Kubota L3901 ECU ODA

[fletch0722]

Can anyone explain this item's purpose? What does ODA stand for? What does it control? I have searched high and low - to include on this site - but the closest I can get is where to buy one and how much it costs. The repair manual lists it as the "Main ECU" but that's about all they say about it.

Background:

I've recently had a no-start situation. A co worker was driving through about 8 inches of water with a box blade lifted up and running (PTO engaged). Mower chopped and stalled the tractor. Then it wouldn't re-start. Battery was obviously weak as it would only click at that point (starter would not engage). A jump box was used to start the tractor (I now know that that in and of itself can be bad) which worked, but it only ran for 10-15 seconds before it shut off. Installed a new battery and starter is now strong but it simply won't start. I removed ground cable on old battery first, then positive. Cleaned ground contact to frame and installed a new ground cable. Installed new battery in reverse order. Positive terminal never touched any portion of the tractor during the change.

Dealer quoted $13,500 to repair the tractor. Wanted to install new ECU, ECU ODA and change all wiring harnesses. No way I'm dropping that kinda cabbage. I found a place in Ft Myers that rebuilt the engine ECU for $750. They do not, however, work on the ECU ODA.

Codes from the dealer were U-0081, U-0082, U-0083 and P-0605

I'm leaning towards buying a new ECU ODA ($1,100) and installing it along with the rebuilt ECU but leaving the original wiring harnesses. I guess if I got creative, I could run continuity tests on all the harness leads first. And I'll probably do that if its not too much of a pain...

Thanks in advance for any information or advice you are willing to offer.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Can anyone explain this item's purpose? What does ODA stand for? What does it control? I have searched high and low - to include on this site - but the closest I can get is where to buy one and how much it costs. The repair manual lists it as the "Main ECU" but that's about all they say about it.

Background:

I've recently had a no-start situation. A co worker was driving through about 8 inches of water with a box blade lifted up and running (PTO engaged). Mower chopped and stalled the tractor. Then it wouldn't re-start. Battery was obviously weak as it would only click at that point (starter would not engage). A jump box was used to start the tractor (I now know that that in and of itself can be bad) which worked, but it only ran for 10-15 seconds before it shut off. Installed a new battery and starter is now strong but it simply won't start. I removed ground cable on old battery first, then positive. Cleaned ground contact to frame and installed a new ground cable. Installed new battery in reverse order. Positive terminal never touched any portion of the tractor during the change.

Dealer quoted $13,500 to repair the tractor. Wanted to install new ECU, ECU ODA and change all wiring harnesses. No way I'm dropping that kinda cabbage. I found a place in Ft Myers that rebuilt the engine ECU for $750. They do not, however, work on the ECU ODA.

Codes from the dealer were U-0081, U-0082, U-0083 and P-0605

I'm leaning towards buying a new ECU ODA ($1,100) and installing it along with the rebuilt ECU but leaving the original wiring harnesses. I guess if I got creative, I could run continuity tests on all the harness leads first. And I'll probably do that if its not too much of a pain...

Thanks in advance for any i

information or advice you are willing to offer.

I think they meant DOA - Dead On Arrival. I would push hard for warranty coverage on the ECU.

Dan

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I believe 0DA (0 = zero not the letter O) is the file that the ECU flash needs containing the vehicle information for the tractor the ECU goes into.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I believe 0DA (0 = zero not the letter O) is the file that the ECU flash needs containing the vehicle information for the tractor the ECU goes into.

So I learned something new today

Dan

 

[Fordtech86]

There is 2 ecus on that tractor (well 3 counting the instrument cluster)

L

the oda ecu appears to be the opc controller, operator input (throttle,dpf inhibit,parked regen input) and maybe the gateway for the network between the 3 modules.

sounds like they are punting…

Edit: but the would likely be programming required like maple said, and injector qa codes programmed to new ecu and maybe dpf and egr learning (I’m not sure what all is involved for Kubota programming)

 

[GreensvilleJay]

re: Dealer quoted $13,500 to repair the tractor.

and for 2K more, you can buy a complete running tractor (2018 ), though there were 4 or 5...quik look...

problem with wiring that went under water is that it WILL cause problems..maybe a few days, weeks or months but it WILL. My 1st CJ-5 went for a 'swim', insurance 'repaired' it( NO new wiring, I traded it in, 4 month later, dealer was on the hook for 100% all NEW wiring due to 'corrosion of conductors', well DOH !!!

 

[fletch0722]

Thank you to all who've responded. We've checked all the safety sensors except for maybe the PTO sensor. This tractor is not a hydro drive so our PTO engagement lever is a little different in design than the one pictured in the diagram above. I will double check it though.

