903 Coolant and oil capacity, gearbox and hubs

I'm about to check the coolant and dca concentration, I need to know the approximate coolant capacity so that I can add the correct amounts of additives.

Will also do an oil change, how many litres of oil will I need?

What oil is used in the RT915 and in the oil filled front hubs.

Thanks
Paul

I've got a 10l watering can that I fill mine up with so I can a good idea of how much goes in. The old RT 915 or 9515, takes 80/90 gear oil, you can use the same stuff in your front hubs or 85/140 gear oil, or grease.

Hi Paul,

Drop abit of coolant out and have a look at. It should be clear and clean if the spin on DCA canister has been changed reguarly. If it is change the cannister and it will release the correct amount of additives. Id stick with what Cummins do and not mess about with aftermarket additives with the 903.
If your not sure I can send the pages from the manual on how to test it.
If the coolant looks crappy then it will need a flush out and a fresh start. There is Cummins products to do this.
Dont put tap water in it !....only de-min or rain water.
The Cummins guys gave me a stern talking to regarding the 903's and coolant and made it clear do not compromise or let the service lapse on them. Particuarly if they spend some time sitting.
Aluminium sump oil change with filter change is around 23 liters + 5 liters if it has a luberfiner on it.
Pressed tin sump is around 20 liters + luberfiner.
Try and find out what oil has been run in it in the past and stick with the same when you change.

Basil

Baz is dead right on the coolant. Always stick with the manufacturers recommendations, and don't use any K-Mart or SuperCheap aftermarket coolant or rust inhibitors.
These products are usually made with tap water, and are utterly useless.

The Cummins engines all suffer from liner electrolysis, and they suffer worse from electrolysis than any engine I know.
If you follow the Cummins recommendations, and use their spin-on DCA canister, you will have no problems.
Cummins select the inhibitor chemicals to specifically suit their engines, and aftermarket inhibitors just don't cut the mustard.

When I split with the brother in business, he took over a Komatsu WA-700 loader we had previously owned. The Komatsu engines are basically Cummins engines built under licence.
The WA-700 used the Komatsu version of the KT-1150 (KT-19), big inline 6.
He got 17,000 hrs from the original motor before it needed overhaul. The loader had been run on the factory Komatsu coolant. The old liners were unmarked on the coolant side.

He decided after the engine overhaul, that the Komatsu coolant was a rip-off .. and decided to get tight and just use Kalgoorlie tap water and an aftermarket inhibitor from one of the local oil companies.
The engine only ran another 8000 hrs before it developed a sump full of water. Tear-down showed liners that looked like rats had been at them, with horrendous electrolysis, and one liner totally perforated by electrolysis.
So much for saving a few dollars on the genuine coolant.

I've always done the same with any brands of vehicles I've owned. I use Toyota coolant in Toyotas (one of the best inhibited coolants I've used, by the way), Ford coolants in Fords, and Holden coolant in Holdens.
I've never had any problems with cooling system corrosion by following the various manufacturers recommendations on coolant useage and coolant change-out times.

Dont put tap water in it !....only de-min or rain water.

Not quite off-topic, but as an aside ... would bore water be similar to rainwater to use as a coolant? My bore runs pretty near pure water from 60-odd metres underground, and runs in polypipe to the supply tank. I assume tap water is not suitable due to pipes, plumbing, added chemicals etc.

Dont put tap water in it !....only de-min or rain water.

Not quite off-topic, but as an aside ... would bore water be similar to rainwater to use as a coolant? My bore runs pretty near pure water from 60-odd metres underground, and runs in polypipe to the supply tank. I assume tap water is not suitable due to pipes, plumbing, added chemicals etc.

i would'nt take a chance, my bore at home has a lot of lime in it. if you wanted to use it i would get the water tested for what minerals it may have in it

Bugly - Nope, even good bore water usually has mineral content, that can create deposits and reactions within the cooling system.
Demineralised water, or pure rain water, collected in plastic containers, is the only stuff to use, if you don't want cooling system problems.

Well, I took a sample of coolant, looks like dirty tap water, the Fleetguard 3 way test strip seems to agree!

So it looks like we need a good flush and then a new fill. Does anyone know the approximate system capacity so I can organise the demineralised water? I guess I should buy a 903 workshop manual, may save me asking all these silly questions.
Thanks
Paul

Paul, you won't find a capacity in the manual. You will have to drop the water, get a 10l water can and fill it up again, that will give you the capacity.

OK, will get on to it tomorrow.
Thanks