Cat 3208 question(S)

RV and bus conversion info since 1996.

Share Your Feedback

PRINT PAGE

RV Classifieds

		1972 MCI MCI-7 - $50,000
		2006 Rockwood FREEDOM M-2280 - $6,500
		1998 Newmar American Star - $15,000
		2005 Nu-Wa HITCHHIKER CHAMPAGNE M-35 CKQG - $60,000
		1995 International Bluebird - $17,900
		VIEW ALL
		Search RV Classifieds
		Classifieds Policies
		Benefits for Dealers
		Sell Your RV
		Dealer Signup

Useful Links

RV Community

		Discussion Groups
		RV Articles
		RV FAQs
		RV Classified Ads
		Virtual RV Park
		Shop at our Store
		RV Lifestyle Books
		Rate Your RV
		AllThingsRV.com
		MyRVGuide.com
		RVMechanic.com
		Advertise With Us

BECOME A MEMBER

RV Resources

		e RV Loans
		Sculptures for your RV
		Visit Rio Rancho, NM for Winter
		RV Dealers
		RV Manufacturers
		RV Rentals
		RV Glossary
		RV Types
		RV Ratings

Cat 3208 question(S)

Home > Discussion Forum > Bus Conversions - School

email Ryan Grace

reply to message

post new message

search forums

hidden layer

ATTENTION: All Postings that advertise items for sale will be deleted from the Discussion Forum. You may post sale items for free in the Classifieds section. Sign up now.

All Messages in Thread	Author	Date
Cat 3208 question(S)	Ryan Grace	12-22-03
Hello, sorry to bother you, i have a pair of gillig 35 foot schoolbuses with rear cat 3208s. I am on a caravan www.sustainablesolutionscaravan.org driving on straight vegetable oils through central america from california to costa rica. the engines run great and make incredible power for their size and efficiency. I have a few questions i could use help with, important ones first. 1. The engines smoke on idle at high altitudes.. biodiesel, veggie or diesel so its not a fuel problem. i fixed this on my vw vanagon diesels but turning down the overall fuel delivery with a screw on the fuel pump. How do I do this on the 3208? i see a small 3/8 nut on top on the pump... 2. Where is the cheapest place to get the shop manual? is it difficult to time the pump(i like to advance the timing slightly for better veggie burning.. ie:.86mm to.96mm on a vw diesel can eliminate the slight haze on cold idle)? difficult or tedious to remove injectors for testing and cleaning? 3. The first bus has a better EGR setup than the other.. it sends some crankcase gases to the intake like a normal diesel.. the other engine just has a tube coming of the valve cover pointing down below the engine.. it blows a steady stream of smoke that mechanics say is normal but as an ecologist annoys me. it looks like the intake and valve cover setup are all that is needed to upgrade the EGR... Is this possible? where can i score these parts? thank you for your time, ryan grace.
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Bob W.	5-9-04
Very good info Mark O. :) We have a '78 Bluebird with a 3406E Cat {455hp} and Allison 754 {5 speed} that smokes like an old steam engine :( Haven't found a solution as yet, but I'm sure there's one out there. I don't think the 3406E has the same oval piston design as the 3206...?
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Mark O.	1-7-04
Every 3208 smokes on start up and at idle, there isn't much you can do about it. The engine was designed with oval shaped pistons. As the engine warms up, the pistons expand and become round. This design characteristic is one of the reasons so many of the 3208's in school bus service smoke so much more than engines used in different applications. Very few school buses ever work hard enough to really warm up properly. Since they never really warm up, the pistons never fully round out. Since they never really round out they tend to oval the cylinder. Once the cylinder is ovaled, nothing you can do on the fuel injection end will stop the smoking. The oval piston design is also the reason why 3208 engines can be so difficult to start at high altitude or in cold temperatures. Unless and until the piston rounds out, you never get full compression. Without full compression you never get full fuel burn which results in smoke. Good luck on your project. Mark O.
Cheapest place to get any book...	kd5kfl	12-22-03
Http://www.abebooks.com Abebooks is a broker for used booksellers. I have found books I've been looking for since grade school there. Be wary - sometimes these used book sellers charge rare book prices for things you can get at Borders.
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Ted House	9-28-05
What is the cylinder compression pressure on a CAT 3208, single turbo, 2 ring piston engine?
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	erick zuñiga	1-14-07
Fotos del modelo 3208com turbo y otros
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Dale	2-8-07
Add on turbo dale inf on above dale@tulsacoxmail.com 2
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Dale	2-8-07
Add on turbo dale inf on above dale@tulsacoxmail.com 2
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Dale	2-8-07
Add on turbo dale inf on above dale@tulsacoxmail.com 2
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	brad	4-14-07
I have a 3208 in a farm tractor with a cab.I have tried all of the ports on the front cover but i can't get the coolant to flow through the heater core.I even filled the system from the top of the cab to force out air.My question is which coolant ports should work? it has a new water pump and t-stats.thanks for any help.
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	Dale	2-8-07
I have a 3208 D I in a bluebird motor home the engine is in good shape just dont have enought power on long grades would like to add a turbo to my engine would like to buy a add on kit, having a hard time finding anyone to sell me one if anyone know someone that I can buy one from I would to know. I can install my self, or if any has installed one let me know how it did, or where you bought it. thanks Dale
Re: cat 3208 question(S)	mark robertson	4-17-07
What is oil presser at idle on at 3208 im look at buying 90 h/r 40 footer with the 3208 250/300 hp has 87,000 thousand miles on start up it went to 60psi when warmed up 30psi your input would help me thanks mark r