These e-mails explain how IDMC members approached the job of changing the engine coolant/engine oil/air filter/brake filters.  (see disclaimer before using this info)

Coolant Change

Note: The factory fills both Cummins and CAT engines with Fleetcharge made by OWI.  The coolant is a little difficult to find at retail but can usually be found at a Freightliner dealer. (This coolant does contain SCA's (Supplemental Coolant Additives) although the Cummins ISB does not require them. They will not harm the engine)  Fleetcharge is not an ELC (Extended Life Coolant).  It must be changed every two years or 24,000 miles.  The use of heavy duty ELC's is approved and are good for 5yrs or 600,000 miles with one additive at 300,000. Follow the manufacturers recommendations for cleaning the existing coolant out completely before adding the ELC. 

Hi Frank,

The Freightliner RV recreational chassis maintenance manual tells you to
remove the radiator cap when the engine is cold, then run the engine until
the upper hose is hot.  I chose to run the engine just a short time so as not
to have to drain scalding water.  I chose to remove the 2" coolant hose from
the front of the transmission cooler reservoir.  The transmission cooler
reservoir is on the curb side and can be reached by opening the LP gas
compartment on the '99 36T.  If  your LP gas compartment is not the next to
last compartment, you will have to crawl under the coach. It appears to be
the low point in the cooling system, and drains the system very nicely. 
You'll need a container that will hold at least 10 gallons of coolant.  I
used a large mixing tray that I purchased at Home Depot.  The overflow bottle
is attached to the radiator bracket with two bolts.  You can remove the
bolts, dump the overflow bottle, rinse with a garden hose, and reinstall the
bottle with the two bolts, without having to disconnect the overflow hoses.

After the system drains completely, push the coolant hose back onto the
transmission cooler. There is no need to tighten the clamp while flushing the
system.  The hose will stay in place if the system isn't pressurized.  Don't
forget to replace the hose and tighten the clamp after the last flush, before
adding coolant.

Our rig has a decal on the surge tank (the tank mounted above the radiator
with the radiator fill neck and cap ). This decal has better detail than the
maintenance manual for filling the system.  I practiced this procedure a few
times while flushing the system with fresh water, prior to filling with
coolant. The practice was so I wouldn't waste too much coolant when refilling
with the real stuff.  Just in case your rig doesn't have a decal, I've copied
it below.  My comments are in parenthesis.

1. Close the heater loop inlet gate valve at the rear of the engine block and
the heater loop outlet gate valve at the inside rear left hand (street side)
frame rail.  (The easiest way to reach the heater loop inlet gate valve is
from inside the coach.  Raise the engine cover under the bed.  The gate valve
is slightly under the floor of the coach at the foot of the bed.)
2. Open the petcock valves at the side of the radiator surge tank, (1) (this
one's on the street side, and easily seen when standing at the rear of
coach). And the heater loop outlet (1). (This one's under the coach, inside
the street side frame rail, just ahead of the heater loop outlet gate valve).
3. Fill the surge tank.  3.5 gallons per minute max.
4. Start the engine and run at idle for 10 seconds.  Then run the engine at
high idle for one minute. Then back to idle.  (Let the engine continue to
idle thru the rest of the fill procedure.)
5. Open the heater loop inlet gate valve.
6. Close the petcock valve at the heater loop outlet when it begins to flow a
steady stream of coolant.  Do not allow more than 1.5 quarts to escape.
7. Open the heater loop outlet gate valve.
8. Close the petcock at the radiator surge tank when it begins to flow a
steady stream of coolant.  Do not allow more than 1.5 quarts to escape.
9. Top off (refill) the surge tank.  (Replace the radiator cap.)

Steps 5 thru 8 are best performed with a helper. If you have a helper, you
will not have to waste coolant.  I had my son turn on the heater loop inlet
gate valve from inside the bedroom, while I caught the antifreeze being
purged from the heater loop outlet petcock under the coach near the frame
rail at the left rear.  Meanwhile, the petcock alongside the surge tank was
cracked open, but I had a hose attached to it, and caught the coolant purging
from it in a jug for reuse.

The book says not to let more than 1-1/2 quarts escape either petcock.  This
would be very difficult without a helper to open the gate valve. At least,
you'd have to be 10 times faster than I to open the valve from inside the
bedroom, then run thru the coach, then around to the back, crawl under, and
turn off the petcock.  You could easily waste a gallon or more from each
petcock, and probably create a big air bubble in the system.

