My new to me M8000 will not run....

[CJonLP]

So I purchased an used M8000 winch.

Initially, when installed there would be a click only with no action when using switch in the pull direction, nothing in the other direction. So we corrected the wiring to the solenoid pack and at that point it would click in both directions.

Baffled by this, we disengaged the drum and spun it with the switch depressed and low and behold, the winch would start working in both directions, for a while and then it would stop and go back into click mode.

My dad suggested the brushes were dirty, so I removed the cap/cover and found that it was very dirty inside. I cleaned it with electical contact cleaner and put the cover back on. When I tried it, it worked and I am thinking great, and then it went back into click mode.

So I left it alone, came back the next day and cleaned it again and it did the same thing, except this time after it quit running I saw a little puff of smoke.

Here is a video of how it does what it does:

http://youtu.be/hPD_DNcVIc0

So, I am going to take the entire motor apart, maybe replace the brushes and armature (sp) and try it again....unless some electrical guru suggests the motor is probably toast and it would be better use of time to just replace it.

If that is the case, can I "upgrade" it to a 6 HP motor like this one:

http://www.dbelectrical.com/p-7009-new- ... e-6hp.aspx

or will that be a problem and I have to put back it an 4.5 HP replacement?

Thanks for any and all advise.

[jstables]

Just a thought have you tried a different set of solenoids?


I think Matt Vest should chime in since he has like four warns....

[alk1174]

Charles
I could be wrong but I highly doubt its the motor. I have done a lot of work recently with dc motors and unless you overheat them they are pretty hard to destroy. I think a lot of people incorrectly diagnose a bad motor. Look at the comm. where the brushes touch and it should be bright shiny copper. If not polish it up with a dremel till it shines.

Try this:
Warn Motor Testing Procedure
If you find yourself in a situation where your winch is clicking but it is not working, you may have a motor problem....or you may have a solenoid problem. The following procedure, from Warn, will help you determine the status of your winch motor.
1. Put the winch in freespool.

2. Disconnect the positive lead from the battery (leave the ground lead attached).

3. Label and disconnect the three cables that run from the control pack to the three posts on the motor.

4. Stamped next to the three posts on the motor will be "A", "F1" and "F2". Run a small jumper wire (5"-6" dead lead, 8 ga. will work just fine) from "A" to "F1" and put power from the battery (jumper cables work good) to "F2". The winch motor should run in one direction at this time.

5. Next, place the jumper wire from "A" to "F2" and put power from the battery to "F1". The winch motor should run in the opposite direction at this time.

If these steps are followed correctly and the motor runs in both directions, the motor is good

If you can determine its the solenoid pack thats bad look into replacing it with an Albright contactor. Its really called a contactor but most call it a solenoid. They are supposed to be much better that the warn solenoids. Getting the true Albright solenoid can be hard to do and expensive but you can get the superwinch version from Summitt racing for under 100$. Google Albright Solenoid and a pirate article should come up with more info. Hope this helps.

[CJonLP]

So, I called Warn and the rep suggested that I probably did not have my solenoid pack grounded properly and he sent me a couple of wiring diagrams showing the older 3 wire remote setup. Well, grounding the solenoid mounting plate to the motor ground as recommended did not help.

But I did find out that the battery on my CJ is dead when I tried to start it up. So, all this trying to get the winch working and starting it long enough to move it to a different spot in the driveway and not letting it charge back up must have drained it.

Before I do anything else, I am going to have to get the battery charged back up to continue any real diagnosis. I am not smart enough to know if the winch would work properly if the vehicle was jump started and running and trying to use the winch. I would think that it still wouldn't work because the battery was still discharged and that's pretty much what the winch runs off of.

Anyway, will let you all know after this weekend.

Thanks for the input.

Hey Matt Vest, do you have any spare parts?

Edit:

Also planning on disassembling the motor and cleaning the commentator and brushes.

[alk1174]

I know everyone recommends "motor cleaner" but I just use very hot water and dish soap or degreaser and a brush to clean them. Been doing it on RC motors for over a year now and I see no ill effects. Just got to make sure everything gets dried quickly and oil the bearing surfaces when done. Good luck with it. If you want any help just ask.

[CJonLP]

Here is the latest on the winch, which I don't know if I told you or not is an older M8000.