It was only 8 inches of water. It had not even reached the bottom of the oil pan and is nothing we haven't done before. I'm not a big fan of electronic diesels for reasons such as this but it seems a bit ridiculous that a tractor of today can't handle a situation like this. We didn't buy it to mow a golf course.

And amen on the $$$. I think we paid roughly $22,000 for this tractor brand new and that included a 5 foot bush hog and a box blade. It might have 500-600 hours on it now.

EDIT: one of the pictures above does indeed show our PTO lever and location of the safety switch. It also states that the starter will not engage if this switch is in the off position. After installing the new battery, It would turn over, just not start, so I'm going to assume that switch is good.

 

[Lug66]

The P-0605 is a ROM error, a missing signal. It’s looking for a thumbs up from U-0081 (Start switch signal is not activated), U-0082 (Parking switch is off and vehicle speed = 0) and U-0083 (Regen Switch inhibit = on and parked regen switch is off) causing a start signal inactive.
I would check for water intrusion into connectors and switches, connectors not seated or terminals dislodged from the connectors. Your dealership is throwing a Hail Mary at it and hoping something happens to fix it.

 

[lugbolt]

ODA runs the safety switches and such, connected to panel and main ecu via CAN line.

8" of water, if it was only 8" deep and not splashed all over the tractor, should not even get close to the wiring. Some wiring is on the side of the transmission, but the only way it's getting into the harness is if the water was actually deeper than 8" (flowing??) and if the tractor was sitting in it for any length of time.

Agreed. Electronics don't belong on these things but here we are and ain't nothing we can do about it other than build our own tractors, which carries a set of problems in itself.

at one time I had a ODA and a main ECU stashed, but I don't know if I still got em.

 

[retired farmer]

Now I am nervous, not going to wash my 3301, don't want a 11K repair bill because the wires got wet.............

 

[TheOldHokie]

Now I am nervous, not going to wash my 3301, don't want a 11K repair bill because the wires got wet.............

 

[mdhughes]

The P-0605 is a ROM error, a missing signal. It’s looking for a thumbs up from U-0081 (Start switch signal is not activated), U-0082 (Parking switch is off and vehicle speed = 0) and U-0083 (Regen Switch inhibit = on and parked regen switch is off) causing a start signal inactive.
I would check for water intrusion into connectors and switches, connectors not seated or terminals dislodged from the connectors. Your dealership is throwing a Hail Mary at it and hoping something happens to fix it.

Where did you find the U codes that you listed? In the Workshop manual it list U0081-U0089 as CAN2 frame error on page 9-S7.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If they really are CANbus errors, carefully remove/inspect,clean, reconnect all of the CANbus wiring. Pay special alltention to the +12 , and ground connections and actual cable routing. CANbus is well known for 'errors' due to 'bad' wiring and 'questionable' connections.

 

[Lug66]

Where did you find the U codes that you listed? In the Workshop manual it list U0081-U0089 as CAN2 frame error on page 9-S7.

Where did you find the U codes that you listed? In the Workshop manual it list U0081-U0089 as CAN2 frame error on page 9-S7.

These codes are listed in my WSM for my LX. I also found them online. I did not list the ECU terminal number because each manual referenced a different terminal location (B-54 / V-12.

 

[lugbolt]

canbus is l low current. It is often misunderstood, so I'm gonna do my best to kinda 'splain it.

it's purpose, regardless of what kind of equipment it's used in (cars, trucks UTV's, etc) is to reduce the size and complexity of the wiring harness.

Basically canbus is like a party line. Y'all remember those right? Where you could have multiple callers on a single line.

With canbus you can have several components on a single set of lines all communicating with each other. That's is the simplest explanation. In doing so it significantly reduces the wiring harness. Instead of having, maybe 8 or 10 wires on a component, putting it on a canbus can reduce it to 4 sometimes less. Reduces build costs, among many other things.

U codes are almost always can codes on kubota.

Normally if you have u codes, it's gonna be generally broken wire, a terminator that's fallen out/broken, or less frequently an error with a module. In my experience almost always wiring. Tractors live a rough life and the wiring is a part of the tractor....

as far as washing it, don't worry about it. ODA and ECU are buried behind the dash, kind of hard to get to them, and harder yet to get any high pressure water into the connectors. The connectors are pretty watertight. Usually if you have corrosion in those, it started long before you got it. Saw a few of them come off of the truck with corroded ECU's. Rep said salt water from the boat ride got up into the connectors and started the process. Same thing can happen in a flood.

 

[mdhughes]

lugbolt, that was a very good explanation of what a CAN bus is, computer party line. I will have to remember that.