Those yanmar minis are hands down the best machine in its class. I did however have to replace the drive motor on the same side…. The oil leaks internally. Pro tip, when pouring from a spout bucket, start with the spout on top…less glugging. Also, put your backfill blade down to stabilize the machine, your guts will thank you. The factory bucket/slash thumb pin on our machine was bored through the center for grease and would break in half every couple years. We had one machine solid and drilled the knuckle and put in a grease zerk, problem solved to this day.

I have a similar machine that wouldn't drive straight when it arrived from auction. Various theories were suggested including needing to rebuild the drive motors. In the end it turned out to be a sticky cable between the lever and the spool valve for one side. The fix was less than $100.

Yanmar equipment goes for ever. I have a 20 year old John Deere Yanmar diesel engine that has never let me down

Great job. In today's market you got a fantastic deal. In 2004 I paid $39,000 for a 304 caterpillar. Today that machine is $ 123,000.

You really impress me with your knowledge of repair. I learned a lot about a Excavator that I will never need, but happy I know.

Step one: pressure wash everything. That way you can see what you're working on and you can see the leaks as they happen. It's a lot nicer to work on as well.

Seen the series of repairs that you have done on your "new" machines,that you have bought for the past few years, for the second time takes a comedy tone due to all the problems and fixes that will be coming. Awesome work from your part

You did good in today's market. You really can't find these machines right now. The equipment rental businesses won't get rid of what they have because they can't get new. All used equipment prices are high now. You have a nice machine, yanmar are pretty durable, and dependable.

It's refreshing to see a middle age guy working so hard doing laborious work on youtube! Most of my favorite KZfaq channel guys who really bust their butts are in their 20's or 30's. Way to represent us older guys!

I just took a hydraulic class for my millwright apprenticeship and the gold thing seems to be an accumulator. It does exactly what you said it does but that's the technical name. I see others have already commented it but figured I'd chime in. Also there are 3 basic types of hydraulic pumps. The piston one like you have the vein pump and gear pumps. Really interesting stuff. No way out of getting the hydraulic fluid everywhere haha. Iv been covered head to toe in it at work before.

You did fine. Nobody is giving away mini-excavators. I know a lady whose house still has the carbide tank in the yard. Hadn’t heard of them until she told me about it. Pretty cool. Years ago I lived fifteen blocks from a big rail yard and they were welding on a big hopper car in the rain. Its previous cargo was carbide though and the rain hit the carbide, creating acetylene gas which exploded. It blew the car open and incredibly enough, no worker was seriously injured. It shook my house like a bomb had hit. Everyone was walking around looking around in confusion. Fifteen city blocks away. Boom.

That oil was never changed for a very long time that machine will love you

I'm a retired diesel and equipment mechanic. The black stinky oil you drained from the final drives is a hypoid gear oil that new is black and stinky also. The chamber on the hydraulics is exactly what you thought it's a shock absorber which stop what is called hammering in the lines. Love your body work especially the WOOD. 👍

As another reference, I paid $32,000 two years ago for a vio55 5b (basically same machine) with two brand new tracks, new thumb, two brand new buckets (2’ dig and 4’ muck) . Machine was clean with no leaks, intact cab glass and door, and was well maintained. 5700 hrs. I’ve put 500 hours on it with no major issues so far.

One most valuable thing that I learned about don’t give up easy, if you have a problem, there must a solution, may be two or three.

Dear Sir: The worn drive belt/track makes the travel less than the newer side, so the machine will always pull/steer to the left. Put a new drive belt/track and both sides will drive equally. 😁and you got and did a damn good machine and job! 👍

Watching you solve problems is so damn satisfying. Thank you.

Little suggestion from a current heavy equipment technician. To be a little more efficient in changing the gear oil in your finals is once you drain it turn your top fill hole to either the 11o’clock or 1o’clock position to ensure proper fill. Sometimes the oil your putting in will run out the check hole and give you a misreading. Just a friendly tip. Love your videos.

Wow. Nice score and you really did a nice refresh on that unit. Just a word of caution to ANYONE regarding what hammer to use. A carpenter's hammer has a hardened face designed to strike softer nails until the end of time. Using a carpenter's hammer steel on steel can cause that hammer face to fracture and that becomes shrapnel. Please us a ball-peen hammer as the are designed and hardened for striking steel.

