Hot or not hot

[(Nobody You Know)]

Anybody know what is the normal operating temperture for 3208 CATs? (no response from boatdiesel.com or gregorypoole.com (CAT dealer). Also, not in owner's manuel either!

I would just like to have a general idea exactly what the cruising temperature should be (or range). (Hell, maybe they have been overheating for 4 years for all I know).

I should add that they generaly (both engines) cruise around 185F.

Thanks in advance.

[Jackman]

Ask Jim..He had Cats in his boat....Wish I would have snatched them up now!

[Blaine Thorpe]

I would consider 185 to be great. I really depends on what thermostat you have installed. Cat has used anything from 180 to 190 . I have even seen some 197s.

I have 180s installed and consistently run 180 to 185 under load on both engines. They will cool down a little when I go back to idle. I am thinking about going to the 190s. I wouldn't be afraid to run 190 or 195.

If you have the 3208 Marine Engine Attachment specification book, form No. SENR3133, take a look at the water temperature switches (alarm contactors). Early engines had two different ones. One that was set at 209 and one that had a range from 214-217.

Hope this helps.

Blaine

[Freebird]

185 sounds maybe a little on the warm side of cool to me. I'm sitting here trying to think of what my mechanic was complaining about in terms of Cat not giving him answers on. I honestly believe it was proper compression for a 3208 he was surveying.

As I respond to this, I know for sure that's what it was because he simply could not believe they couldn't or wouldn't tell him what the range of acceptablility was.

I figure this is like some of the safe manufacturers I deal with when they tell me the steel thickness in their safes is "proprietary information". I often wondered if this information is deemed proprietary as to not give a thief too much information, or simply a way of not being able to be compared to their competition who openly lists steel thickness in their safe specifications.

Try boatered, they have lots of experts over there.

[(Nobody You Know)]

I have 180s installed and consistently run 180 to 185 under load on both engines

185 sounds maybe a little on the warm side of cool to me.

Armed with your info I checked a 2004 work invoice and discovered that 180F thermostas were installed - something that I had forgotten about. A good answers to my question!

Thanks!

[Freebird]

I hope this question is not viewed as taking this thread off-topic, but I have often wondered why the temperature range for truck use is so much higher than for use on a boat.

How many times do you see the grills of big trucks covered during the winter to raise the operating temperature of a diesel to make it more efficient? It is obvious that marine use is such that there is always a full load on the engine which never gets to run downhill, but I have often wondered why there is such a large variation in acceptable temps between the two.

In addition, the acceptable operating range on a gasoline engine is huge in comparison with automotive vs marine applications. I'm no expert, but I happen to own both a gasoline and diesel powered Hatteras. Would someone care to enlighten me?

[Blaine Thorpe]

As I respond to this, I know for sure that's what it was because he simply could not believe they couldn't or wouldn't tell him what the range of acceptablility was.

In all my years (hopefully there will be more), I don't believe that Cat has ever published engine compression specs for any of their engines. If you are looking to check the condition of an engine, you can go by blowby. Cat does have numbers for that.

Blaine

[Freebird]

In all my years (hopefully there will be more), I don't believe that Cat has ever published engine compression specs for any of their engines. If you are looking to check the condition of an engine, you can go by blowby. Cat does have numbers for that.

Blaine

I understand what blowby is, but how does one measure it?

I really can't see any logic in Cat not publishing engine compression specs much less refusing to release recommendations to a licensed mechanic/surveyor who is simply trying to determine the life expectancy of one of their engines.

[Blaine Thorpe]

I know there are blowby meters out there. Cat has their own, but I would imagine that there are others made by some tool company. I know it sounds strange, but Cat doesn't use compression numbers. I'm not sure if anyone makes an adapter for a compression tester to fit all of the different nozzle or injector holes.

Blaine

[jim rosenthal]

My CAT engines (which were not 3208s but 3116s) ran about 180F. I found that they would run at normal temps provided the HEs were kept clean. I think the HEs were sized a little marginally for the power they produced; I don't know how they did it with 3126s, which use more fuel and make more hp- and more waste heat, no doubt.

Off topic: I got a nice email from the guy in the Caymans who bought them, very appreciative of the work Tom Slane's shop did to get them cleaned up and ready for transport. And an invite to the Caymans for next fall, which is pretty nice too.