The Classic Machinery Network

Hi all,

I have a JCB 8018CTS that I cannot all of sudden start. I had not used the machine for about 3 weeks. A few days prior I checked the battery with a multimeter and it was good at 12.8 volts. I decided to put a trickle charger on the battery because I was planning to use the following day. Come the following day I get in the unit, I turn the key to position 1 (I could head the chime) and electrical was on. Then I turned the key to position 2 for glow plug heat up and all electrical went down. Now I have no electrical in any position.

Any thoughts on what to check first? Or where to start? I am thinking a fuse must have popped since I have zero electrical.

Hi Dan welcome to CMN always check the simple things first so check that the fuses are okay; then check the battery connections and voltage, it is possible for a battery to have a sudden cell failure. Take it from there. Hope this helps.

Jeremy

Gudday Dan it sounds like a crook connection either on the battery or the other end of the battery leads at the frame or starter motor


Paul

Hi guys,

So today I checked for the simple things as mentioned. Sure enough I found a 30 amp fuse that is somewhat free floating by the battery hanging out of the back door apparently it must have slipped out and gotten bent by the back door hatch when I closed it. I am hoping this is the cause, I have to figure out where to buy one of these, its pretty big. I'll keep you all posted

Hi all, Update, so I picked up a new 50 amp maxi fuse and swapped in to replace the one that popped. Then I went to start the machine again first position no problem, but key position 2 to warm up the glow plugs, blew the fuse again.

So here is the weird part, I checked the wiring diagram and it says 80 amps. I was thinking maybe this wiring diagram is for a year earlier. But then I checked the plastic fuse holder and it also says 80 amps! So I am assuming the place I got my machine from has incompetent mechanics. But the machine has worked for me for at least a good 20 hours with this fuse.

Anyone have any ideas why the machine would work (even though it was hard to start sometimes) for so many hours and then all of sudden start blowing the fuse?

Btw here is a video of the me inspecting the wires.
https://youtu.be/Tt_zclVugdg

So just to update, I changed the 50 amp fuse to 80 amp and then decided to take a look around the engine for loose or damaged cables. Well on the top right of the block I noticed a ground cable that apparently lost its nut and came loose.

Got a new nut and tightened the ground down, machine started right up.

cloves2016 wrote:So just to update, I changed the 50 amp fuse to 80 amp and then decided to take a look around the engine for loose or damaged cables. Well on the top right of the block I noticed a ground cable that apparently lost its nut and came loose.

Got a new nut and tightened the ground down, machine started right up.

Glad you sorted it. It always pays to check the simple things first, it's also amazing just how many people do not put the correct amperage fuse back into a holder or investigate what probably caused the old fuse to blow in the first instance.

Jeremy