Rc 85

[Simplelife]

Hello folks , new member here. I'm from south Florida and own a rc85 . I love this machine strong and does what I need it to do, mostly light land clearing and grading and bush hogging .. but about a month ago the battery died . So I figured the alternator was bad I changed that along with a new battery . All is good then about a week ago I went to start it and nothing Happened. Connected the jumper cables and within a couple mins and started. I ran it all day and shut it down , came back couple hours later and it turned on. The following morning it was dead again. So I jumped it and checked volts , fluctuates from 11-14 volts.. everything seems fine wire harness and all .. I'm stumped .

 

[flyerdan]

Does that machine have an external voltage regulator? Most newer stuff have internally regulated alternators, and it's not uncommon to have a DOA out of the box on a reman., but if it's external that would be the first place to look, especially with the voltage fluctuations you describe.
Obviously you have a parasite drain somewhere, the best way to find it would be to pull the negative cable, put a DMM in between it and the battery and see what the amperage draw is. Then you can start disconnecting things until it goes to 0.

 

[Simplelife]

Does that machine have an external voltage regulator? Most newer stuff have internally regulated alternators, and it's not uncommon to have a DOA out of the box on a reman., but if it's external that would be the first place to look, especially with the voltage fluctuations you describe.
Obviously you have a parasite drain somewhere, the best way to find it would be to pull the negative cable, put a DMM in between it and the battery and see what the amperage draw is. Then you can start disconnecting things until it goes to 0.

About the external regulator I'm not sure , as for a slow drain must be a decent one to drain the battery over night . All harness look good . I was thinking maybe the resistor but do not know how to check it with a dmm

 

[foton]

About the external regulator I'm not sure , as for a slow drain must be a decent one to drain the battery over night . All harness look good . I was thinking maybe the resistor but do not know how to check it with a dmm

If you have a digital or analog meter pull off the red or positive side of the battery with the key off. Set the meter to the largest dc amp setting put the red lead from the meter on the positive batt. post put the black or neg. lead on the red battery cable you removed from the batt. In a perfect world you should read zero. If you see and I would assume that you will have a reading start pulling fuses one at a time. really you should not see a drop in amps since the fuses are behind the start switch but you never know. At this point it is a process of elimination. Check for add on circuits not from factory. Oh if you do not see amp draw at the highest scale move it down to the lowest setting in steps.

 

[Simplelife]

If you have a digital or analog meter pull off the red or positive side of the battery with the key off. Set the meter to the largest dc amp setting put the red lead from the meter on the positive batt. post put the black or neg. lead on the red battery cable you removed from the batt. In a perfect world you should read zero. If you see and I would assume that you will have a reading start pulling fuses one at a time. really you should not see a drop in amps since the fuses are behind the start switch but you never know. At this point it is a process of elimination. Check for add on circuits not from factory. Oh if you do not see amp draw at the highest scale move it down to the lowest setting in steps.

I'll try that tomorrow , for now I disconnect the positive off the alternator and it holds charge , and just connect it when I use it .. not ideal but it worked . I love this machine , it does everything better then the rest lol

 

[foton]

I'll try that tomorrow , for now I disconnect the positive off the alternator and it holds charge , and just connect it when I use it .. not ideal but it worked . I love this machine , it does everything better then the rest lol

if what you say is holding true your power is draining back to ground threw the alt. are there any extra wires on the post you took the wire from? If so look at them. I guess it is possible that there is something going on with the alt. strange. especially if the alt. when hooked up charges.

 

[Simplelife]

if what you say is holding true your power is draining back to ground threw the alt. are there any extra wires on the post you took the wire from? If so look at them. I guess it is possible that there is something going on with the alt. strange. especially if the alt. when hooked up charges.

Yeah it works if I do that. The only thing new is the diode fuse . It's facing the right direction but I bought one from o Reilly's which is 1 amp . I don't know if that has something to do with it? I read It should be 3 amp , but don't know if the difference would cause this ?

 

[foton]

Yeah it works if I do that. The only thing new is the diode fuse . It's facing the right direction but I bought one from o Reilly's which is 1 amp . I don't know if that has something to do with it? I read It should be 3 amp , but don't know if the difference would cause this ?

I would say no but even a 3 amp fuse will blow if you sneeze hard, but the diode part , does that go to the sense wire? which is used to get the alt. to start charging earlier on lower rpm engines like diesels.

 

[Simplelife]

I would say no but even a 3 amp fuse will blow if you sneeze hard, but the diode part , does that go to the sense wire? which is used to get the alt. to start charging earlier on lower rpm engines like diesels.

I'm not sure how it works , I believe it let's charge go one way and not the other.

 

[foton]

I'm not sure how it works , I believe it let's charge go one way and not the other.

well yeah that is the function of a diode, but another use is it can be there to prevent back drain from the battery. think of it like a check valve.

 

[Simplelife]

well yeah that is the function of a diode, but another use is it can be there to prevent back drain from the battery. think of it like a check valve.

