Jaltest Harvest Equipment
Jaltest Harvest Equipment Diagnostics - Combines, Forage Harvesters, and Specialty Harvesters
Harvest equipment represents the highest-stakes diagnostic challenge in agriculture. A combine harvester that goes down during a three-week harvest window does not just cost you a repair bill. It costs you the crop. Every hour of downtime during harvest translates directly to bushels left in the field, and those bushels do not wait for a dealer service truck. Jaltest harvest equipment diagnostics give your technicians OEM-level access to diagnose and repair combines, forage harvesters, grape harvesters, sugar cane harvesters, and cotton pickers from every major manufacturer, on-site, when it matters most.
Modern harvest equipment is among the most electronically complex machinery in any industry. A Class 9 combine harvester contains 30 or more electronic control units managing the engine, hydrostatic drive, header controls, rotor/separator systems, grain handling, yield monitoring, GPS guidance, aftertreatment, and cab functions. Jaltest provides diagnostic access to all of these systems across the manufacturers that dominate the North American harvest equipment market.
Supported Harvest Equipment Manufacturers
John Deere
Jaltest covers the full range of John Deere harvest equipment, including the S700 Series combine harvesters (S760, S770, S780, S790), X9 combines, and the 6000 Series self-propelled forage harvesters (6750, 6850, 6950, and current 8000 Series). Diagnostic access includes the PowerTech engine ECU, ProDrive hydrostatic transmission, ActiveYield monitoring system, header height and lateral tilt controls, Dyna-Flo cleaning shoe adjustments, and the Combine Advisor automation system. Perform DPF regenerations, injector coding, rotor speed calibrations, header calibrations, and yield monitor calibrations without Service Advisor.
Case IH
Full diagnostic support for Case IH Axial-Flow combines (140, 150, 250 Series) and the associated header platforms. Jaltest accesses the FPT engine management system, hydrostatic propel drive, rotor controls, AFX rotor system electronics, AFS yield monitoring and mapping, header height sensing, and Tier 4 Final aftertreatment. Calibrate the feeder house, adjust rotor parameters, perform forced DPF regenerations, and diagnose harvest automation faults. Support also covers Case IH sugar cane harvesters used in Gulf Coast and international operations.
Claas
Claas builds some of the most advanced harvest equipment in the world, and Jaltest provides diagnostic access to the Lexion combine harvester range (5000, 6000, 7000, 8000 Series) and the Jaguar forage harvester line (800, 900, 960 Series). Access the Mercedes-Benz engine ECU, CMATIC hydrostatic drive, APS threshing system, AUTO PILOT GPS guidance, CEMOS automatic optimization system, and QUANTIMETER yield sensing. Claas forage harvesters, with their complex knife drum systems and corn cracker controls, benefit particularly from Jaltest diagnostic access for calibrations and parameter adjustments.
New Holland
Jaltest covers New Holland CR and CX Series combine harvesters, including the flagship CR10.90 and the Twin Rotor technology platform. Access engine diagnostics (FPT/Cursor engines), hydrostatic drive controls, IntelliCruise feed rate control, SmartTrax track system electronics, PLM yield monitoring, and Tier 4 Final aftertreatment. Also covers New Holland FR forage harvesters with their MetalAlert detection system and IntelliFill autonomous fill controls.
Massey Ferguson
Diagnostic support for Massey Ferguson IDEAL combine harvesters (the 7T, 8, and 9 models developed by AGCO) and the legacy MF 9500 Series. The IDEAL platform features the unique IdealBalance residue management system and IdealHarvest automation. Jaltest accesses AGCO Power engine controls, IDEAL flow and separation systems, and the full electronics package. Also covers Massey Ferguson WR Series windrowers/swathers.
Fendt
Fendt IDEAL combines (shared platform with Massey Ferguson) and Fendt Katana forage harvesters receive full diagnostic support through Jaltest. The Katana forage harvester, with its unique V-Motor engine layout and PowerGrip feed rolls, presents specific diagnostic challenges that Jaltest handles through direct ECU access. Perform kernel processor gap calibrations, knife drum adjustments, and aftertreatment service on these machines.
Types of Harvest Equipment Covered
Combine Harvesters
Combine harvesters are the primary focus of Jaltest harvest equipment coverage. From Class 5 utility combines through Class 9 and 10 high-capacity machines, Jaltest provides diagnostic access to every electronic system.
- Engine and aftertreatment - fault codes, DPF regeneration, injector coding, SCR diagnostics, EGR system testing
- Hydrostatic propel drive - pump and motor diagnostics, speed range calibrations, propel pressure monitoring
- Header controls - header height sensing calibration, lateral tilt, flex header adjustments, corn head row unit diagnostics
- Rotor/separator systems - rotor speed control, concave position sensing, separation system calibrations
- Grain handling - clean grain elevator monitoring, tailings return system, grain tank level sensing
- Yield monitoring - yield sensor calibration, moisture sensor diagnostics, area counters, mapping system interface
- Cleaning shoe - fan speed control, sieve and chaffer adjustments, cleaning loss sensors
- GPS guidance - auto-steering calibrations, GPS receiver diagnostics, section control interface
Forage Harvesters
Self-propelled forage harvesters (John Deere 8000/9000 Series, Claas Jaguar, Fendt Katana, New Holland FR) are high-throughput machines with specific diagnostic needs.
