What Do Kawasaki Hydraulic Pump Codes Mean? A Complete Guide
If you've looked at the identification plate on a Kawasaki hydraulic pump, you may have seen a code such as:
K3V112DT
K3V140DT
K5V140DTP
K5V200DP
At first glance, Kawasaki hydraulic pump codes can look like a random collection of letters and numbers.
They aren't.
The code contains useful information about the pump series, approximate displacement, configuration and pump type. However, one of the most important things to understand is that the short pump code is often not enough to identify the exact pump fitted to an excavator.
Two pumps can both be described as a K3V112DT, for example, while having different regulators, shafts, ports, control arrangements or specifications.
In this guide, we'll explain how Kawasaki hydraulic pump codes work, what codes such as K3V, K5V, 112, 140, 180, 200, D and DT generally tell you, where to find your complete pump number and why the full identification plate matters.
Who Are Kawasaki Precision Machinery?
Kawasaki hydraulic pumps are widely used in construction and industrial machinery around the world.
Kawasaki Precision Machinery manufactures hydraulic equipment including pumps, motors, valves and other hydraulic components.
If you work with excavators, there is a good chance you will come across Kawasaki axial piston pumps.
They have been fitted to machines from numerous construction equipment manufacturers and are particularly common on medium and large hydraulic excavators.
Some of the most recognisable Kawasaki pump families include:
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K3V
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K5V
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K7V
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K3VL
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K7VG
For excavator applications, K3V and K5V are two of the names you are most likely to encounter.
How to Read a Kawasaki Hydraulic Pump Code
Let's start with a simplified example:
K3V112DT
Rather than treating this as one code, break it into sections:
K3V | 112 | DT
Each section gives us information about the pump.
In simple terms:
K3V = pump series/family
112 = nominal displacement class
D = double/tandem pump configuration
T = additional configuration/design designation
That's useful information.
However, it still doesn't necessarily tell us the complete specification of the pump.
We'll explain why later.
What Does K3V Mean on a Kawasaki Pump?
K3V refers to one of Kawasaki's axial piston pump families.
The K3V series is a variable displacement axial piston pump design widely associated with construction machinery, particularly hydraulic excavators.
You'll commonly see K3V pumps in codes such as:
K3V63
K3V112
K3V140
K3V180
The number after K3V then tells us the displacement class of the pump.
So:
K3V112
is not simply a random part number.
It tells us we're looking at a Kawasaki K3V-series pump in the 112 displacement class.
What Does K5V Mean on a Kawasaki Pump?
The K5V is another Kawasaki variable displacement axial piston pump family.
As with the K3V, the number following K5V indicates the displacement class.
Examples include:
K5V80
K5V140
K5V160
K5V200
K5V pumps are widely encountered on hydraulic excavators and other construction equipment.
You might therefore find a pump plate showing something similar to:
K5V140DTP
or:
K5V200DP
Again, the complete code needs to be considered rather than simply seeing "K5V" and assuming all pumps within that family are interchangeable.
What Does the Number Mean?
The numerical part of a Kawasaki pump code generally relates to the pump's displacement class, expressed in cubic centimetres per revolution (cm³/rev or cc/rev).
For example:
K3V63 → approximately 63 cc/rev class
K3V112 → approximately 112 cc/rev class
K3V140 → approximately 140 cc/rev class
K3V180 → approximately 180 cc/rev class
Likewise:
K5V80 → approximately 80 cc/rev class
K5V140 → approximately 140 cc/rev class
K5V160 → approximately 160 cc/rev class
K5V200 → approximately 200 cc/rev class
This is one of the easiest parts of a Kawasaki pump number to understand.
A larger number generally represents a pump with a larger displacement.
What Is Hydraulic Pump Displacement?
Pump displacement describes the theoretical volume of hydraulic fluid moved by the pump during one revolution.
It is normally expressed as:
cm³/rev
or:
cc/rev
For example, a 112 cc/rev pump theoretically displaces approximately 112 cubic centimetres of hydraulic oil for each revolution at maximum displacement.
This matters because displacement has a direct relationship with hydraulic flow.
In very simple terms:
Pump Flow = Pump Displacement × Pump Speed
So, if two pumps are operating at the same RPM but one has a larger displacement, the larger pump is capable of producing more flow.
However, actual hydraulic systems are more complicated than this simplified calculation because pump displacement can vary and real-world flow is affected by efficiency, control settings and system conditions.
Does a Bigger Kawasaki Pump Number Mean More Pressure?
Not necessarily.
This is an important distinction.
The displacement number primarily tells you about volume per revolution, not the maximum pressure of the hydraulic system.
