Cat 3208 n.a. coolant leak

[JD]

3208 n.a. coolant leak

skipperdude wrote:*I bagged and labeled every nut, bolt and piece that came off. Every bolt went back into the hole it came out of.
Except for the ones I replaced with new.

SD

What's the fun in that?

When I was in the foreign car*repair*business in the late 60's*I had a guy call me one day and asked if he could bring in his VW Van (mid 60's*model) because it needed an engine overhaul.* Of course I said yes.* The next day he shows up with the van on the back of a wrecker the engine out of it and totally, I mean totally disassembled in cardboard box's in the van.

It seems that the guy took it to the local VW dealer and they tore the engine down to give him an estimate.* They wanted over $2,000 to rebuild the engine.* He neglected to tell me that on the phone.* They took every conceivable part apart and just dumped carbs, distributor, bearing end caps, thrust washers, bolts, nuts, washers,*you name it in to the boxes.* It took me two weeks to get that thing sorted out,*back together and running.* My dad told me later that he didn't think it could be done.* I wasn't sure either but it got up and running and I only had a few bits and pieces left over.* I really think the guys in the VW shop put some extras in just to have some fun.* Mostly nuts and lock washers and a few sheet metal screws.

So have fun.



*


-- Edited by JD on Wednesday 8th of February 2012 07:00:39 AM

 

[Edelweiss]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

I like the way the Germans do it in the Mother Land.* We were visiting my sister and brother-in-law who were stationed in Germany about 1966 and using their hand-me-down 1959 VW van to travel around.* The engine self destructed on the Autobahn and they sent out a VW towtruck to pick us up.*

They towed us into a little burg where the largest building was a VW garage.* Mechanic looked at it and said it was "kaputt."* Brought out a new*engine from the wearhouse*dropped it in and we were out of there in three hours flat.

Larry B*

 

[FF]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

"I bagged and labeled every nut, bolt and piece that came off. Every bolt went back into the hole it came out of."

Sometimes bolts will be different lengths.

Then a hunk of cardboard with the bolts placed in order on a sketch of the part , same as removed .

IF there are nuts and waashers they are installed on the bolts.

This allows the sheets of cardboard to be moved to a wire brush wheel , so all can be cleaned.

Torque requirements / specsare on CLEAN bolts.

 

[skipperdude]

3208 n.a. coolant leak

After*and before on the exhaust manifolds.

Sand blaster is my friend.

SD


-- Edited by skipperdude on Wednesday 8th of February 2012 11:14:09 AM

 

[jleonard]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

Schweet!

 

[skipperdude]

3208 n.a. coolant leak

Thanks Man. I went back and reread the entire thread.

"What a trip It's been"

can't remember what song that quote is from. JD said have fun. it sure has been that.*

*I have learned alot about the venerable 3208n.a.

Would I do it again.

No way not unless I had to. I still worry that I did something wrong.

I'm a little concerned about the head gasket. trying to lower a 120# head onto the block what it I dinked the gasket. I would have to tear it all apart again. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best.

SD

SD


-- Edited by skipperdude on Wednesday 8th of February 2012 11:50:14 AM

 

[JD]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

skipperdude wrote:*I have learned alot about the venerable 3208n.a.
SD

*Actually you have learned a lot about a lot of engines and before you are done you will know even more.* Unlike women they (diesel engines) are a lot more similar.*

You are gaining some basic skill sets that will carry over to a lot of engine types.* Valve adjustments, torquing head bolts, inspection of rocker arms for wear, push rods for trueness and much more.

Nothing like hands on training.* The real thrill comes when it starts and runs a advertised.* You will be grinning from ear to ear.* Take a picture and post it.

 

[skipperdude]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

One of those.

*OH!!! Great another learning experience.

SD

*

 

[sunchaser]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

Did you check (magnaflux) your heads for cracks? Does Cat recommend a head gasket sealant? Are you using new head bolts? Putting things back together is an art, suggest you contact a cat marine guy for any updates to shop manual you are using. Boatdiesel likely has*archive information on 3208 re-assembly.

Good work Dude!

 

[jleonard]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

skipperdude wrote:
"What a trip It's been"

can't remember what song that quote is from. wrong.

