Ok so I'm at a loss I have a komatsu pc200lc that I keep loosing hydraulic pressure everytime it warms up. I've already paid 15k to komatsu to come out an fix it an it still isn't fixed the hydraulics work fine until it warms up but once it warms up I loose them. Anyone have any ideas or advice. I would greatly appreciate it
Let's start with a little better description of your concern. Are you gradually losing power, or is it shutting down? Is the engine bogging down or free revving when this happens. What series machine do you have, PC200LC , were up to -11 now, so you gotta help narrow it down. How many hours, when was it last serviced? What did the dealer do for you? What did they "fix?"
This is the 2nd time this week I’ve seen someone on here that spent 15k on dealer service that didn’t fix the problem. Yikes!!
It gradu 21693h It gradually looses hydraulic pressure an if boom ain't set down on ground it bleeds off fast its a pc200lc-8 serial A88795 hydraulic was serviced less then 100hrs ago I was doing some reading an something said they have a issue with over fill at the damp damper shock causing it to blow seal at shock an that they have a notorious issue with hydraulic fluid getting to hot but my Guage hasn't hit read an stays low on temp.
Ok, let's look at hydraulic service. First thing, what level of service was performed? Was it just the in-tank filter, or was the sump strainer serviced as well? Was the oil changed? Do you know how to access the monitor to read off hydraulic pressure?
Hrs remaining on intervals before nxt Change Hydraulic oil filter 276hrs H/tank breather 276hr Damper case 276hrs Final drive oil 776hrs S/machinery oil 776hrs Hydraulic oil 1776hrs Komatsu serviced it when they rebuilt the valve body. I tried looking through the monitor to try to find the Hydraulic pressure but I'm not having any luck locating the psi monitor
I can get pics of anything you want or need pics of as well as if they allow it I'll post my cell number here if it would make it easier for you to contact me
John C has done a tremendous job showing how to navigate the monitor. Please take a minute to watch his YouTube. Once you're comfortable with the monitor and can observe your pump pressures we can move forward. This all may be as simple as your machine just needing a hydraulic tune-up. I will defer to any input shared by John C as he as probably forgot more than i currently know about the older Komatsu excavators. I would refrain from sharing personal information online. Trolls are everywhere, it's too easy to be compromised. You can reach out directly to a member using "start a conversation " when you click on the users name. We will try to help but keep in mind, we aren't always in front of a computer or be able to respond quickly . But we will try to get you where you need to be.
funwithfuel, thanks for the compliments and you do a great job steering people down the most likely pathways. The damper case only has about a pint of oil in the bottom. There is no dipstick for it. There is a level check plug under the pump on the facing side of the damper case you can remove the plug to check the specified level. If the damper case is clear full of oil, it will over heat and burn out the engine speed sensor.
Thank an I will definitely check his video out I need all the advice possible I refuse to pay komatsu anymore money for them to work on it anymore. They have done nothing but screw me. A buddy said I should check the main relief valve said it sounds like the valve is bypassing itself an glowing the hydraulic fluid right back to tank an pulling it it directly back in. Does thus sound right? Because as I said it works fine until it starts to warm up an then they gradually bleed away until I have no more hydraulic power to the boom an it also is preventing me from turning at the tracks to go left or right but I can go fwd an backwards no issue an rotate 360° no issue
Ok I apologize for the stupid question I am about to ask but what excatly is the damper? I assumed it was inside the main pump but behind my boom the pump over top of my articulated an ahead of the valve body there's a dipstick an a fill port as well.
What I want to know is what did the dealer diagnose and replace? For 15K!!! I'd tell them to come on back out and finish the job on their own dime. Run that right up the flagpole with Komatsu. Anyway, what I am not understanding here is you say the boom starts to bleed down? As in if you let go of controls, it drops? Not sure if I understand you correct as that would be quite a different issue. can't say I agree with the main relief valve issue just yet. And you say "lose controls". That is as helpful as tits on a tree. What does that mean? It slows down but has power? Slow and has very little power? Engine bogs at all? Complete loss of control? IE dead in the water? Codes present? Like the very FIRST thing I would want to know is when pulling the boom up hard when cold, what is the pump stroke at? When she flips out, what is the pump stroke then? That will mean everything here! If the pumps are not upstroking, that is something way different than they are, and you are losing all the fluid somehow. I swear I drink daily just to tolerate the level of stupidity they call 'service work' today. A guy needed HVAC work, he called FIVE different techs and got FIVE totally different answers, from "you need a new system", to "you are slightly overcharged but running fine".....Vet your tech!!
The damper case, that is the flywheel housing. On Komatsu, they add roughly ¾ to 1¼ qts of SAE30 oil. There's a plug on the face of the pump mounting plate. Just like any other gearbox, fill till oil pours from check plug. This keeps the pump shaft splines and drive coupler splines lubricated. Once you report back with your pressures cold and hot and what you see when it acts up, we're going to ask you to do some specific tests. We are going to try to narrow down the path rather than grabbing blindly at everything. Please keep a notebook or notepad so you can write everything down, also make sure you have a stopwatch or at least a similar app on your phone. Can we get you to snap a pic of each side of your track frame and post them on this thread? We want to see that the tracks aren't too tight. It makes a big difference.
It was komatsu who sent their shop techs out that isn't my fault.
It won't be until tomorrow I'm with the family today
Hey guys, you might take the edge off the commentary just a little. Kind of sounds like you are accusing the OP for the mess. We all hate to hear the stories of incompetence. There seems to be a bunch more green people here asking questions and describing problems that shows their lack of knowledge. It's a teaching moment to show how professional we are.
I appreciate that John but my mechanical experience isn't with excavator hydraulics I work on diesel engines an work for the union but I don't typically mess with this in depth hydraulic issues but after paying 15k for them to send out 3 different techs an it not be fixed it is what broke the camels back I ordered a shop repair manual but it hasn't got here yet isn't going to be here for another wk an being that I loose the hydraulics on a grad is what has caused me to reach out to the forum to seek the help an advice of guys who know this komatsu pc200lc-8 it isn't anything like our old case excavator we used to have so I appreciate the help of you an funwithfuel have givin me the last couple of days an tomorrow I will be right back at it but today I'm with the family
No clue if @John C. is point at me or what, but I am certainly not blaming the OP for the mess. I am more or less just pissed FOR the OP. I've seen the CAT dealer do this to people! An OEM should have infinite knowledge on their own equipment and missing the ball entirely is baffling. OP, I have been pretty impressed with the level of diagnostic data available through the monitor on Komatsu, which should help a ton in diagnostics.
I watched John's video lastnight an tomorrow I plan to put it to work on access of the service diag for the pressures an any faults to try to figure it out. The 15k was spent for them to send 3diff techs out an rebuild the valve body on the motor where he was explaining to me is the damper on it an for it to still not be fixed is Inferiorating for me. I wouldn't typically ask for the advise or help bit being I don't know komatsu good enough I can't figure it out if I had someone who lived in Indiana closer to me I'd be willing to pay them under the table to come out an help just want it fixed
John I just reread this message from you would the speed sensor play affect on the throttle control not increasing the rpms when on idle only increasing when you move the joy sticks an or the controls for tracks?
The last bit of this response hit the nail on the head almost they rebuilt an replaced hoses an then said we need all kinds of new stuff
May I ask where in Indiana you are located and what dealer "performed" this service? If you don't want to out them here, you could DM me. I'm very curious.
I mean....where I come from, they at least offer lube or the common reach around.
Lmao the lube wasn't even a option not even the reach around