When our rig was new, I had to add coolant after each trip for the first 6 or
8 outings.  It's probably because of the air space in the surge tank above
the filler neck.  The air must displace between one and two gallons of
coolant.  The air is eventually purged thru the overflow bottle and replaced
by coolant.

Hope this helps.  Good luck.


Joe Brown
'99 36T 275 ISB

Engine Oil/Air/Brake Changes

Hi Frank

I have a '99 37V and have done most of the maintenance myself.  Here's a
quick rundown of what I've done and what it cost:

Engine oil change:

   - Consumables:  17 qts Rotella T 15-40, or oil of your choice.  I get the
Rotella at Sam's Club for approx $33.50 plus tax for 6 one gallon jugs (24
qts).  You need 17 1/2 qts with filter, so you have 6 left over towards the
next time.  I get the filter (Stratapore FS 3937) from a local Freightliner
shop for around $11 (for some arcane reason it's cheaper from the
Freightliner shop than from the Cummins store??).

   - You'll need a "truck oil drain pan" or similar container that'll hold
the 17 qts of engine oil that drain out.

   -  It's nice to warm the engine at least some (but not so much that you'll
burn yourself when the oil drains out) so that any "contaminants" will be
suspended in the oil and drain out.

   - Remove oil pan drain plug to drain oil.  When "dripping" stops,
reinstall drain plug.  Use a standard "wrap-around" oil filter wrench to
remove the oil filter cartridge.  Have the pan placed under the filter to
catch any leaks. If you keep the cartridge in a vertical position, not much
spills out.

   - Pre fill the new filter and install

   - Put in the remainder of the oil.  I find it easier to lift the bed, open
the engine box, and put the oil in via the valve cover.  Also, this gives me
a chance to look around the engine for anything that might need attention.

   -  Run engine and leak check the filter and drain plug.

Transmission Oil:

   - Consumables:  Oil filter kit.  Mine uses kit  29526899 which you can get
from Industrial Automatic Transmission Co. at 800-256-6310 for around $60. 
The kit contains the two filters plus all necessary gaskets and O Rings. 
You'll also need transmission fluid.  Mine always takes 17 qts.  I use Dexron
III and get it from a local discount house in case lots for a little under a
$1/qt.

   - Special tools:  torque wrench.  The specs are listed on the data sheet
that comes with the Allison filter kit.

   - Again, I like to run the engine a little to warm the oil a little, and
also you'll need a large drain pan to catch the 17 qts that will drain out.

   - Remove the drain plug.  It's the only plug on the bottom of the tranny
that has a female square socket that a 3/8 ratchet drive fits into.  The plug
is black and a little over an inch in diameter, and is located on the forward
end of the pan.  Wipe plug and the seal gasket clean and re install.

   - Each filter mounting plate is held in place with 6 or 7 bolts.  Loosen
the bolts and let fluid drain.  When drained, remove bolts and remove the
filter mounting plate.  You may have to pull on it a little to get the gasket
and O Rings to "let go".  Replace the plate gasket, two filter housing O
Rings and install new filter.  I always wet the gaskets and O Rings with
tranny fluid to make things go back together easier.  Same procedure for each
filter.

   - Use torque wrench to tighten mounting bolts and drain plug to spec level.

   - Refill with tranny oil.  This is a pain in the rear.  Here's how I do
it: get one of those transmission oil funnels with long neck.  Further
lengthen the neck with about 24" clean, clear plastic tubing and use a hose
clamp to hold the tubing onto the funnel extension.  Hang the funnel (old
coat hanger works good) from one of the slots on the engine access door and
insert the other end into the transmission oil fill port at rear of engine.

   - After putting in all 17 qts, run engine a few minutes and inspect
underneath for any obvious leaks.

   - Take rig on road; thoroughly warm up engine and tranny; park with engine
idling and use "Self Test" feature (press Up and Down arrows together) to
read oil level.  Should count down from 8 - 7 - 6 .....to 1 then read OL OK. 
Will also tell you if under or over full.  See tranny manual.

Coolant:

I had mine done by Freightliner, Gaffney and my costs were exactly as Leo
posted - approx $400 for 19 point inspection, service air desiccant/dryer
cartridges, and main air filter change.  Depends on your point of view, I
suppose, but I thought this was a reasonable investment.

Good luck

Fred White 99 37V ISB

Air Dryer