3408 Cat engines

Hello fellow forumites,

just wondering if anyone can give me any info on, or stories involving 3408 Cat engines. I am going to try to write up something on them, but I think this place would be the best place to start for info.

Thanks for your help,
Ian

Ahh, have I got this correct, but are you going to pick everybody else's brains, so then you go write a story and get all the accolades, have I got this correct ?

regards greenie [smiley=vrolijk_1.gif]

I was only asking because I know that hcvc can be a fountain of knowledge that you won't find on Wikipedia and other sites with basic technical information.

Yeah, I would in part be doing this for myself, everything anyone does is in part for themselves. However, in doing so, I am also trying to promote the historic trucking movement. Plus I would credit the forum with the info, and include a link to here. Go read my piece I posted on here about the Clarendon show and then tell me that I am only in this for myself.

It

I haven't had any practical experience with Cat 3408s, but from what I've read they were big, heavy, powerful engines that certainly had their fair share of problems when fitted in trucks. Hopefully someone with more knowledge than me will add to this. The first Caterpillar automotive V8-the four camshaft, pre combustion chamber, turbo/aftercooled 1676 was a bit of a disaster I think. The smaller 1100 series-1140/1145/1150/1160 and the later 3208 had some issues too, I think. The early 3408s were available in PC-pre combustion chamber indirect injection and DI-direct injection versions-with ratings of 425/450 horsepower or so. In Australia 3408s were offered in Kenworths, fibreglass cab Atkinsons, and Mack Superliners-model R758, any other highway trucks?

One of my previous employeers had a 3408 powered Gardner Denver (1600 cfm) air compressor, it made some noise when the compressor was loaded up ready for action.
It used approx 100 litres of diesel an hour to run.

Blueline

Great read, keep up the good work and im sure the info to help you help us promote our game will come.

Trevor

Sorry Ian, i know very little about Cats.
There is a fella down this way that ran one in a cabover for many years, not sure how far his knowledge or library extends.
I will ask the question next time i see him.

As long as someone is taking the time to 'get some of this down', it has to be a good thing.

Looking forward to seeing your progress

chocs

One of my previous employeers had a 3408 powered Gardner Denver (1600 cfm) air compressor, it made some noise when the compressor was loaded up ready for action.
It used approx 100 litres of diesel an hour to run.

100 litres of diesel per hour?????? WOW. Cheers James.

Echoing what Slospeed said. A great read, and exceptionally well-written. [smiley=thumbsup.gif] You can almost picture being there with those words.

Ian,

Go searching on the Facebook group "Fast truckin' in Australia in the 80's & early 90's" for "Kerswell". You'll find lot's about a certain 3408 powered Kenworth but be warned, 99% of it is fiction.......lol