boddubbay
Member
what sort of lifespan will a cat 425hp 3208 have given a good service record ,is 1700 hrs a significant number of hours or is there a lot of life left?
steve
steve
cat 3208 425hp lifespan
- Thread starter boddubbay
- Start date
boaterbaz
Member
We have run cats as generator engines (commercially) with regular oil and filter changes 12,000 hrs plus was the norm.
rafiki_
Well-known member
This is a how long is a piece of string. The engine will have been designed for to live for thousands off hours. The actual life will depend on its maintenance record, and duty cycle. So if it has been well maintained as you note, has it been used for most of its life at or near its peak power? If yes then the actual life will be much reduced. However, 1700 odd hours is nothing for a heavy duty Diesel engine. Others on here might know better?
volvopaul
Well-known member
If you look in the cat manual caterpillar actually give data for rebuild times based on fuel used not hours run which makes a lot of sense when you think some boats may run for hours just off idle , when others are run flat out and serviced at the same hours run interval.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
I've had these engines in 3 boats and, apart from an alternator failure, they were totally reliable but I never ran any of those boats beyond 900hrs. However, I did nearly buy another boat with these engines and was saved from a very expensive engine rebuild by an oil analysis. The 425/442hp version of the 3208 (called the 3208TA) is the most powerful version of the 3208 series and I have heard stories of some of these engines needing rebuilds at beyond 1000hrs but I was told these were in big trawler yachts in which the engines had to work very hard. At 1700hrs, I would definitely get an oil analysis done to check the level of impurities in the oil which may give an indication of problems and of course get a Cat specialist to check them out. Be aware though that an oil analysis is useless unless the oil has worked at least 30hrs in the engines. On the plus side, I really liked the smooth torquey power delivery of these V8 engines although they are not electronically managed like modern engines, so they leave a bit of soot on the transom
AFAIK, the lower powered versions of the 3208 are pretty bombproof
AFAIK, the lower powered versions of the 3208 are pretty bombproof
boddubbay
Member
Thanks for that all , is there any routine for getting oil analysis done early in the buying process,and where can I get it tested as the boat is in the med?
Steve
Steve
rafiki_
Well-known member
You can buy oil testing kits from most marine engineering outlets. I bought some from RK Marine at Burlesdon. The kit includes a sealed pot for the oil, packaging and a form to complete. You send this off to the analysis lab, address on the packaging, and they send you the results 3 or 4 days later. If your seller won't let you take the sample, then walk away. Oh, you will need some sort of device, like a syringe, to extract the oil through the dipstick tube. On the Cats you are looking at, they probably have a built in pump, to extract the oil.
Bandit
Well-known member
Get the oil tested by the Finning /Cat oil commander system and assuming it has been in the engine a while it should give you a reference to the changes since the last oil sample, assuming it has been regularly sampled using this lab.
Latestarter1
New member
Absolutely spot on..
Super motor a real icon, however later 3208 TA 'E' ratings were a bit of a spoiler the 450hp/456mhp was a real lemon.
I use oil sampling all the time, but never this one shot wonder stuff. Regular sampling gives wear trends and whole bundle of useful data. Snapshot samples are used all the time in US for pre-purchase surveys, causes many sales to abort because of screwy #'s which are subsequently discredited.
Far better to have engine survey by distributor, proper blow by check and a piece of paper which is money in the bank.
Bilgediver
Well-known member
I totally agree.....How anyone thinks they can get a representative oil sample from the dip stick tube of an engine which could have been at rest for weeks or more is beyond me. All the nasties could well be sitting in the bottom of the sump. We never considered a sample as representative on ships and rigs unless the oil was taken from a running engine at working temperature. There is usually somewhere to get the sample from and the dipstick tube immediately after stopping might be second best. Also one needs to know if there is a fresh charge of oil in the sump or something from last year to get real benefit.
Nos4r2
Member
To give you a clue, they used to be fitted to some Foden articulated lorries, and they were expected to last over a million KM without a rebuild and generally only routine maintenance.
If it's healthy, used regularly up to temperature and well maintained, I'd expect it to stay that way for many years.
If it's healthy, used regularly up to temperature and well maintained, I'd expect it to stay that way for many years.
Latestarter1
New member
Sorry but Foden NEVER fitted CAT 3208 engines in their trucks. From around 1987 CAT 3306 and 3406 both in line 6's were installed.
3306 proved to be a complete disaster, head gasket issues, as well as poor fuel economy. 3406 was far better motor in terms of durability and 425 ATTAC went real well, however fuel consumption made it a constant sleeping partner.
Nos4r2
Member
Fair comment-the couple I came across may have been retrofits then as I have definitely seen them. They were both on older vehicles owned by the same haulage firm.
In fact, one of the trucks still exists-for that age it's surprising too-it's been parked for the last 5 years though.
cryan
New member
I would expect that you could get ten times your current hours from a CAT engine.
Latestarter1
New member
Not any CAT engine....3208 was a star, then CAT simply forgot how to build marine engines, 3116, 3126 and C7's falling stars.
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Yeah but as a buyer you only get to do a snapshot sample which is a lot better than nothing but yes I agree that you need to sample every season to note trends. I also agree that a Cat dealer will do a full engine survey but they don't come cheap. Personally I have had full engine surveys done on my last 2 Cat powered boats and those surveys have given me some comfort but I can understand buyers baulking at the cost
rafiki_
Well-known member
Finnings appear to be very helpful to me. Always willing to answer technical questions, so if you have any concerns, give them a call.
Latestarter1
New member
As a follow up to Cat dropping C7,C9 and C12 in favor of FPT Iveco CAT are now in the process of doing due diligence on the whole group with the exception of car division, not sure if it will include tractor division CNH. CAT are awash with cash but after debacle of ACERT technology cupboard is bare whilst Fiat group is hemorrhaging cash, but Iveco have access to some decent technology.
This will be a big one.
Remember you heard it first here...............
This will be a big one.
Remember you heard it first here...............
volvopaul
Well-known member
Oh no , don't let rafiki see this!!
What I hate about these motors is the fuel system and the fact your reliant on finnings to sort out issues, best moor it near a dealer as there call out charges for mileage are eyewatering.
rafiki_
Well-known member
Thanks a bunch Paul. Actually, Latestarter must live quite close to Portishead?