I have a Yanmar io 15 1994:.. Most reliable machine nothing ever broke. Two hoses and one set of tracks . Amazing quality.

You did well for $20k for a large mini. It seems as though they did maintenance on the main things and sort of skipped over the smaller things. This is a great for us viewers who wish to learn more about maintenance of these because we’re going to buy one. ;)

I love your torque wrench...so handy.

Glad to see you cleaning up the machine. Cant stand dirt and grunge and yet many guys I have watched on you tube never bother to clean but rather work in dirt and nastiness.... I think it is indicative of the quality of the workmanship. Cleaning makes it easier to work on and as they say cleanliness is next to Godliness. A clean machine always runs better!!

I'm sure the machine enjoyed getting some love for a change.

Just a suggestion from a retired heavy equipment mechanic, 1 your track is worn and diameters are different, and 2 I think the worn track side drive motor is on the week side. Unless you have metal in the planetary gears your good, drive motors are fairly easy to do.

"I'll just make my own wrench" god I love farmers.

"...make my own wrench" that's next level, right there!

I like watching you work on your Yanmar, while drinking a good coffee and above all, without getting my hands dirty. In 2013, two years before building my house, I purchased a 2002 Kubota KX 61-2 mini excavator to prepare the construction site. I had paid $16,500 CAD for this machine and was planning to resell it once the work was completed. But I later changed my mind and chose to keep it, mainly for cleaning and laying out trails in the forest. With this machine, pulling a tree out of the forest becomes almost child's play, a toy weighing nearly 6,000 pounds. Aside from changing oils, filters and regular greasing, the only other part I had to change was the battery. In winter, after snow removal from the roofs, I use it to remove the banks of snow around the buildings. This machine was only equipped with a canopy roof placed on the four posts of the ROP, so I built a cabin from these elements, in order to protect the controls and its operator.

Those Yanmars are fundamentally solid machines - great engines, about as good a mini-digger you can buy - only Takeuchi or Kubota are better in terms of reliability/durability. They're slightly slow - but that's fine too. I doubt you'll be unhappy with your purchase. I'd ignore the track tension & have a look at the track pedals throw - the linkage may be off on one side - do the simple stuff first. Adjust the linkage throw. Leak looks to be the PRV, or pressure valve - ignore, lol - chuck in oil.. That Yanmar engine runs happily on 10w 40 or 15w 40 oil - boggo stuff is fine, no need for fancy oil. Change it often & bung on fresh filters often - and change all the hydraulic filters - this yoke will run for decades.

I think you did OK on the excavator. It's always a balancing act of picking a machine with no deal breakers critical issues that are going to be prohibitively expensive and finding a machine with the combination of little issues you can deal with as you go...and they will all have small issues. I purchased a similar vintage machine about a year ago. Slightly more modern 2006 and next size up 7.5 ton It's a Yanmar vio75 for about the same price 20k. Though I am in Australia and I have the feeling our used market is a little less heated than the USis at the moment. That said I was happy with the price as it was all I could afford. It has air-conditioning and the cab is complete. I doesn't have a thumb (has the remote hydrologic setup for one) also it didn't come with any buckets. So that was an additional $3500 for a new 1ft trenching, 3ft GP and a 5ft mud bucket. It has more hrs about 5000 though is in used but clean condition. That said the tracks that came with it were near the end of their life and I have just purchased two new tracks last week. Havnt arrived yet and they were 4k . I had the same small oil leaks on some pump fittings that had made a mess but were easy fixes (though it's tight working in the space) my final drive fill plug bolts had nuts welded to them so it's obviously a issue with people rounding out the small tight hex drive bolts. The yanmar engines a the most reliable little diesel motors I have ever owned. Have a small yanmar tractor aswell. Not the most refined but they just fire to life every time..fist time and purr away all day with out a fuss. It's no wonder they use them in boats. This vintage excavator is nice not crazy old but not modern enough to have electronics and emissions. Will be following along with your future videos.

Thanks for thee very important forgotten info on calcium carbide "acetylene" tank. Heard about this from a friend whos long since Grand DAD had a wrecking yard in Pecos, Texas and told me he and his brothers spent summers blowing things up when they were young. And yeah, granddad had a shed and switch that rewarded such behavior in young boys.

