5-Step Diagnostics for Construction Equipment Mechanics

This year the owner or fleet manager of your company may have turned to you more often to handle heavy equipment repairs, maintenance or even machine down issues. While it makes sense to potentially save money, it can also be a bit risky — if you don’t fully understand a machine’s systems and guess at an issue’s root cause, you can inadvertently cause more damage in the process.

Ensuring your construction equipment has proper maintenance can be a big responsibility, and having a checklist to follow can help you avoid missing anything crucial. Advice that I can offer heavy equipment mechanics is to follow proper diagnostic steps. When you do, you can save both time and money making the right repairs the first time. Here are the steps I recommend taking:

1. Collect Basic Data on Your Construction Equipment

When you’re out in the field, you want to try to collect some data upfront by asking the right questions to the right people. Basic data is just having a true, overall understanding of the problem — it can include things like error codes, information from the operator, engine RPMs and so on.

One of the biggest issues we see is heavy equipment mechanics or technicians not asking the right questions to the operator. For instance, if they get a call that a machine keeps shutting off, there are a lot of different parts on a machine that could cause it to randomly do that. The operator is the one who’s generally experiencing the issue, so not asking about his experience upfront could lead you down a dead end. Are there any symptoms going along with it? Does it sputter beforehand? Is it happening while performing the same function? These kinds of questions will likely lead you to the root cause faster.

Upfront questions with operators of your construction equipment also help you know which parts you need for maintenance. If that’s missed, it could lead to additional downtime, which costs your company money. Getting a better idea of the problem upfront is always your best first step.

2. Read the Error Codes

Today’s heavy construction machines are designed with technicians in mind. There are numerous ECUs and control units installed on construction equipment to help you find the root cause more efficiently. On Volvo machines, for example, you can plug a seven digit code into PROSIS (Product Support Information System) and it will point you to either the exact system or part on the machine that’s faulty.

When it comes to ECUs, be sure that you’re comfortable with the diagnostic tool you’re using and read the information carefully. Always check the service information prior to updating or programming an ECU. If there’s a newer software available and you load in the wrong package, for instance, it can damage and sometimes ruin the ECU.

3. Troubleshoot Symptoms to Help Understand Maintenance Needs

Check the manufacturer’s service information before starting your work. There’s a good chance that someone has experienced this symptom in the past, and the information is likely to be documented. Documented service information can be found in PROSIS. This tool will give you repair and troubleshooting tips, and if you have access, you’ll also be able to see service bulletins that document and solve known issues. This speeds up diagnostic time considerably and helps you get going on the right repairs the first time.

4. Perform Basic Checks to Help on Your Machine’s Key Vitals

If your machine isn’t showing any diagnostic codes, or you’re having issues replicating the symptom, it may be time to check the basics. Basics checks can include things like checking air filters, fluid levels and machine temps. As an example, if a wheel loader is shifting hard, the first thing you should check is the transmission fluid before hooking it up to perform more in-depth diagnostics. Whether it’s a simple or more advanced symptom, it’s not always a crazy, elaborate thing causing the issue.

Excavators, where proper greasing is critical, are another good example. I sometimes hear that excavator booms and arms are binding up or making loud noises. The most likely cause is a dry joint, and it’s as simple as putting a couple of pumps of grease into that joint to resolve it.

When it comes to heavy equipment services, we can’t stress enough how important basic upkeep is. You have to ensure that someone wasn’t simply checking boxes on a piece of paper instead of performing a thorough inspection — you need to go in and make sure that those tasks are actually being completed.

Performing basic checks can decrease or even prevent downtime, plus it will familiarize you more with the machine. You can’t always depend or take for granted that the operator has done the basic checks — checking lubrication, engine oil, air filters, transmission oil, and so on should always be on your list.

5. Call for support for Maintenance Support for Volvo Construction Equipment

All heavy equipment mechanics get stumped from time to time — sometimes all it takes is an outsider’s point of view, so don’t be afraid to call your OEM or dealer for assistance.

Advanced telematics programs, like Volvo’s ActiveCare Direct, are great ways to pinpoint specific issues early before they become major machine-down issues. With service programs like these, your dealer and OEM can proactively notify you of any error codes that need attention before they become a threat to uptime. In those instances, it’s vital to follow a set of diagnostic steps like these to ensure you can get the machine back up and running properly as soon as possible.

It’s important to remember that the best heavy equipment mechanics aren’t necessarily the ones who know everything — they’re the ones who follow a process that allows them to accurately pinpoint the root cause to resolve construction equipment repairs correctly and quickly. That saves time and money, and when it comes to making more money, that’s what it’s all about.

Visit the services section of our website to learn more about the heavy equipment maintenance services we provide here at Volvo.

Patrick Gilreath – Technical Training Specialist

Patrick has been with Volvo CE since 2010 and has worked on every production line in assembly. In 2017, he moved into the parts technical department assisting dealers, and in 2018 he moved to the Technical Training Department to train on various productivity- and service-related topics. Currently, Patrick conducts online training and develops various training videos.