The Caterpillar 3208 engine is adaptable, dependable, and very well regarded for its toughness and reliability across many applications, from over-the-road, commercial vehicles, and marine vessels to industrial machinery. If you own or operate a CAT 3208 engine, you may experience some common issues.If you’re looking to purchase parts to repair your CAT 3208 engine, go to ProDieselParts.
Here are a few of the common problems with their possible solutions:
1. Engine off on idle:
One of the common problems of this engine is when it is off during idle. The engine doesn’t show any signs of shutting down when it is at WOT, but as soon as it idles, the engine shuts down.
These are 3 reasons on why it happens;
- a. Faulty hand primer: If the hand primer is bad, it could be the reason why you are having such a problem.
- b. Solenoid pump: A faulty pump solenoid can be unpredictable and cause problems. Therefore, it should also be checked.
- c. Injection Pump: The injection pump could be another reason why you are having such a problem.
Check all the three above-mentioned components if your CAT 3208 shuts down during idle.
2. Blowby: Blowby is very common in CAT 3208 engines. So if the blowby is very minimal, then you can see it as normal. But if the blowby is increased then you need to look into it.
The first thing you might think about is that the engine is becoming weak when this happens, but if the engine is not the issue, then you need to think about the breather loop. When the breather loop is blocked, then it could be the reason why you are having such a problem.
Before considering engine wear, you should check the breather to ensure it is not clogged
3. Blown head gasket: A blown head gasket is a very common problem with many engines, including the CAT 3208.
The common cause of a blown head gasket is as a result of overheating. When the engine overheats, the temperature rises where it can blow the head gasket.
Another reason you could have such a problem is overloading. When the engine is overloaded, the head gasket becomes the weakest point.
4. Aftercooler issues: The engine has a very different type of aftercooler. But the aftercooler needs maintenance after constant usage. When the aftercooler is clogged, it prevents air passing which affects the engine’s wellbeing.
Sometimes, the aftercooler could also leak and allow coolant to enter. Therefore, you should always keep an eye on the aftercooler.
5. Loss of fuel Pressure: Loss of Fuel pressure can happen on your CAT 3208. When you have to pump the hand primer before you start the engine, you’re experiencing a loss of fuel pressure.
In this scenario, if you measure the fuel pressure bar, you will notice that the fuel bar is gradually dropping. Why?
- i. The fuel tank pickup tube may leak. If this tube is broken, it can cause the engine to suck air, which could affect the fuel system. You should check the suction pipe of the fuel tank
- ii. You can also be losing prime because of bad hand primer. The hand primer should be able to hold the pressure, but when it’s faulty, it allows you to lose prime.
6. Exhaust fumes in CAT 3208 coolant: When you have a blown head gasket, it can allow exhaust fumes to mix with the coolant. A cracked cylinder head is one reason why you can have exhaust fumes in the coolant.
With these 6 common problems of the 3208, you should be able to solve any of them whenever any of the problems surface on the engine. ProDieselParts carries all the components necessary to fix and keep your CAT 3208 engine running.
For more maintenance info on your CAT 3208 engine please have a look at this article:
http://52.6.192.221/category/caterpillar/cat-3200-series/
