Fuel consumption of twin 3208 Caterpillar engines

[Boatsb]

Not that we do too much with cats but while I was working on the electronics for the dive boat we pulled the engine and replaced the oil pan and a few other parts on an early 1980's cat 3208 T with about 3k hours and had no issues with getting parts. Before that we did a few fuel pumps on other 3208's as they were plugged because of the fuel degradation with the ULDS. again no issues. I see no reason to shy away from one of the most successful engines of it's type.

[REBrueckner]

Scott's post reminded me: Cats are VERY popular on commercial lobster boats in Maine...THAT"S a big recommendation....but most I saw were bigger engines, higher HP......

[Blaine Thorpe]

If it is a 375, this is what it is supposed to do on the prop demand curve.

RPM HP GPH
2,800 375 21.1
2,700 337 18.4
2,600 301 16.0
2,500 267 13.9
2,400 236 12.1
2,300 208 10.6
2,200 182 9.3
2,100 158 8.1
2,000 137 7.0
1,900 117 6.1
1,800 100 5.3
1,700 84 4.5
1,600 70 3.8
1,500 58 3.2

Blaine

[Akyla]

Greetings All,

Jim is right that I have switched hulls and now am running a 42 Duffy with a very unusual arrangement of twin 3208's. Most of the 42 Duffy hulls have a bigger single, but this one was built with twins.

Into the 3rd season with this boat and I am now again found of the Cat power after my previous experience with the 3126 series. The 3208 at 375 is very reliable and the ones I have are smooth runners that have given me very little grief. Only minor isues with some injector line leaks and some oil weeping at a few seals - all easy fixes. They start easy and run strong.

This boat is a downeast lobster hull that is beamy with a full deep forefoot and good sized keel, but fairly flat aft and she never leaves the dock light as I am going with ten divers and all the gear. The cats cruise it loaded at 18kts easy and give me a total fuel burn of 1.25 per mile at speed and can hit 26 flat out, again loaded heavy.

They are an old technology engine (tier 1) that are a bit smoky compaired to anything new is the only drawback. Parts are easy to get and a rebuild will not be a fortune when the time comes. Any good diesel wrench can figure them out and work on them - no computers needed is the up side.

It may be tight in the engine room of a 36 due to the v-8 layout, but probably workable and most everything you need to get to is on top of these engines anyway. If the overall boat is what you like, I would not let the 3208s worry me much as long as they are in good shape.