I've been operating heavy equipment for over 30 yrs and yamnar is a great name for mini excavators

The thing about maintenance is that you can do it on your schedule or you can do it on the machine's schedule but it's going to be done sooner or later! Better to do it when you have the time and aren't in the middle of a project. So...dump truck, excavator, boom lift...all you need is a bulldozer and you'll have a nearly complete construction company!

That little gold thing is exactly what you said it’s called a Hydraulic Accumulator.

My first thought is why they did not pressure wash it before selling it. All the things that you done to it, the owner should have done before the sale. Well, good job. I hope that you will be able to do the other repairs without to much pain and money. I hope that you had the hole filled in before the wife got home. Good job on the video. 😃😃😃😃 Oh yes, I am glad that the board did not slip and go into the window when adjusting that panel.

That o-ring is originally round, usually once they start leaking the fluid will cut a groove in it and it will leak a lot worse. I have had to make a wrench skinnier , usually by grinding the side of it. Good job, nice and methodical without getting upset. 😊

As I know you'll take care of it, 20k is a good investment, particularly in this crazy market. Enjoyed the way you used the shop air to help eject the old oil from the drive motors. Looking forward to the next chapter of this latest acquisition.

My father was a mechanic and I love watching people work on other vehicles other than cars and trucks. Heavy machines interests me. Thanks for the teaching :)

Everyone who has a farm should have a toy like that. I certainty would like to have one, you bet. Great video. Thank you and greetings from Portugal.

Great videos, I have 25 acres with a Kubota L3901 tractor and JD 320E skid steer. I am an amateur mechanic, I come to KZfaq to see what to do and what not to do. Thanks to all who provide great information. I have considered selling the Skid Steer when I am done with it and getting an excavator instead of renting one. They are very handy.

Nice work young man. Andrew Camarata can tell how good Yanmars are and he has gone through a ton of equipment. He swears buy them and it looks like your repairs will push the life of that machine way into the future.

the wrench your looking for is called a tappit wrench. I have made my own in a pinch, using cheap wilmar stock, but you used to be able to purchase them from PROTO or MAC TOOLS. They are thin and usually made from case hardened mollybendium alloy so they can take a little tork without breaking. Back when true hydraulic lifters were a thing, we used them to adjust the lash on the valve set on motors. And nice to see the younger generation tearing into stuff and learning as you go. There hasnt been a farm or ranch built over the millenia where the proprietor didnthave to fix, repair and /or maintenance their own gear...whether it's amodern excavator or a buckboard wagon.

*- Finally someone who cleans their work area first...and takes care of the little things.*

First time viewer @12:05 so far: Good audio production - CHECK Content relevant to my interests - CHECK Good camera work - CHECK Slight Delaware Valley/Northern Maryland tinge to the voice - CHECK KZfaq fine-tuning the algorithm to my liking - surprisingly CHECK Subscription and notifications achievements unlocked.

I really appreciate the simplicity of explaining hard to explain mechanical complexity, thanks for sharing

Indeed the golden thingie is a pressure accumulator, a sort of battery. Be careful with those things. A little tip on removing stuck bolts when you have to use heat is to point the heat directly at the bolt and not the surrounding area. Heat expands the bolt and when it cools down it shrinks and breaks it free. With longer bolts you have to pace your heating to not melt the head of course :) Absolutely awesome videos btw!

Excellent video! My only complaint about a working on a compact excavator, is 50lbs of stuff in a 10lb package! FYI, when removing drain plugs, I put my hand in a plastic bag, and then remove the plug. They are awesome to have however!

Agree totally. I got a EX50urg off auction, 96 model, 4600 hour. Like yours, gone through with minor keeping ups. Man, over 15 years, I did a lot of work with it ( built 15 houses), sold it over I paid for with 5900 hours on it. Runs flawless.

Hey man, been watching for years. You seem to have knowledge about a lot of different things. It would be cool to see a video of you telling your story of your background and how you got to where you're at in life. how you got your farm, work experience etc. I can respect if you would rather keep that stuff private that's cool. Im always curious about people's life experience. Anyways I enjoy your videos thanks for sharing and congrats on the new machine.

