1997 Komatsu PC12R-8 / PC15R-8 Hydraulic Excavator Operation and Maintenance Manual (P/N SEAM015100)

Komatsu’s October 1997 Operation and Maintenance Manual, P/N SEAM015100, covers PC12R-8 and PC15R-8 hydraulic excavators, each from serial number 10001 and up. It addresses canopy machines and optional cab equipment, with separate information for rubber and steel track shoes.

PDF Text Search, Bookmarks and Page Count

Finding service information: Text search is available across much of the manual, but some pages, including the electrical troubleshooting table, are not searchable. Embedded bookmarks navigate the main chapters and maintenance subsections. Small labels in the attachment illustrations and maintenance graphs are readable when enlarged.

One 210-page printable PDF in English, including the original cover and a one-page manual revision form within that total.

Excavator Controls, Scheduled Service and Breaker Equipment

The following selected contents outline the manual’s coverage rather than reproduce its complete contents list. Additional topics include cold-weather operation and long-term storage.

• Operating controls: Machine monitor indications, control-and-gauge layouts, work equipment levers, boom swing pedal, blade control, starting checks and warm-up procedures.

• Engine and fuel maintenance: Step-by-step procedures for engine oil and filter changes, fuel filter and feed pump pre-filter replacement, water-separator care and fuel-system air bleeding.

• Undercarriage and bucket: Rubber shoe inspection and replacement, separate rubber- and steel-track tension procedures, bucket replacement and bolt-on bucket tooth replacement.

• Hydraulic service: Hydraulic filter replacement, tank oil changes, strainer cleaning, final drive case servicing and maintenance adjustments for hydraulic breaker use.

• Troubleshooting: Electrical system, chassis and engine problem/cause/remedy tables, supported by battery removal, installation and booster-cable illustrations.

• Maintenance references and attachments: Maintenance schedule charts, standard tightening torque tables, optional bucket combinations, one-way/two-way piping and quick breaker arm procedures.

This manual is written for trained, authorized operators and maintenance personnel, with certain inspections and adjustments assigned to a Komatsu distributor.

Operational Controls and Cab Layout

The manual maps the left and right work equipment levers, boom swing pedal and blade control, and explains engine oil pressure and charging-system alerts. Travel instructions distinguish sprocket orientation and the resulting reversal of lever response.

Optional cab coverage includes the opening front window, door catch and emergency escape hammer. The window instructions identify a specific damage risk: raising the window with the wiper wiring connected can tear the wiring.

Servicing these compact excavators involves crushing and high-pressure fluid hazards. Follow the documented machine-isolation, support and pressure-release precautions before maintenance.

Routine Maintenance and Component Replacement

The service sections provide illustrated instructions for cooling-system flushing, radiator fin cleaning, lubrication and the filter and track work outlined above. The antifreeze mixing chart relates coolant proportions to ambient temperature.

For daily shop routines, the fluid-capacity data and tightening torque references support maintenance planning and correct servicing. Breaker-use graphs also show how attachment duty changes hydraulic oil and filter maintenance requirements.

The track-adjuster warnings explain how incorrect grease-pressure release can eject the valve. The operating precautions also describe how water reaching the radiator fan during a steep exit from water can break the fan.

Troubleshooting and Repair Limits

The troubleshooting tables connect symptoms such as slow work equipment, hydraulic overheating, starting problems and abnormal exhaust with possible causes and remedies. They distinguish routine service responses from work referred to a Komatsu distributor.

This is an operation and maintenance manual rather than a teardown manual. Engine valve-clearance adjustment requires distributor service and special tooling; alternator and starting motor inspection or repair is also referred to the distributor.

Auxiliary Piping and Quick Breaker Arm

The attachment section explains one-way flow for breakers and two-way flow for equipment such as augers or crushers. Quick breaker arm coverage includes illustrated chisel installation, bucket installation, locking-pin arrangements, lubrication points and chisel storage.

The attachment combinations table distinguishes standard- and long-arm bucket suitability. Hook-bucket instructions refer to the lifting-capacity label on the machine. Breaker operating precautions explain that prolonged impact at one point can overheat the oil.

Selected Warm-Up and Track-Clearance Specifications

The hydraulic warm-up section specifies at least 20°C oil temperature before work and identifies 50–80°C as the most suitable operating range.

For rubber tracks with the chassis raised, the specified roller-flange clearance is 10–15 mm, measured at the second roller from the sprocket on the PC12R and the third on the PC15R. For steel tracks, the separate inspection specifies 10–20 mm between the roller tread and track contact surface at the second roller from the sprocket.