CAT 3126B Advice

[IDAMAY]

I am possibly about to buy a 2003 boat fitted with CAT 3126B engines of 450hp with around 600 hours on the clocks. Not having owned a boat with CAT engines before, are there any special things I should look out for? That is aside, of course, from its service record. Engine oil analysis at the last service was fine and it has had very little use since then.

Any advice from the engineering fraternity much appreciated.

Richard.

 

[Whitelighter]

Azimut perchance?

 

[IDAMAY]

All will be revealed as and when the purchase is done and dusted but just let's say it comes from a long way east of where Azi's are made.

 

[rafiki_]

450 hp sounds like quite a lot from the 3126. Mine make 355 each. I'm very happy with these, although our resident guru, Latestarter1 does not like them, preferring the Cummins QSB's. It is worth pinging him a PM or waiting to see if he comments on here, and will give you an honest view from his technical experience. I would be seeking reassurance that they are not overstretched at 450.

 

[Spare Thyme]

The 3126B is the HUEI version with electronic fuel injection and 3 valves per cylinder, other than that basically the same as our standard 3126 units. I think you will find all the US yellow school busses are fitted with that lump plus a lot of road going stuff in the US. Like Rafiki I like my 3126 engines, very easy to service and providing you keep the fuel good they purr along fine. As you say oil test and type of oil used are key indicators, you have to use CAT recommended single grade oil, multi grade will bock up the inter coolers, look for signs the paint has gone brownish due to heat at the turbo outlet into the inter cooler, if that's the case you will probably be in for a cooler removal and clean, not a major job but there are zillion small screws to remove and the cooler is very very heavy. There is value checking the high idle at the dock however to fully check you need to make sure you can get the engines to WOT on the water, mine were 700 rpm down until I cleaned the coolers, then like magic I was 100 over after the clean. Good luck with you choice, if you do go for the CATs I think like most CAT owners you will be happy with your choice, and get to meet the nice people at Fnnings

 

[IDAMAY]

Thanks all, especially LT. Had a good snoop over the engines today. No sign of oil or water leaks. The paint around the area of the inter coolers wasn't brown but it was a bit more cream coloured than the rest of the engines. As far as I know the coolers haven't been cleaned in the recent past so I think a precautionary clean is indicated. LS advised the same about the Cummins QSBs in our current boat. I shall be more than happy if the CATs are any where near as reliable as the QSBs.

 

[petem]

All will be revealed as and when the purchase is done and dusted but just let's say it comes from a long way east of where Azi's are made.

Trader? If so, watch out!