Oh this is true , I have to order one .. only place I can find it is trackloaderparts, my local asv dealer is lost for these rc models .. another issue I was having was with my diamond disc mulcher the water temp would hit 215-220 degreees in 30 mins , then I turn off the head and in like 1 min it goes back to 190 .. so I'm assuming hydraulic side of oil cooler not cooling correctly, I did investigating and saw like 30 percent of the fins from oil side curved in , so I took a pick for like 2 hours and unfolded best I could and blew it out. It was clogged with old dirt . Took mulcher back out for 30 mins mulching and it got to 200 degrees . I'm not sure if that's normal for mulching ???

 

[foton]

Oh this is true , I have to order one .. only place I can find it is trackloaderparts, my local asv dealer is lost for these rc models .. another issue I was having was with my diamond disc mulcher the water temp would hit 215-220 degreees in 30 mins , then I turn off the head and in like 1 min it goes back to 190 .. so I'm assuming hydraulic side of oil cooler not cooling correctly, I did investigating and saw like 30 percent of the fins from oil side curved in , so I took a pick for like 2 hours and unfolded best I could and blew it out. It was clogged with old dirt . Took mulcher back out for 30 mins mulching and it got to 200 degrees . I'm not sure if that's normal for mulching ???

I think you need the dealer or a operators book to tell you what the max suggested oil temp is. Is your whole hydro system on the same reservoir?

 

[Simplelife]

I think you need the dealer or a operators book to tell you what the max suggested oil temp is. Is your whole hydro system on the same reservoir?

My local hydraulic guy said anything below 240 is ok on hydraulic oil temp , but you don't want water temp that high , but I think 200 -210 is ok , my buddy cat 299 does have a gauge to see the numbers but he said it runs a 1/4 above normal which I'm assuming 200 . Who knows but I just take it easy on her , I've ran bobcat t650, taks, and cats and I love this asv better then those , on grading and simplicity ..

 

[foton]

My local hydraulic guy said anything below 240 is ok on hydraulic oil temp , but you don't want water temp that high , but I think 200 -210 is ok , my buddy cat 299 does have a gauge to see the numbers but he said it runs a 1/4 above normal which I'm assuming 200 . Who knows but I just take it easy on her , I've ran bobcat t650, taks, and cats and I love this asv better then those , on grading and simplicity ..

yep they are two separate systems, I was just curious. I suppose if you look and see what thermostat is in the engine , If it is old enough to have little computer sensors and controls if the factory put in a 195 you could drop down to a 180 but no colder you will lose engine efficiency . But do not do this if there is emissions. Sometimes though thermostats go bad and open to early or not soon enough, so there is that relativity easy fix.

 

[Simplelife]

yep they are two separate systems, I was just curious. I suppose if you look and see what thermostat is in the engine , If it is old enough to have little computer sensors and controls if the factory put in a 195 you could drop down to a 180 but no colder you will lose engine efficiency . But do not do this if there is emissions. Sometimes though thermostats go bad and open to early or not soon enough, so there is that relativity easy fix.

I got some parts on order , I'm in south Florida and mulched for about 45 mins today and it wouldn't go pass 195 , but it was 58 degrees out today .. I'm sure the thermostat in this is old , I should just buy one for good measure , the previous owner only graded with this machine . I still want to order some bair axles and 10in alloy boogies as well they look like they hold up a lot better then the rubber

 

[foton]

I got some parts on order , I'm in south Florida and mulched for about 45 mins today and it wouldn't go pass 195 , but it was 58 degrees out today .. I'm sure the thermostat in this is old , I should just buy one for good measure , the previous owner only graded with this machine . I still want to order some bair axles and 10in alloy boogies as well they look like they hold up a lot better then the rubber

A friend of mine just put on steel tracks over tires and is really happy with them in sloppy areas where he used to just spin out. At one time I was thinking about moving to Everglades City but that did not happen I used to live in Clearwater, Fl. now in Tn.

 

[Simplelife]

A friend of mine just put on steel tracks over tires and is really happy with them in sloppy areas where he used to just spin out. At one time I was thinking about moving to Everglades City but that did not happen I used to live in Clearwater, Fl. now in Tn.

Awesome ! And I live in Naples , not to far from Everglades city , yeah my wife loved Tennessee when we went to Nashville and this past Christmas to gatlinburg , Naples is getting out of hand to be honest , but all well the money is here .. what part of Tennessee you live in. ?

 

[foton]

Awesome ! And I live in Naples , not to far from Everglades city , yeah my wife loved Tennessee when we went to Nashville and this past Christmas to gatlinburg , Naples is getting out of hand to be honest , but all well the money is here .. what part of Tennessee you live in. ?

I am in Cleveland east of Chattanooga about 30 miles , Yeah Naples used to be real nice but it has been 30 years since I have been there, used to shark fish the skyway back in the day.

 

[Simplelife]

I am in Cleveland east of Chattanooga about 30 miles , Yeah Naples used to be real nice but it has been 30 years since I have been there, used to shark fish the skyway back in the day.

Awesome , yeah fishing isn't as good as it was even 15 years ago , but eh it's ok.. I run a grapple truck here in Naples -ft Myers , and my asv is basically just a yard toy and side jobs