I w0s pumping away yesterday on a floor when my machine stopped pumping.  I was standing out at the hose by the laser screed so I could not hear my truck  I tried to reboot...nothing.  Oh, the battery went dead, "it had been beeping for a while"  So on the way over to my truck to get another battery one of the flatworkers asked me if I forgot to get fuel.  I said no why?  Then I realized my truck had died and the horn was just blaring away.  I jumped in the cab and replaced my battery in the remote, the truck was still in gear and PTO switch was on and lit.  So I tried to restart, it started fine but after about 2 sec died.  So I took it out of gear at out of PTO and restarted and ran fine, so I put it in gear and PTO but never released the clutch.  When I flipped the pto switch it died and the horn honked continously until I disengage the PTO switch. 

This went on for about 10 min.  then we figured out "by accident" by pressing the "OVERRIDE BUTTON" on the dash it cleared everything and started and ran just fine.  I went on pumping and finished the job like nothing ever happend.

Here are some details, it is a 2003 mack Putz 36z, when this was going on the idiot light for "electronic malfunction"  flashed 4 times pause and then 5 more. 

If anybody knows anything please help, when are stumped.

thanks

Mike

look in the book that came with the truck i think its the vmack book t has all the codes in it

I had a similar problem with my 1999 Mack.  Everyday I would start out down the road and about 1 to 2 miles of driving the "elec malfunction" light would come on and the truck would lose all power, I would creep along in 3rd or 4th gear for about a 1/4 a mile and then all power would return.  To make a long story short, it was a short in the wire harness coming from the batterys.  A couple wires were bare and exposed and rubbing on the frame.....it was very hard to locate, but our mech found it.  Check for a short, could be your problem too...

Well...there is a little more background to this truck.  About 3 years ago it was involved in a partial head on crash (not me).  The insurance wouldnt total it so we fixed it.  Its never been right since.  The wreck demolished from the front driver step all the way to the back outrigger, which means the battery box.  I don't know what all they replaced but the main wire harness could be screwed up. 

Some lady was pissed at the world and tried to commit suicide by running into the truck headon, there was a note in her car and everything.  She succeded.  But our driver was ok.

About the elec malfuction lite.  We have a 07 and from day one it has blinked and various times.  I always thought that was just something macks do. :)  Ya know what I mean.

eeeww its haunted. no thats bad , like you said it could be in the harness, there should be ways to check flows of current my mechs do this so I could only suggest a check then deal with insurance to cover if its found.

I didn't go into full detail on the problem with my '99.  But the way we got the idea it might be a "shorted wire" was this:  while pulling into a job site early am, while the sun was still down, the concrete crew observed sparks flying underneath the engine area, as I was driving into the jobsite over rough terrain.  On the Driver side....thats when we started chasing all the elec lines looking for a short.  I havent had the "malfunction" light come on since, when it used to come on daily.....good luck.

it might be a ground wire mack is known for it  on newer models (its the operator !!!!!!! lol)

"loose nut behind the wheel" The first place I look when I get a "electronic malfunction" light is the radiator tank! See that sensor,well it senses whether or not the coolant is low! And it'll cause some of the problems described here!

I talked with the mech today in detail about the issues with our 1999 mack "elec malfunction" light coming on and the total loss of power.  One was a badly frayed and worn hot wire, the other was a loose ground wire.  The starter wires and alternator wires should be checked too.....they were loose.  When he fixed the frayed wire, he also tightened the ground wire and the starter and alternator wires.  So which one was the cause, could have been one of them or a combination.....but check all wires.

It is true that low coolant will set the elec.. malfunction light off. It is also true about the wires going to the battery and switch. This was a great topic!! I just heard of a guy with a 2005 with the same problems. On a different note on the same subject. If ones pump is running not up to par. Dumping concrete into that machine is a SERIOUS RISK not worth taking!!!

Seed: Well I know that any loss, interruption, or flucuation in electrical current can cause nightmares in all automotive electrical computer systems. I often go to gm-diesel website whenever I need to work on my chevy 6.5l diesel engine. I was having problems with it dying while going down the road. The experts on that website say start at the easiest first, and then work you way up to the hardest. They always have you start out and check and clean all wires/connections from the battery all the way to the computer system located in the glovebox. Then they have you check fuel system, lift pumps, fuel filter, fsd, etc, etc, until you get to the fuel injector pump..... Our Mack was consistent that every time I drove it we would have this problem, for a few minutes, but after the mech and I checked all the wires, repaired, cleaned connections and tightened them up....bingo, problem solved. Another time I was losing my smooth proportional movement of my boom functions, we check the wireless remote, checked the PNN Buss box, everything checkout out okay, it was a bad connection going up to the proportional hydraulic solenoid controls valves, it wasn't getting its full 12.6 volts, it was getting 9.4 to 11.5, and occasion 12.6....electric current can be a monster when things get dirty, corroded, oily, frayed, etc. We are in an age of computer electronics, many of us are thinking basic diesel engines, which is a very reliable simple system....but when you add electronic computer systems it becomes overwhelming to many of us....especially me. Regarding pumping with a truck that occasionally dies, I was just prepared for emergency clean out procedures in the event we had to resort to such tactics....I don't know if I want to discuss what those tactics are on this thread, that would be another topic.

DerPutz,

I don't know how you ever find time to pump with the cart racing, horse riding, fly fishing and all of the other things you do up there in God's country. How much do you pay those folks you work for? Do you just give them back 1/2 of your check? Just pestering you, have a safe weekend. ;~) 

Bob, unfortunately, this year things are really slow, but on the positive side, now I have even more time to pursue interests.....going horseback riding this afternoon.

Oh, by the way, I need to thank you again.  The Hypro Series 7560 model GM30 water pump.  That is the one with the water pump and hydraulic motor all in one....works totally awesome.  With shipping only $540.00, from Rittenhouse.com.

Derputz,

I would love to read a topic on emergency washout procedures. No one ever knows when the sh#! will hit the fan. A thred about that proportional hydraulic solenoid problem you had would be great also.

Thanks