Field service
Our field services are often a great unknown and we never fully know what we will ultimately find on site. A seemingly simple report can turn out to be a proverbial Pandora's box, from which further misfortunes come to light.
Instead of a simple malfunction, it turns out that we are dealing with a complex problem requiring additional financial outlays and an extension of the diagnosis to other machine elements. This results in overtime hours and, above all, an extended machine downtime, which particularly worries every owner.
Of course, the situation can also be quite the opposite and after receiving a catastrophic description of the situation from the client and urging to arrive as soon as possible, it turns out that the devil is not so scary and the whole thing is limited to a simple replacement or repair of a single component.
We would always wish ourselves and the client this second situation, but we are prepared for various scenarios and we try to cope with every adversity or malfunction found on site.
Problem with Komatsu PC34OLC-7 excavator
We recently received a message from a client who reported the following symptoms indicating that something was wrong with the pump working in the Komatsu PC34OLC-7 excavator - loud operation and oil leaks from the body, suggesting a crack in the pump element.
The report was accepted and we sent a mobile service to the client, which was to verify and carry out necessary repairs on site - if possible. However, our crew quickly decided that the pump must go to the stationary workshop, as without disassembly and careful checking of the component's condition, effective repair is not possible.
Usually, the mobile service is able to carry out basic repair activities such as leak elimination, filter replacement, or simple mechanical repairs, but to carry out a full service confirmed at the end with a warranty, you should expect a visit to a stationary workshop.
Stationary service after all
PC34OLC-7 pump after being disassembled from the machine went to the stationary workshop, where its technical condition was examined, disassembled into parts and cleaned, to thoroughly check the scale of damage.
After a detailed verification, a full diagnosis could be made, or rather confirm and precisely locate the previous suspicions of failure - a damaged rotary group and a cracked body. In addition to these faults, a disturbing condition of the hydraulic oil was also detected - black, burnt oil, which according to the client was supposed to be replaced quite recently.
This drew the mechanics' attention to the second rotary group in the pump, which despite the lack of visible damage could pose a threat to the proper operation of the hydraulic system.
The workshop decided to replace the second rotary group to eliminate the possibility of the same problem with the pump appearing after a moment of proper operation. The oil could have caused difficult to detect faults inside.
At this point, it is worth drawing the reader's attention to how important the proper condition of the hydraulic oil is, which is associated with carrying out regular filter changes and services at intervals set by the manufacturer.
Poor condition of the hydraulic oil, as in the case described, can lead to faster wear of components and potential failures.
Pump repaired but still something is wrong - additional diagnostics
After performing the necessary repairs, tests and painting, the PC34OLC-7 hydraulic pump returned to work in the excavator. The final test as to the success of the entire operation took place in the field. Our mechanics checked everything once again and it turned out that the Komatsu excavator is working properly.
However, it turned out that the measurement showed low pressure on one function of the machine and excessive heating of the hydraulic oil. Another inspection of the hydraulic system gave an answer where the cause of such a state of affairs lies.
The culprit was the hydraulic distributor, specifically an internal crack causing leaks and the symptoms described above.
By the way, it was possible to explain the bad condition of the hydraulic oil, because it previously caused consternation, as the client assured that it had been replaced just a few months earlier. So it was possible to kill two birds with one stone - find the cause of the poor measurement results and clarify previous doubts.
The problem with the distributor remained to be solved.
Repair or replacement?
The client was very keen on restoring the excavator to full efficiency as soon as possible. Our service is always prepared to propose an alternative, if there is such a possibility.
In response to the client's needs, we proposed to purchase the same distributor from our warehouse. We often have identical models of pumps or hydraulic motors in stock, which significantly speeds up the repair process.
Parts and components from our warehouse are always checked beforehand to see if they will fit 100% to a specific machine configuration and if they are fully functional.
The client's response was positive and we quickly prepared and delivered the appropriate distributor for the machine, and our service started the assembly.
Brief summary
In summary, the Komatsu PC34OLC-7 field service turned out to be more complicated than initially assumed. It started with problems with the hydraulic pump, but in the end, the distributor also had to be replaced.
Thanks to the quick delivery of parts from the warehouse, it was possible to speed up the repair process and effectively restore the machine to work.
