Official Caterpillar3116/3126 Thread

Maybe A Dancer said:
In my own case all my "stuff" is 25 years old with an unknown service history

450 hours in salt water

Going to replace impellers, ALL hoses, thermostats, service all coolers and replace trans coolers with new, factory CAT units

I consider all of this cheap insurance/maintenance

when complete, I'll then be at ZERO hours/years for regular maintenance, and can then get back on the correct Maintenace schedule.

I'd much rather fix it before it breaks, after all, all this stuff is 25 years old, plus MARINE AGE

BEST !

RWS
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That is the way I like to do things, a few $$ and a little labor up front but much better than a breakdown or catastrophic loss of an engine or trans.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Has anyone replaced a trans cooler themselves? If yes it is a straight forward DIY job (remember Ii am new to these 3126 CATs)? I am asking so I can make a decision to have it done before I bring the boat home, while I have access to a many marine diesel/CAT mechanics, or do it myself when I get the boat home, where there are few marine CAT mechanics.

Thanks
Click to expand...
I am new to this boat and the engines, but I did do them on my prior gas engine boat. From a technical standpoint a simple job, as far as access on this boat might be a little uncomfortable but I suspect doable.
 
Maybe A Dancer said:
In my own case all my "stuff" is 25 years old with an unknown service history

450 hours in salt water

Going to replace impellers, ALL hoses, thermostats, service all coolers and replace trans coolers with new, factory CAT units

I consider all of this cheap insurance/maintenance

when complete, I'll then be at ZERO hours/years for regular maintenance, and can then get back on the correct Maintenace schedule.

I'd much rather fix it before it breaks, after all, all this stuff is 25 years old, plus MARINE AGE

BEST !

RWS
Click to expand...

jeez i just looked them up...first time I felt a little sticker shock on CAT parts as they've been pretty reasonable up to this point. $761/ea for the cooler.
 
Dude, stop posting the same question in multiple threads. Some of us have better things to do than trying to reassure you this is a decent boat.



Very easy job and not another reason to reason to cancel this deal……..

2 bolts/nuts
2 water hoses
and 2 hydraulic lines

might take 30 minutes if you don't drop any tools or fasteners. You will need new 1-1/4" zincs, 2 per side, and 2 new hose clamps per side…..just because I don't reuse hose clamps that are older than about 3 years.


Frank
 
fwebster said:
Dude, stop posting the same question in multiple threads. Some of us have better things to do than trying to reassure you this is a decent boat.
Frank
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I am not trying to cancel the deal, and where did I post a question about servicing the trans coolers in multiple threads?

Since going under contract I have discovered there are no mobile diesel mechanics where I will be keeping the boat, and really only one marina in the area that has diesel mechanics. My gfs brother-in-law is a certified caterpillar mechanic, and will be helping me with some of the service, but not the marine stuff. So after reading the above thread

Strecker25 said:
Someone posted on Facebook the other day that one of the transmission coolers leaked and sucked all the transmission fluid out, destroying the transmission. It got me thinking that we should really remove ours and have them tested just like I did the aftercoolers. Have you guys done this? We are freshwater and the boat has never seen salt but at over 20 years old it’s probably time to consider it and possibly even replace

mr cool has brand new replacements for 375/ea
Click to expand...


it got me thinking: maybe I should get the trans coolers serviced before I bring it home unless it's an easy job I can do myself once it's home.

Do I take them to a radiator shop for cleaning/testing after they are removed? Or do they go to a different kind of shop?
 
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Strecker25 said:
jeez i just looked them up...first time I felt a little sticker shock on CAT parts as they've been pretty reasonable up to this point. $761/ea for the cooler.
Click to expand...
Money well spent IMHO to avoid losing a transmission. I have the 2021 replacement invoice for the boat I am purchasing, replaced with a ZF 851V: $11,837.04
 
mrsrobinson said:
I am not trying to cancel the deal, and where did I post a question about servicing the trans coolers in multiple threads?

Since going under contract I have discovered there are no mobile diesel mechanics where I will be keeping the boat, and really only one marina in the area that has diesel mechanics. My gfs brother-in-law is a certified caterpillar mechanic, and will be helping me with some of the service, but not the marine stuff. So after reading the above thread




it got me thinking: maybe I should get the trans coolers serviced before I bring it home unless it's an easy job I can do myself once it's home.

Do I take them to a radiator shop for cleaning/testing after they are removed? Or do they go to a different kind of shop?
Click to expand...

Mine went to the local radiator shop, hot-tanked, tested, and primered.
 
Strecker25 said:
Someone posted on Facebook the other day that one of the transmission coolers leaked and sucked all the transmission fluid out, destroying the transmission. It got me thinking that we should really remove ours and have them tested just like I did the aftercoolers. Have you guys done this? We are freshwater and the boat has never seen salt but at over 20 years old it’s probably time to consider it and possibly even replace

mr cool has brand new replacements for 375/ea
Click to expand...