- Knife drum sharpening system diagnostics
- Kernel processor gap calibration and sensing
- Metal detector system verification
- Spout control and fill-level monitoring
- Engine load management and power boost system diagnostics
- Header attachment recognition and calibration
Grape Harvesters
Self-propelled grape harvesters from New Holland (Braud series) and other manufacturers use specialized shaking, catching, and sorting systems controlled by dedicated ECUs. Jaltest provides access to the engine, drive system, and harvest-specific electronics including picker head speed controls, destemming system diagnostics, and sorting table electronics.
Sugar Cane Harvesters
Case IH and John Deere sugar cane harvesters operate in tropical conditions with unique diagnostic requirements: chopper drum controls, primary and secondary extractor fan systems, elevator controls, and base cutter height sensing. Jaltest accesses these machine-specific systems alongside the standard engine and drive diagnostics.
Cotton Pickers
John Deere CP and CS Series cotton pickers and Case IH Module Express cotton harvesters use drum and spindle systems with their own electronic controls, in addition to the onboard module builder systems. Jaltest covers engine, drive, and harvest-head diagnostics, allowing field service of these machines during the narrow cotton harvest window.
The Harvest Urgency Factor
What makes harvest equipment diagnostics different from any other type of equipment service is the time pressure. Consider these realities.
Seasonal Windows Are Fixed
Corn harvest in the Upper Midwest may last three to four weeks. Wheat harvest across the Plains might run six weeks. A combine that sits broken for two days during that window cannot make up the time. The crop does not wait, and weather does not negotiate. Having diagnostic capability on your service truck, rather than waiting for a dealer tech who is servicing 50 other customers during the same window, is the difference between a completed harvest and a loss.
Field Conditions Complicate Everything
Harvest equipment operates in dust, mud, chaff, and extreme temperatures. These conditions accelerate sensor failures, contaminate electrical connectors, and stress electronic systems in ways that shop-based equipment never experiences. Intermittent faults that appear only under load, at temperature, or in dusty conditions require on-machine diagnostics with live data monitoring. Jaltest runs on a standard laptop, so you can diagnose in the field, in the cab, or under a grain cart.
Machine Complexity Keeps Increasing
A 2015 combine might have 20 electronic control units. A current model has 30 or more. Autonomous header control, automatic rotor and cleaning adjustments, real-time yield mapping, machine-to-machine data sharing, and Tier 4 Final aftertreatment all add electronic systems that need diagnostic access. Jaltest updates three times per year to keep pace with new models and new systems as they enter the market.
Cost of Downtime
A Class 9 combine harvesting corn at 2,500 bushels per hour, with corn at $4.50 per bushel, is processing over $11,000 worth of crop every hour. A full day of downtime waiting for a dealer service call represents $80,000 or more in delayed harvest value, not counting the risk of weather losses. The cost of a Jaltest diagnostic kit is recovered in a single avoided service delay.
Diagnostic Capabilities Specific to Harvest Equipment
| Function | What It Does | Why It Matters for Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Forced DPF regeneration | Initiates stationary particulate filter regen | Combines cannot regen during harvest (engine load pattern prevents it) |
| Yield monitor calibration | Calibrates mass flow and moisture sensors | Accurate yield data drives business decisions for the entire year |
| Header height calibration | Sets sensor zero points and travel ranges | Incorrect header height wastes crop or damages the head |
| Rotor speed calibration | Verifies rotor speed sensing and control range | Rotor speed affects threshing quality and grain damage |
| Hydrostatic drive diagnostics | Monitors pump/motor pressures and charge pressure | Drive system problems cause ground speed loss under heavy loads |
| Live data monitoring | Streams real-time sensor data from all systems | Catches intermittent faults that only appear under harvest load |
Who Needs Harvest Equipment Diagnostics
Custom Harvesters
You run 5 to 20 combines across multiple states during harvest season. Your machines are from different manufacturers, different model years, and have different engine platforms. One Jaltest kit covers all of them. Your service truck becomes a mobile diagnostic center that keeps your entire fleet cutting.
Farm Equipment Dealerships
During harvest season, your service department is the busiest place in the county. Jaltest gives every technician diagnostic access without fighting over the single factory tool. Multi-brand dealers benefit even more: cover the John Deere combine and the Case IH combine on the same day with the same tool.
Large Farm Operations
Your farm runs three to five combines, and your in-house mechanic handles first-line diagnostics. Jaltest gives that mechanic the ability to read codes, monitor systems, and perform calibrations that would otherwise require a dealer service call during the worst possible time of year.
Independent Mobile Ag Mechanics
Your phone rings nonstop during harvest. Farmers need machines fixed now, not next Tuesday. Jaltest on your service truck laptop means you show up with OEM-level diagnostic access for every combine brand in your service area.
Part of the Jaltest Agricultural Platform
Harvest equipment diagnostics are included in the Jaltest Agricultural Vehicle diagnostic platform alongside tractor diagnostics, self-propelled implement coverage, and ISOBUS systems. One agricultural license covers all ag subcategories.
Get Harvest-Ready Diagnostics
Do not wait until the combine is broken and the crop is standing. Diesel Truck Diagnostic Tools has been an authorized Jaltest/Cojali dealer since 2016, and we have helped hundreds of agricultural operations prepare for harvest with the right diagnostic tools.
Call 800-217-0063 to speak with a trained staff about your harvest equipment fleet. We will verify coverage for your specific makes and models and recommend the right diagnostic package. Every kit ships with free ground shipping and a full manufacturer warranty.
Email: support@dieseltruckdiagnostictools.com | Phone: 800-217-0063 | Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST
Diesel Truck Diagnostic Tools - because harvest does not wait for a dealer appointment.
