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1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

May 07, 2019, 01:54:00 pm

Does anyone know of a honest shop or person that can turn my engine up and go through the overhead and adjust valves correctly  ?

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #1 – May 07, 2019, 03:00:26 pm

Check down around the Kemah area-- lots of 3208's still in marine use.

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #2 – May 07, 2019, 07:34:25 pm

Lots of 3208s all around the country.  Farm equip't, logging, trucking, etc.  I had my valves adjusted by a truck outfit that did mostly logging trucks.  Find some outfit that is familiar with the 3208 and you should be fine.  Have a great day  ----  Fritz

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #3 – May 07, 2019, 09:37:53 pm

There are four adjustments on the fuel pump.  The test was to see if the black smoke stops in 5 seconds.

If earlier the pump can be turned up a bit.  Not enough fuel.

Try this at altitude.  Same five seconds.  Different adjustment screw.

No i do not have the manual or know which screw is which only that they exist and are easily adjustable.

Drove your sister coach with a marine twin turbo bolted on.

Forth gear only setup.

What hills.  Unwound the speedo cable, coach had 95k miles on the twin setup.

For sure I would find it and put it on and make sure it had enough fuel. 

He had a pyrometer on it.

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #4 – May 08, 2019, 12:06:59 pm

From a fellow Foretraveler with a lot of Caterpillar 3208 experience:

Don't know of anyone specific, but any truck repair place should be able to do this—- lots of 3208 engines still on the road, and as you said, tons of them in marine service up to 425 hp (hand grenade motor).

He should leave the injector pump alone— there are differences in the block between the "street" versions of the engine and the high hp engines, mostly lubrication and compression ratio.  Crank too much hp into the "street" engine and you WILL have bottom end problems.

Cat designed this engine as a joint venture with Ford in about 1975 for Fords medium duty trucks.  Cat owned the design but Ford helped finance it.  Ford used the engine until Cat pulled it off the market due to EPA.

Somewhere in my pile of stuff I still have the entire history of the engine with all variants in the design— fun reading.

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #5 – May 08, 2019, 12:35:11 pm

Back in my trucking days early 70s I drove for produce hauler and we turned up everything, 12v71s, 855" Cummins, 1693 cats, 3408cats. If you where not careful they would die early from running hot or melted pistons/ damaged rings. JMHO IT just ain't worth the risk read $$$$, (especially a years old motor) for a relatively small gain. Just remember, those folks that will turn it up are the same folks that will take your money when it blows up. As always DWMYFG 😎😄👍

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #6 – May 08, 2019, 05:38:23 pm

I believe he has a buddy with a similar foretravel, for some reason he cant keep up with him.  Those cats are really heavy breathers, so I would look at exhaust and intake issues first, or a bad thermostat keeping it cold.

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Re: 1985 caterpillar 3208 Turbo in Houston TX

Reply #7 – May 08, 2019, 08:13:43 pm

BTW I posted a cat 3208 engine service manual in the media section some time ago.

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