The OEM version for the 3126's are made by Sen-Dure products --> https://sen-dureproducts.com/

If you call them with the serial number, they can tell you when it was built. One of mine had already been replaced, I replaced the other one preemptively. I want to say the new one with shipping was about $400 a couple years ago, but this is the OEM version, so it fits exactly. I had two shipped to me...the first had different end castings, and wouldn't fit in the holders and the hoses didnt match up. The second one was perfect.
 
mrsrobinson said:
Has anyone replaced a trans cooler themselves? If yes it is a straight forward DIY job (remember Ii am new to these 3126 CATs)? I am asking so I can make a decision to have it done before I bring the boat home, while I have access to a many marine diesel/CAT mechanics, or do it myself when I get the boat home, where there are few marine CAT mechanics.

Thanks
Click to expand...


Yes I have...very strait forward DIY Job. Remove 2 hose clamps, and undo the formed hoses on each end. Loosen the hydraulic fittings (cap them off and tie up the hoses to prevent ATF spilling) and finally loosen up the 2 mounting rings. 30 minute job. Once you have the cooler out some 3/8 NPT plugs will prevent the residual ATF from spilling (they will be pretty full)

While you have it out, replace the Anodes.

These transmission coolers are one of the choke points in the cooling system. They need to be treated with rydlyme, on a schedule.
 
dtfeld said:
The OEM version for the 3126's are made by Sen-Dure products --> https://sen-dureproducts.com/

If you call them with the serial number, they can tell you when it was built. One of mine had already been replaced, I replaced the other one preemptively. I want to say the new one with shipping was about $400 a couple years ago, but this is the OEM version, so it fits exactly. I had two shipped to me...the first had different end castings, and wouldn't fit in the holders and the hoses didnt match up. The second one was perfect.
Click to expand...

nice! Same price as the mr cool ones and much better pricing than cat
 
fwebster said:
Dude, stop posting the same question in multiple threads. Some of us have better things to do than trying to reassure you this is a decent boat.



Very easy job and not another reason to reason to cancel this deal……..

2 bolts/nuts
2 water hoses
and 2 hydraulic lines

might take 30 minutes if you don't drop any tools or fasteners. You will need new 1-1/4" zincs, 2 per side, and 2 new hose clamps per side…..just because I don't reuse hose clamps that are older than about 3 years.


Frank
Click to expand...

>>>>>>>>>

This is a BARGAIN.

I consider it really CHEAP INSURANCE

If the factory CAT units went 25 years with little service, I'm HAPPY to replace them with the exact same CAT coolers.

In 25 years, I'll likely be dead and it will be time for the next owner to deal with the 3rd go around.

At least for the duration of my ownership there is little chance a $700 x 2 cooler will take out a $13,000 x 2 gearset.

Put it into THAT perspective and all is right with the world !

BEST !

RWS
 
Maybe A Dancer said:
>>>>>>>>>

This is a BARGAIN.

I consider it really CHEAP INSURANCE

If the factory CAT units went 25 years with little service, I'm HAPPY to replace them with the exact same CAT coolers.

In 25 years, I'll likely be dead and it will be time for the next owner to deal with the 3rd go around.

At least for the duration of my ownership there is little chance a $700 x 2 cooler will take out a $13,000 x 2 gearset.

Put it into THAT perspective and all is right with the world !

BEST !

RWS
Click to expand...

dont get me wrong , I agree. I paid CAT 4k for a turbo I could have gotten for 1500 but if we can source the exact same unit from the OEM for half price (plus the $10 can of CAT spray paint) that seems like a no-brainer.
 
fwebster said:
Dude, stop posting the same question in multiple threads. Some of us have better things to do than trying to reassure you this is a decent boat.



Very easy job and not another reason to reason to cancel this deal……..

2 bolts/nuts
2 water hoses
and 2 hydraulic lines

might take 30 minutes if you don't drop any tools or fasteners. You will need new 1-1/4" zincs, 2 per side, and 2 new hose clamps per side…..just because I don't reuse hose clamps that are older than about 3 years.


Frank
Click to expand...


I've been on this site for about 12 years and Frank dropping the word "Dude" might just be the best thing I've ever seen on here!!!!
 
SeaNile said:
I've been on this site for about 12 years and Frank dropping the word "Dude" might just be the best thing I've ever seen on here!!!!
Click to expand...
Ha, I thought the same :) and 16 years for me. He helped me many times with the 330DA.

I deserve it, I've posted waaaay too much about this boat/purchase.

It's my lucky day. I just talked to the mechanic who is going to do the after cooler service for me. He's done work on the engines/transmissions for the current owner. He told me he sent the starboard trans cooler out for cleaning/testing about a year ago when he fixed a transmission leak. He said he knows the port one has been done as well, about a year ago, by a different mechanic/shop.

Why didn't the seller/broker know this? Rhetorical question...
 
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@mrsrobinson. If your brother-in-law is a certified caterpillar mechanic there is nothing on that engine raw water cooled or otherwise that that man should not be able to fix! These are the simplest engines and cooling systems ever designed by mankind!
 
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