John Deere 35G Mini Excavator, 500 Hour Service Interval Tasks – Part 1

Written by Luis Montes Updated On  March 04, 2026

In this series, we’ll cover some of the 500-hour periodic maintenance tasks for a John Deere 35G mini excavator, starting with servicing the hydraulic oil filter. The series also includes other routine tasks, such as replacing air filters and rubber tracks.

On the Tekamo HD YouTube channel, you can watch Keith, a heavy-duty mechanic expert, changing the hydraulic oil return filter.

If you don’t have the time to perform the service yourself or want to enroll in a preventative maintenance program for your heavy equipment, contact Tekamo HD to schedule a heavy-duty mechanic.

Vent the Hydraulic Tank

Start by releasing the pressure inside the system—system overload, clogged filters, or thermal expansion are common causes of built-up pressure. The cap is just like a radiator cap. Turn it, push it down, turn it some more, and pop it off.

If you don’t vent the tank, hydraulic oil will come out when you remove the filter canister's lid.

You'll need a 13 mm socket to loosen the four bolts that hold the lid.

There’s a spring beneath the cap holding the filter and the bypass valve. Loosen the bolts (turn them counterclockwise), but don’t remove them yet.

Keith, the mechanic who serviced the machine, recommends first loosening two bolts across from each other to keep the cap flat. Then, hold down the cap as you undo the last two bolts.

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Change the Filter

Remove the cap, the spring, and the bypass valve. Our article “1,000 Hour Service Interval Guide for a Komatsu PC200LC Excavator—Part 3” shows the spring, bypass valve, and filter assembly, and how they interact.

Remove the filter and let it drain for a few seconds, then place a catch tray or pan under it to prevent oil from spilling.

If you’re changing an OEM filter to an aftermarket one, as we did, compare their lengths and inner and outer diameters.

There’s a pipe on the bottom of the tank. Make sure the filter drops on it. Put the valve and the spring back in. Put the cap back on and reinstall the four bolts by hand. Then, tighten the first two across from each other to bring the cap down evenly and ensure a good seal.

The tightening sequence varies depending on the number of bolts. For instance, the John Deere 85G has a six-bolt cap for its hydraulic oil filter canister that requires a criss-cross tightening sequence, as you can see in our article “500 Hour Service Interval Guide for a John Deere 85G Excavator – Part 1.”

Don´t forget to reinstall the hydraulic tank cap, and you’re done.

Next Post

The following article will cover changing the engine oil and filter on a John Deere 35G mini excavator.