It is good to see that you cleaned the machine and gave it a service before you put it to work and at last a man who knows the correct way that a diesel fuel system works E.I. tank to prefiilter, lift pump, final filter, injector pump. I have been a heavy diesel mechanic for almost sixty years. From Australia

I think you got a bargain. Doing your own work saves thousands alone. Impressed with your work. I have done a few dumb moves with an air gun myself a few times and one involved a diesel take as well. Lol When you had the hydraulic tank open chaging the in tank filter, that's a good time to fill with bulk oil. I just bought a 1976? Yenmar YK2000 tractor. Needs a few hydraulic cyl seals all piston rods are strait and a needs a new hydraulic pump. Has loader, tiller, landscaping box and bush hog all recent rebuilds. Paid $1500 and I gave hin $100 for delivery. Found out after he just needed money to take his wife to Florida. She was dying from complications from covid19. She died 2 days after delivery. I took $500 to the funeral home anonymously. I'm a retired disabled mechanic, wheel veh, heavy equip , track w/USARMY, 23yrs AD 100% PT disabled. Partially fussed upper and lowwer back less 2 vertebrae, both knees replaced. I have a small project comparatively but look forward to it.

That Vibratite sealer is the BEST! I love it, and use it all over the shop. (air compressor, coffee mug, etc.)

Great video, @ FarmCraft101 -I appreciate your skills, awareness and a well made video ! - Thank you !! Awesome to get a good deal on a quality machine with minimal computers, emission devices, limp mode etc !!! Suggestions: For the track adjust , a higher pressure grease gun may move the adjusting cylinder (lever or pneumatic, instead of pistol grip) Check the worn track for cracks that allow water to get at the internal cables making them rust & break. Most rubber tracks crack & break before the treads wear out. The hydraulic tank is pressurized & sealed (vent air in , but not out ) , important to vent the pressure before draining/ opening to avoid a blast of pressurized fluid. Sometimes there is a button to push on top of the tank or loosen the fill cap. Good to vent now and then to prevent possibility pressure buildup over time When checking the hydraulic level, the hydraulic cylinders need to be in specific positions (check manual), most machines usually call for most cylinders to be closed / retracted -putting max fluid back into tank (displaced by the volume of the cylinder rods) - Bucket uncurled all the way, dipper stick extended and boom down until bucket on ground, thumb retracted, swing boom cylinder closed (swing right ?). Blade down. Hydraulic tank max fill levels are engineered considering the size of the air pocket at the top of the tank that compresses when cylinders are retracted , too much fluid can reduce the volume of air and potentially over pressurize the tank.. Best Wishes

Enjoyed the video! Looking forward to seeing the projects you do with the new machine

Man this vid reminded me. I was a heavy equipment mechanic for 37 years. I always hated oil changes on Cat loaders we had. They had a huge drain plug they were always very tight. When they came loose you would get some form of an oil bath.

Retired auto mech here. I was going to call your first item a pressure relief valve and the second item an accumulator (like a water hammer arrestor in your washer circuit), but these are just guesses. Where you said "The struggle is real" reminded me why I took the grinder to a spare 12" crescent wrench. I cut it down to about 4" and it got right into those tight spaces with torque to spare on a large nut or bolt which was slow to come out. The price was good, too, since it was a spare. For smaller wrenches, I found a shorty set at Harbor Freight for $18, I think. Very handy. TIP: I tie a shop rag over my wrist to keep oil out of my armpit. (such an icky feeling) I'd love to have some heavy equipment to play with, but can't, retired on 1/3 acre. Your videos are wonderful to watch. I follow Matt at Diesel Creek, too.

That unit you took out is a 'pressure compensator', with a thermal temperature regulating spring. It prevents pump shock in the system and when the oil gets hot it allows the operation to commence smoothly. It works similarly to your radiator thermostat in your water system. You got a very good deal, consider this machine as an extra pair of hands. For farm use, can not get better, for extra work, it will earn its money back.

This is one of my dreams. Being able to afford one these excavators. Like what you are doing in fixing things up. 😊

I really like that voiced click on your torque wrench. Makes it much easier to hear!

A man of my own heart, factory filters and the best lubricant money can buy. Money saved in the long run.

