Official Cummins 6cta 450C thread

my3sons said:
I just happen to be doing a little work in the er today, and those dimensions look correct.
Click to expand...

Much appreciate it, Mark.
 
I am not to sure where your getting your data but the oil pan capacity of the 6.3 cta 8.3 diamond 450 is 4.5 gallons and you put 1 gallon into the filter BEFORE you screw the new filter on. It's also a no no to use anything other than diesel rated 15W-40 oil these engines are not to use 30 w oil further it is best to run Fleetguard ES compleat these engines have wet liners and using a regular antifreeze will not have the correct additives to protect the liners. Also water jacket filters are selected after using the DCA test strips supplied by Cummins once you know the DCA Cummins can recommend which filter to use for your current DCA levels. They stock filters with no additives to lots of additives and the filter number is different for each one.
I have had Cummins engines for over 10 years now and and very careful to use the correct parts and supplies in them. They will give you very good service if you take correct care of them.
 
To change the oil it takes about 4.5 gallons, But the oil pan capacity is 14 quarts. The other gallon is in the filter and hoses.
 
No. I'm pretty sure all the 6CTA M-3 pans are the same. The high mark capacity of the oil pan is 18 qts. The low mark capacity is 14 quarts. It is what the pan holds to bring the oil to the low or high mark. It does not take into account oil in the filter or remote filter hoses, etc. So if you are saying that your system capacity is 5.75 gallons, (or that's what you are putting in it) including the filter, then I am assuming that you are filling the motor with oil until it's at the "full" mark on your dipstick. I drain the oil through the reverso, pour a 1/2 gallon of oil in the motor, wait 15 minutes and drain that out to help cleanse the pan and lines out, then fill the new filter (LF 9009) up and spin it on (a tad more than 3 qts), then pour in 3.5 gallons (14 qts) of oil. Done. After running the engine, and letting it settle, the level on my stick will be just into the crosshatch area. There is no need to have any more oil in than that unless it burns a lot of oil and you have to over fill it to keep from running too low. If you do it like this and the level is below the low mark, then you may need to remark your stick. Keep in mind that angle of the motor may change depending on which way your motor is facing (v-drive or straight) in water or on the hard (blocked bow high), etc. so the marks on the stick mean nothing. More is not better, too much oil can cause foaming and excessive crankcase vapor that is sucked through your airsep, making that more of a mess than they already are.
 
my3sons said:
No. I'm pretty sure all the 6CTA M-3 pans are the same. The high mark capacity of the oil pan is 18 qts. The low mark capacity is 14 quarts. It is what the pan holds to bring the oil to the low or high mark. It does not take into account oil in the filter or remote filter hoses, etc. So if you are saying that your system capacity is 5.75 gallons, (or that's what you are putting in it) including the filter, then I am assuming that you are filling the motor with oil until it's at the "full" mark on your dipstick. I drain the oil through the reverso, pour a 1/2 gallon of oil in the motor, wait 15 minutes and drain that out to help cleanse the pan and lines out, then fill the new filter (LF 9009) up and spin it on (a tad more than 3 qts), then pour in 3.5 gallons (14 qts) of oil. Done. After running the engine, and letting it settle, the level on my stick will be just into the crosshatch area. There is no need to have any more oil in than that unless it burns a lot of oil and you have to over fill it to keep from running too low. If you do it like this and the level is below the low mark, then you may need to remark your stick. Keep in mind that angle of the motor may change depending on which way your motor is facing (v-drive or straight) in water or on the hard (blocked bow high), etc. so the marks on the stick mean nothing. More is not better, too much oil can cause foaming and excessive crankcase vapor that is sucked through your airsep, making that more of a mess than they already are.
Click to expand...

Spot on!
 
my3sons said:
No. I'm pretty sure all the 6CTA M-3 pans are the same. The high mark capacity of the oil pan is 18 qts. The low mark capacity is 14 quarts. It is what the pan holds to bring the oil to the low or high mark. It does not take into account oil in the filter or remote filter hoses, etc. So if you are saying that your system capacity is 5.75 gallons, (or that's what you are putting in it) including the filter, then I am assuming that you are filling the motor with oil until it's at the "full" mark on your dipstick. I drain the oil through the reverso, pour a 1/2 gallon of oil in the motor, wait 15 minutes and drain that out to help cleanse the pan and lines out, then fill the new filter (LF 9009) up and spin it on (a tad more than 3 qts), then pour in 3.5 gallons (14 qts) of oil. Done. After running the engine, and letting it settle, the level on my stick will be just into the crosshatch area. There is no need to have any more oil in than that unless it burns a lot of oil and you have to over fill it to keep from running too low. If you do it like this and the level is below the low mark, then you may need to remark your stick. Keep in mind that angle of the motor may change depending on which way your motor is facing (v-drive or straight) in water or on the hard (blocked bow high), etc. so the marks on the stick mean nothing. More is not better, too much oil can cause foaming and excessive crankcase vapor that is sucked through your airsep, making that more of a mess than they already are.
Click to expand...
I don't have a problem burning oil so I think I'll try running on the low end of full. Thanks for the lesson.
 
900 series filters use 2040 filter elements 2040 pm = 30 micron, 2040 tm = 10 micron, 2040 sm = 2 micron
I use the 30 micron as the secondary spin-on ff5285 is rated 20 micron.
 
Has anyone replaced the Walker Airsep unit with the Seaboard Marine CCV kit that collects the oil rather than dumping it back into the sump? I am getting ready to push the button on an order but will give you all a chance to talk me out of it.


