Bobcat 863 starter kicking over w. ignition 'off'?

Stubee · Jul 11, 2011

A friend is using a Bobcat 863--I think that's the one, tracked & about 75 HP--and heard a 'noise' the other day when running & when he stopped it it wouldn't start. Starter was pulled & bushings were burned. Put the new starter in & as soon as he hooked up the battery the starter turned with the ignition 'off'. I told him it sounded like a short in the wiring giving load to the starter w/o ignition. Starter rebuild guy said same thing when he worked on the starter = hot to starter while running as it was fried. We looked at the wiring Saturday & could find nothing obvious at all & IMO wiring was well protected, to put it mildly = thing is built like a tank, HD wiring etc. So maybe a 'closed' relay. Owner--not the user--came up & pulled ignition completely apart & could find nothing there. Starter kicks over as soon as battery + cable is 'hit'. I figured short as it seemed to be intermittent when it first started happening, e.g the user noted some 'noises' previously before it finally fried the starter. Had wiring shorts like that before here...

This machine has wires galore but not many relays. Tried to find a diagram to help him out but can't. He plans to just start pulling relays apart but looking at it I'm thinking "that ain't that easy & this can't be every relay/harness". Got the feeling it was staring me in the face but I don't know this machine. Any ideas here? Thanks,

SSdoxie · Jul 12, 2011

There is a relay for the starter solenoid circuit, this relay is most likely stuck to the engaged position. If it is a "F" series machine the relays are locted in the engine compartment and were labled. If it is a"G" series or newer the relays are located in the fuse panel on the steering panel by operator's feet. These are also labled by decal in the fuse panel cover.