Reliability of CAT 3406

jjones770

jjones770

New Member
Nov 15, 2010
2
Lake Lanier, GA
Boat Info
1998 500 Sundancer
Engines
Detriot 6V92 DDEC
Hi. I'm considering purchasing a 1999-2001 540DA with CAT 3406E engines. These boats are difficult to find as this engine upgrade (over the 3196TA) was quite expensive when the boat was new. Knowing what I know about the 3196 aftercooler issues, I hesitate to go with CATs at all (I currently have bulletproof Detriot 6V92 DDEC) however I've heard good things about the 3406E. These engines are BIG and make almost 800 hp each so it would seem they are not working very hard to push the 540. Any comments? Things to look for...things to avoid...questions to ask? Most of the boats I'm looking at have 900-1500 hours on the motors.
 
Everything I have ever heard has been pretty positive about the 3406's. I know there are a number of members here who have them and seem very pleased.
 
What Frank said...

The 3406 is essentially the most hard tested of CAT's engines. In its on-highway form it was known as a C-15, and powered about 30% of the transport trucks in North America before CAT got out of that business a year ago. It's a very solid engine that gets my 560DB up out of the hole pretty quickly.

Paul
 
And I bet it gets there very quickly....................
 
i havent been on a Jarrett Bay or any of the custom sportfish that are powered to the extremes and can get well into the 50's but have experienced the 560 with the bigger MANs. It was simply incredible. imagine the fuel bill....geeesh.
 
We brought a Viking 50 with 1000hp MANs back from West Palm Beach several years ago just ahead of a front with storms/wind/viz problems. These we 90's era non-common rail 10 cylinder engines and we ran at rated rpms 8 hours from Clearwater to Destin.........96gph.

This was a semi-custom production boat. The serious custom sportfishemen are lighter have more power and are faster than our measly 30 kts...........100-125 gph isn't unusual. Make an afternoon of fishing somewhat of an investment, and you won't find those guys on a forum trying to find used parts or making "cool-mods" from Rubbermaid household items.
 
fwebster said:
We brought a Viking 50 with 1000hp MANs back from West Palm Beach several years ago just ahead of a front with storms/wind/viz problems. These we 90's era non-common rail 10 cylinder engines and we ran at rated rpms 8 hours from Clearwater to Destin.........96gph.

This was a semi-custom production boat. The serious custom sportfishemen are lighter have more power and are faster than our measly 30 kts...........100-125 gph isn't unusual. Make an afternoon of fishing somewhat of an investment, and you won't find those guys on a forum trying to find used parts or making "cool-mods" from Rubbermaid household items.
Click to expand...

96GPH? Holy crap! Can you even pour it out of a can that fast? You are talking about almost $5 per minute. That's a different kind of ouch.

I was looking at boats in SoCal and saw a 55 Sundancer with the big MAN's and the boat was completely trashed. The engines didn't work nor did the genny. The cockpit vinyl was completely trashed and the interior looked as though it had never been cleaned. Absolutely beautiful boat that was very expensive to purchase and run only to have someone neglect it completely.

If someone had the skillset to repair this beast they could get a great deal on it I would imagine...
 
I have the 580hp Cat 3406C's in my boat and I'm very happy with them. The boat runs right at 30kts at WOT (2150rpm's) but the fuel burn at that speed is 56 gph, just below .5mpg.

I went on a club cruise a couple of months ago and we spent most of the time running at 10kts. I could easily do that speed at around 900-950rpm's. The boat that ran next to me (53' Navigator with Volvo diesels) was running at 1500 rpm's and there was a 45' Bayliner (I don't know what engines) that was running at 1900 rpm's. I'm guessing my fuel burn rate was lower than either of those two.

My boat's easy planing speed is right at 1700-1750 rpm's and at that it's doing right at 22kts.

Keep in mind that the 3406's are big. Oil changes take 8 gallons per engine so with oil and fuel filters you're looking north of $350 for an oil change for two engines and the genset.
 
My 370 EC is a gasser, but my business operates a lot of heavy equipment, including several with various versions of the 3406. Good engines in our opinion.
 
As for fuel burn, in my boat cruise at 29-30mph is burning 65 GPH. WOT is 35 - 36.7mph (max with all parameters working in my favour) is 80 GPH.
 
Yup. Just doing my part to rid the world of these evil hydrocarbons!
 
Looking at a 580 sss. Anybody know the fuel burn at trawler speeds 8-10 knots?
 
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