Friday, I did as a rep from Warn suggested and added a ground from the solenoid plate to the winch motor ground. Unfortunately that did not help, but at the time I did not rule out the repair because my battery was dead.

Saturday I took the motor apart and polished the brushes and commentator (sp) because they were corroded and dirty. The motor didn't appear to be burnt in any way, just dirty. I also made sure all the heavy connectors between the solenoids were cleaned. After reassembling the motor and charging my battery overnight I still only get a click when using the remote in either direction. If I free spool the drum and start rotating the drum and hold the switch it will start to run, slowly, and run until I let go of the switch. It may or may not run if I try it the other direction and then will eventually stop running and just start clicking again.

So I am thinking that it has got to be the solenoids. We have tested them and they appear to be closing but maybe the connection is weak. I have looked for these older style solenoids and cannot find them.

What should I do? Should I "upgrade"to a newer style solenoid?

Is this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPW-1515B/

the Albright Solenoid you were suggesting and how it would work in my application as far as wiring it up?

[CJonLP]

This is it:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPW-9 ... /?rtype=10

I think I am going this route.

[CJonLP]

What about this one?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-12V- ... 912ab#shId

I know its not from this country, but the seller has great feedback.

[alk1174]

From what I read the real good ones come from Europe as for the rest I dont know. I heard good things about the Superwinch part. There were also a few people saying they got some from Ebay with success.

For that price you could buy 2 and have a spare and still be cheaper than the Superwinch piece.

I wonder if he would make a deal if we bought a few of them?

[CJonLP]

I am gonna jump the motor this evening using instructions from the Warn rep and see how it runs. If it is good, I think I will get one of these.

Will post up results of this evenings test.

[alk1174]

I was going to get one of the Superwinch contactors but now I am considering getting 2 of the Ebay contactors instead. Let me know what you think.

[MtnManMatt]

Yep yep! I'm here now. Sorry, been super busy and aint really been on the forum...

But uh, let's see... Spare parts? Well, I aint totally sure what all I'm gonna have left at the moment and I've sorta been talkin to Adam bout em, but whatevers left you're welcome to... I've got my 9.0RC fixed, so when/if I get the M8000 fixed, I should have some M8000 parts left over...

Far as troubleshootin, I've got two good solenoid packs at my house in Blacksburg, so if ya wanna coordinate meetin with me or Stables sometime when were up there, we could try one of those out and know for sure whether it's your motor or solenoids. Other ideas on things to check:
-Connections connections connections. Seems 90% of the time when you're messin with electrical stuff, it's a bad connection somewhere.
-Motor case terminals. If somebody overtorqued the nuts when hookin the solenoid pack to the motor, the whole bolt can actually twist and break the soldered connection inside the case. They also have these little plastic insulator dealys to keep them from grounding to the case and sometimes they'll crack...
-Plastic bearing retainer/brush mount thingy. I had one winch motor that was super corroded everywhere including the metal connection around the base of the retainer thing (where it grounds to the rest of the case). That whole piece may look plastic when it's dirty, but it's got metal molded into the plastic and both it and the edge where it contacts the case need to be clean and connected real good.
-Solenoid ground wire. I don't know about grounding the solenoid plate, but there should be a little wire coming out of the pack (bout 12 gauge) along with the 4 big wires that needs to be grounded to somethin (I ground mine to the motor with the big ground wire). If memory serves, I believe that wire goes straight through to the control plug without connectin anywhere else...

Also, it may take some testin and messin around with, so I wouldn't put the winch all back together each time ya try somethin. Just keep the motor separate (drum support with bearing included with the motor) when ya hook up the solenoids to test it so you can be sure it's not some problem with your brake or gearbox (although unlikely I suppose).

Not exactly sure when yet, but hopefully I'll be up in B-burg in a couple weeks if ya wanna bring it by and mess with it... Hope this novel I seem to have written helps!

[MtnManMatt]

...and if it is your solenoid pack, I agree, try to upgrade to contactors. I don't know too much bout the ones mentioned here, but my new Warn 9.5cti has em...

[alk1174]

I am going to hijack the thread since everyones watching. Anyone have an old solenoid pack. I am looking for just the plug on the box.

[MtnManMatt]

I am going to hijack the thread since everyones watching. Anyone have an old solenoid pack. I am looking for just the plug on the box.

Throw in a trailer plug