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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: JackConrad on October 24, 2009, 05:29:27 AM

Title: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: JackConrad on October 24, 2009, 05:29:27 AM
Here a a couple photos from a CAT D-398 on an emergency generator at a hospital that "let loose".  Cat engines are in some buses, so I think that makes this bus related  LOL  Jack
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: wrench on October 24, 2009, 05:34:38 AM
  oil overfill, create too much pressure in the crankcase.
    wrench
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Busted Knuckle on October 24, 2009, 06:20:45 AM
Looks to me that it needed more room to " breath !"  ;D
;D  BK  ;D
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: luvrbus on October 24, 2009, 08:05:27 AM
I bet it was a 398 DF running on natural gas  those don't do that on diesel,that a good engine in equipment 1200 rpm and will run for ever  


good luck
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: TomC on October 24, 2009, 08:49:09 AM
These were called a 6.25 x 8.00 engine for the bore and stroke (compared to a 4.25 x 5.00 for the 71 series).  Big engines, and the 398 was a V-12.  Even though Cat stopped making these engines many years ago, still alot of them running.  The 3500 series have taken the place.  But- since the 3500 series goes to 1900rpm, not the long lived engine like the 390 series.  Good Luck, TomC
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Tom Y on October 24, 2009, 09:32:44 AM
With 2 rods on that bearing it looks like one or both rods lost their pistons and beat the piss out of the block.   Tom Y
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Len Silva on October 24, 2009, 03:00:02 PM
A little J-B Weld fix it right up.
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: kyle4501 on October 24, 2009, 03:40:59 PM
don't forget the duct tape  ;D
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Iceni John on October 24, 2009, 08:12:47 PM
It's the prototype of Caterpillar's new VCMS (Visual Crankshaft Monitoring System).
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Gary '79 5C on October 25, 2009, 04:29:47 AM
Jack,

Any idea of how many hours on this engine ?
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: JackConrad on October 25, 2009, 06:09:54 AM
Quote from: Gary '79 5C on October 25, 2009, 04:29:47 AM
Jack,
Any idea of how many hours on this engine ?

No, This engine was on an emergency generator at a hospital where my SIL works. No idea how old it was, but probably only ran during scheduled starts for testing.  My brother works for a company that installs these generators.  I know they are at their cabin for the weekend.  I will email my brother tomorrow and see if I can get any additional information.  Jack
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Busted Knuckle on October 25, 2009, 06:48:26 AM
It's probably a last ditch effort from CAT to pass 2010 emissions! They misunderstood what "clean exhaust flow meant" meant! ;D 
;D   BK  ;D
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: junkman42 on October 25, 2009, 10:49:01 AM
No need to analyze this obvious problem!  It is simple someone just let the cat out of the yellow  bag!  John
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Fredward on October 25, 2009, 05:36:13 PM
Wow that's one heck of a shot.!Thanks for sharing Jack.
Fred
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: Lonnie time to go on October 25, 2009, 06:34:45 PM
ouch that has to hurt
Title: Wondering If My Commet Is Revelant
Post by: HB of CJ on October 25, 2009, 07:31:08 PM
I'm a retired RN among other things and perhaps hospital APUs (gen sets) don't get the best of maintenance.  Sometimes the head engineer/electriction (sp) is very good at medical gismos but knows practically nothing about HD gen sets.

Hospitals mostly chose diesel gen sets because they needed one and the house designers just said buy this size and place it there..  Every week they ran it for one hour to test all the fire doors and standby medical circuits which was a good idea.

The bad idea was they never changed the fuel filtures or checked the BIG fuel tank diesel for bad bugs and cooties and stuff.  I remember at least once the gen set failed due to bad fuel.  Later we found that the lube oil was never changed.

They had to replace the entire fuel tank.  It was full of the black death.  Oh well.  Sossss, do my comments have any connection with a blown up big Cummins V12?  Dunno.  Maybe it was just the time for the old girl to let go.  HB of CJ (old coot)



Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: JackConrad on October 26, 2009, 05:27:46 AM
Here is additional information from my brother regarding this blown CAT:
    It is an old Cat D-398 diesel.  We think the fuel rack stuck open and it didn't have any load on it.  It was driving a 600kW 4.16kV 3 phase generator.  There was an old Civil Defense decal on the generator so I suspect it to be about 50 years old, at least.  It was used for emergency standby only so it probably only had a few thouand hours if that.
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: luvrbus on October 26, 2009, 05:45:46 AM
That engine has a injector control for each cylinder and a shear shaft can't see that happening Jack but I did blow a D 333 up like that with either back in my younger days back when you could buy either in the drug stores


good luck
Title: Re: Blown CAT D-398
Post by: JackConrad on October 26, 2009, 05:53:58 AM
Not sure who told my brother about the stuck fuel rack.  My brother is a electrical engineer and heads the R&D department where he works (they manufacture generator control switching systems), but not a diesel mechanic.  Jack