A K5V200 isn't simply a "more powerful" version of a K5V140 because 200 is a larger number.
Pressure, flow, power requirements, regulator settings and system design all need to be considered separately.
This is also why selecting a hydraulic pump purely by its displacement number is not advisable.
What Does the D Mean in K3V112D?
The letters following the displacement number provide additional information about the pump's configuration.
A D commonly indicates a double or tandem pump arrangement.
Excavators require significant hydraulic flow to operate multiple functions simultaneously.
For this reason, many excavators use a pump assembly containing two main variable-displacement pumping sections.
You may therefore encounter codes such as:
K3V112D
rather than simply:
K3V112
The "D" is telling you something important about the pump's construction.
What Does DT Mean on a Kawasaki Pump?
A code such as:
K3V112DT
contains more information than simply K3V112.
The D identifies the double/tandem configuration, while the additional letters relate to the particular pump arrangement or design specification within that series.
This is where identifying Kawasaki pumps becomes more complicated.
It is tempting to see two pumps labelled K3V112DT and assume they're exactly the same.
They may not be.
The complete model code needs to be checked.
Understanding a Full Kawasaki Pump Model Code
A Kawasaki identification plate may show a considerably longer code than simply:
K3V112DT
You might see something structured more like:
K3V112DT-XXXX-XXXX
The exact format varies according to pump series and specification.
Those additional letters and numbers can identify important differences in the pump's configuration.
Depending on the pump, these can relate to characteristics such as:
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Regulator specification
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Control type
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Shaft arrangement
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Rotation
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Port arrangement
-
Auxiliary pump arrangement
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Mechanical configuration
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Application-specific specification
This is why the complete code from the identification plate is much more useful than the basic pump family.
The Most Important Rule: K3V112DT Is Not a Complete Identification
This is probably the single most useful point in this guide.
If somebody tells you:
"I need a Kawasaki K3V112 pump."
there may still be a lot of information missing.
Even:
"I need a K3V112DT."
may not be enough.
There can be multiple specifications within the same basic Kawasaki pump family.
Think of K3V112DT as describing the broad type of pump rather than necessarily identifying every detail of one exact pump assembly.
The full model code is what helps narrow that down.
Why Can Two K3V112 Pumps Be Different?
Excavator manufacturers don't simply choose a generic hydraulic pump from a catalogue and fit exactly the same version to every machine.
The pump needs to work with the machine's complete hydraulic system.
That means a manufacturer may specify a particular version of a Kawasaki pump.
Two K3V112 pumps may therefore differ in areas such as:
Regulators
The regulators control how the variable displacement pump responds to the hydraulic system.
Different machines can require different control characteristics.
Ports
The location, size and arrangement of hydraulic connections can vary.
Drive Shaft
The shaft specification may differ between applications.
Control Configuration
The way the pump interacts with the machine's hydraulic and electronic control systems may vary.
Auxiliary Equipment
Different configurations may incorporate different auxiliary or pilot pump arrangements.
Settings
A pump intended for one machine may have different factory settings from a visually similar pump intended for another application.
So even if two pumps belong to the same basic family, that does not automatically make them direct replacements for one another.
Where Do I Find the Kawasaki Pump Code?
The best place to start is the identification plate attached to the hydraulic pump.
Look around the pump body for a metal identification plate.
Depending on the pump and machine, access can sometimes be difficult because hydraulic pumps are normally installed within the machine's pump or engine compartment.
The plate will normally contain several pieces of information.
Look for the MODEL or equivalent identification field.
Rather than writing down just:
K3V112
take a clear photograph of the entire identification plate.
This reduces the risk of missing the most important part of the code.
How to Photograph a Kawasaki Pump Identification Plate
A clear photograph can make identification much easier.
Unfortunately, pump plates are often difficult to photograph.
They may be:
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Covered in hydraulic oil
-
Dirty
-
Scratched
-
Faded
-
Positioned close to hoses
-
Hidden against the machine structure
-
Difficult to illuminate
If the plate is difficult to read, try the following.
Clean the Plate Carefully
Use a cloth to remove oil and loose dirt.
Avoid anything abrasive that could remove printed or stamped information.
Use a Torch
A phone flash isn't always the best option.
Try illuminating the plate from an angle with a torch.
This can reduce glare and make stamped characters easier to see.
Take Several Photos
Don't rely on one photograph.
Take:
-
A close-up of the plate
-
A photograph of the complete pump
-
A wider photograph showing the pump installed in the machine
If some characters are difficult to read, take additional photographs from slightly different angles.
