Description

FIAT Kobelco SK 220, SK 220LC Workshop Manual

You picked up a used SK 220 or SK 220LC, and now you need to get it running right. Maybe the hydraulics are sluggish, the swing motor sounds wrong, or you’re looking at a pile of parts and no clue what the clearances should be. Aftermarket manuals will give you something that looks close, but close doesn’t get a boom to swing properly or keep a final drive from leaking. This is the genuine FIAT Kobelco SK 220, SK 220LC Workshop Manual – the same book the dealer techs used. 1102 pages of factory data, not a reprint. I’ve seen too many guys ruin a hydraulic pump because they used the wrong relief pressure from a third-party book. Don’t be that guy.

This manual covers two models: the SK 220 standard and the SK 220LC long-carriage version. The LC has different component weights and track dimensions, and those are listed in section LQ03. If you ignore that, you might lift a counterweight with the wrong sling and injure yourself or bend the frame. The manual warns you about that on page 2 with a big safety block. Read it.

LQ01 Specification: The Numbers You Need Before You Start

Section LQ01 gives you the spec sheet for both machines – engine output, hydraulic pump flow, travel speeds, swing torque, and fluid capacities. Need the charge pressure for the travel motor? It’s in LQ01. Need the correct oil for the swing gearbox? It’s in LQ01. Every number is in imperial units as delivered to North America. The manual prints these specs in a clean table at the front of the book, so you can flip to it without digging through 400 pages. That’s how a factory manual should work.

Most aftermarket books skip the specifications page or pull numbers from a different model year. The FIAT Kobelco manual is year-specific – if your serial number matches the range, the specs are the ones you need. No guessing.

7 Systems Covered – From Drive to Air Conditioner

The systems section is the meat of this manual. It runs from LQ11 (Drive System) through LQ26 (Air-Conditioner System). You get the hydraulic system (LQ12) with pump flow charts and control valve schematics. The swing system (LQ15) includes the braking valve and swing motor disassembly. The travel system (LQ18) shows the final drive reduction and brake adjustment. Even the upper frame (LQ23) and electrical system (LQ25) get their own sections, with wiring diagrams and connector locations. The air-conditioner section (LQ26) covers compressor R&R and refrigerant charging – rare to find that in any manual that isn’t OEM. Grab the KOBELCO SK 220 SK 220LC Workshop Manual for complete coverage of all seven systems.

LQ04 Maintenance Standard and Test Procedure

This section is what separates a repair from a hack job. LQ04 gives you allowable wear limits for every major component – pin bushing clearance, swing gear backlash, cylinder bore wear, pump rotor clearance. If you don’t know the factory limit, you can’t decide whether to replace a part or reuse it. I’ve seen a guy run a travel motor that was 0.010” out of spec – it seized within four hours. The test procedures in LQ04 tell you how to check hydraulic pressure, flow, and temperature with the machine running. You’ll need a flow meter and a pressure gauge for most of these tests. The manual lists the required tools for each test.

One thing that bothers me about aftermarket manuals: they never give you the test procedure specs. They say “check hydraulic pressure” but omit the exact test port location and the pressure at idle vs full throttle. LQ04 gives you the port numbers and the pressure values in PSI. That’s why you buy this manual.

Does This Manual Cover the Hydraulic Pump Rebuild?

Yes, and better yet, it covers the pump as a component in the COMPONENTS section – specifically item 12, Hydraulic Pump. You get exploded views, shaft seal dimensions, and the order of shims for the swashplate. The manual walks you through pump removal, disassembly, inspection, and reassembly with torque values for the pump mounting bolts. It also covers the control valve (Item 13), relief valves (Item 14), and the hydraulic motor (Item 15). The swivel joint (Item 16) and hydraulic cylinder (Item 17) are there too. If you’re rebuilding a cylinder, the manual gives you the seal kit cross reference and the gland nut torque. That’s information you won’t find in a parts manual or a generic service guide. For related manuals, check the KOBELCO SK 220 SK 220LC Shop Manual and the FIAT Kobelco SK330NLC-6E SK330LC-6E Workshop Manual – 1244-Page OEM.

Get the Right Torque Values – They Are Not in the Aftermarket Book

Every threaded fastener on this machine has a specified torque in ft-lbs. The aftermarket books I’ve seen for Kobelco excavators either omit torque values entirely or use generic values like “tighten to 200-250 ft-lbs” – which is useless for the swing pinion nut that calls for 1,475 ft-lbs. The factory manual lists torque specs throughout the procedures. You’ll find the swing motor mounting bolts, the travel motor flange bolts, the hydraulic line connections, and the engine mounting bolts. Section LQ07, Working Standard, also contains a general torque chart for standard bolts. If you’re working on the Manual Transmission or any powertrain component, those specs are in LQ11 and LQ18. Some information is also available from external sources like Manual Transmission articles, but they won’t match the factory numbers. Trust the OEM book.

Why the OEM Manual Beats Aftermarket Every Time

This isn’t a scanned reprint of some earlier version. It’s a digital copy of the original KOBELCO shop manual, book code S5LQ0004E2. The PDF preserves the index tags in the margin so you can jump to the right section by page number. The manual warns you that some data may be revised due to design changes, and it tells you to consult the parts manual for valid part numbers. That kind of honesty is rare in aftermarket books, which claim to cover all years. Also, the safety warnings on page 2 are explicit: wear protective glasses, know the component weights before lifting, and read the operator’s manual before any lubrication. I’ve had to tell apprentices to put down the three-pound sledge and read the weight chart first. That warning is in there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this manual specific to the SK 220LC, or does it cover both?

It covers both the SK 220 and the SK 220LC. The LC variant gets separate specification tables and component weight data in LQ03. The hydraulic and electrical systems are the same, but track frame and final drive differences are noted.

Can I use this for a different Kobelco model?

No. This manual is written specifically for the SK 220 and SK 220LC. The engine and hydraulic systems differ from other models like the SK330. Use the correct manual for your machine.

You made it through the whole page, which tells me you’re serious about fixing this machine the right way. Don’t waste your time with inaccurate third-party PDFs that leave out the critical test procedures and torque specs. Access the Factory Manual and keep it on your tablet or print the pages you need. Your machine will run longer, and you won’t have to buy parts twice.