2008 Bobcat A300 Guru...please please

[vulcan]

Good afternoon to all heavy equipment forum members, Im brand new to this forum as of about 10 minutes ago because Im in a mass panic to try figure out whats going on with a bobcat A300 I just purchased. Ive read lots of good info on here previously and I normally read for hours and hours but I just dont have time at the moment. I need this fixed ASAP and I hope someone can help. Its a 2008 Bobcat A300 with 653hrs and is in excellent condition but has sat a lot over its lifetime before I decided to buy it for a side business. I had a bobcat dealer go do an inspection on it before buying and nothing came up not even any codes...fast forward to me getting it home. It is fully loaded joystick controls, 2 speed, high flow hydraulics, A/C, heat, cab etc. except the bucket levelling option. It has a deluxe instrument panel (keyless etc.) tons of electronics. It hasnt even been off the trailer yet, the company loaded it on my flatdeck and I brought it home. I cleaned it all up went to start it and The first thing it did was the LCD screen on the upper right corner went all scribbled and is in german language now. Then it wouldnt start, then it would on and off. It would power up then shut off, about every 1 in 20 times it would stay on and start. Sometimes die after 30 seconds sometimes run for a while. It threw a code M3404 - deluxe panel not communicating. I contacted bobcat and we spoke so I went over all connections front to back for the panel including the 7-pin connector wiring etc looking for moisture, corrosion and even too much dialectric grease. I changed the battery cleaned all terminals, grounds and even the large plug under the cab was taken apart and checked but all connections are spotless. They started worrying that maybe the instrument panel is pooched so I decided to remove it and found some small spider nests around the back of it, so I sprayed electrical contact cleaner on the back side and blew it all out, re-installed it and it seem to work other than the german language. I took it out for a test run and it worked fine till it threw another code which was M3250 - tilt actuator short to ground. (where do I even start for that short?) So the boom and bucket right side joystick stop working. I shut the machine down and restarted it and it worked but I went to load it up and all of a sudden it wouldnt start again same as before, power up and off about 2 seconds later but the screen wasnt scribbled anymore just wouldnt power up. Finally it started and I loaded it up and now its in my driveway again. Is this an instrument panel problem or ground. Maybe someone has some ideas for me tonight, I needed it tomorrow for a job I commited to but now Im in deep. Sorry about the long story, if you need anymore details please ask im not thinking straight at the moment. Not sure what else to do here. Thanks for your time and help.

 

[CRAFT]

Welcome to the HEF Forum !!! …..Boy, I wish I could help you out ….. My A-300 is an '07, and I have in 4000 hrs of use, Never had an issue quite like yours (and I am the original owner) ….. from time to time you may have these stupid electrical glitch's popping up, which usually a power down and restart fix's it (almost like a re-boot) … but not anything as weird as yours …. if your machine had more hrs on it, the issue with your right joystick could well point to the linear actuator ….. I have read that on other models, such as the S-300, S-250, T-300's, any of those that have the Deluxe instrumentation package that the panels have caused problems communicating with the comp's on the machine (3) on an A-300 …. What Province are you in ??? we're in BC and there are only a couple of locations here that I would trust, but for me that usually require MANY HRS of driving to get there (never mind coming back… LOL) ……

There are a couple of Bcat guys on this forum that have huge carnal knowledge about these machines …. Hopefully one will chime in to help you out !!! ….. Cheers for now, and will follow to see what may come out for you ! ……… Good-luck !!!

 

[crewchief888]

off the top of my head, check for power and ground at the LH panel connector,
red or red/white wire (unswitched power) and black for ground.

check fuses and relays for rust and corrosion,
check controller for loose/wet/corroded connectors.

2 common places for bad connections/broken wires in the cab are in the harness behind the LH panel where it is routed over the panel mount, harnesses rub and chafe at the back of the cab.
main harness connection to the cab harness, on top of the hyd tank on the LH side of the machine.


