Container for oil change on cummins 400

[Barlow46]

I will be servicing a 42' dynasty coach that is presently stored on a gravel pad out in the country. What size container will fit under the chassis to catch the oil from the engine oil pan. (400 cummins on Monaco dynasty) I plan to drive up on a couple of 2 x 12's if necessary and then dump the air and chock wheels before I go under. Will a 5 gallon bucket fit or should I pick up a rubbermaid tub that is more shallow than the buckets? Also, according to Cummins (by phone) the engine holds 24qts plus filter fill. I would like to calibrate the dipstick. I plan on putting about 19 qts. in and see where it shows up on the dipstick. Any advice on this? Thanks....leaving the 5th wheel world for a new to me class a.

[saduncan1]

I found a Rubbermaid under bed storage W/ wheels at Fred Myers. It will hold all the oil out of that engine and filter. It also has a cover helps stop splash when sliding it out from under engine. Worked good for me! It takes two people to drain the oil into containers for transport.

[Flagelpater]

FWIW You may have clearance to drive the coach forward, after you refill, so you do not need to try to drag it out, just lift it up. If you do not have room to move the coach try to put a flattened cardboard box down first, to make the slide easier. My son did my friends Dynasty, in my driveway, with a regular 5 gallon bucket. No Problem, except he left the bucket for Me to dispose of!

[Dutch Star Don]

Barlow....There's two drain plugs on the ISL engine. An upper and a lower. I always start with upper and then reinstall and open the lower.

[Barlow46]

Originally Posted by Diplomat Don

Barlow....There's two drain plugs on the ISL engine. An upper and a lower. I always start with upper and then reinstall and open the lower.

Didn't realize that. Thanks, that should make things a bit easier for me. Don't know off the top of your head what the drain plug size is? I will take my 1/2 drive sockets and up to 1" boxed end and open end wrenches. I think I still have my 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 socket. I have fuel and oil filters in hand and will take them with me. (2 fuel, 1 oil) Also have filter wrenches and will pick up some 15/40 rotella when I get there. I will take a look at the air filter and make sure it is fairly clean and not deteriorating from age. Trip home is about 475 miles. Then I can go over everything more closely. Coach has about 47,000 on it.

[Dutch Star Don]

Barlow......I'm pretty sure they're 3/4". I actually drain mine rightinto a 5 gallon gas can with a large funnel.

Oil filter.....Before you remove the oil filter, look at the engine and the mesh screen under the engine. If you unscrew the filter, keeping it open end up, you can move it over a few inches and slide it down between the engine and the mesh screen. You have to do it with one hand, but it can be done. Make sure you fill the new filter full. It takes several minutes of filling and waiting for it to settle into the filter and then fill again.

My ISL takes 28 quarts with filter. I was originally putting in 24 + 2 for the filter. After further checking, mine calls for 26 + 2 for the filter.

[moisheh]

If you are going to change the fuel filters you should also bring some diesel to prefill the filters. Do you have a large enough oil filter wrench? Be prepared for the oil to come rushing out. This would be a good time to install one of those Femco or similar drain plugs. No need for a wrench to undo the plug and you can stop the flow at any time.

[squeak]

don't forget rubber gloves. also if you pull up on blocks why dump your air bags?

[ShapeShifter]

Originally Posted by squeak

also if you pull up on blocks why dump your air bags?

So that if an errant wrench knocks an airline loose, the weight of the coach won't come crashing down on him?

(Same reason you don't get under a coach that's supported solely by the hydraulic jacks.)

If you need to get under your coach, it should either be supported by the bump stops with the air suspension deflated, or the frame held up with jack stands or sturdy blocking (something where a critical air/hydraulic line can't fail, causing the coach to come down.) This is the same logic for using jack stands on your car, rather than getting under it when supported only by a hydraulic floor jack -- it can spring a leak and drop the load.

[squeak]

why not just put you jacks down? 2" isn't going to do anything if your air bags go down it will drop more than 2" so just use you jacks and jack it up.

[ShapeShifter]

Originally Posted by squeak

why not just put you jacks down?

Because they can leak or a hose can get knocked off of them as well, causing the same crushing result.

[Eaglesview]

I always poke a hole in the bottom of the oil filter and let it drain for a while before removal. This keeps my elbows oil free, ... usually.

I have found if I loosen the filter a bit, not to the point of leaking oil, while the engine is warm it is much easier to remove.

I have quick drain valve with hose attachment which I insert into a 5 gallon gerry can. Works great.

I suspect 24 quarts includes the filter. At least it does on my ISL.

[deaton]

Originally Posted by moisheh

This would be a good time to install one of those Femco or similar drain plugs. No need for a wrench to undo the plug and you can stop the flow at any time.

moishen -

Would you happen to know the part number of the Femco valve that fits the Cummins 400 ISL? And if there are two drain plugs, as mentioned earlier, would you put in two Femco valves, or just one on the lower plug?

[mahon1993]

The drain plugs on Cummins are metric.
Greg