SD

*What a Long Strange Trip It's Been is a two-disc compilation of the Grateful Dead's tenure at Warner Bros., 1967-1972. Well-chosen, it contains many of their best songs from the period and is notable for giving album release to the studio-recorded single version of "Dark Star," the Dead's most requested song. Relative newcomers to the band (those who bought Skeletons From the Closet and liked it) can get a stronger dose here, and then perhaps go on to the individual albums. Of course, Deadheads hate this record.

 

[skipperdude]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

I didn't resurface the heads. We did check them with a straight edge and could find no variation on the head surface.

To explain further on this job. I have done this project on a budget. All I have invested so far is the cost of the gasket kit $324.61.

*I have a friend with a garage. the valve grinding equipment had sat unused for years. He let me use his hot tank and*the valve job was done by barter for a fishing trip. To get the manifolds sand blasted I swapped some snow plowing and traded a 357 magnum for a nice little 9 mm. My friend and mate is a mechanic with all the tools.

As to the gasket sealant the old one wasn't sealed so the new one isn't either and it is already on so it's not coming off again.

Just goes to show you can do this kind of stuff for not a lot of money if you don't mind a little work and getting a little dirty.

One good thing I have done a lot of cleaning and painting along the way and now I can go into my engine room with out getting dirty.

It's a good thing.

SD

*

 

[Codger2]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

skipperdude wrote:
Just goes to show you can do this kind of stuff for not a lot of money if you don't mind a little work and getting a little dirty.

******** SD: You have more guts than I do! I wouldn't take on that job if my life** depended on it. My hat is off to you, mate!

 

[skipperdude]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

Thanks Walt*I appreciate the complement.

You are a gentleman and a scholar. There are so few of us left.

SD

 

[Per]

RE: 3208 n.a. coolant leak

skipperdude wrote:

To get the manifolds sand blasted I swapped some snow plowing and traded a 357 magnum for a nice little 9 mm. My friend and mate is a mechanic with all the tools.
*

*love this part, how stuff is done between friends and friends of friends.

dont see much of that in the big urban cities tough, thats really too bad.

 

[JD]

So the head is on when do we see if it runs. Adjust the valves bleed the injectors put in some coolant and fire her up! Let's go!!!

 

[skipperdude]

JD wrote:
So the head is on when do we see if it runs. Adjust the valves bleed the injectors put in some coolant and fire her up! Let's go!!!

*This weekend the exhaust manifold gets installed then it's just hoses and belts and coolant. The last time I put in the coolant I discovered the real leak Hopefully*it will be a go as of saturday evening.

OHHH!!!! man. We shall see.

To paraphrase Dr. McCoy.

Dammit Jim I'm A baker not a mechanic.

*we will see how this cookie crumbles.

SD

 

[JD]

skipperdude wrote:OHHH!!!! man. We shall see.
To paraphrase Dr. McCoy.

Dammit Jim I'm A baker not a mechanic.

*we will see how this cookie crumbles.

SD

*Pictures, pictures, pictures.* Mostly of the big grinn on you puss.* I'm telling you you won't be able to stop it.

*

*

*

 

[FF]

put in some coolant and fire her up! Let's go!!

!Coolant and DISTILLED water only.

 

[JD]

FF wrote:
put in some coolant and fire her up! Let's go!!

!Coolant and DISTILLED water only.

*What water?* Those day are gone.

 

[skipperdude]

Coolant.

Another freebee. Another buddy of mine owns a fast lube type of place. When they do flush and fill on auto radiators they recycle the old antifreeze.

I need about 40 quarts so once again we have swapped for a boat ride.

SD

 

[JD]

skipperdude wrote:Coolant.
Another freebee. Another buddy of mine owns a fast lube type of place. When they do flush and fill on auto radiators they recycle the old antifreeze.

I need about 40 quarts so once again we have swapped for a boat ride.

SD

SD

That may be a false savings.* You are getting a mix of some very depleted *coolant and who knows what else is in there because of what folks add for various reasons such as sealers or God knows what else.*

Please read this article:

http://www.rvcruzer.com/coolant.php

Then if you don't think that your whole engine is worth a $150 (10 GAL @ $15 a GAL)*then use the free stuff.

Not me.

 

[skipperdude]

Thanks JD I read the entire article and talked to Cat in there Technical support department.

The 3208 is a Dry cylinder the article referred to a sleeved engine of which the 3208 is not. So no water jacket. i.e. no cavitation on the piston walls.

