Caterpillar

Hiya everbody, I am currently looking at getting my greasy hands on a 3208 N/A engine to rebuild . All going well the baby cat shall go into a F 600 or a 75-78 model dodge . I have hit one pot hole on the way though, I am having trouble finding a rebuild kit in victoria, would any of you fine gentlemen know where i can locate one? And if so how much should one set me back? Any other helpfull information would be much appreciated .

G'day,
Have you tried Cutting Edges at 18 Brooklyn Crt Campbellfield, Melbourne? (Used to be called Styles and Hicks)... Their website says they have bits for the 3208

www.cuttingedges.com/engine-parts/caterpillar-engine-parts

Cheers
-Stu

Thanks for the help stu

ya better take ya house papers with ya if ya need a fuel pump!
Friend of mine told me he was having trouble getting one.. there was one only in perth and cat ended up getting him one from the states..big heaps of cash required apparently..
chocs

Those little cats can end up very costly depending on the condition of the bore in the block.Being a dry sleeve you may need to bore and put oversize pistons in.Try to find one of the later engines with 3 rings.Apparently oversize pistons are not available from cat!!!On quite a few of the remanufactered 3208's there was a sticker "John Fellows" i think it was.They are based in Gisbourne and may be worth a try.

Little_red - Be aware, before you proceed further, that Cat engines from the 3208 era, are set up for at least 6 basic configurations. The basic configurations are ..

1. Vehicular ..
2. Construction ..
3. Genset ..
4. Industrial ..
5. Marine ..
6. Fire pump ..

You can tell by the engine S/N or "arrangement number" what the engine was originally set up for. Many people make the mistake of trying to convert from one configuration to another.
This is a costly trap, because all Cat engines have the same basic components .. but when the engine is built to a certain configuration, all the components added, only suit that configuration.

Thus, a marine engine can have a different crank, camshaft, turbo, pistons, rings, manifolds, injectors, injection pump .. to say, a vehicle engine.
In addition, a Cat road vehicle engine will have lightweight (alloy) components such as sump, flywheel housing, and numerous other castings.

If the engine you've acquired is configured as a road vehicular engine .. well and good. It will have all the correct components for automotive use.

The 3208 is basically a good little engine, but they have weaknesses. They were redesigned in 1981 to try and address the weaknesses of the early engines.
Their worst fault is they like to throw conrods with gay abandon .. with highly destructive results.
The worst engine blow-up I have ever seen was a 3208 in a Steiger tractor. A rod let go and it took a chunk out of the block in the "V" that you could put your head through.
It broke the crankshaft, took a chunk out of the camshaft, and the conrod also knocked the fuel pump off. The engine was just scrap.

The reason the 3208's let rods go is mostly ..

1. Overloading. These engines are rated at a MAXIMUM of 70,000lbs GCM (31760 kg). Many greedy people started pulling tri-axle semis, dog trailers, and 44 tonne GCM's with them.
They won't stand this amount of overloading for very long.

2. Over-revving. They don't stand over-revving for very long. The lower HP versions do 3200 RPM, the higher HP versions are rated at 2800 RPM, and the turbo versions are rated at 2600 RPM.
You have to abide by those limits, unless you want a block ventilated.

3. Trying to run them too long before overhaul. These are a 5000 hr motor. Cat actually measure the life of a 3208 by the amount of fuel used.
15,000-20,000 U.S. gallons (57,000-76,000 litres) used by the engine, is the life of the bottom end of a 3208, before it needs a bearing roll.
25,000-30,000 U.S. gallons (95,000-114,000 litres) used is the recommended limit before total rebuild. Abide by these overhaul limits, and you won't have any problems.

The important parts of 3208 overhaul are ..

1. Check liners for electrolysis. 3208's are the engine most prone to electrolysis in the Cat engine range.
2. Abide by all wear limits strictly on overhaul. This means measuring EVERY component to see if it meets re-useability specs.
3. Conrods MUST be reconditioned, crack-tested, tested for twist, bends, stretch, and checked for weight. The mating faces of the conrods and caps must be ground, and the bearing bores checked for concentricity.
4. Use GENUINE Cat gudgeon (wrist pin) bushings. The genuine Cat gudgeon bushings are the only way to avoid blow-ups.
Numerous aftermarket bushings are known to not have the same quality as genuine Cat wrist pin bushings, and any "slop" developing in these bushings will commence rapid engine destruction.
5. Serious bore wear outside specs means the block has to be sleeved. This is a highly satisfactory repair, as long as it's done properly.
Cat use block re-sleeving on their 3208 remanufacturing production line in Bettendorf, Iowa, for remanufactured 3208's, and they guaranteed these engines.

Ensure that you acquire the correct parts book for the engine, that matches the S/N. This way, you will know exactly what the correct part numbers are, when parts are required.
There are hundreds of variations in most components on the 3208.

Cutting Edges are a highly satisfactory source of 3208 parts. Select good quality, U.S. aftermarket brands for the engine kit. Make sure you get the injection pump checked out, and reconditioned if need be .. and ensure that you fit new injectors, new valve guides, new valves, and crack test and machine the heads and block, so mating surfaces are spot on. It will also pay to check the bearing tunnel alignment in the block.

Remember, the life you get from an engine depends on just how much care is taken in measuring, checking, and in assembly. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

Cheers - Ron.

Some real good advice there Ron..
On a lighter note though....
it sounds like a good ad for cummins !
I can hear John Laws...when i, when i, when i have blown my 3208 cat to pieces for the umteenth time....i buy cummins, thats cummins, the one without the v bottom and yellow paint!!
Sorry...had to do it..its the diesel fumes!!
regards
chocs

Could be an ad for Cummins Choc's...........as long as 555 or VT190 arn't mentioned in the chorus.

thanks boyts for all the advice, i shall be very carefull in which engine I aquire and as for the cummins, i would rather have an eaton auto, or loose a leg, I am strongly against cummins >. Detroit or caterpillar all the way!!!

I am strongly against cummins > . Detroit or caterpillar all the way!!!


Detroit "now ya talkin"