SIMAQ School · Guide
Care & maintenance
Light equipment is maintained by hours of use, not by the calendar: check oil, fuel and air filter before starting, clean the machine at the end of the shift, change engine oil every 50 hours and do the major service between 100 and 250 hours. The exact intervals for your model — for example the SQ15 PRO plate with its Honda GX160 engine — are on its spec page, in the maintenance section.
Most failures aren't from the factory: they're from maintenance that didn't happen. These routines take minutes and prevent downtime.
Before starting
- Check engine oil and fuel.
- Clean the air filter — dust clogs it fast.
- Check shoe/plate bolts.
After the shift
- Clean the plate and body: dry concrete wears it.
- Check for exciter oil leaks.
Every 50 hours
- Change the engine oil.
- Check the belt and centrifugal clutch.
Every 100–250 hours
- Change the exciter oil.
- Check spark plug and carburetor.
Cheap maintenance prevents expensive repairs. Change oil by HOURS of use, not the calendar. Store the machine dry and covered. Parts and local after-sales at every distributor.
If your machine has a Honda engine: Honda GX engine maintenance
Practice
Your hour meter
Pick your machine, how many hours it runs a day and move time forward. You see which factory service is due, which one you missed and which parts it takes, with the manual page for each task.
The factory maintenance plans come from regional manuals and are in Spanish. Open the hour-meter simulator in Spanish →
Practice
The engine won't start
You pull the rope and nothing. Check your machine's engine parts until you find the fault: first what needs no tools, and stop in time.
Watch it
SIMAQ machines
FAQ
What people ask most
How often do I change the oil on a plate compactor or rammer?
As a general guide, engine oil every 50 hours of use and exciter oil every 100–250 hours. The exact intervals for the SQ15 PRO and SQ60 PRO 2 are on their spec pages, taken from the factory manual.
What do I check before starting a machine?
Engine oil, fuel and air filter, and no leaks or loose bolts. On rollers, also check hydraulic oil, coolant and the sprinkler water.
Do I change oil by the calendar or by hours?
By hours of use, not by the calendar: a machine working double shifts reaches its change much sooner. Log the hours of each shift so you don't overrun.
What do I do with the mixer and vibrator at the end of the day?
Wash the drum and the vibrator hose right away, before the concrete sets. Then check the mixer's grease points.
Where do I get SIMAQ parts and service?
At ConstruMarket branches in El Salvador, Guatemala (CMARKET), Nicaragua and Panama. They provide parts and after-sales service for your SIMAQ machine.
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