Another Electrical Issue Resolved - Link Belt 3400 Excavator

Another Electrical Issue Resolved - Link Belt 3400 Excavator
My most hated "issues" with any machine, be it truck or excavator, is when there is some little dummy electrical issue. Funny a machine this big and powerful can be put down by a faulty ground.
So after all my back and forth on it, I finally narrowed it down to two things. Either it was the fuse link or the battery relay. I suspect the battery relay. The fuse link was loose and dirty, but the fuse was fine. Just cleaned it and taped it up again to make sure. But on the battery relay, I relocated a ground wire from a ground terminal on the relay, to mounting screw so it can ground to the frame. One of those two things made it start and work properly. My money is on the battery relay being a turd.
Anyway, the good news is there is nothing wrong with my key. That's excellent news since I can't figure out how the heck to get the console loose! For now I guess we are good to go. We'll see how long this works before some other pesky little thing goes out.

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

LoL Whaggits & whiggits, cracks me up. Great bush fix Tom. Gotta do what ya gotta do! Can't stand when the magic smoke gets let loose. Good luck with the 3400.

[@TomBrueggen]

It's the daggum electrical gremlins. I swear they get bored in the battery box so they start crossing up wires just to make things interesting. Whole time I was in there working a mud dauber wasp kept coming to check things out. He never gave me attitude, so I left him alone too. The gremlins may have recruited the wasp to see how I'd react, and when it didn't bother me they decided I was too bored to mess with, and they undid what they did and let me get back to work, haha!

[@SansaStarkofWinterfell]

Oh I know about them gremlins, my husband had to deal with them for a long, long time. He currently deals with Mr. Murphy on a regular basis. Do be careful of any of them Wasps though, they can be ugly mean if they decide attitude is due. *nods* Recruiting critters like that when the gremlins work didn't turn you away surely seems wrong to me. If you know what I mean. 😆 I am glad they decided to undo the awful mess they made so you could get back to work. If Mr Murphy decides to step in for my husband's work, there's no changing any minds. Booms can't be undone. Haha!

[@antpoo]

Ok thank, I will look around small shops, it is isuzu so should be plenty around. It's a tight squeeze in there, but I can see why some would replace the whole starter, actually seems easier than trying to remove solenoid, but I will know more tomorrow after I try to gain access.

[@letsdig18]

you have grass growing on the floor board lol

[@TomBrueggen]

Hahaha!!!! I knew you'd notice. I spotted that as I was editing the video and thought "Chris will give me a hard time for that too". That's how dang wet it's been here! Got grass growing where there is no soil!

[@SWEETSIDER]

Haha just running into similar issue on the 05 240lx2 I run. Thought this was gonna be my fix when you were listing the things you went through but we have a computer in between that’s refusing to run fuel pump when power is hotwired on. Ignition in key on is dead, start position is now only key on but no fuel pump power and doesn’t cycle the pre heat. Must be the ignition cylinder too. But it just cranks with no fuel on hotwired starter. Hopefully it doesn’t have to come from Yokohama like the starter we just ordered😂.

[@TomBrueggen]

Sweetsider I hate computers on engines for that exact reason. I like my old dumb iron! The only electrical circuit I depend on is the key to the starter and generator. My haul truck is the same way.

[@Harikarikillboy]

So are linkbelt any good? I don’t see many reviews and I’m looking for a good used excavator. Nobody runs them down south but the prices are enticing. I know it’s YEARS LATER but thought I’d ask anyways.

[@antpoo]

Hey, I burnt out my start stop solenoid yesterday and now have no crank at all. Ignition lights work, but no click no crank no nothing. I think I may have burnt out my relay. I will follow your process and try find problem 👍

[@TomBrueggen]

Ant Poo did you burn the solenoid on the starter? Or you think you burned this little relay that I showed at the end? Speaking with others, this relay goes out occasionally. And as you see, it made my machine a dead duck. Indeed a basic electrical tester is your friend! But from what I've learned over the years, if a machine is totally ghosted, it's usually a bad ground. Actually, as you stated, your lights still work, but no crank. That's definitely a bad ground somewhere!

[@antpoo]

Hey thanks for reply I'm here now with machine trying to figure out. I burnt out the stop solenoid after running out of diesel and cranking ignition too long. Now the machine refuse to crank. I am getting power to the relay on 3 prongs under ignition, only 1 of the four prongs does not show power. I am also getting power to starter under ignition. But as I am alone here, I have no one to turn key to crank for me. Any ideas?

[@antpoo]

Hey thanks for reply I'm here now with machine trying to figure out. I burnt out the stop solenoid after running out of diesel and cranking ignition too long. Now the machine refuse to crank. I am getting power to the relay on 3 prongs under ignition, only 1 of the four prongs does not show power. I am also getting power to starter under ignition. But as I am alone here, I have no one to turn key to crank for me. Any ideas?

[@TomBrueggen]

Well, I did try strapping my key in the crank position using a bungee cord...I don't know that it really worked, but I was in the same bind as you, didn't have someone to hold the key. If you're able to access the back of the key then I guess you can just take wires loose and twist them together to simulate the key being pushed into the start position. Is your machine a LB3400 as well? You might have done better than me if you're able to access the back of your key switch. I could never figure out how to get that console open! I'm still not 100% sure what you are calling the start/stop relay. For clarity here, I'm calling the "starter solenoid" the one that's actually on the starter at the engine. The metal can thingy, I just call that the relay. I don't honestly know what its proper name is.

[@antpoo]

Tom Brueggen Hey, I'm back home after long day. I managed to get help with the key, but not before figuring out that both 25a and 60A fuse links were still good. Battery relay, that round metal thing with prongs was good, and I was getting power to the starter motor and the solenoid or relay. When my helper turned the key, the starter relay or solenoid. ( I'm not sure what the difference) lit up the test bulb and made a click but nothing happened. I'm guessing that means the contractor inside the relay or solenoid is toast and I need to replace. I didn't have same machine as you, I have JCB JS240, but looks very similar to yours inside. Without the grass 😂 The stop solenoid is a push pull solenoid with a lever that pushes the fuel shut off valve when you turn the key off so you don't have to do it manually. But to be honest, the level fell apart about a year ago and I had to always climb up the back and shut off by hand anyway so the solenoid only pretended to work. Anyway, I guess I will call dealer tomorrow, or Isuzu most probably and try get a new relay or solenoid. I will try to find the answer to which of the two it actually is also. Regards Andy

[@TomBrueggen]

Ant Poo so you're getting power and signal to the solenoid on the starter, just the starter isn't engaging? That sounds easy enough. If you're clever you can just replace the solenoid. Most folks just swap out the starter which normally comes with a new solenoid on it. Call around to see if you can find a shop that specializes in starters and such. When my alternator locked up I saved something like $1000 by getting one through a small shop compared to ordering from the dealer.

[@antpoo]

The round metal battery relay that is 😀

[@kossgroupllc9196]

You own a service manual for your equipment? I know- it's common sense with old machinery but sometimes that manual can be helpful!

[@TomBrueggen]

I don't for the excavator. Have one for the big off road dump truck. Just never have really felt the need on the excavator. It's been rewired to make just the basics function, so chasing a factory wiring diagram would be futile. All else is pretty visual when it comes to tracing hoses for leaks and such. Don't know if the manual would show how to rebuild cylinders/hyrdaulic pumps/motors but I fear that is coming sooner rather than later.

[@rodolfochuurias6863]

@@TomBrueggen do you have the wiring diagram for the equipment? or do you know where can i get it?

[@TomBrueggen]

Rodolfo Chu Urias no. I wish I did!