26:06 Nice job with the spring clamps! More consistent clamping force through a wide range of temperature. Self adjusting, too! Screw (worm drive) clamps do well if the temperature stays fairly constant, but rubber compounds shrink with heat and expand with cold, exactly opposite of what the metal in the clamp does.

I enjoy watching you work the problem and I appreicate all those super tight shots you gave us even though it added 3x to the completion time. Lastly, this isn't my bag, but most guys just won't say prices unless it makes them look cool, so I really appreciate you giving us perspective. Just curious, when your kids ask what you do for a living do they mumble past the 'successful youtuber' part? ;-)

I have bought many wrenches at yardsales so I could modify them to make special tools. Saves a lot of time and they last a lifetime.

I was thinking PB Blaster then you broke it out on the final drive fill plug. I'm retired now but miss wrenching and really enjoy your channel. Life goes by fast, enjoy your passion my friend. The memories will make you smile someday.

Man.. I follow a lot of GREAT KZfaqrs. You are certainly one of my favorites. Thanks for sharing what you do with us. I've learned some neat stuff from you.

You did good! Those generation Vio's are excellent. Anybody that actually *does* maintenance always feels like they're doing endless maintenance on used equipment.

$20K ? man that is alot for a used piece of equipment ! I think I would have got a bigger tractor or something for that much.... but it is an excavator, and sense you've put new seals in the center pivot you really have a real good reliable machine now..... but I want to see you do the track adjusters.... I've never seen those and it will be real educational for me ! Like you I am a jack of all trades and master of none, and I pride myself on being able to fix anything so watching you on your beautiful property really makes me think I should have been born rich ! without a doubt you are much better at it all than I am.... I don't know where you get all your energy ! LOL You've done well for yourself ! and that is good to see ! like you I had a piece of ground, cows and hogs and chickens, and the world changed when I finally got a tractor... i could do so much more then.... so I understand the need for equipment I just cringe at spending more for a tool than I did for my house !!! but.... it is a new world ! and it is expensive ! too expensive for this retired old man ! keep up the good work and get some shade up for those cows so they can get out of the summer heat ... their black and black = HEAT ! ......perhaps a trailer /shade thing you can move to the field they are in ? but they do need shade ! .... if you find them all huddled by a tree you know they are way too hot !

I’m not sure how you got me to watch a 45 minute video on excavator maintenance but damn that was interesting. I’ve been wanting one for our new property and house build and know zero about them. Thanks to you I now know a little bit!

one of best videos so far for me... lot of work, cleaning and servicing... loved it

Oh my god I laughed so many times during this video, this is my new favorite video. Banging on the casing with a big of' hunk o wood, and then the oil - "Oh I spilled a drop! That's a quarter!" 😂😂😂 Absolutely loving your renewed commitment to doing videos, can't wait to see the track adjuster rebuild video!

I can't thank you enough for all this info i just got a yanmar vio 70 which has stood for circa 5 years so all this is ver valuable to me, cheers

Its so much nicer when you can take your time like you did with that tank in the yard.

Awesome torque wrench! "Sounds" like you can program all sorts of custom indicator clicks when you meet the right torque setting. With a state of the art tool like yours, I am guessing you don't have to look up the torque setting as it automatically will acheive the correct torque. I have used an older version, however, mine did not have the custom sound option. Great video and channel. Subscribed.

The spring part of your piston pump is often called a horsepower limiter in my field. There are also many pump models that have a similar control unit, but instead they have a small hydro-electric valve which controls a piston that will hydraulically govern the swash plate. Those are known as servo-controllers.

I have a Yanmar VIO35. Keep those excavator videos coming.

Had never heard of the carbide acetylene tank and lamps before. Nice history lesson.

It's always fun watching this sort of thing, as a gun monkey in the navy I learned a lot about hydraulics but never got to apply that knowledge til I bought a tractor, lol. I'm glad making a large covered space to work in is on your list cause it's on mine too! Here in the pnw you either learn to work in the rain or are subject to the seasons. At least half the year is rain, sometimes 2/3s and I'd be chainsaw milling right now if not for the rain

Really enjoyed (As usual) this video. Really well made, sound and video etc. Looking forward to more maintenance. Thank you so much for your time and effort you put into this. Very best wishes to you and your family from Staffordshire England...

