temp sending unit for a 3116

Odyssey

Odyssey

Active Member
Jan 8, 2007
1,346
Delray Beach Florida
Boat Info
44EB
Engines
CAT 3116
I have CAT 3116's and have a difference between the temp reading on my helm gauge and the temp reading on the CAT gauge mounted on the top of the engine. The CAT gauge says that the engine is ok but the helm gauge says it's running hot. my understanding is that the helm gauge gets it's feed from a different sender than the CAT gauge. I would like to fix the helm gauge so it reads correctly and called MM to ask about replacing the sender. They ask me what part number it was (I thought they were suppose to tell me that). They could not identify the part number so I'm posting this to see if anyone has repalced the helm temperature sending unit to a 3116, what part number that would be and if no one has, maybe someone knows where the sender is located and I could take a picture of it and send to AR or MM.

Thanks.

Randy
 
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Well....just worked on a similiar problem. My starboard engine was running 195f and port was 185f. This bothered me for a year and took the heat exchanger apart, replaced the tstat, new ELC, new pump impeller, and same outcome on the helm gages. Put thermocouples on the Tstat block and both engines run 195f at cruise. Anyway, now I know the heat exchanger is clean.

You may want to switch the leads on senders to find out if its a gage or sender. The tstat housing has a sender which I would guess is the helm gage. Why not disconnect the wiring and see if the helm gage stops working?

Hope this helps....
Ed
 
Randy,

The Sea Ray gauge package is by Teleflex. I replaced my stbd sender the week we bought our boat, but the dealer gave me the sender if I switched them out. If the sender is Sea Ray supplied, it is going to be in the Sea Ray parts list available on their website. If the gauge pack was supplied by Ringhaver, who marinized the engines for Cat/Sea Ray, the sender is going to be a Cat item and you will find it in the parts list in your owner's packet........use the AR # to go to the right page in the parts list since you will have several.

Sorry I'm not more help...........I'm boating!
 
OK.......I looked it up.

The gauge package was supplied by Sea Ray not by Caterpillar. The sender is available from Sea Ray dealers as SR part # 142844, and the gauge is SR part # 782185, if you need it.

Now, I need to vent.............it took me about 6 minutes to find the application and number on a dial up connection (I'm at the beach). Your dealer's parts guy was sitting there with a viewer and filed microfiches within arm's reach and the guy was such a deadbeat he couldn't bother to get off his lazy ass and get the number and order the part for you. No wonder you guys complain about MM. Had I asked the same question of my dealer, if the part wasn't in stock (it is a common part and most likely would be) the response would have been: "I can have it tomorrow by Fedex or in 4 days via UPS".......and it would be on the back seat of my boat in a little paper sack when it arrived...........I need to remember to tell my parts guy how much I appreciate him tomorrow.
 
Frank - thanks for spending your time to look up the part number, I'm sorry it took you a while.

I'll send this info to the local MM guy and see what happens. Hopefully, they have the unit and it solves the problem.

Randy
 
EKM said:
Well....just worked on a similiar problem. My starboard engine was running 195f and port was 185f. This bothered me for a year and took the heat exchanger apart, replaced the tstat, new ELC, new pump impeller, and same outcome on the helm gages. Put thermocouples on the Tstat block and both engines run 195f at cruise. Anyway, now I know the heat exchanger is clean.

You may want to switch the leads on senders to find out if its a gage or sender. The tstat housing has a sender which I would guess is the helm gage. Why not disconnect the wiring and see if the helm gage stops working?

Hope this helps....
Ed
Click to expand...

Hi Ed, questions - after you did all the work to you starboard exchanger, the port engine started running warmer than it did before? Also, what purpose do the thermocouples serve? Do you have pics of the temp sender/thermocouple?

Thanks

Randy
 
I received this response from the local Marine Max dealer....

Part #142844 is the SeaRay part number that is no longer available. We use one that we have in stock. It is 3/8” pipe fitting. In some cases the hole is ½”. In that case we use a bushing to make it compatible. The price is $31.49, and I have stock (MM354839 sender/MM1068341 bushing).

The guys also said he doesn't know where the temp sender is located so I need some assistance with that too.

Frank - might I have better luck with the dealership you work with?

Randy
 
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Sorry my earlier post was not clear. Both engines were always running at 195f and the sender or guage is not calibrated correctly on the port engine. I incorrectly went after the starboard engine but it was the gage system.

