I thought my problems were over with the bobcat killing and not wanting to start...leaving all the lights on the panels blinking. I had found under the cab a black wire pulled out of one of the harness plugs and fixed it. Everything was great until today. I blew snow for a while and then the propeller in the shoot quit turning. It felt jambed but I really found nothing to stop it from turning, so I ran the bobcat into the shop shut it down and at first when I turned the key on all the lights on the panels blinked again as it had been doing previous to the "fix". I lifted the cab to check that harness again to see if the wire had pulled back out and now I have nothing except a very light click when I turn the key and hold it a few seconds. I can't get it to start to load on the trailer to haul to the dealership...any help would be greatly appreciated!! Brad:Banghead:Banghead
One more thing...this is the maching that a mouse had ate on lots of wires and I replaced all the harness on the snowblower and the main harness and computer that runs from the front to the back. This harness is the double 14/7 wire harness, I also replaced the battery with new. Thank you for your help!
Hi, this is brad again and I am back after working hard on the bobcat all day. The black wire behind the cab pulled out part ways and is what killed the current from going anywhere (I suppose to the computer) not allowing anything to happen when the key was turned. Well, I discovered the metal lock on the male terminal end was gone and thus why the wire kept pulling out. I jumpered the wire for a temporary fix and all worked great!!!! for about 10 minutes. Then the machine shut down again and when the key is turned it beeps and the lights on the panels blink and NO Start.....I wish someone would come pick this thing up so I could collect the insurance and start over!! (Just kidding) If anyone knows this problems solution please help....I changed the oil, oil filter & fuel filter today. I thought this machine was going to be running like new....guess not.....
Does it give you a code when it does this?
Hi ATCO, no codes....pulled down the headliner today, just can't seem to find anything wrong!! Also, looked for damage behind panels where lights are. It ran for about an hour this morning right away after sitting all night. Then went right back to this warning beep and continuous lights flashing.
Hmmm, I'm thinking if LED's are blinking, it should give a code. At the very moment it dies, and LED's blink, don't turn off ignition, instead, push and hold down the headlight switch, see if any codes pop up at that moment.
Hi ATCO, Ok I will try that. If it starts..I believe we are going to get it on the flatbed and to the dealership. I have had all I can take...my only other question about all this is....if the alternator is getting bad or is not working, would it cause all this mess without throwing a code? That is all I can come up with that I haven't checked. I don't even know how to get to it because of where it's located....anyway, let me know what you think, I will get back here as soon as I can to post the results. Again, thank you for all your help and knowledge!! Brad
If alternator isn't charging the system properly, or not at all, you'r going to have all kinds of issues, engine quitting for one. Have you been having to boost start it or have to charge the battery suspecting alternator problem? With the engine running, you can simply put a multi tester meter on the battery posts and see what the battery voltage is. If it's charging, it should read somewhere in the range of 13 1/2 to 14 1/2 volts. We have an S185 we purchased new. At one point, while still under warranty, it had spells of engine quitting and the LED lamps at BICS display were blinking. I got in it, turned on ignition (not start), checked for codes, none. Called dealer, he said it would be an event code not stored in memory. Told me next time it did that, do not turn off igintion when it quits, instead, check codes with headlight switch right then. Sure enough, it had codes. Don't remember what they were, or what the problem was because it went back to dealer for warranty repair.
ATCO, thank you for the response. I did not get it to start today so couldn't check as advised. To answer your question about the alternator..I really didn't suspect it until the bobcat was killing when I would turn on all the power accessories like beacon light, headlights, heater and wiper. I have never had any starting issues with it or anything like that. I did put a battery charger on it and evidently the battery was full (it is new) because it started pumping acid out the overflow. I drug it up on the flatbed and hauled it to the dealership nearby...they are almost finished hopefully and they said because of the rodent shorting out wires previous to my replacement of all the harnesses, that it had shorted out parts of the main computer. They were putting a new one in when I spoke to them (about $700). They will test it all out when it is all put back together and are supposed to call me tomorrow to pick it up if the problem is resolved. They were confident that was the problem though...I guess I could have kept beating my head against the wall and never found the issue because I thought it was in the wiring cause it would run and quit and run and quit. I thought when the main computer went out that would be it, but evidently not. Will see tomorrow when all is finished...I will keep you posted. Again I thank you for your responses and knowledge! You are greatly appreciated!! Brad
Hey Darb: I had a problem similar on my T200 and it was a small wire behind the seat on the left side that had gotten pinched. It was located as you sit in the seat on the left side where all the wires come together. I had a friend with Hertz come over and he kept messing with it and his daughter was with him and as he moved the wires with the switch on his daughter heard it beeping and found it. He spliced it to get it moved to my shop where I fixed it. I can just about bet it is a pinched wire somewhere.. Hope you find it............ Bubba
Hi Bubba, Thanks for the reply! I did find a wire (black) pulled out of the big plug in that harness behind the seat under the cab. I jumpered that one a couple days ago and it ran for an hour afterwards then died and wouldn't restart. It was never completing the initial system check according to the dealer...that is why the warning beeps and panel lights kept flashing when ever the key was turned on. Mice chewed up a bunch of wires that we replaced a couple weeks ago and the dealer thinks that the shorting going on previous to the harness replacement caused the main computer to malfunction or short in some areas. Anyway, will know tomorrow...this has been a several week project and I am not happy with it at all! Have lots of snow to move and more on the way! I have had two heart attacks and a stroke with some neurological damage so my temper is pretty short and I have had it with this thing....that's why it's at the dealership. I appreciate your willingness to help though! Thank You!!
Okay folks...for those of you that want to know... I got the Bobcat back from the dealer today and all is working great. I had them check out the alternator just in case and that was fine. They replaced the main computer that they said was bad and now all is well. I will be working the snot out of it tomorrow so if by chance there is another issue it surely should show up. This is the second computer to be replaced in this unit which just goes to show how shorts can make your equipment fail prematurely. My only regret is that I told the mechanic when he asked about the hours on the machine that it was 2600, then I got home and checked the info I had written down when I changed the oil and it should have been 2162 for hours. To late now I guess. Once they program it with the computer there is no changing it back according to the mechanic who worked on it. So there it is folks...gotta love them mice eating wires and shorting out your equipment. With the harnesses I replaced and now this, those little rodents cost me about $2800 this round all totaled.
Good to hear you got it sorted out Darb.
ATCOEQUIP and all the others that have helped along the way....I send a great big thank you and happy new year!! It is really nice to find a place like this where folks are willing to do their best to help one another get through a crisis! You are all awsome!! I worked the bobcat for over three hours yesterday and it was all good! Today I go tackle some enormous drifts to open up access to the back of a building I have fallen behind on clearing. Thank you all for your knowledge and help! Brad