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1,000 Hour Service Interval Guide for a Komatsu PC200LC Excavator – Part 1
Written by Luis Montes Updated On January 31, 2025
In this step-by-step guide, we’ll cover some of the tasks associated with the 1,000 hour service interval for a Komatsu PC200LC excavator.
It’ll be the first in a series of five posts discussing how to change hydraulic fluids and several filters. We’ll also share some tips we’ve learned to ease some of the tasks and keep you safe from possible hazards while working on heavy equipment.
On the Tekamo HD YouTube channel, you can watch Shawn, an expert heavy-duty technician, perform the service for this equipment.
Drain the Swing Gearbox and Engine Oil
The swing gearbox and engine drains are underneath the machine. To access them, you must remove the belly pan.
Over time, dirt and debris can build up on belly pans, especially in dusty environments. Be careful when removing belly pans, as they can come crashing down from the dirt extra weight.
On the Komatsu PC200LC, the swing gearbox drain line runs underneath the control valve.
To remove the plug, you’ll need a 7/8″ or 22 mm wrench. In this case, we also needed an extra catch pan because of the breeze. In open areas near coastal regions or large water bodies, the breeze can make a mess while draining the oil, so bring several pans to increase the catch area.
On the other hand, the Komatsu PC200LC’s engine oil drain features a valve, so you can stick a hose to direct the oil into the pan or bucket.
Replace the Engine Oil and Fuel Filters
Photo source: www.ritchielist.com
The engine oil and fuel filters are in the hydraulic pump compartment.
With the help of some filter pliers, turn the oil filter clockwise to unscrew it.
Place a pan or bucket below the filter to catch the oil before removing it.
Shawn primed the new filter and lubricated its seal before installing it.
Most owner manuals recommend lubricating the seals. Lubricating the rubber seal reduces friction against the filter’s housing, preventing it from catching and bunching up, leading to improper sealing.
However, there is much debate about whether to prefill new engine oil filters.
Some people say that pouring oil into the filter will contaminate the system. Others pour the oil into the central hole, which is wrong because that’s where oil comes out after being filtered. Another bunch of people claim that those few seconds it takes for oil pressure to build up will damage the engine, while the rest claim nothing has ever happened to their equipment.
To add more controversy to the topic, the prefill step for the engine oil filter varies among the owner’s manuals of different equipment of the same manufacturer, such as Hitachi and Volvo. Check it out for yourself:
- Hitachi 135US-5B Excavator – Prefill step included (page 7-27).
- Hitachi 85USB-3 Excavator – Prefill step NOT included (page 7-23).
- Volvo EC330B Excavator – Prefill step included (page 135).
Volvo EC210B Excavator – Prefill step NOT included (page 165).
The bottom line is to stick to what your owner’s manual indicates if you’re unsure.
Once the filter’s seal seats, turn the filter an extra turn by hand. Don’t use pliers to tighten the filter. Our article “Why You Should Not Use A Tool To Tighten Up A Spin On Oil Filter” explains the reasons.
Finally, replace the primary fuel filter (water separator). Start by unplugging the fuel sensor at the bottom of the filter housing to avoid winding the harness around the filter when unthreading it.
To unthread the filter, turn it clockwise with pliers. Before removing it, place a pan or tray underneath to catch the fuel that comes out.
Some filters are a one-piece unit, while others have a removable bowl.
If your excavator has a two-piece filter, gently detach the plastic sediment bowl. Usually, you’ll have to transfer it from one filter to the next.
In this case, the new filter was a single unit. We didn’t need the bowl. However, we had to reuse the Water In Fuel Sensor (WIF sensor) as the new filter didn’t include one.
The new filter did include an O-ring for the WIF sensor. Remove the plug from the filter, replace the O-ring on the WIF sensor, and insert it into the filter’s housing.
Prime the filter before installation. As with the oil filter, pour the fuel into the smaller holes to prime the filter properly. The fuel comes out through the larger hole at the center.
Since gasoline is oily, you can use it to lube the seal instead of oil.
Priming the fuel filter removes air pockets within the filter and lines, ensuring a smooth start after installation.
Install the primary fuel filter hand tight and plug the WIF sensor back on.
