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  1. #1

    Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Hello everyone,

    I am placing an offer on a 1986 36 Sedan. It has the 3208T's rated at 320HP. There are no hour meters on the bridge and I am still researching if the clocks are located as Hatteras states they should be on the battery switch panel. The genset is showing 6,000 hours with a complete rebuild of both the engine and generator electrical portions in the past two years. I suspect that this is the ballpark number of the mains as well unless gensets average higher times than the mains. What type of hour time to rebuild do the 3208T's average before a major. I am aware that they cannot be done in frame and have to be hauled and done at a overhaul facility.

    I am only concerned is that if these are up against the clock and need to be rebuilt the cost will be close or exceed the purchase price of the boat. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

    Season

  2. #2

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Call T&S Marine Engines in Crisfield, MD, and ask for Steve. These guys have rebuilt 3208s hundreds of times and sent them all over the USA. They are very experienced, honest, and easy to deal with. They will tell you what it will cost to overhaul them.

  3. #3

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    A good thorough engine survey by someone with lots of experience with 3208's will probably tell you
    much more about the engine condition than will an hour meter. Hour meters don't differentiate between
    running hard and running at displacement most of the time and they also don't have a clue about how
    the maintenance was done. I have never owned a boat with 3208's but I always heard that they were
    very good engines.

    Walt

  4. #4

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Quote Originally Posted by Walter P View Post
    I always heard that they were
    very good engines.

    Walt
    I disagree. We have owned many Cat engines in trucks and construction equipment and I'd never own a 3208. The longevity of of a 3208 is not too good, IMO. In a boat that never sees too many hours, they are fine, but how many commercial fisherman do see with 3208's?
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  5. Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Don't tell that to the thousands and thousands of boat owners with properly maintained 3208 Cats that get 4K - 6K trouble free hours out of them. Excluding the engines churning out 425- 450 HP.

  6. #6

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Quote Originally Posted by kelpy View Post
    Don't tell that to the thousands and thousands of boat owners with properly maintained 3208 Cats that get 4K - 6K trouble free hours out of them. Excluding the engines churning out 425- 450 HP.
    Well they were never that great in trucks and buses. And the blocks are basically thow-away.

    So I'm guessing those that get the hours you suggest must not be running them hard.
    Sky Cheney
    1985 53EDMY, Hull #CN759, "Rebecca"
    ELYC on White Lake--Montague, MI

  7. #7

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    I have seen many 3208s 375 HP Beyond 10,000 hours in Comerical application, and one in a 35 Duffy with 20,000.

    Also if a cylinder wall was damaged it can often be repaired, in place. The same is true for all non sleeved engines and for all dry sleeved engines like the 71s.
    GLORY Hull # 365
    Northport, NY

  8. Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    One doen't throw away a Cat 3208 block that has worn cylinder bores. It gets bored out to the next standard over size and rebuilt with readily available Genuine Cat parts. Or, trade it in as a core for a Cat Reman engine.

  9. #9

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Quote Originally Posted by SKYCHENEY View Post
    I disagree. We have owned many Cat engines in trucks and construction equipment and I'd never own a 3208. The longevity of of a 3208 is not too good, IMO. In a boat that never sees too many hours, they are fine, but how many commercial fisherman do see with 3208's?
    Most of T&S' business in 3208s IS commercial fishermen in the lower Chesapeake who love these engines and won't have anything else. I don't know about their use on land, but on the water they are reliable, cheap to fix, and cheap to run. They are a bit loud without proper mufflers, but they all are, like that. They are also popular with commercial fishermen in New England.

    As to the block being a throwaway, as you put it, well, everything other than a Detroit is a throwaway- all other diesels I've ever seen were parent-bore blocks that would either get a cleanup bore, or in the worst-case scenario, a sleeve. Small-block and big-block Chevies, FE Fords, Hemis... etc etc- they are all "Throwaways". And people rebuild them again and again. Why are 3208s singled out as throwaways?

  10. #10

    Re: Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

    Mind you, this is for the 355hp and 375 hp versions. As noted above, the 425 and 450 versions are wound up pretty tight and don't last as long, especially when run hard.

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