The device in the lab is unreliable at taking updated, filing this bug to understand the root cause of this problem 

[ ****  Manually update to latest paladin build ***** ]
localhost ~ # /usr/bin/update_engine_client --update --omaha_url=http://100.115.245.198:8082/update/guado_moblab-paladin/R60-9555.0.0-rc3
[0515/164636:INFO:update_engine_client.cc(471)] Forcing an update by setting app_version to ForcedUpdate.
[0515/164636:INFO:update_engine_client.cc(473)] Initiating update check and install.
[0515/164636:INFO:update_engine_client.cc(502)] Waiting for update to complete.
[0515/164941:INFO:update_engine_client.cc(224)] Update succeeded -- reboot needed.
localhost ~ # sudo reboot
localhost ~ # packet_write_wait: Connection to 100.115.224.78 port 22: Broken pipe

[ ****  Checking Update worked ***** ]
> ssh root@chromeos2-row1-rack8-host1.cros.corp.google.com

localhost ~ # cat /etc/lsb-release 
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_APPID={BCC6E30A-D921-18E8-73D3-60177AD4AF86}
CHROMEOS_BOARD_APPID={BCC6E30A-D921-18E8-73D3-60177AD4AF86}
CHROMEOS_CANARY_APPID={90F229CE-83E2-4FAF-8479-E368A34938B1}
DEVICETYPE=CHROMEBOX

[ ****** should be RC3 but is RC2 ( previous build ) ***** ]
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_BUILDER_PATH=guado_moblab-paladin/R60-9555.0.0-rc2

GOOGLE_RELEASE=9555.0.0-rc2
CHROMEOS_DEVSERVER=http://cros-beefy361-c2.c.chromeos-bot.internal:8080
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_BOARD=guado_moblab
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_BUILD_NUMBER=9555
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_BRANCH_NUMBER=0
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_CHROME_MILESTONE=60
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_PATCH_NUMBER=0-rc2
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_TRACK=testimage-channel
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_DESCRIPTION=9555.0.0-rc2 (Continuous Builder - Builder: N/A) guado_moblab
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_NAME=Chromium OS
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_BUILD_TYPE=Continuous Builder - Builder: N/A
CHROMEOS_RELEASE_VERSION=9555.0.0-rc2
CHROMEOS_AUSERVER=http://cros-beefy361-c2.c.chromeos-bot.internal:8080/update


From the /var/log/autoupdate.log I found this logging that seems concerning.....


[0515/165042:INFO:update_attempter.cc(1210)] Marking booted slot as good.
[0515/165054:INFO:subprocess.cc(156)] Subprocess output:
Cloning firmware A to B...
flashrom v0.9.4  : 7b7b488 : May 15 2017 21:51:07 UTC on Linux 3.14.0 (x86_64)
flashrom v0.9.4  : 7b7b488 : May 15 2017 21:51:07 UTC on Linux 3.14.0 (x86_64)
Calibrating delay loop... delay loop is unreliable, trying to continue OK.
coreboot table found at 0x7ce3d000.
Reading flash... SUCCESS
flashrom v0.9.4  : 7b7b488 : May 15 2017 21:51:07 UTC on Linux 3.14.0 (x86_64)
flashrom v0.9.4  : 7b7b488 : May 15 2017 21:51:07 UTC on Linux 3.14.0 (x86_64)
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
coreboot table found at 0x7ce3d000.
Erasing and writing flash chip... SUCCESS
EC was boot by RO and may need an update/recovery.
Invalid parameter name: startup_update_tries

Usage:
  crossystem [--all]
    Prints all parameters with descriptions and current values.
    If --all is specified, prints even normally hidden fields.
  crossystem [param1 [param2 [...]]]
    Prints the current value(s) of the parameter(s).
  crossystem [param1=value1] [param2=value2 [...]]]
    Sets the parameter(s) to the specified value(s).
  crossystem [param1?value1] [param2?value2 [...]]]
    Checks if the parameter(s) all contain the specified value(s).
Stops at the first error.
Valid parameters:
  arch                    Platform architecture
  backup_nvram_request    Backup the nvram somewhere at the next boot. Cleared on success.
  battery_cutoff_request  Cut off battery and shutdown on next boot.
  block_devmode           Block all use of developer mode
  clear_tpm_owner_request  Clear TPM owner on next boot
  clear_tpm_owner_done    Clear TPM owner done
  cros_debug              OS should allow debug features
  dbg_reset               Debug reset mode request (writable)
  debug_build             OS image built for debug features
[  all options omitted ]

Any ideas what is going wrong with this device in the lab and how to mitigate the problem ?

The device has been locked so logs should be intact.