We Found a Shop’s $40,000 Screw-Up Inside This Dozer

Video Description

What did we buy this time? A John Deere 700J pipe layer that got hit by lightning. It showed up dead — no dash, no engine computer on it, no batteries, no movement. Supposedly it needed $40,000 worth of electronics to ever move again. In this video we strip all the pipe-laying gear off, drag the machine in, start chasing electrical gremlins, swap controllers with another 700J, fight through calibration, and eventually figure out why it really wouldn’t move. (Hint: somebody had it in “towing mode” and we didn’t know it…) We also use a John Deere diagnostic tool to pull hours and codes, walk through the hydrostatic pump calibration, and show how we finally get this “lightning-struck” dozer driving again. * 0:00 – What did we just buy? Lightning-struck 700J pipe layer * 1:28 – Stripping off all the pipe-laying hard stuff * 3:22 – Scaring Andy and getting the machine washed off * 4:55 – First look under the covers: missing computers & wiring * 9:55 – Introducing the “parts” 700J and the plan * 11:25 – Hooking up the diagnostic tool & pulling codes * 14:50 – Swapping dash and engine controller from the donor machine * 19:35 – Chasing fuses, power, and why it still won’t start * 22:25 – It finally fires… but still won’t move * 24:15 – Starting calibration and immediately failing diesel/brake tests * 27:05 – Fine-tuning pedal voltages to hit spec * 29:10 – Neutral, forward, reverse checks and weird codes * 31:40 – Finding the chewed-up ground wire (beaver vs chipmunk debate) * 35:40 – New $2,900 pump control (PCP) goes on… and still no go * 39:30 – Realizing it was put in towing mode the whole time * 41:30 – Full calibration: low/high speed, steering, counter-rotation * 43:20 – First test drive and pushing dirt with the “lightning” dozer * 46:05 – Wrap-up: what we learned & what’s next for both 700Js Scanner Link: https://www.ancel.com/products/ancel-hd3600