Most modern vehicles, material handling equipment, construction equipment, and the like have a computer system at their core. This is known as the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and is a sort of advance warning system that informs you of any pending or current faults in the systems or components of your equipment. It thereby ensures that all metrics are running smoothly as per set parameters and there are no malfunctions.
These warnings are in the form of diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) or more commonly fault codes. These pop up when there is any issue with the systems. You can therefore take immediate action to clear the fault codes before any minor issue becomes a full-blown problem leading to downtime and expensive repairs.
These DTCs are standardized for different makes and models so that owners of specialized equipment can identify the problems and fix them.
Since the scope of the scanners is very large across various makes and models of trucks and material handling and construction equipment, this post will focus specifically on the forklift diagnostic scanner.
Today’s forklifts and other material handling equipment regardless of the brand are high-tech models with in-built cutting-edge and advanced technologies. With one forklift diagnostic tool, you can keep your fleet of forklifts in optimum running condition and on the job by identifying faults and resolving them quickly.
Among the leaders in this niche is our Jaltest forklift scan tool. It is a highly effective tool and is good for all types of forklifts regardless of the propulsion – diesel, electric, or LPG. Any issue with your forklifts is quickly diagnosed, whether it is the engine, transmission, or hydraulics, and rectification solutions can be initiated to bring the equipment back on the job.
The Jaltest forklift diagnostic software works effectively on all major makes of material handling equipment such as Caterpillar, Toyota, Hyster, and more. You can carry out a range of diagnostic and maintenance procedures, from simple to more complex ones such as forced regens for diesel engines.
What helps when you use this forklift diagnostic scanner is that you are provided with detailed technical information about the equipment supported by wiring diagrams. This resolves issues faster as you are handheld effortlessly through advanced solutions and processes that are only expected at the dealer level. All these make the Jaltest scan tool an ideal medium to smoothly and seamlessly maintain your fleet of forklifts at the highest level of operational preparedness.
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In-Depth Coverage By The Jaltest Forklift Diagnostic Tool
Our Jaltest forklift scan tool provides in-depth coverage for any problems with your forklifts across all systems and components of the equipment. You just have to access our user-friendly diagnostic menu and choose the specific component or system that you want to check. Among them are the power modules, computer modules, transmission, hydraulics, instrument clusters, and more.
Moreover, you can set parameters to ensure the top performance of your equipment so that you are forewarned of any potential issue and can take action that guarantees the desired performance.
The Jaltest forklift diagnostic scanner provides two maintenance options to users of this tool, one is preventive maintenance and the other is corrective action. Let us go through them and understand what each means to owners of forklifts.
The first is full-system scans to be undertaken periodically as a form of preventive maintenance activity. In this process, all systems and components are scanned to check for any potential issue that might later turn serious.
Primarily, it is to verify if there are any pending fault codes that do not persist and typically go away after a few driving cycles. Carrying out full system scans at regular intervals keeps your forklifts working at peak efficiency.
The second use of the Jaltest forklift diagnostic scanner is to scan by symptoms or when the warning goes off that there is a fault code in the equipment and a specific malfunction. In this case, you must link up your Jaltest forklift scan tool software laptop to the equipment to identify a fault code.
The tool will provide an update on the nature of the fault code along with the interpretation and the action to be taken to clear it. Your forklift is thus brought back to work in the least possible time.
Technical Information From The Forklift Diagnostic Tool
When you use the Jaltest scanner for forklift fault codes, there is a wide range of technical information that will be provided to you. Access the diagnostic menu and get critical inputs about the health of your forklifts. These include data about high engine coolant temperature, very low injection rail pressure, or whether the injector cylinder resistance value is out of range, info that is expected only at the service centers of dealers.
To get the required level of solutions to fault codes and service benefits from the software, you must use the password of your forklift. Access the forklift service password menu, reset the master factory password, and get the required password code. Moreover, our user-friendly forklift scan tool makes sure that you do not have to perform any elaborate procedures when you clear fault codes and that it can be carried out directly from the diagnostic menu.
The technical information that helps in performing maintenance activities is related to several systems. These include setting mast parameters, reading fault codes, scanning control levers for any issues, and checking steering sensors. You can also actuate components that include the mast raising solenoid valve, the mast tilt control solenoid valve, the swing lock solenoid valve, and others.
Our Jaltest software for forklift maintenance tracks all this technical information through live data from the forklifts. Close tracking of the state of the forklifts keeps your fleet of material handling equipment in peak performance mode without the possibility of downtime.
Read more about forklift fault codes here.
Troubleshooting Engine Codes With The Forklift Diagnostic Scanner
It will be disastrous for your forklifts if you ignore engine fault code lights that might come on. If you find an engine running rough or not as smoothly as usual, reach for the Jaltest forklift diagnostic tool to arrive at the root of the problem and know what the issue is all about.
If an engine fault code crops up, do not operate the forklift during fault code clearance but move the equipment to the point where the issue will be diagnosed and resolved. Ensure that during the engine problem resolution, all other systems like the brakes or hydraulics do not have any warning messages. Use the Jaltest forklift diagnostic scanner to resolve any engine issue ranging from a simple loose wire to more complex like force regens.
Let us understand this critical engine maintenance activity called forced regens that is applicable to diesel engine-powered forklifts only and optimally diagnosed by the forklift scan tool.
Forced regens is a process that burns away soot buildup in the diesel particulate filter (DPF) and prevents the forklift from going into limp mode. It is typically done when passive regen alone cannot clean the DPF. Forced regen is the optimized and final solution with the maximum level of DPF regeneration.
Soot buildup in diesel engines is very common for vehicles or material handling equipment like forklifts that make repeated stops with the engine not producing enough heat to burn off the soot. Typically, forced regens involve running the engine at a specific RPM as advised by our forklift diagnostic scanner, thereby raising the temperature of the exhaust gasses to burn off the excess soot.
Even though it requires the help of a certified technician to perform forced regens, you will know that it is necessary only with the help of a highly efficient forklift maintenance tool. Together with forced regens, our software will also guide you when the injector code in the Electronic Control Module needs to be replaced or installed.
How to Clear Forklift Fault Codes – The Role of the Diagnostic Scanner
Clearing forklift fault codes is a seamless process. While it might vary slightly between makes and models, the primary activity is about the same for all.
The first step to clear fault codes is to find the diagnostic interface on the display panel in the forklift. Turn the ignition to ON but do not turn the engine on. This will power on the display panel where the fault code will be shown. Now, connect the forklift diagnostic software laptop to the forklift interface, read the fault code, and know from the tool the nature of the fault and what action needs to be taken to clear it.
Using the software is a great advantage as the fault is diagnosed and rectified in the premises only and you do not have to fall back on dealer-level servicing.
Summing Up
The Jaltest forklift diagnostic scanner is a very user-friendly tool and does not require any elaborate setup or configuration process. Simply link the software laptop to the diagnostic interface of the forklift and you are ready to carry out cutting-edge diagnosis and resolutions of fault codes.
Further, we offer three updates to our software every year. This ensures that our forklift maintenance tool stays abreast of any technical innovations in the equipment and that the software never becomes obsolete.
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