cat engines

[uncle ned]

Looking a a spare bus #3  any good info on a 3208 cat.

uncle ned

[eagle19952]

dt466 in that class imho...

[luvrbus]

The 3208 is not a bad engine if it has the 3 ring pistons,the single piston ring engines were smokers till the piston rounded out

[eagle19952]

they are expensive non sleeved to repair 100K mile motors that require massive machine work $$ and no in frame...imo

but yes the multi ringed NEW  ones would be a better choice, just not mine.

[Oonrahnjay]

they are expensive non sleeved to repair 100K mile motors that require massive machine work $$ and no in frame...imo

but yes the multi ringed NEW  ones would be a better choice, just not mine.   

     I just saw one last week in a shop.  They had taken it apart the second time -- it was diagnosed as a leaking head gasket the first time.  The #1 cylinder would come up soaking wet with anti-freeze after it had run for a minute or two.  The new head gasket looked perfect but if you rotated the crank so that the #1 piston was all the way down, you'd see a tiny line of green down at the bottom of the bore after about 20 seconds.  Cracked block right at the bottom of the bore.  Yep, an expensive piece of scrap cast iron ...

[Oonrahnjay]

   ... double post, sorry ...

[luvrbus]

You looking at Blue Bird bus Ned,the turbo models have a different block I had good luck with the 3208T in my 225 Cat excavators they would last 8000 to 9000 hrs.You can bore and sleeve the engine Albert Equipment in Tulsa a Cat dealer always sleeved one and used a 3 ring piston I remember they charged me 11 grand exchange 

[TomC]

Unless you need the shortness of the Cat V-8, there are a whole bunch of other engines you'll be pleased with. Surprisingly, the Cummins ISB 6.7 is one of our least troublesome engines. You can pump them up to 360hp and 800lb/ft torque-about the same as an 8V-71N.
The 3208 isn't bad if you have steel sleeves installed with the turbo 3 ring pistons. Just like I was the first to run air to air intercooling on 8V-71, air to air intercooling would be advantageous on a turbo 3208. Virtually all Diesels now are turbo'd and air to air intercooled. Good Luck, TomC

[HB of CJ]

The Cat 3208 was a good boat anchor.  No sleeves.  Weak bottom end.  Weak head gaskets.  Limited engine life heavily hopped up like in Marine pleasure boat service.  Physically nearly as big as a 8V92.  Anywhere from 1300 to 1700 pounds, depending.

The 466 was one of the best medium diesels ever made.  Great mill.  Started out way back in the 1970s as a non turboed version.  The early ones had MUI analog injection.  Later got updated and enlarged to the computer 530, also good under 350 hp or so.

Given a choice between the two, perhaps the 466 would be better?  Still supported?  Many versions of this fine mill, all based upon a proven durable older platform.  The 3208 V8 was OK kinda in mild versions in mild service, but was a throw a way?  Yikes!

[Detroitenginespecialist]

Hey Uncle Ned

My name is Brian from American Fleet.  We are a Detroit diesel engine specialist in Springfield Missouri.    We offer engines like the Cat you are looking for.  If you are looking for a Cat 3208 or a Cummins please give me a call so I can quote you. 


Thanks
Brian Stanton
American Fleet Inc
417.865.4420