Longevity Question

[Gregory OConnor]

Tom, The Cat 3208 are great engines I have one in a dumptruck with
over 500,000 miles and have had several prior. I believe you are
mistaken in the old style air filter systems are very poor. The
filters must allow for dustpacking or they would become inpassable
after one trip . The higher micron filters dustup too fast and need
to be blown out and simply removing the dirty dusty filter exposes
the intake to filth. The retrofit 'filter in a filter' is the best
system to use I only service (blowout) the outer filter when the
gauge (mass airflow) reads in the red. I have serviced this after
one day and after 4 months, it is not a time or mile thing.The inner
filter only needs changing when the color of that filter changes. Oil
filters are the same, when they get too dirty the oil will bypass. I
change oil and filter every 10,000 miles but drop 3 gallons of hot
oil at 5,000 miles and replace with fresh without a filter change.

I live in the desert and dont take a chance with the cooling system.
I keep the hot thermostat in the radiator. This is the one the MFG
recommends. why run it cooler than that? I use Cat coolant because I
lost a block to rust and was told that it would not have happened
using purple cat.

The post asked why the engines are replaced. Cat didnot design the
3208 engine to be rebuildable in place. To resleve this engine you
must put the block in a machine shop. The Detroit would work great
in a FC because it is rebuildable inframe. Remove the heads and
oilpan. disconnect the pistons and pull out the sleve piston and
rings. The detroits in the pushers have less overhead room to remove
and replace the heads and pistons. To do major work both FC and
pushers often must come out. With the time and expence to remove and
replace combined with the high value of the rig, many owners faced
with the task drop in a rebuilt powerplant.

Tom I think you are so wise to point out that Lugging the engine is a
reason for premature failure. Lugging occurs when the operator
demands and or continues to demand an engine to increase rpms and it
can not increase rpms or engine speed. That is the time you back off
the accelerator and down shift and bring the r's up to max befor
upshifting or just stay at max r's in a lower gear untill the climb
changes. Watch over reving while using a lower gear.

I am just learning to understand the allison in my lodge. When I
drive , I watch the gauges and from time to time I look up to see the
road.

Gregory O'Connor
94pt40
Romoland California
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, Tom Warner
wrote:
>
> Greg just a couple of points.
>
> 1. Air filters are not more efficient when they are dirty and as
the
> dirt builds up you are cutting down on the air flow thru the
engine.
> They are at their best when new.
>
> 2. Cat engines require regularly scheduled maintainence to be
> performed just like every other engine. If you use the correct
oil,
> keep the correct chemically balanced coolant in the engine, dont
lug
> it when under load then it will outlast you. These 3208 Cats are
> tough even though they are not a sleeved engine.
>
> 3. The Cat 3208 is among the most reasonable remaned engine on the
> market. And these engines CAN be resleeved and it is done every day
to them.
>
> 4. When you see an engine in ANY motorhome replaced at the 60-
70,000
> mile marker then you can be damn sure that engine was abused by not
> doing the above.
>
> Tom Warner
> 1982 FC35
> Vernon Center,NY
>
> At 09:39 AM 10/11/2005, you wrote:
> >I think owners do dumb (thoughtful to sleeping campers) things
like use
> >electric air compressors to pump up the brakes so they can move the
> >coach away from camp without warming the engine for 20- 30 min.Too
cold
> >is just as bad as too hot.The cats are not inframe sleve cylinder
> >rebuildable, the inframe on the detroits are hard to do because
the low
> >overhead clearance. Air filters and lube oil are replaced too
often,
> >and owners fail to realize that filters are more efficient when
dirty.
> >If an owner has a major repair, and plan to take a long trip it
just
> >feels better to replace the entire engine. They are probably over
> >replaced because the value of the entire rig is so high in
comparison
> >to a replacement.
> >
> >Gregory O'Connor
> >warming my dumptruck up while I write this post
> >94pt40 8v92
> >Romoland, California
> >
> >--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "boatsarefunus"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Why, I wonder, are there so many 10-15 year old Wanderlodges
with
> > > rebuilt relatively "low time" engines. Some less than 100k
miles and
> > > 3000 hrs. Look at the used ones for sale.
> > >
> > > I've been operating diesel engines in cruising boats for 15
years,
> >not
> > > like I don't know diesels, so I just want to hear it from the
owner
> > > group, what's the deal with the Detroit's. Is the Cat better,
how
> > > about the Cummins. I have been lead to believe the Detroit is
a 500k
> > > mile plus engine. What gives.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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