A harvesting header includes a header frame, rotary cutters carried by the header frame, a gearbox containing at least one gear coupled to each rotary cutter, and an electronic sensor to indicate an amount of oil in the gearbox. Each rotary cutter has a rotating disc with at least one blade for cutting crops. An agricultural vehicle includes a vehicle frame, at least one attached to the vehicle frame, and a harvesting header coupled to the vehicle frame by a plurality of hydraulic cylinders. A method of operating an agricultural vehicle includes adjusting at least one hydraulic cylinder to move a header frame to a known orientation, sensing a position of an oil surface in a gearbox, and determining or indicating an amount of oil in the gearbox based at least in part on the position of the oil surface.

A grease dispensing device includes a grease drive system for moving grease through grease passaging. A sensor is arranged to sense grease in the grease passaging and to generate sensor data related thereto. After a delay period, a prime indicator changes between first and second states based on the sensor data to indicate whether or not the grease dispensing device is primed with grease. The grease dispensing device also includes a grease controller operatively connected to the sensor and the prime indicator. The grease dispensing device monitors the sensor data to determine whether the grease dispensing device is primed with grease and controls the operation of the prime indicator accordingly. The grease controller includes a tangible storage medium which stores executable instructions to change the state of the prime indicator based on the sensor data and to delay changing the state of the prime indicator for the delay period after the controller determines the grease dispensing device is not primed with grease.

A grease dispensing device includes a grease drive system for moving grease through grease passaging. A sensor is arranged to sense grease in the grease passaging and to generate sensor data related thereto. After a delay period, a prime indicator changes between first and second states based on the sensor data to indicate whether or not the grease dispensing device is primed with grease. The grease dispensing device also includes a grease controller operatively connected to the sensor and the prime indicator. The grease dispensing device monitors the sensor data to determine whether the grease dispensing device is primed with grease and controls the operation of the prime indicator accordingly. The grease controller includes a tangible storage medium which stores executable instructions to change the state of the prime indicator based on the sensor data and to delay changing the state of the prime indicator for the delay period after the controller determines the grease dispensing device is not primed with grease.

Methods and systems are provided for an oil diagnostic. In one example, a method may include intrusively increasing an oil pump displacement to determine if an internal oil leak is occurring. The method may further include adjusting a parking routine to determine if an external oil leak is determining.

A method for evaluating the lubrication of friction components of an apparatus which can be lubricated by means of a lubricant circuit. A lubricant pump of the lubricant circuit is drivable by a drive engine. A pressure ascertainment unit continuously ascertains the lubricant pressure at at least one defined region of the lubricant circuit during an engine start procedure. A travel ascertainment unit is provided, by means of which at multiple pressure points in time, at each of which the lubricant pressure ascertained exceeds a defined pressure limiting value (p.sub.1, p.sub.2, p.sub.3), the relative travel between the friction components since the beginning of the engine start procedure is ascertained or estimated, and an analysis unit, by means of which an evaluation value, is ascertained from the total of the relative travel values (.sub.1, .sub.2, .sub.3) ascertained at the pressure points in time.

Methods and systems are provided for an oil diagnostic. In one example, a method may include intrusively increasing an oil pump displacement to determine if an internal oil leak is occurring. The method may further include adjusting a parking routine to determine if an external oil leak is determining.

A system for managing a flow-state of fluid includes: a flow detector; a management unit; and a temperature sensor. The management unit includes: a valve body opening/closing detection portion; an actual opening/closing time calculation portion that calculates, as an actual opening/closing time, the time from when the opening/closing detection portion detects the opening of the valve body until the same detects the closing thereof within a defined detection time; a correlation storage portion that stores a correlation between the temperature of the fluid and an appropriate opening/closing time range that is appropriate for the valve body; an opening/closing time determination portion that determines whether the actual opening/closing time is within or outside the appropriate opening/closing time range derived by an appropriate time range derivation portion; and an abnormal signal transmission portion that transmits an abnormal signal when the actual opening/closing time is determined to be outside the range.

A method for evaluating the lubrication of friction components of an apparatus which can be lubricated by means of a lubricant circuit. A lubricant pump of the lubricant circuit is drivable by a drive engine. A pressure ascertainment unit continuously ascertains the lubricant pressure at at least one defined region of the lubricant circuit during an engine start procedure. A travel ascertainment unit is provided, by means of which at multiple pressure points in time, at each of which the lubricant pressure ascertained exceeds a defined pressure limiting value (p.sub.1, p.sub.2, p.sub.3), the relative travel between the friction components since the beginning of the engine start procedure is ascertained or estimated, and an analysis unit, by means of which an evaluation value, is ascertained from the total of the relative travel values (.sub.1, .sub.2, .sub.3) ascertained at the pressure points in time.