During the hot summer months, it’s important to maintain your excavator cool to prevent its parts and components from overheating and being subjected to increased wear, and, of course, to avoid engine problems. During the summer months, the hot temperatures and increased exposure to the unrelenting sun, along with the dry conditions and a more demanding workload need to be handled with a suitable maintenance program to keep your excavators running.
Excavator Issues Due to Summertime Environmental Conditions
When the heat and humidity rise, your excavator components and parts tend to work harder than under milder or cooler temperatures. Naturally, when they work harder they will also wear down faster, as well.
For example, overheating the hydraulic oil/hydraulic system is detrimental to your excavator’s performance. You can ‘cook’ the hydraulic oil which may cause damage to the seals and even tarnish the working surfaces of cylinders and pistons which can cause serious issues in the long term. You also run the risk of overheating the engine which, again can cause damage to seals and gaskets or even far more severe issues.
Excavator Maintenance During Summer
The best solution to deal with the effect of high temperatures on your excavator is proper preventative maintenance. By closely monitoring your excavator, you will be able to prevent breakdowns, costly repairs, and downtime.
Maintain Airflow
In order to avoid high temperature-related issues, you need to try to keep dirt and other obstructions out of the path of the airflow your excavator is designed to have. Venting in the belly pans won’t allow proper airflow if they are covered in dirt or flattened. And radiators/oil coolers need to be cleaned regularly, especially if working in very dry dusty conditions. It might even be beneficial to have these areas pressure washed occasionally. It can be an effective way to flush deeply embedded dirt out from between the fins restoring the proper airflow. Ideally, try to direct the water from the engine side outwards. Just be mindful of critical areas and the ease of damaging the fins of the radiator.
Maintain Fluid Levels
It goes without saying that during the hot summer months, you need to ensure that coolant and hydraulic fluids levels are maintained. For instance, it is always a good idea to keep your excavator’s coolant expansion reservoir full to limit the amount of air that can enter the cooling system. Also by adding antifreeze in summer you can prevent cooling water from boiling since antifreeze has a higher boiling point than water. Keep in mind that you should be using manufacturer-approved brands of antifreeze and avoid mixing different brands since this can corrode or block the engine’s cooling system.
Maintain Proper and Frequent Lubrication
The quality of grease used to lubricate your excavator’s parts is important since grease can begin to soften in high temperatures which means that it won’t provide the necessary protection. When grease softens, its adhesion properties are reduced and so is its lubrication performance. Consequently, you should be using grease with high heat resistance to maintain its adhesion at higher temperatures.
Langley Excavator Parts Exchange Stands By You
If you need parts or components to keep your John Deere and Hitachi excavator cool, contact Langley Excavator Parts Exchange. We can offer you parts and components for even the most current excavator models. Our goal is to get you the part you need so you can get back to work quickly. Call us at 1-888-530-5444 or contact us online. With one of the largest inventories of John Deere and Hitachi components, our experienced and knowledgeable staff is equipped to help you with the part you may need.