The thermocouples were taped to the tstat housing. Thermocouples will measure temperature and proved both engines were running the same temp. Wires were feed down thru the small screw off access port so all of the testing was done with the engine hatch closed.

Well...hopefully you have the right parts and the switch goes ok.
Regards,
Ed
 
Randy,

It is Treasure Island Marina in Panama City Beach......850-234-6533; parts then talk to John Mass and tell him I sent you.

By the way.......I think they were the original selling dealer for your boat.
 
EKM said:
Sorry my earlier post was not clear. Both engines were always running at 195f and the sender or guage is not calibrated correctly on the port engine. I incorrectly went after the starboard engine but it was the gage system.

The thermocouples were taped to the tstat housing. Thermocouples will measure temperature and proved both engines were running the same temp. Wires were feed down thru the small screw off access port so all of the testing was done with the engine hatch closed.

Well...hopefully you have the right parts and the switch goes ok.
Regards,
Ed
Click to expand...

Hi Ed - bear with me here...

If one of the sensors/gauges was reading low, how did you correct that? Also, were the thermocouples temporary just to check the temperature?

Thanks
 
Update.... John Mass didn't have the part and gave me the number to Panama Marine, an authorized Teleflex dealer. They had the temp senders in stock for $14.69. I ordered 2.

Hopefully this will solve the problem.

Now, if I only knew where they go, I could install them :grin:

Randy
 
I was trying to find some info from Teleflex online about their temp senders, and couldn't locate it (read it once before a while back). Basically there are acceptable "tolerances" for the senders, and being off a few degrees is OK.

Keep in mind also that- as you noted- the senders are in different locations, and that could also contribute to a few degrees differential. My stbd. gauge reads about 5-7 degrees hotter than the engine mounted gauge. I simply allow for that...

With the exception of VDO, all other gauges I'm aware of (Teleflex, Faria, SW) use a universal type sender. Only variation is for single/dual station.
 
Odyssey said:
Update.... John Mass didn't have the part and gave me the number to Panama Marine, an authorized Teleflex dealer. They had the temp senders in stock for $14.69. I ordered 2.

Hopefully this will solve the problem.

Now, if I only knew where they go, I could install them :grin:

Randy
Click to expand...

Randy,
Once you get the new senders it's a matter of matching it up with what looks just like it on the engine. I know this sounds stupid but when you don't know It's sometimes the only way you can figure it out.
Jack
 
OK, I got them in the mail today......

CIMG0988.jpg


Where in the hell do they go?????

Randy
 
Just replaced my sender last night, waiting to test today. I had a previous post complaining about the same issue. Finally ran out of parts to replace and noticed the engine mounted temp gage which is actually an electric gage was reading 180, and the helm was reading 195. The helm gage I understand works off resistance. My yard mechanic took him 8 days to get the part, his story not standard and none in stock. I know Frank has reported in the past that his CAT's run at 195, my Thermostats are 180, directly from CAT. I have 3126's and my friend down the dock has 3116's, he runs at 180 plus or minus.

In any case this series of posts are about a year late for me, I was getting ready to cut a hole in the bottom of the boat and let it go! I will know in a few hours whether I have success or not.

I will also add that after much research I have seen upper limit temps of 215 being stated by CAT as an acceptable high temp, I don't buy it,

Kon Tiki
400DB 3126's
 
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Kon Tiki said:
Just replaced my sender last night, waiting to test today. I had a previous post complaining about the same issue. Finally ran out of parts to replace and noticed the engine mounted temp gage which is actually an electric gage was reading 180, and the helm was reading 195. The helm gage I understand works off resistance. My yard mechanic took him 8 days to get the part, his story not standard and none in stock. I know Frank has reported in the past that his CAT's run at 195, my Thermostats are 180, directly from CAT. I have 3126's and my friend down the dock has 3116's, he runs at 180 plus or minus.

In any case this series of posts are about a year late for me, I was getting ready to cut a hole in the bottom of the boat and let it go! I will know in a few hours whether I have success or not.

I will also add that after much research I have seen upper limit temps of 215 being stated by CAT as an acceptable high temp, I don't buy it,

Kon Tiki
400DB 3126's
Click to expand...

please let me know what happens, your situation sounds exactly what mine, engine reads 180, helm reads 195. CAT told me that anything under 206 was OK.

Randy
 
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