Here’s what I think. I watched every second. The humor. The humor is perfectly timed and seems to be the real you.

You have the skill champ once its restored it will soon pay for itself👌

I just tripped onto your channel and watched it all. I liked the details you showed and the way you did it. I'm subscribed. Keep it up!

If it saves your back just once, it's paid for itself. Thanks so much for all the amazing content; I've learned so much! Take care and keep up the good work!

I have a VIO 27 and i love it. Super reliable. I got mine with 1200 hrs from a rental place that could not make payroll back in 2008. paid 14500 for it. I got a deal. I paid them 2 hrs after they called to ask if i wanted it.

Dont think you will ever regret getting that as those are really reliable excavators

Great in depth video, thanks for showing in detail the steps you took in ensuring your machine is ready for use and your plans for refurbishing other components on your new to you machine, enjoyed the presentation, camera work and editing.

Congrats FC101 on getting a good deal on the Excavator. with some more use, u can use the finger s with the bucket to pick-up small things.

That “thing” is a Snubber. And yes, it does exactly as you thought, removes peaks from of pressure curve. Do yourself a favor: throw some rags in before disassembly. Great Project!

Pressure relief valve when you overload the the hydraulic system ,eg lifting a rock too big, that’s why the adjustment Great job you are bit like Andrew Camarata , great camera set up and shots well done ,that’s what makes it so good to watch Cheers from Aus

The algorithm introduced me to your channel years ago, when I watched your bronze cannon series. I have been following ever since, and I want to tell you I am impressed with your range of ingenuity. I am a self-taught mechanical designer that grew up on a farm. Your work makes me feel right at home. Your camera work and editing have come a long way too by the way. Thanks for sharing your expertise.

Thanks for the video, It's interesting watching you work and even make tool. Over the years I've collected cheaper brand or yard sale tools so I can modify stuff for jobs if I need to ,instead of mangling expensive sets. you seem to have a better understanding of the wrench turning than some youtubers that make themselves look completely stupid to, No I don't mean Hamilton at least Hank admits he's not a mechanic but does good with what knowledge he's got available. My back grounds farming, and machine repairs, buy and sell some, and run a machine once in a while . open station cabs are ok on some days but ill tell you i'd rather have windows that open and close than nothing the day you got to dig and the winds blowing dirt all over you and you can't get out of it or quit until later. Cheap good and used machines are words that don't fit the same sentence, I know what I'm buying and can fix it, lots aren't that lucky and get hit hard with reality sadly. The big concern is your traction speed problem it could be something simple like linkage not moving right, seals in the rotary hydraulic swivel to the tracks, or something way more expensive. I think the price was probably about right compared to some complete overpriced junk thats out there waiting for a victim with a check book L.O.L. Looking forward to more, Take care.

first thing i did is turn around the foot petals , of course with little modification, so your feet have something to grip. makes hands free movement. movement with your feet while handling joy stick, spot on

A perfect example of why you should always remove the fill plug before removing the drain plug. Thanks for the video. I think you did alright with it

The mystery part is like a "shock absorber", it works like water arrestor to prevent sudden pressure spikes like you said.

Congratulations on the mini ex. I bought one 3 years ago and it is the handiest piece of equipment. Next up, track loader. Thanks for putting out great content.

I love mini excavators.. So versatile. your got your money's worth.. it only took 45 minutes to show it some love.. haha.. I had a Branson 3510 I bought new.. (4wd 35 hp tractor) I used it for 10 years of self employment. Paid 20k for it, plus implements and a car trailer to haul it on.. but it had 3200 hrs on it when I sold it last year. Still got 10k for it.

The first thing you had a question on is called the Pressure relief adjustment. The second one, the "brass bulb" with the o ring is an accumulator.

These videos bring back fond memories. I am a computer programmer, but in my younger years operated and repaired heavy equipment. Owner operators that do their own mecanical work, usually do take good care of their equipment. Good mechanics are expensive and hard to find.

That Yanmar sure has landed into a good hands! You sure know lot of stuff and show logical thinking when fixing stuff. Subbed!

Hello from Moosomin, Saskatchewan, Canada great videos thanks for sharing

with people driving around in $60,000+ cars, I'd say that is a great purchase especially having the knowledge to maintain it and bring it up to par...and being industrious enough to do just that.