ECM and check continuity of the brown wire #426 between the 2-pin plug on the machine harness next to the filter switch and Pin 29 on connector J2. NOTE: Wire #426 goes through a number of major harness connectors between the location of the filter and the ECM. I'll send you the electrical schematic. It will make it easier.
Looking at the electrical schematic the alarm sounds when Pin 29 on connector J2 of the ECM is connected to machine frame ground. If you have a chafe in the harness somewhere between J2 and the switch that is maybe rubbing where it passes through a P-clip or has rubbed through on the transmission case that would give a short circuit to ground and trick the ECM into thinking that the filter was plugged.
That's exactly what I was thinking. So could moisture in an electrical connection, or oil. Also, just out of curiosity, at what transmission oil temperature does that event become active? If you get an E329 before the trans temp reaches the temps mentioned below, you have an ECM fault.
Something you could try as a quick & dirty test. When the alarm is going off with the enging running, go under the machine and disconnect the 2-pin Deutsch connector right next to the plugged filter switch. If the alarm stops then the cause must be that the bypass spool has moved to one side and operated the plugged filter switch. If the alarm does not stop you have a wiring harness or ECM fault.
124F Pulled the connector and the alarm stayed on. Wish I thought of that before. I will check wiring. I’ll post what I find. Thank you everyone for the help.
You’re not the only one….. TBH the penny didn’t drop for me until I looked at the electrical schematic and saw how the switch operated. IIRC the wires pass through a number of harness connectors between the one next to the switch and the ECM. It might pay you to find and open every connector then test the wire in sections.
Thinking one step further than this you could just pull the applicable wire out of the ECM. See if it stays on. At this stage I'd be cycling the isolator between troubleshooting steps. Not sure why, just a feeling.
Checked everything in sections and it all checked out. What else could there be to check? ECM?
With everything connected, I checked from the switch connector to chassis ground and both wires showed continuity. I'm assuming the hot wire shouldn't be grounded.
There isn’t a “hot wire” per se. The ECM “looks” for ground on the wire to the switch. As you know the other wire from the switch is connected to ground, so if the ECM detects continuity to ground from Pin # whatever-it-is, and at the same time the transmission oil temperature is above 51DegC the alarm should sound. All I can suggest is to re-iterate what Chrisso posted somewhere above. Get a Deutsch connector pin removal tool and at the ECM plug remove the wire that connects the ECM to the plugged filter switch. If the alarm continues to go off with that wire removed (provided that temp conditions are met) then an internal problem in the ECM is the only possibility that I can see.
Apologies are due again…… Unfortunately it seems like a recurring theme regarding this problem. Working through an issue with another machine we have discovered that there is an issue regarding how the electrical schematic is drawn which turns the whole operation of the plugged filter switch on its head. The switch contacts by design are Normally Open as confirmed in the illustration below. However because the switch is of the proximity type then when it is installed and the business end of it comes into contact with the bypass spool the presence of the metal spool will cause the switch contacts to close . That explains how it works but the way that the schematic is drawn is confusing by showing the contacts open and leading to the assumption that the switch closes to activate the alarm. Try installing a jumper wire between Pins 1 & 2 of the machine harness connector for the plugged filter switch. Does the alarm stay off or come on.?
Good pick up Nige. And if that doesn't reveal the fault do the same thing at the ECM
I put everything back together, parked it for a few days, came back today, warmed it up and drove it around. Now no alarm. I'm going to try it again tomorrow and see what happens.