Cheap Series 60's North Alabama

[Seayfam]

Tom,
How does the CAT 3406B compare to the series 60 as far as weight and size?

[belfert]

The 14 liter Series 60 is still being made today for industrial uses, marine uses, truck and bus use (outside US). Series 60 was available in trucks and buses up until the 2010 emissions standards came in. 

If I called a Detroit dealer could I still get a brand new Series 60 engine if I wanted one, or could they only offer me a Reliabilt?  I thought I read somewhere they don't sell brand new ones except to manufacturers.  I could never afford a brand new one or even a Reliabilt.

[Ace]

We also thought about purchasing either all or some of these but most don't even have the ecm's and are missing misc parts!
Fail


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[luvrbus]

Not Tom but my vote is for the 3406 Cat 425 HP best mechanical engine ever built not a big fan of the 3406 E

[Seayfam]

Not Tom but my vote is for the 3406 Cat 425 HP best mechanical engine ever built not a big fan of the 3406 E

Thanks Clifford,
I'll take any of you professional guys opinion. You may remember I bought a truck with a s60 and was planning on installing it in my bus. But after chasing around parts and pricing transmissions, the cost is probably going to be too much. So I am considering all my options, and would like to stick with mechanical engine and my 740 if possible.

I'll start a new thread on it when I get home from work.

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[luvrbus]

The 3406 is a 14L almost 15L forgot the exact number but it a horse best engine I ever ran in my trucks including the 60 series  12.7 and Cummins drivers could not destroy one pull one down to 900 rpm push the pedal the black smoke would roll and it would get back to power range you couldn't hardly lug one to death  I loved those old engines as much as a 8v92 well almost lol

[RickB]

Brian,

On a different thread this last week Clifford gave us the numbers... here they are, SCARY!

"I called WW Williams for a price on a relibulit engine 30,000 for a 8v71 and 10 weeks waiting,38,000 for 8v92 and would you believe over 50 grand for series 60 12L".

Everyone, excuse yourself and change your drawers!

That's just mind boggling.

RB

[pete36330]

The question is,,,,at those prices,,just how many do they sell and to whom,,,just wondering!!!

[luvrbus]

Every time I bid some re builder buys those engine and on the new ones like the Cat's for sale the Cat dealers buy those and probably sells those back to the government lol

I bid all the time on 8v92's and the Cat's no luck so far the C-9 Cats sold for around 10 grand each which wasn't a bad price for a new engine and a alternator worth 4 grand 

[TomC]

The Caterpillar 3406 was brought out in the late 70's to replace the very expensive 1693 that had dual overhead camshafts.  The first version was the 3406A (a push rod engine, but still the same 14.6 liters with small injection pump high mounted on the left side) that still had the pre-chamber heads (hence the term Clatterpillar) and only produced up to 375hp (you can't turn up a pre-chamber engine like you can a direct injection-you'll blow the pre-chamber right out of the head).  Then in 1985 Cat came out with the 3406B 400hp with jacket water aftercooling (which I have and has a very large injection pump mounted low on the engine).  That only lasted a year when in 1986 Cat came out with air to air intercooling and increased the horsepower to the "4 and a quarter" 425hp without more fuel from the 400hp.  This engine stayed in trucks until 1993 when the PEEC (Programmable Electronic Engine Controls) was added to the mechanical injection pump (was just an electronic throttle control). Then in 1995 or so, the 3406E (and now the 15.2 liter C15), which is a totally different engine with single overhead cam that is electonically controlled-much like the Series 60.
I believe (along with Cliff and others) that the 3406B model (whether jacket or air aftercooled) is just about the most reliable truck engine ever built.  When I had my engine in frame overhauled last at a million miles (second overhaul-but normal for the jacket water aftercooled engine), I asked if I should have the fuel injection pump rebuilt.  Cat said no-and they don't even carry replacement pumps in stock since they are so reliable!.
The 3406B model is about the same size and weight (maybe a bit heavier) then the Series 60 with the Series 60 a bit taller because of the Series 60's overhead cam. The two engines are so similar that when rebuilding a 3406B, you can put the C16 crankshaft and pistons to get a 15.2 liter!
Caterpillar still makes the 3406C model (much the same as the B) mechanically controlled engine for off road, pumps, generators that are not smog certified.  This is one of the main reasons I'm converting my truck-I can get parts for the 3406B and any mechanic knows how to work on one-as compared to the 8V-71.  3406B would be a great bus engine-just not quite as fuel efficient as a Series 60, but dirt reliable. Good Luck, TomC

[TomC]

Sort of confusing at the end above-When rebuilding the two engines-meaning either the C15 or 3406B (not the Series 60).  Good Luck, TomC