Ec15b xr

[BWPlantServices]

Hello and good morning, I'm new around here so will introduce myself in the relevant section asap.
I'm looking for some help with a EC15B XR I have in. She's a 2005 canopy model with 2939 hours. I had a phone Call last week off a friend of a friend saying that his EC15 was having a few issues and I will do my best to explain these as he described them to me.

The original issue was that whenever the boom (could possibly be the dipper as well, he just described it as "the arm") was dead headed, it would stall the engine. The machine would fire back up but apparently the hydraulic pump would sound noisy and this got worse as it got hotter.
My friend then had a chap look at it and check the pressures. From what ive been told they apparently had 140bar mains (should mains pressure be 170?) and 30bar pilot pressure.

The next problem came in the form of starting issues. The starter would sometimes stick on and it seemed like it was failing so he ordered a new starter and fitted it.
He apparently then ran the machine a hand full of times over the space of a week or two trying to solve the original hydraulic issue. Please bare in mind this chap as lovely as he is has minimal knowledge on anything mechanical/hydraulic.

He then calls me to ask if I could collect the machine and have a look at it. When I went to collect, it was already loaded on his trailer where's it's been since the issues started and he told me it had a flat battery.

After having a read on here about various issues with these EC15's I decided to take a look, so here's what I've found so far.

The battery is showing a strong 12.8v.
The ignition lights are coming on when the key is put into position 2 and the glow plug, oil, water and another light (not sure what the last one is) are going out within about three seconds.

I can hear the fuel pump working away but the engine wouldn't turn over. I was just getting a loud click from the fuel stop solenoid whenever I turned the key to position 3 and then back to position 2 it would click again.
There is some dodgy wiring going to the fuel stop solenoid so I will renew that this evening.

I then bridged the starter motor but it still wouldn't turn over, possibly a faulty new unit?

I noticed the wire was missing off the pilot solenoid also so I reconnected that but still no joy. The solenoid had no signs of burning etc.

I will check for continuity on the dead man micro switch that is under the left arm rest this evening also. There is bad wiring all over the place on this machine so will try and get rid of some possible bad connections etc.

From what I've read, Muz is the man when it comes to these little volvos so hopefully I can get to the bottom of the issue or issues here.

I just want to say the forum at first glance looks brilliant and has a world of helpful information thanks to everyone here. I will get some photos up later on today.

Thanks for reading, see you around
Brad.

[Muz]

Welcome There are two 50 amp fuses under the seat you should check also, if the starter has no power, when the old ones failed, they tended to take out one of those fuses, other than that, as you mention, the dead mans circuit would be a prime suspect.

[v8druid]

this sounds all too familiar ..... you're getting the same hydraulic pressures as I was getting on JohnnyMitchs .... his too has had the wiring 'butchered' .... he too had changed the starter IIRC .... (note to self - never, ever buy one of these bar stewards)

I've not been back of late to take a.n.other look at it .... was working fine when I last left it, after backing the MRV down to a little less than the 140 bar I could get it to make, but having used it for a while JohnyMitch has declared it faulty again .... been too pre-occupied with me own projects in this glorious weather, of late, to get down there .

I take it this too is a single pump model ????

Oh, ......... and welcome BTW

[BWPlantServices]

Welcome There are two 50 amp fuses under the seat you should check also, if the starter has no power, when the old ones failed, they tended to take out one of those fuses, other than that, as you mention, the dead mans circuit would be a prime suspect.

Thank you Muz, fuses are ok. I got a few hours on the machine last night. I found the micro switch on the deadman circuit to be knackered. It Had continuity in the right places but the pin moves in the roller causing it to intermittently jam.

With further inspection and removal of some dodgy looking tape I found the switch to have been previously bypassed. I'm going to get a new micro switch and rewire as much of the rubbish as possible.

I then put my multimeter on the signal side to the starter and found there to be no power when the key is in position 3 but I had continuity from the ignition switch to the starter, so out with the powerprobe. Low and behold the starter solenoid starts clicking.

I then removed the starter and bench tested it, the gear is coming out but not turning telling me that the motor has had it. I made a quick call to the customer and he mentioned how it's stuck on a few times since fitting the new starter so I'm going to put that down to a dodgy ignition switch holding the starter on and burning the motor out.

I noticed that someone has fitted a JCB ignition switch and not a volvo unit though. I'm not surprised as I think one is £62 and the other £12. Does the quality reflect the price though?

Anyways, new starter is on order along with a new ignition switch. Fingers crossed and thanks for the replies 👍

[BWPlantServices]

this sounds all too familiar ..... you're getting the same hydraulic pressures as I was getting on JohnnyMitchs .... his too has had the wiring 'butchered' .... he too had changed the starter IIRC .... (note to self - never, ever buy one of these bar stewards)

I've not been back of late to take a.n.other look at it .... was working fine when I last left it, after backing the MRV down to a little less than the 140 bar I could get it to make, but having used it for a while JohnyMitch has declared it faulty again .... been too pre-occupied with me own projects in this glorious weather, of late, to get down there .

I take it this too is a single pump model ????

Oh, ......... and welcome BTW

Hello and thank you for the welcome chap 👍, you must be Graham? What a small world aye, this is in fact johnny Mitch's machine! Ironic I'm a few miles south of you though as you know what they say? Sh*t rolls down hill! 😂 These small volvos do seem to be extremely problematic.

What were the exact hydraulic issues John had when you looked at the machine?

[v8druid]

Hello and thank you for the welcome chap 👍, you must be Graham? What a small world aye, this is in fact johnny Mitch's machine! Ironic I'm a few miles south of you though as you know what they say? Sh*t rolls down hill! 😂 These small volvos do seem to be extremely problematic.

What were the exact hydraulic issues John had when you looked at the machine?

basically it was hydraulic locking ..... MRV was set well above what it was capable of producing, so it was never dumping to tank and causing a lock up in the system .... pm-ed you with more thoughts