:drinkup

 

[vulcan]

Thanks for the replys craft and crewchief. Havent had two seconds to respond. Im from northern BC so the nearest bobcat dealer is Prince George which is a 7hr drive or vancouver which is a 17hr drive. Its bobcat in Vancouver who has helped me a lot and we have tried everything including checking for moisture in the main plug under the cab. Every connector is spotless so were narrowing it down to the LCD panel and there shipping one today will be here in 2 days...$1200 ouch. Problem is I had to spend $750 on plywood for a job that we had lined up for the all wheel steer machine on turf but didnt have it

One thing I did find is when the "computer" fuse is removed and re-installed it arcs a little more than im used to, apparently the computer draws power all the time so a little one is ok this just seems more. I unplugged the panel (right side when sitting in it) and it went away but so would the power draw of course. After I sprayed the back side of the panel with electrical contact cleaner (spider nests were present around the back side) and compressed air it kinda started working and it went back to english again but did start acting up again. Wish I could post a video from my iphone of what its doing...its weird and intermittent. And throws the M3404 code which is deluxe panel not communicating.

I will check the power and ground at the LH connector (which were all clean too), I checked for chafing in the harnesses but dont see anything obvious, Ive had every plug known to man un plugged in this machine including the ones behind the left and right kick panels for other functions as well. Im going to try post this or a video on my youtube channel actaully and ill connect the link when its done.

This is crazy I just bought it a few days ago and it hasnt even dug a hole yet its only got 650hrs, totally unacceptable...but when it did run for 10 mins off the trailer its a beast, but it broke again. Thanks for all your help and ideas

 

[djjdave1]

That short to ground could be a burned out coil on a solenoid. best thing to do is do an ohm check on the solenoid coils. I had the same problem on a JD-ct322. it said shorted to ground. the computer is looking for a feedback from the coil when energized. a burned out coil will not allow the voltage to go thru the coil and back to the computer. but it is a good place to start checking.

as far as the language on the screen. that is operator selectable when you first turn the key on. as far as starting and shutting off, sounds like it is looking for the enable code, some machines use two codes, an A and a B. normally its looking for the CODE A best thing to do is ask the person you bought it from for the code. That should get you back to English. hope some if this helps
Dave

 

[vulcan]

Thanks djjdave1 Ill try locate where the solenoid is and which one it is, bobcat is saying we have to figure out the code for panel not communicating first then see if the other code is a "phantom" code possibly being set off by the miscommunication. (and or bad ground etc) The screen language was in english before the glitch and then went to german and is now back in english lol. Its as confused as I am. The equipment dealer I bought it from has no info or even keys to the door for it...the only code I got was the touch pad unlock code to start it. Didnt even get transfer paperwork for it so I can insure it, there working on it as we speak. They've been notified of all the issues so I have to see if there gonna help or whats going to happen. LCD panel should be here tomorrow to try. Thanks

 

[stumpjumper83]

Just out of curiousity, have you cleaned all your grounds up?

 

[vulcan]

The machine itself is new to me, I dont have a shop manual yet but the grounds I cleaned were the two main terminals on the battery + and - (cause I replaced it), the three smaller ones attached to the ground terminal (apparently these are the grounds for the panels) and the main one that runs to the block on the back by the engine door. If there any more please let me know, the machine is very clean and no rust, so far all terminals and connections are clean. Thanks

 

[vulcan]

Here is a quick video on my youtube channel. It should be able to be viewed if not as soon as its done processing.

http://youtu.be/YE0TBorpGbc

 

[Todd v.]

I would guess you are getting low voltage for some reason. Most likely a poor connection somewhere. As the circuit gets loaded down by the panels the voltage drops until it's so low they turn off, once they turn off the voltage comes back on and restarts the cycle. I would fix it ASAP before you damage one of the panels. Check voltage on the power supply wire when you turn it on to confirm. If that looks good check for positive volts on the ground side, there should be none.

 

[vulcan]

Thanks Todd v. I will check the power supply. Should I check it with the panel powered up? (probing the power supply wire?) or disconnected and probe the harness, will there be power there? Are both panels supplied from the same power supply along the top of the cab or are they different?
I recieved the new panel yesterday and before I installed it I tried starting the machine up and it did the same on and off scenario, I installed the new panel immediately after and entered the master code and it started and seemed normal...but it does this it will work without a glitch then act up again.
Thanks for everyones help so far, these are great ideas. Much appreciated

 

[Todd v.]

