903 Cummins reman

B

bradk

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Looking for a reman or rebuilding facility for a 903 Cummins (VT-903C350) for my Versatile 950. Anyone dealt with or know of a good reputable company? The original engine is real tired with almost 15,000 hrs on it and the rest of the tractor has for the most part been gone through over the years. Thanks in advance!

 

W

Wisconsin Cowman

Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Your nearest Cummins dealer will rebuild it or maybe able to get a re-man engine.

 

OP

OP

B

bradk

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

S.O.L thru my dealer on a reman. Buncha kids in the shop there also. If they can't hook a computer up to it, it can't be fixed.

 

W

Winchester1

Member

Location

Vincennes, In

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

The engine has been in very limited production (military, etc.) for years. You may suffer from sticker shock as parts prices are expensive.

 

J

J. Schwiebert

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Where are you located?

 

OP

OP

B

bradk

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Southern Minnesota

 

T

Traper

Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Try jasper engine jasper ind traper

 

T

the tractor vet

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Your just to far away from me and a couple of really good Cummins guys . And like said below on the 903's they will get into your piggy bank. Now about 32 miles west of me there is a place called Aldelman's (Sp) in Canton Ohio that has some mil. engines and take outs . And another thought here is IF you have the room to do and 855 transplant you can find 400 big cams all over the place and you could replace the automotive injection pump with a constant speed pump and de rate to 370-380 for ag use . You would gain Hp and torque buy going inline over the 903 . as i think that they were set at around 320 Hp for industrial app. You could even use a NTC 350 big cam and do the same with the pump change a derater to around 325-330 . If you have the room in the nose Just a thought and it would be of less expense .What the 400 big cams had over the 350 big cam was all the valves were Stelite where as on the 350's only the exhaust were.

 

OP

OP

B

bradk

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

I looked into the 855. I'd have to lengthen the frame, driveshaft, change the hood, redo the exhaust and a ALOT of other things I don't have time for. For now, the 903 is best choice for me. I'd be willing to ship this thing to a good shop to rebuild it. Thanks for the reply!

 

T

teddy52food

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Try Road Machinery. 1800 888 9515

 

5

504

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Find a small truck shop and ask them where to take it. The 903 was in over the road trucks for years(I hated the one I had, and turned it in for a truck five years older to get away from it).

 

G

Gene Davis (Ga.)

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Bucyrus Erie used it in some of their hydraulic excavators. It was a good set up.

 

B

Bob

Well-known Member

• Apr 21, 2015

• #1

Anything can be done if you throw enough money at it, BT,DT with several Cummins V-8's over the years.

But if you need a working tractor vs. spending lots of $$$$ on a white elephant, simply scrap it and take what you get and pitch in the cost of a 903 OH and proceed to put your crop in with ANY tractor that is not powered by a 903 Cummins.

 

OP

OP

B

bradk

Well-known Member

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

Someone had to be that guy. This "white elephant" made it so far with regular maint and minimal repair for almost 15k hrs because it was junk right, Bob? These old Versies were and still are some of the toughest tractors ever built.

 

D

DR. EVIL

Well-known Member

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

I actually liked the one I drove. Could have used a few more gears, had a six speed Spicer, a 10-speed Road Ranger would have been nice. And more fuel capacity. MPG was nothing to brag about, glad I wasn't buying the fuel. Was a VT-903, 320 HP @2600, VT-350 would have been nicer, 350 HP @2600.

Much much nicer to drive than any Detroit and all the big Cummins 6's were in tilt cabs. Not the type of truck to climb in and out of dropping & hooking up to 12 trailers a day!

 

D

Dodgeit

Member

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

(quoted from post at 08:23:42 04/22/15) Someone had to be that guy. This "white elephant" made it so far with regular maint and minimal repair for almost 15k hrs because it was junk right, Bob? These old Versies were and still are some of the toughest tractors ever built.

Click to expand...

The 903 was the worst engine Cummins ever built. They never held up well after a rebuild. You were lucky getting 15,000 hrs. You will be lucky to get 5k after a rebuild. The weakness was always the level of cleaning and tolerance checking the re-builders went through. The level of competence and time needed is huge, which equates to $$$$. A good engine builder can take two inlines apart and put back together in the time it takes to do a 903 and get it to live. Blown head gaskets mostly due to sleeve dimension inconsistences on the mating flange or the mating surface for the sleeve on the block is not pristine, because of dirt or dings. Good luck.

 

D

dieselfuel

Member

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

sub a Cat 3408 you will never be sorry, a little more cu in but you wont have to lenghten the frame

 

A

ajl

Member

• Apr 22, 2015

• #1

How much difference is there between a 900 vs a newer 895 or 945 which used the 855 engine?

 

B

Bob

Well-known Member

• Apr 23, 2015

• #1

(quoted from post at 08:23:42 04/22/15) Someone had to be that guy. This "white elephant" made it so far with regular maint and minimal repair for almost 15k hrs because it was junk right, Bob? These old Versies were and still are some of the toughest tractors ever built.

Click to expand...

Brad, NO need to lecture me, as I have owned quite a few Versatiles from a 145 with a the 903's 'lil bro, the V-8 470, on up.

I've got a customer's 875 in the shop as I type this.

I spoke the truth.

At this point, there's no way to justify rebuilding one with a 903 because that will cost more than replacing it will another Versatile model without that horrid engine.

And I'm not gonna call anyone a liar, but if that engine DID make it 15,000 hours that would mean it lasted about 5 times longer than most did.