excavator

The Caterpillar 312 hydraulic excavator was introduced in 1992 in Japan and France.

The 312 has a Cat 3054 turbocharged, diesel engine producing 84 flywheel horsepower (FWHP). It comes standard with a variable flow hydraulic system with a power and work mode selector, pilot activated control, horsepower summation control, high level of operator comfort, large cross-section design for the boom and stick, modified X-shaped carbody, increased stick and bucket force, and increased pressure in the travel circuit.

The 312 was manufactured in Japan, with a 6KG or 7DK serial number prefix; and in France, with a 6BL prefix.

Production ended in Japan in 1996; it was replaced by the Caterpillar 312B.

Based on data from the sales database of Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, it is estimated that more than 11,700 Caterpillar 312 hydraulic excavators have been produced.

It may be worth your while to run oil samples on the engine and hydraulic system. An excavator with metal in the hydraulic system can be a real bad situation. A friend is a used equipment manager for a very large John Deere construction store group. They had a Hitachi with pump shavings in the system. Whatever they tried to clean the system did not work. I think it became a parts machine.

great idea on the oil sampling on the engine and hydrualics.   my next door neighbor had his 1266 int pump chips thru his tractor and sold it for the engine.  keep them coming.