New Boat with Caterpillar 3126

[ppwhite]

I have been boating most of my life. I sold my 400 dancer with 7.4 gas motors and bought a 410 Express with 3126 Caterpillars. I am very excited! The boat has all the paper work with it and Cat performed a 250 hour service and 500 hour service.The boat currently has 725 hours on it. The boat has always had Cat oil and filters, and I would like to continue that. I want to put new anodes in the raw water system and new fresh water impellers in. Is it worth changing the coolant? I know it is very important to keep coolant maintenance. Where is the best and cheapest place to buy all the parts I need.
Any insight is greatly appericated.

Paul

 

[fwebster]

At the age of the boat, yes.

But you should only use Cat Extended Life Coolant (ELC)...Cat part# 101-2844 and it takes 30 qts per engine.....but get a gal extra. It is red in color, is prediluted and already has the correct SCA package in it (supplimental coolant additives). Best of all, if the ELC isn't diluted or mixed with other types of coolant, it has a 6 year life. You never have to do anything but check the overflow resevoir to be sure there is enough coolant in the system.

It is best to use Cat filters and Cat coolant.......they aren't picky about oil, so a good diesel oil like Delo 400 or Rotella T are the usual choices. Cat does prohibit the use of 15W40 and other multi-viscosity oils in the 3116 and 3126 because the viscosity enhancers in multi-viscosity oils will precipitate out and foul the after coolers on these 2 engine types. therefore you should use SAE 30 in NY.

Caterpillar parts will have to come from a Cat dealer, and there are a few online. One trick I have learned is to avoid the Cat store that is closest to the water. Try to find a Cat store that mostly caters to rental, construction and earth moving equiment. I do that and I pay less for Cat filters at the Cat dealership in Nashville TN than the local NAPA or the Cat store in Florida charges....but I happen to live in Tennessee part time and Florida part time.

 

[my3sons]

Congratulations Paul!
Can I assume you bought the boat out of safe Harbor marina? It's the only 410EC I know of around here with 3126's.
Milton Cat in Batavia is our cat dealer here, I've been dealing with them since they bought out Syracuse supply over in Tonawanda about 15 years ago. They are really good to work with. When you call them, have your arrangement number as well as serial # (it's on the engine, should be on the valve cover if the marine engines are the same as off road engines)
There are a couple different places to get your anodes from. If you want to stay with Zinc, I would go to Boatzincs.com. If you want to use aluminum call Rae at Scicast International.
Although the last time I talked to Boat Zincs, they were going to start selling aluminum pencil anodes in the near future.
Have fun learning about your new ride!

 

[hakunamatata]

Congrats!

 

[The Bill Collector]

Congrat's ! And as FW stated check around for best pricing at different CAT dealers. I just did ELC & thermo's this spring. CAT changed my thermostats from 180 to 195 degrees.

 

[ppwhite]

Congratulations Paul!
Can I assume you bought the boat out of safe Harbor marina? It's the only 410EC I know of around here with 3126's.
Milton Cat in Batavia is our cat dealer here, I've been dealing with them since they bought out Syracuse supply over in Tonawanda about 15 years ago. They are really good to work with. When you call them, have your arrangement number as well as serial # (it's on the engine, should be on the valve cover if the marine engines are the same as off road engines)
There are a couple different places to get your anodes from. If you want to stay with Zinc, I would go to Boatzincs.com. If you want to use aluminum call Rae at Scicast International.
Although the last time I talked to Boat Zincs, they were going to start selling aluminum pencil anodes in the near future.
Have fun learning about your new ride!

Yes that is the boat. Made a last minute deal.

 

[ttmott]

If the Cat ELC has never been changed or you think never changed, it's best to flush the cooling system with fresh water. The ELC can gel and form a film on the engine internal surfaces which can inhibit heat transfer. And, while that deep into it, time also for hoses, thermostats, expansion tank caps, and cleaning of the heat exchangers. Might as well get this stuff baselined.

 

[JVM225]

Boatzincs.com sells the zincs for the raw water side in sets for the 3126’s.
The ones in the aftercooler can be a real pain in the neck to get out because the pencil zincs lock in there over time, separate from the caps when you go to remove them, and get stuck inside the aftercooler.
Frank recommends that you change the zincs more often before they lock in there. After a frustrating time getting mine out the first time I can say that Frank’s advice is solid.
I did mine earler in the season, and will be doing them again when I pull the boat out in a few weeks. My plan is to do them twice a year.

 

[carterchapman]

If you're in fresh water, call Scicast (as mentioned above) and speak to Rae - the AL Anodes have steel centers and don't break off...

 

[HUMPH]

Boatzincs.com sells the zincs for the raw water side in sets for the 3126’s.
The ones in the aftercooler can be a real pain in the neck to get out because the pencil zincs lock in there over time, separate from the caps when you go to remove them, and get stuck inside the aftercooler.
Frank recommends that you change the zincs more often before they lock in there. After a frustrating time getting mine out the first time I can say that Frank’s advice is solid.
I did mine earler in the season, and will be doing them again when I pull the boat out in a few weeks. My plan is to do them twice a year.

Drop the caps in muriatic acid if they break off. Come back after about an hour and the anode is dissolved.