The tec guy said It should be fine using the recycled coolant. Thanks for the thought There is a lot Of stuff I do not know.* I think it will be O.K. I'm gonna take the risk anyway.

I will run it for the season and I had plans on installing a drain valve on*the bottom of the block. Something with a shutoff valve on it and swap out the coolant and do a complete drain and flush. Just not in the budget for this year.

Thanks again.

SD

 

[JD]

skipperdude wrote:
Thanks JD I read the entire article and talked to Cat in there Technical support department.

The 3208 is a Dry cylinder the article referred to a sleeved engine of which the 3208 is not. So no water jacket. i.e. no cavitation on the piston walls.

The tec guy said It should be fine using the recycled coolant. Thanks for the thought There is a lot Of stuff I do not know.* I think it will be O.K. I'm gonna take the risk anyway.

I will run it for the season and I had plans on installing a drain valve on*the bottom of the block. Something with a shutoff valve on it and swap out the coolant and do a complete drain and flush. Just not in the budget for this year.

Thanks again.

SD

*Sounds good but take a sample and have it analyzed so that you can add anything that is missing.

Don't forget the pictures of that big grinn.

 

[FF]

swap out the coolant and do a complete drain and flush.

www.penray.com/images/201549_OffLineCleaner_2.pdf


This is the proper cleaner .

NEW pink antifreeze and distilled water ONLY.

Crapping an engine , heat exchanger and HW heater to save the price of a couple of Pizzas is not worth the risk at least to me.

 

[expat]

Good work SD.Best of luck on startup and test run.I have to agree on the coolant , maybe if all goes well on testrun drain it out and put in the correct new coolant, the stuff that gets drained out of automotime engines can and often deos have all sorts of stuff added and the ph balance is probably way off aswell.

 

[FF]

What ever you do for the start up, NO ETHER!

OK if the engine space is below 0deg F , maybe a single 2 second squirt,

But otherwise NO ETHER. Changing pistons is harder than pulling the head.

 

[skipperdude]

Regarding the coolant: I talked at length with my friend and was assured the the system he has for reconditioning the coolant is more than adequate. The used coolant is cycled through numerous stages that balance the P.H. as well as adding the Supplemental Coolant Additives to make it as good as new.

I'm a big fan or recycling. So I'm going with it.

SD*


-- Edited by skipperdude on Sunday 12th of February 2012 05:35:38 PM

 

[skipperdude]

After rounding up the parts and tools needed for completion.* The manafold gasket being the biggest thing on the list.

Everything went together like they had eyes.

I first installed the manafolds and next the Injector clamp.

The small aluminum cap for the end of the rockerarm was next after following all the torque specs. I was done with the engine.

Tne next step was to reinstall the raw water pump, alternator and belts.

I opened the valve on the fuel supply and pumped the priming pump till I met resistance.

I crossed my fingers and turned the Key.

The engine roared to life but with a knock and fuel spurting from on of the injectors and a small puddle of fuel under the valve body on top of the fuel pump.

it stalled after about 3 seconds. I dissasemblet the fuel line to the injector* and found a small chip of paint clogging the injector adapter. a quick shot of parts cleaner and a reconnect I tightened a bolt that I had lkoosened to remove a ground wire and turned the key again.

She came right back to life and settled down to a low idle with narry a knock or rattle.

I was so blown away I couldn't believeit I actually did a bit of a Newfie Jig.*

*



-- Edited by skipperdude on Sunday 12th of February 2012 06:33:29 PM


-- Edited by skipperdude on Sunday 12th of February 2012 06:36:56 PM

 

[Edelweiss]

skipperdude wrote:
*She came right back to life and settled down to a low idle with narry a knock or rattle.

I was so blown away I couldn't believeit I actually did a bit of a Newfie Jig.*

*I know the feeling.* When I did the valve job on my port engine, that was my first experience busting the heads off of*a diesel engine.* It's very exhilarating to have a project like that come together.* Much better than paying someone else to perform the magic!!

Good for you!!

Larry B.

 

[Codger2]

skipperdude wrote: She came right back to life and settled down to a low idle with narry a knock or rattle.

******** Outstanding!

******** The "crew" has voted on it and we want you to have this "Master****** Mechanic" trophy. Well done!


-- Edited by SeaHorse II on Sunday 12th of February 2012 07:08:31 PM