Powered up, when it comes to poor connections they can show 12 volts with no load all day long but as soon as you try to move some amperage across them the voltage will drop.

 

[vulcan]

So new panel installed, here are some voltage readings off the back red/white wire RH panel:
after sitting all night - 12.3v then 12.8v after idling for 2 minutes
12.15v powered up no code entered then 12.5v after idling 2 minutes
11.8v powered up code entered and 12.34v after idling for 2 minutes
14.1v at the panel machine running

Prob reinstall old panel and check to see readings etc.

 

[vulcan]

re-installed old panel and wont power up again...The beep that it makes sounds ok the first time you hit the button but labors on the second try. (if that makes sense, a dying beep?) checked voltage drop with multi meter and seemed to only drop .1 to .3 volts roughly when i push the run/enter button and then shut off immediately. Im worried about trying old panel too often in case it is fried and it damages the LH panel other sensitive controllers but i want to make sure its this panel...$1400 for this thing.

 

[Todd v.]

not sure how you are measuring voltage drop, normally that would be between bat pos at the battery to the feed you are watching. Remember it could also be a ground issue and if it is voltage will show on the ground wire, but you need to check it when it's screwing up.

 

[vulcan]

Im prob doing it wrong for a voltage drop and Ill have to check for the voltage at the ground wire but now that the new panel is installed and I have the master code Ive accessed all the previous codes and there are a lot. Lots of low battery and extremely low battery codes, battery voltage out of range, among other ones. Im wondering long before I owned it if the dead battery for long periods of time (and prob them trying to start it with a low battery) did damage to the start panel...

 

[vulcan]

So...I have the new panel installed and a I can access the service codes list with the master password and found 40 codes...Seems like a lot to me and when bobcat did the inspection they should have said there that many before I bought it. The invoice makes it sound like there were a couple codes. Mostly related to dead or extremely low battery, also the panel not communicating code was in there right around the hours I purchased it so Im not happy that it had flashed before. I think I should have got a copy of the codes. Im guessing that over the course of the last few months and years the dead battery and them jump starting it all the time prob shorted out the panel. Going to go try it out and see if it happens again or not. Ill post the results for future reference.

So for the record i changed the battery, cleaned up all terminals, check wiring connections everywhere including main plug under cab, panel connections and changed the RH LCD panel which seem to do the most change. We will see what happens. Thanks again for all the ideas and replies.

 

[vulcan]

So I tried it out messing around on my buddies property and the machine hasnt had a running glitch but now it throws a W3250 - ACS Tilt actuator short to ground (error off). Turn it off and goes back to normal for 5-10 minutes. I can hear something under the cab sometimes when its idling like a valve or spool valve trying to do something. Maybe thats normal, it sounds just like when you make a very small movement on the joystick to activate hydraulic pressure somewhere. Now what do I check for...electrical or the actual actuator itself. Is it pooched? Why do I think I made a huge mistake with this machine...Im ready to freak out

 

[vulcan]

Today I switched the two actuators around the tilt and lift (hard to operate by the way) to try make it throw a code so I could guarantee it was the lift actuator but it didnt happen so I switched them back and did a recalibration process with the joysticks. Starting to wonder if its possibly a joystick (far as I know there wasnt any updated joystick(s) installed) so it could be a possible problem as well. Going to try it out tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks

 

[vulcan]

Please let me know if these updates I do are ok or just annoying...today the machine was operating normal with the controls in the normal position but threw the W3250 code when I started making precise movements holding the tilt / lift joystick in a certain position for a certain length of time. Hopefully this is a sign of the actautor failing and not the joystick or joystick sensor. Like grading forward to just skim a little off the top or doing very slight movements. Bobcat is sending an actuator as we speak so I will attempt to change it and calibrate, fingers crossed. Thanks

PS: CRAFT your inbox is full LOL