Cat 3208 average hours to rebuild

[season]

Hello everyone,

I am placing an offer on a 1986 36 Sedan. It has the 3208T's rated at 320HP. There are no hour meters on the bridge and I am still researching if the clocks are located as Hatteras states they should be on the battery switch panel. The genset is showing 6,000 hours with a complete rebuild of both the engine and generator electrical portions in the past two years. I suspect that this is the ballpark number of the mains as well unless gensets average higher times than the mains. What type of hour time to rebuild do the 3208T's average before a major. I am aware that they cannot be done in frame and have to be hauled and done at a overhaul facility.

I am only concerned is that if these are up against the clock and need to be rebuilt the cost will be close or exceed the purchase price of the boat. Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Season

 

[jim rosenthal]

Call T&S Marine Engines in Crisfield, MD, and ask for Steve. These guys have rebuilt 3208s hundreds of times and sent them all over the USA. They are very experienced, honest, and easy to deal with. They will tell you what it will cost to overhaul them.

 

[Walter P]

A good thorough engine survey by someone with lots of experience with 3208's will probably tell you
much more about the engine condition than will an hour meter. Hour meters don't differentiate between
running hard and running at displacement most of the time and they also don't have a clue about how
the maintenance was done. I have never owned a boat with 3208's but I always heard that they were
very good engines.

Walt

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I always heard that they were
very good engines.

Walt

I disagree. We have owned many Cat engines in trucks and construction equipment and I'd never own a 3208. The longevity of of a 3208 is not too good, IMO. In a boat that never sees too many hours, they are fine, but how many commercial fisherman do see with 3208's?

 

[kelpy]

Don't tell that to the thousands and thousands of boat owners with properly maintained 3208 Cats that get 4K - 6K trouble free hours out of them. Excluding the engines churning out 425- 450 HP.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Don't tell that to the thousands and thousands of boat owners with properly maintained 3208 Cats that get 4K - 6K trouble free hours out of them. Excluding the engines churning out 425- 450 HP.

Well they were never that great in trucks and buses. And the blocks are basically thow-away.

So I'm guessing those that get the hours you suggest must not be running them hard.

 

[Glory]

I have seen many 3208s 375 HP Beyond 10,000 hours in Comerical application, and one in a 35 Duffy with 20,000.

Also if a cylinder wall was damaged it can often be repaired, in place. The same is true for all non sleeved engines and for all dry sleeved engines like the 71s.

 

[kelpy]

One doen't throw away a Cat 3208 block that has worn cylinder bores. It gets bored out to the next standard over size and rebuilt with readily available Genuine Cat parts. Or, trade it in as a core for a Cat Reman engine.

 

[jim rosenthal]

I disagree. We have owned many Cat engines in trucks and construction equipment and I'd never own a 3208. The longevity of of a 3208 is not too good, IMO. In a boat that never sees too many hours, they are fine, but how many commercial fisherman do see with 3208's?

Most of T&S' business in 3208s IS commercial fishermen in the lower Chesapeake who love these engines and won't have anything else. I don't know about their use on land, but on the water they are reliable, cheap to fix, and cheap to run. They are a bit loud without proper mufflers, but they all are, like that. They are also popular with commercial fishermen in New England.

As to the block being a throwaway, as you put it, well, everything other than a Detroit is a throwaway- all other diesels I've ever seen were parent-bore blocks that would either get a cleanup bore, or in the worst-case scenario, a sleeve. Small-block and big-block Chevies, FE Fords, Hemis... etc etc- they are all "Throwaways". And people rebuild them again and again. Why are 3208s singled out as throwaways?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Mind you, this is for the 355hp and 375 hp versions. As noted above, the 425 and 450 versions are wound up pretty tight and don't last as long, especially when run hard.

 

[Avenger]

As to the block being a throwaway, as you put it, well, everything other than a Detroit is a throwaway- all other diesels I've ever seen were parent-bore blocks that would either get a cleanup bore, or in the worst-case scenario, a sleeve. Small-block and big-block Chevies, FE Fords, Hemis... etc etc- they are all "Throwaways". And people rebuild them again and again. Why are 3208s singled out as throwaways?

If that is the standard, then B-series are "throwaways" too.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Okay, maybe throw away isn't the right term, but after they are bored a couple of times, they are done. A sleeved block can be rebuilt almost indefinitely in theory.

 

[dsharp]

The only problems that I ran across are the stamped steel oil pans and marginal cooling system. They are easily bored if the block has substantial wear. I have heard complaints about a short life when installed in dump trucks but most dump truck drivers can tear up an anvil.

 

[krush]

Okay, maybe throw away isn't the right term, but after they are bored a couple of times, they are done. A sleeved block can be rebuilt almost indefinitely in theory.

Oh come on! A detroit has to be rebuilt at 2000 hours. These engines go 10,000hrs. How many times would it need to be bored for those that just go to the pump-out station once a year?

 

[Glory]

Okay, maybe throw away isn't the right term, but after they are bored a couple of times, they are done. A sleeved block can be rebuilt almost indefinitely in theory.

A repair sleeve can be installed in a 3208, and they are successful after the repair.

 

[jim rosenthal]

The go-to engine for Chesapeake Bay watermen used to be Olds 455 V8s... when they weren't made anymore, they began putting 3208s in their boats and that continues. Although the same company sells Cummins, which are also very popular. They are lighter and use less fuel. I have been in their shop dozens of times and they always have (in addition to new Cummins and Caterpillar engines) four for five 3208s they are overhauling. They do them constantly, which is why I suggested them for overhauling the OP's engines. They have all the parts on the shelf to do them. They turn them around fairly quickly.

 

[34Hatt]

If that is the standard, then B-series are "throwaways" too.

Oh Great now you tell me

Now I just need to live long enough to use the boat that much and the money to put the fuel through it. We have had the discussion before and it depends on amount of care and fuel that goes through it.

 

[season]

Thank you everyone for your knowledge and input on this question. My takeaway is that should these 3208's have the suspected 6,000 hours and have been properly maintained I should not be looking at a major overhaul in the next couple of years just based on their time in duty.

Since they are in a 1986 36 Sedan there is reason to suspect that have seen a bit less of the hard fishing that the convertible version of the boat would have and a bit more pleasure cruising. Either way, the overall condition of the boat presents a vessel that has been well cared for.

I have not been able to verify if these 3208's are the T versions or the TA's. They do have the turbo and are rated at 320HP. Where would I look on the engine to find the after-cooler since then name plate only states 3208. I know that the turbos are a maintenance item that needs scheduled attention. What is involved and typically what are the costs for doing the maintenance on them?

If my deal is accepted I look forward to officially joining the family as an owner.

Thanks again as your collective input makes this forum pretty much the encyclopedia of all things boating.

 

[Avenger]

320s should be straight turbo. No aftercooler.

BTW, per the dealer, every CAT reman 3208 is sleeved back to standard. But that is not necessary for rebuilding. A simple oversize will work just fine. A quick lookup with one part manufacturer offers .020" and .040". So there's two rebuilds right there, then you go to sleeves. How much time do we expect to put on these things after all?

 

[Boatsb]

I replaced a pair of cummins 5.9 engines at 11,000 hours. According to the machinist that checked they were easily withing spec to bore to .020 over. I'm sure the cats are similar for wear.

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