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L350

MCAT

New Member
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
2
Location
Brisbane
Surprising..........

I have heard nothing but praise for these machines from many operators across several industries.
I know that each of the businesses I have approached have expressed approval and claimed they would definitely buy the macines again!
 

BillyP

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Oklahoma
Any updates on how the L350 is treating you now?

Brian

We have to call the dealer often for repairs. The last one was intercooler. We could hear the leak. I thought it was the turbo or waste gate problem. Seems like it's always leaking something. The main problem with oil leaks are the O-rings on different things and it happens too often. I like having it when it's running because it sure cuts down on trips. If I'm dressing a coal pile and sloping stock piles I'd much rather run the 980F. The 350 is a little harder to service too (we do our own oil services)
Coalburner got us a brand new shop with pumps and bulk tanks for the service work so thats going to help a bunch.
 

diggn4alivn

Member
Joined
Feb 2, 2010
Messages
13
Location
Saskatoon, SK
Occupation
Loader Operator
Our 2004 Volvo 220e with the big spade seems to be a lemon too. Always breaking down!! Just had to get a new motor aswell! However, our 2006 220e with the straight edge seems to do alright. It rarely ever works as hard as the other one though.
 

BillyP

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Oklahoma
Another thing that creats a pain is parts. Some parts take weeks to get. The the computer our machine says it's seeing very light duty. About the only thing we move is crushed coal.
I'm sure there are some good Volvo machines out there we just didn't get one of them.

The 330 we had was still eating transmissions after it left here. The new owners let it go back. The dealer said it would not sold again and would be used as a rental.
 

95zIV

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
795
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Occupation
RR Contractor Super.
I can say a hose burst and sprayed on a heat source and it burnt to the ground in 15 minutes.

The only good thing a Volvo loader is good for IMO is a anchor. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with all these machines, but when I worked in a quarry we demo'd some of them and I didn't like them at all. But one of them did have a heated seat and that was a good thing.
 

sultan

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2010
Messages
298
Location
Ontario, Canada
I can say a hose burst and sprayed on a heat source and it burnt to the ground in 15 minutes.

Yikes! This is truly appalling to get so many major issues at so few hours, and then to burn itself down after all these issues... good riddance, but I feel very sorry for your unfortunate series of losses. I would never have thought that Volvo's [recent] loaders would have so many issues. Makes me glad to have bought a CAT rather than a Volvo loader.
 

hvy 1ton

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
1,942
Location
Lawrence, KS
Volvo must have got tired of it breaking and remote activated the self-destruct sequence. Time for a 988H:woohoo
 

JTL

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
761
Location
Pacific Nortwest U.S.A.
Occupation
IUOE Local 302
Sounds like a on-going thing with Volvo. We have a 220 E with a 7 yard spade nose. Within the first month we had to replace all the shanks in the bucket with some heavy Cat shanks and teeth. Tore all the stock ones out. Now keep in mind this loader works in a sand and gravel pit, not a shot rock pit. We use the 988 in the shot rock.
After that the weak point was the back side of the bucket, right where coalburners ripped apart. Solution-fab up an old 980C Cat bucket to fit.
I for one hated to run it though. It didnt have any power to the boom. About the only place you could get a full scoop was in a loose sand pile. I made the suggestion to put a 4 yard bucket on it since that was about all you could get out of the pit face!
I heard yesterday from one of our mechanics that the engine block cracked at only 5000 hours. It had a new transmission last summer. New head last winter, and like was stated before, waiting forever to get parts.
Sometimes the lower cost just isnt worth it in the long run.
 

BillyP

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Oklahoma
Didn't know if Coalburned posted pictures so I'll add the last ones taken here.









67Picture_165.jpg
 
Last edited:

BillyP

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Oklahoma
Who lit the match Billy, you or coalburner!!!


LOL!!! You couldn't pry it outa me or him with a thumb bucket :D
Besides, I was home when it happened and I have witnesses:angel
I was on the back porch having a cold one 4 miles from the plant but i did hear the tires blow up. :cool:
Now i don't know where coalburner was when the thing went up. :beatsme
 

BillyP

Active Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Oklahoma
I never even noticed. Even with all the problems I didn't like to see it go out the way it did. We had to drive around what was left of the Volvo day and night, kinda made me feel sorry for it. I can say one thing for the old girl, she could put the ponies to the ground. No telling how much that machine would push in a slot but it was a bunch :)
 

INDREM

Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2010
Messages
22
Location
Louisville, KY
Occupation
Mechanic
Hey Coalburner,

I'm sitting here reading through the posts and I realized that I bought your machine. I think the serial # was 1008... I couldn't believe it when I clicked on the photos and saw that it was the same machine. The truck that hauled it was so long that we lifted the loader up in the air and he backed under it to get out of our lot. It was a real mess, I'm glad I got to see the photos from the other side.
 

aidank

Active Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2008
Messages
30
Location
ireland
Hey Coalburner,

I'm sitting here reading through the posts and I realized that I bought your machine. I think the serial # was 1008... I couldn't believe it when I clicked on the photos and saw that it was the same machine. The truck that hauled it was so long that we lifted the loader up in the air and he backed under it to get out of our lot. It was a real mess, I'm glad I got to see the photos from the other side.

she looks only good for being melted down for scrap from the photos what you going to do with it if you don't mind me asking
 
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