Old Warn M8000 Problems

tobyw · Oct 17, 2016

I am working on an older Warn M8000, and everything seems to function just fine but the ground lug at the battery gets very hot and starts smoking during use. This happens even during no load use, as I do not even have the cable spooled on yet. Can anyone give me ideas of what to look for?

TreeClimber · Oct 17, 2016

is the ground lug connected with 0 gauge, or 00 gauge wire, directly to the negative terminal on the battery?

tobyw · Oct 18, 2016

Yes, directly from the lug on the motor over to the negative battery terminal. Not sure exactly on the wire gauge, it's the factory cable that came with the winch. Externally it's the same size cable as the cables on my XD9000i, if that makes any difference.

TreeClimber · Oct 18, 2016

My gut instinct is that you have a bad ground, or, corrosion in the cable ends. If it were my rig, I'd swap the cables with the other winch (with known good cables) and try again. Making sure to look at corrosion issues on the M8000 motor ground lug, and at the battery negative post. The corrosion could exist inside the copper lugs, where they were crimped onto the wires.

If the problem still persists, I'd put that winch on Craigslist for $50 or $75 and let me buy it...er...I mean, I'd probably look at the solenoid pack, or, a bad motor. But my gut says bad ground.

tobyw · Oct 18, 2016

I'll try to swap ground cables and see what happens. I bought it (well) used and it was not working, but after cleaning up all of the solenoid connections it fired to life but has this little smoking ground problem... Thanks for the help!!!

KarlVP · Oct 18, 2016

The motors on those can have the connections at the brushes get corroded and need to be cleaned up.

Take the motor off and peek inside. Corroded brushes can cause a very high amp draw that doesn't get utilized.

tobyw · Oct 19, 2016

Good tip, I'll check that too! Thanks!

tobyw · Oct 24, 2016

Well... I swapped negative cables and cleaned up the connection point on the winch motor, and the connecting bolt itself. About 3 seconds into another test run (again no cable or load of any sort), the negative battery terminal let off a puff of smoke and now its completely dead. No clicks, no whirrs, no nothing

zukkev · Oct 24, 2016

Motor...
https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-LRW0005-Spline-reversible-Xd9000i/dp/B00KGIBRVM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477325053&sr=8-1&keywords=M8000+winch+motor

I have this same motor on my Tabor (built by Warn) 9K, and it works flawlessly.

hlb3 · Oct 24, 2016

I agree with Kevin, sounds like a motor issue. I had an old Ramsey that did the exact same thing and that was the problem.

zukkev · Oct 24, 2016

hlb3 said:
I agree with Kevin, sounds like a motor issue. I had an old Ramsey that did the exact same thing and that was the problem.

Both my 9.5xp, AND my tabor, took a **** the same yr...I chose to buy the OEM unit for the XP, but the tabor I wasn't in any real money, so I thought what the heck...and it works great...

WA-Wheeler · Oct 24, 2016

Motor. :awesomework:

"S"-box · Oct 24, 2016

I need a solenoid assy. Wanna sell that thing?

tobyw · Oct 25, 2016

"S"-box said:
I need a solenoid assy. Wanna sell that thing?

Let me mull this over for a bit... I have a buddy that says he knows a trick to test the motor, and hopefully determine if dropping $85 will be a win or a waste. If the motor is bad, I will probably replace it and (hopefully) call it good, otherwise I'll be ready for a fire sale because I'm tired of fawking with it and really need to get something on my trailer.

"S"-box · Oct 25, 2016

Sounds good. Hit me up if you do end up wanting to dump it.

WA-Wheeler · Oct 25, 2016

tobyw said:
Let me mull this over for a bit... I have a buddy that says he knows a trick to test the motor, and hopefully determine if dropping $85 will be a win or a waste. If the motor is bad, I will probably replace it and (hopefully) call it good, otherwise I'll be ready for a fire sale because I'm tired of fawking with it and really need to get something on my trailer.

Just ohm it out :awesomework:

tobyw · Feb 10, 2017

WA-Wheeler said:
Just ohm it out :awesomework:

Bringing this back up... I sold the M8000 to a buddy that made me an offer I couldn't refuse. Since then however, I have finished work on my '47 CJ-2A and slapped on a Warn 8274 that has been in our family since new. Sometime in the mid 80's my old man swapped out all of the solenoids for some golf cart solenoids, and it worked like a charm up until he pulled it off his '77 Bronco about 5 years ago. Since then it has been sitting in a corner of his shop. Long story short, it's now on my flatty but not working. No clicks, pops, buzzes, nothing. I have cleaned all terminal connections, verified I'm getting full battery voltage to the control panel. Using my ohm meter set to continuity, I verified the controller is working and providing a path to the solenoids as you would expect. However, when I have power to it, there is no action whatsoever. I put my volt meter on the solenoid stud that is supposed to receive power from the controller in either forward or reverse, and nothing... Where is the juice going and why isn't this d@mn thing working?! I'm an electrical idiot, so can you tell me how to ohm out the motor?

ain'tstuckjustresting · Feb 10, 2017

If the solenoids aren't clicking there isn't any reason to jump to the motor. You need to test the solenoids. Try disconnecting the solenoid wiring and jumping power straight to them while they are powered and closed, test the resistance between the 2 large posts. It may help to know exactly what solenoids were used.

If you do want to test the motor: It should have 3 posts. Attach a jumper wire between the single post at the rear of the motor and either of the other 2 posts that are toward the shaft. Then hook a ground to the case and 12v to the 3rd post. To change directions, leave the jumper on the rear terminal and move the other end to the terminal you just supplied power to. Then supply 12v to the post next to it. Very simple. If it's confusing to read there are many youtube videos on winch testing.

tobyw · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks for the help!! I also just found a couple very detailed write-ups on 8274 rebuilds, and in doing more and more reading it sounds like it may be as simple as corrosion issue with the brushes inside the motor case. I'll tear it all apart and clean all of the connection points, jumper the motor as you described just to verify it does still work at all, and then go back after the solenoids.