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What do you hope to gain by collecting the blow by oil rather than recycling it back into the engine like Walker does? Also, the SB CCV system appears to be just a K&N air filter; Walker Air Seps have a turbine design that aids in scavaging the crankcase gasses as well as an intake muffler. The muffler might not be obvious until you do without one, but the turbo's high pitch squeal can get real annoying to humans and down right painful to dogs.

I'm not questioning your choices....I just need to learn.
 
Hi Bill, Too bad this didn't come up when we met in Ft Pierce, I could have shown you the set up.
I haven't had it long enough to fully wring it out, but it seems like an ok set up. I opted for it only because one of my walker housings started dripping oil
into the bilge. When I took it off and cleaned it up I found a hair line crack in the housing. The price of just a replacement housing was
more than the entire set ups for both engines from Sea Board. I installed them in December and have run up about 200 hrs since. If you are thinking of doing this just because
you do not want the ccv precipitate going back in the oil pan, I would say don't bother, it won't hurt anything and besides, there is only about 1/3 cup of oil in the puke bottles after those hours. SB claims that the intake air has less oil vaper in it than if using Walkers, and I would agree that it is less, but not much less. One slight advantage is that it takes up less space, the set up on the starbord
side doesn't stick out into the aisle like the walker, and I no longer am bumping into it when doing my er checks. For all I know, that may have been the cause of the crack although
the tech from walker said that they have had knowledge of them cracking in the past and says they should be supported at the outboard end. Frank mentioned the possibility of noticable turbo whine
and I can't say that I have noticed any at all on this boat before or after the install. The filters are S&B with a hole drilled in the end to accept the tubing. They suppossedly clean up
with dish soap and water, air dry, no pre oiling, but I haven't got that far yet.
So, bottom line for me is I would not have done it if not for the $500+ housing cost, but have no complaints so far.
If you have any questions, let me know. If you want to see pics, I will shoot some tomorrow.
I'm in Savannah, will be in Beaufort at Lady's Island tomorrow if the weather holds, are you still in Ft Pierce?
 
Thanks Frank and Mark. My reason is the same as Mark's. I may need a Walker replacement (not sure yet - still debugging) and was looking at options.

Mark, the boat is still in Ft Pierce for another month. I planned to come back today but my marina dock upgrades aren't quite done yet. I am on the boat right now but will be driving back home Wednesday. PM me if you will be anywhere between Charleston and Savannah on Thursday.


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my3sons said:
No. I'm pretty sure all the 6CTA M-3 pans are the same. The high mark capacity of the oil pan is 18 qts. The low mark capacity is 14 quarts. It is what the pan holds to bring the oil to the low or high mark. It does not take into account oil in the filter or remote filter hoses, etc. So if you are saying that your system capacity is 5.75 gallons, (or that's what you are putting in it) including the filter, then I am assuming that you are filling the motor with oil until it's at the "full" mark on your dipstick. I drain the oil through the reverso, pour a 1/2 gallon of oil in the motor, wait 15 minutes and drain that out to help cleanse the pan and lines out, then fill the new filter (LF 9009) up and spin it on (a tad more than 3 qts), then pour in 3.5 gallons (14 qts) of oil. Done. After running the engine, and letting it settle, the level on my stick will be just into the crosshatch area. There is no need to have any more oil in than that unless it burns a lot of oil and you have to over fill it to keep from running too low. If you do it like this and the level is below the low mark, then you may need to remark your stick. Keep in mind that angle of the motor may change depending on which way your motor is facing (v-drive or straight) in water or on the hard (blocked bow high), etc. so the marks on the stick mean nothing. More is not better, too much oil can cause foaming and excessive crankcase vapor that is sucked through your airsep, making that more of a mess than they already are.
Click to expand...
I changed my oil today and followed Mark's procedure exactly. Sure enough, on both engines the oil level is just barely into the cross hatch area. Only difference I saw was my LF9009 took only 2.5 quarts, not 3 quarts.

Sure is hard not to want to add at least a quart, seeing the level at the bottom of the crosshatch.


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Pulled the aftercoolers, heat exchangers off. First time in 800hrs. Found quite a pile of impeller pieces but corrosion is illustrated by this pic.
aftercooler.jpg
 
This is the aftercooler, which is seawater cooled. You must be running in fresh water, for that looks nice. How does the air side look? Brake cleaner onbthe fins, rod out the tubes, new o rings and grease it up for another bunch of years.

Not to butt heads with frank, but don't acid wash the aftercooler. His advice is in line with the heat exchanger only.
 
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PMC said:
This is the aftercooler, which is seawater cooled. You must be running in fresh water, for that looks nice. How does the air side look? Brake cleaner onbthe fins, rod out the tubes, new o rings and grease it up for another bunch of years.

Not to butt heads with frank, but don't acid wash the aftercooler. His advice is in line with the heat exchanger only.
Click to expand...
Yes fresh water, the boat has spent it's life on the Great Lakes, currently Lake Superior. The tubes were clean on the inside, the only blockages/restrictions were due to impeller pieces. 12% of the tubes in this unit were blocked, whether or not some of them would have worked through I don't know but we did find impeller pieces in the gear cooler and heat exchanger. The air side had a some oil film but nowhere was it loaded up with oily crud. I've started to run oil levels on the low end of the dipstick so I'm thinking that might even improve in the future.
 
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I replaced my gear coolers this year, and also found impeller blockage. Hard to think of how it made it past the aftercooler. Running on the low side of the dipstick seems to be a common recomendation. I'm doing the same
 
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