Common Kawasaki Excavator Pump Families
Although Kawasaki manufactures many different hydraulic pump products, there are several names commonly encountered when dealing with excavators.
Kawasaki K3V Series
The K3V family is one of Kawasaki's best-known hydraulic pump series.
Common designations include:
-
K3V63
-
K3V112
-
K3V140
-
K3V180
These pumps have been used across numerous excavator applications.
Kawasaki K5V Series
The K5V series is another widely used family.
Common designations include:
-
K5V80
-
K5V140
-
K5V160
-
K5V200
Again, these are pump families rather than complete application-specific part numbers.
Kawasaki K7V Series
You may also encounter Kawasaki's K7V series on construction machinery.
As hydraulic systems and machine designs have developed, newer pump families have appeared alongside the familiar K3V and K5V ranges.
The same identification principle applies:
Always work from the complete pump identification code rather than the basic family alone.
K3V vs K5V – What's the Difference?
A common question is whether a K3V and K5V with a similar displacement are interchangeable.
For example:
K3V140 vs K5V140
Both may belong to a similar displacement class, but that does not mean they are the same pump.
K3V and K5V refer to different Kawasaki pump series.
The overall design, control characteristics, dimensions and application can differ.
The 140 simply indicates the displacement class.
It should not be interpreted as meaning every Kawasaki pump with "140" in the model is interchangeable.
What Does the Regulator on a Kawasaki Pump Do?
The regulator is an extremely important part of a variable displacement hydraulic pump.
Unlike a simple fixed-displacement pump, an excavator pump doesn't necessarily deliver its maximum displacement continuously.
The machine needs to vary hydraulic output depending on operating conditions and demand.
The regulator helps control the pump's displacement in response to the hydraulic system.
This allows the machine to balance:
-
Hydraulic demand
-
Engine power
-
Pump flow
-
System pressure
-
Machine control inputs
This is one of the reasons the exact pump specification matters.
A pump can physically look very similar to another unit but have a different regulator arrangement.
What Is a Variable Displacement Axial Piston Pump?
To understand Kawasaki pump codes, it helps to understand what the pump actually does.
A typical excavator hydraulic pump uses multiple pistons arranged within a rotating cylinder block.
The movement of those pistons draws hydraulic oil into the pump and pushes pressurised oil out into the hydraulic system.
In a variable displacement pump, the effective piston stroke can be changed.
This allows the pump to vary the amount of oil displaced per revolution.
When the machine requires less hydraulic output, the pump can reduce its displacement.
When greater hydraulic flow is required, the displacement can increase.
This is fundamental to how modern hydraulic excavators can perform multiple operations efficiently while being powered by a diesel engine with finite power available.
Why Do Excavators Often Have Double Pumps?
An excavator has numerous hydraulic functions.
Depending on the machine, these include movement of the boom, arm, bucket, upper structure and tracks.
Several functions may also need to operate simultaneously.
For this reason, many excavators use tandem pump arrangements containing two main pumping sections.
This helps the hydraulic system distribute flow between different machine functions.
It's why the D in many Kawasaki excavator pump codes is something you'll see frequently.
Kawasaki Pump Code Example: K3V112DT
Let's put everything together using a common-style designation:
K3V112DT
Break it down:
K3V
The Kawasaki pump series.
112
The nominal displacement class – approximately 112 cm³/rev.
D
Indicates the double/tandem pump configuration.
T
Further identifies the particular configuration/design within the pump series.
But we're still not finished.
If the plate contains characters after K3V112DT, those should also be recorded.
Those additional characters can be essential to identifying the exact pump specification.
Kawasaki Pump Code Example: K5V140
Now consider:
K5V140
K5V
Pump family.
140
Nominal displacement class of approximately 140 cm³/rev.
If the actual identification plate continues beyond K5V140, the remaining characters matter.
Don't stop reading the plate simply because you've recognised the familiar part of the number.
Can I Identify My Pump From the Excavator Model?
The excavator make and model are extremely useful, but you should still check the pump plate whenever possible.
A machine model can sometimes have more than one hydraulic pump specification.
Changes can occur because of:
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Production revisions
-
Serial number ranges
-
Different markets
-
Different machine specifications
-
Previous repairs or replacements
Remember that an older excavator may no longer have its original hydraulic pump fitted.
Someone could have replaced the pump years before you acquired the machine.
For this reason, identifying both the machine and the pump currently installed gives you much better information.
What Information Should I Record From My Kawasaki Pump?
If you need to identify a Kawasaki hydraulic pump, collect as much information as possible before contacting a supplier.
