1996 Cat 3176TA engines ?? Any thoughts??

Capt Sandbar

Member
Sep 10, 2018
32
Prescott, Wisc
Boat Info
1993 Formula 31PC - looking for a 48 MY
Engines
7.4 Merc -Bravo II
We are looking at a 500 Sundancer with 3176TA engines - I have heard some pros and cons- thoughts.....
 
Mechanically, the 3176 is a good engine, but the 500DA is an old boat design and is very heavy. I suspect that she is going to be sluggish and slow so I would get a sea trial before you spend any money on surveys.
 
Hey Frank -thanks for the input- you seem to be the resident expert.
Any idea what speeds this age 500 will obtain - and are you telling me the fuel mileage will be be worse than other similar
size boats ?

This one seems very well maintained and has about 800 hrs on the engines. Are these to small for this heavy of a boat?

And a million questions will follow - haha

Thanks Steve
 
I'd be surprised if she's sluggish. 500DA's fitted with less, specifically the 2-stroke DD 550 HP 6V92-TA's perform fine.

I've logged many hours on a 500DA with the DDEC versions of the TA. They're not rated for much more HP than a 3176 (about halfway between the 3176 and the more common 3196). I never had complaints, aside from passengers if I engaged gears without being in low idle!

We pushed her more than we probably should have, but cruising in mid/high 20's was easy.

Like most Sea Rays, The 500DA hull is built more for interior space and efficiency than it is for wave smashing.
 
I’m probably more interested in reliability and fuel efficiency than speed - makes me feel better that Frank said they are good motors
 
Power for the 500DA included 6V92-TA's, 6V92-DDEC's, 8V92-TA's, 3176's and 3196's.

Of that list, I'd choose 3196's first, then 3176's. If I had a "rebuild for free" coupon, I'd choose DDEC's.
 
Hey Frank -thanks for the input- you seem to be the resident expert.
Any idea what speeds this age 500 will obtain - and are you telling me the fuel mileage will be be worse than other similar
size boats ?

This one seems very well maintained and has about 800 hrs on the engines. Are these to small for this heavy of a boat?

And a million questions will follow - haha

Thanks Steve



Suggest you address the rest of your questions to RollerCoaster. He seems to know more about this than I do.
 
Suggest you address the rest of your questions to RollerCoaster. He seems to know more about this than I do.

I can only offer perspective/comparisons. I'm very familiar with 500DA's in general powered by various engines, but that doesn't include the 3176. I don't think I've even been aboard a vessel equipped with them.
 
We have the 8V92s, 735 HP non DDECs. Cruise speed is mid 20s at 1700-1800. I have heard stay away from DDECs, to much computer to make to much HP. We have well over 2500 hours and no major issues. WE have a friend with a 480 Sedan with 3196s, great engines, just make sure aftercoolers are gen 3 and have been checked.
 
Thanks for the input- Frank, for sure we will take a ride - am I correct to assume that the 3176 are a lower HP version of the 3196’s ?
 
So Frank, you have the same year motors - am I to assume that your 3116’s are the same series as the 3176’s ?

And Roller Coaster , I certainly appreciate your input and opinions- as I purchase my first diesel boat, any advice is great!!
 
Well, price, availablity and my wife liked the SunDancer - happy wife- happy life

And we seem to have found a very nice 500 at a good price
 
Cat integrated displacement into what seems like random model numbers back then for the 31XX Series:

The 3116 has 1.1 liters of displacement per hole and 6 cylinders, to make a 6.6L engine.

The 3126 has 1.2 liters of displacement per hole and 6 cylinders, to make a 7.2L engine.

The 3176 has 1.7 liters of displacement per hole and 6 cylinders, to make a 10.3L engine.

The 3196 has 1.9 liters of displacement per hole and 6 cylinders, to make a 12L engine (yeah, the math doesn't quite work out there: the 3196 is pretty-much exactly 12L, but "3206" was a designation for another series)
 

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