Chinese Mini-excavator Loses Hydraulic Oil

[Suburban Plowboy]

I have an AGT QK16R excavator with around 8 hours on it. Yesterday I used it to get some rocks out of my yard, and after I had driven it behind my shop to park it, I saw a long trail of hydraulic oil on my driveway. I don't know how much oil I lost, but nothing shows in the glass, and I'm amazed it continued to run.

I'm reaching out to see if anyone else here knows anything about typical hydraulic leaks on these machines.

A guy who runs a company called Central Digging Supply says the track motors on these things always leak eventually. I'll post his video below. I'm not sure if that's what happened to me. I had to buy fluid in order to prevent the machine from running dry, so I haven't started it yet.

He says the Chinese seals on the motors are not designed to handle full-pressure hydraulic fluid. Some guy in a badly-written comment said he had found Eaton seals that will take the load. He didn't name the seals, however. The manual specified NY19x32x7 seals.

It's kind of amazing that a construction machine that cost 5,000 whole dollars isn't made to Cat/Kubota standards. Based on the fine reputation of Chinese machinery, I assumed it would last forever.

 

[Rustyiron]

That last paragraph.....
You funny guy!

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I just put a lot of oil in it and started it. I moved it around a little. Lost quite a bit of oil in a couple of minutes.

The oil comes out under the excavator not far from the center, but it comes out on the right side so it only wets the right track.

I am hoping this is just the slew motor needing tightening and maybe a new O-ring.

I found out Fastenal sells better seals for the travel motors: https://www.fastenal.com/product/details/99341531#

You can also get better seals from overseas, cheaper, if you don't mind waiting.

 

[ptsg]

Any hydraulic shop should be able to get you the correct seal for those motors, the type of seal that can handle more pressure than the regular seals.

I would figure out first where it's leaking from before buying any stuff that may or may not be needed.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

The track motor seals haven't blown yet, but I thought others might be interested in the info.

 

[oldnslo]

Eaton had the “high pressure” seal option for some of the geroler or geroter style motors. Best is if they have a case drain line but that costs extra and would require a line in the rotating swivel.

My son just bought one of them so will see how his lasts.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

It looks like the O-ring on the slew motor is a #138, but I'm not positive. The plates covering the rings come loose because socialism is a poor motivator which results in a lot of loose screws. When the screws aren't tight, the O-rings can get chewed up.

I'm going to check the O-ring and the fasteners.