We recommend recording:
Excavator manufacturer:
Excavator model:
Machine serial number/PIN:
Kawasaki pump model:
Complete pump code:
Any other numbers on the identification plate:
Then take photographs of:
-
Complete pump identification plate
-
Complete hydraulic pump
-
Pump from another angle
-
Machine identification plate
The more complete the information, the less chance there is of confusing two similar pump specifications.
Common Mistakes When Reading Kawasaki Pump Codes
There are several mistakes we regularly see when hydraulic pumps are being identified.
Only Providing "Kawasaki Pump"
Kawasaki manufactures many different pumps.
The manufacturer alone isn't enough.
Only Providing K3V
K3V identifies a pump family.
It doesn't tell you the displacement or exact specification.
Only Providing K3V112
This is much better, but still identifies a broad pump type rather than necessarily the exact assembly.
Stopping at K3V112DT
Even this may not be the complete identification code.
Check whether additional characters follow it on the identification plate.
Ignoring Letters
Don't assume the numbers are the only important part.
Letters can contain important configuration information.
Guessing an Unreadable Character
A worn identification plate can make characters difficult to distinguish.
Common mistakes include:
0 / O
1 / I
5 / S
8 / B
If you're uncertain, take a photograph rather than guessing.
Assuming Two Pumps That Look the Same Are the Same
Hydraulic pumps can look almost identical externally while having important internal or control differences.
Appearance alone isn't enough to confirm a pump specification.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kawasaki Pump Codes
What does K3V mean on a hydraulic pump?
K3V identifies a Kawasaki variable displacement axial piston pump series widely used in construction equipment and excavator applications.
What does 112 mean in K3V112?
The 112 refers to the pump's nominal displacement class, approximately 112 cm³ per revolution.
What does 140 mean on a Kawasaki pump?
A designation such as K3V140 or K5V140 refers to a pump in approximately the 140 cm³/rev displacement class.
It does not mean a K3V140 and K5V140 are the same pump.
What does D mean on a Kawasaki hydraulic pump?
On common Kawasaki excavator pump designations, D is associated with a double/tandem pump configuration.
Is K3V112 the same as K3V112DT?
No.
The additional letters contain configuration information and should not simply be ignored.
Always use the complete model shown on the identification plate.
Are all K3V112DT pumps the same?
No.
The basic K3V112DT designation does not necessarily define the complete application-specific pump specification.
Check the full code shown on the identification plate.
Is K3V140 the same as K5V140?
No.
They belong to different Kawasaki pump series.
The 140 indicates a similar nominal displacement class, not that the two pumps are identical or interchangeable.
Where can I find the model number on my Kawasaki pump?
Look for the manufacturer's identification plate attached to the hydraulic pump.
Clean the plate carefully if necessary and photograph the entire plate.
Should I provide the complete Kawasaki pump code?
Yes.
This is one of the most important things you can do when identifying a Kawasaki pump.
Don't shorten a long model number to K3V112 or K5V140 simply because those are the characters you recognise.
How to Identify Your Kawasaki Hydraulic Pump – Quick Checklist
If you're standing next to the excavator now, follow these steps:
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Locate the hydraulic pump.
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Find the Kawasaki identification plate.
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Clean the plate carefully if required.
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Find the complete model code.
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Don't stop at K3V112, K3V140, K5V140 etc.
-
Record every letter and number following the basic pump designation.
-
Take a clear close-up photograph of the complete plate.
-
Take photographs of the complete pump.
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Record the excavator make and full model.
-
Record the machine serial number/PIN.
This gives you a much more complete set of information for identifying the pump.
The Key Thing to Remember About Kawasaki Pump Codes
Kawasaki pump codes contain useful information once you know how to read them.
A code such as:
K3V112DT
can be broken down to tell you the broad pump family, displacement class and configuration.
Likewise:
K5V140
tells you you're dealing with a K5V-series pump in the 140 displacement class.
But the basic designation is only part of the story.
The most important rule is:
Always record the complete Kawasaki model code from the identification plate.
Don't assume every K3V112, K3V140, K5V140 or K5V200 is identical.
The additional letters and numbers can distinguish different configurations intended for different applications.
If the identification plate is difficult to read, photograph it rather than guessing.
Need Help Identifying a Kawasaki Hydraulic Pump?
If you're struggling to understand the identification plate on your Kawasaki pump, Pro Construction Parts can help.
Send us:
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Excavator manufacturer
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Full excavator model
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Machine serial number
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Clear photograph of the Kawasaki identification plate
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Photographs of the complete hydraulic pump
Our team can use this information to help establish exactly which pump you have.
Pro Construction Parts – Your Source for Excavator Hydraulic Components Worldwide.
