Hey folks I’m new here. I’ve got a Case 580l series ii backhoe. It started smoking and shut off. I found the fuel shutoff solenoid wires melted so I am now replacing it. Any suggestions as to why it got hot in the first place?
It obviously developed an internal short, Measure the resistance , terminal to ground and compare it with the replacement, I would inspect the wiring if it got hot enough to ruin the insulation, if it burned through and melted into other wire that could cause many other issues.
I've had 2 burn up all the wires to them in the last 3 or 4 years and never figured out why there was not a sign of a short any where in the solenoid. I was wondering if it could have some thing to do with the relay ?
Check the engine grounds for clean and tight. Could it be over charging?
I do not have experience with your specific machine, however I remember from my days of maintaining a fleet of vehicles, that some Ford (which I believe had a cummins engine) trucks would do the exact same thing. It turns out that there were 2 problems. The first was that the manufacturer switched the pull and hold wires in the harness. The second, and the one that I am thinking is more probable in your case, the adjustment of the plunger was incorrect. The plunger needed to be adjusted so that when pulled it was at the end of its stroke. At the end of the stroke there was a contact that energized the hold circuit. If the plunger hadn't come back and made the hold contact (by completing stroke to the end of travel), it stayed on the pull circuit, which is not meant to be on continuously, and thereby would get hot, and melt down. We actually had an aerial lift truck that went on fire from this while the worker was up in the bucket. The fire got so big that the worker had to repel to the ground with a rope in order to call in the fire. Again, I am not sure this is your problem, however, I would hunt down the instruction for installation and see if the fuel solenoid in your application has an adjustment procedure, and make sure it is followed carefully upon replacement.
Thanks for the help guys. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Welcome to HEF, Zeb !
The manufacturer of the solenoids didn't have a large enough coil in the hold position. There is a new solenoid with a mounting plate made on for replacement. There are also new bolts you will have to get when you get new solenoid.