Caterpillar 12 grader engine is dead - please help?

[1693TA]

I know of a good D318 from a generator outside of Indianapolis. Generator is gone and it's just the engine. I ran the crew that pulled and replaced with a Kohler set under contract. Nothing wrong with it and the guy that purchased it has passed so it sets. Was going into something older and Cat, but I don't know anymore than that. Freight would be a lot these days I'm sure as it's heavy and still in it's open frame enclosure; or was last I knew.

 

[OzDozer]

A D318 industrial engine weighs 3,100lbs. If it's still with the generator skid frame, you could add another 300-400lbs to that.

 

[Entropy1]

So good news. I picked up a running D318 engine (thank you for the link Tugger2). I paid $1500. This was a backup generator at a dairy farm for many years. It was just taken out-of-service (to make way for new generator). You push the lever to the low-idle/start setting (which is more of a mid-idle), push the starter, and it fires right up. After it warms a bit, push it over to run, and it holds at 1800 rpm. Pull the lever back all the way, and it shuts off.

I'm very pleased, however - this is not the direct swap I was hoping for. The D318 bellhousing on this generator engine will clearly not bolt up to my CAT-12 transmission. I'm assuming I'll have to swap the bellhousing & flywheel from my old grader engine onto this one (at a minimum). I'd like to run the pony motor also, but there's a turbocharger in the way. The large boss-mount for the electric starter is not present on my grader's bellhousing.

Anyway - here's pictures of the engine.

 

[Entropy1]

and more

 

[Entropy1]

and two more

 

[Entropy1]

There's some epoxy looking stuff in the last picture. I'm assuming there's a crack under it. Looks to be an old repair.

Would it be beneficial to swap the governor assembly from my CAT-12 engine onto this engine (so the factory controls work)?

Does the turbocharged engine have lower compression, or the same compression? More specifically, would it be feasible to swap the naturally aspirated intake manifold, exhaust manifold, and fuel injection onto this engine?

 

[Entropy1]

I'm half tempted to keep this unit as an operational generator, and keep looking for another D318.

 

[OzDozer]

It would be a shame to pull apart such a nice old Cat genset to simply repower your grader. I'd keep looking for a grader engine.

 

[Entropy1]

I was just looking at the piston/cylinder kit part numbers for D318 engines. There appears to be no difference between the turbo & non-turbo piston/cylinder kits.

 

[OzDozer]

There's usually a difference in compression ratio, the turbo engines have a lower compression ratio.
This is either done with slightly modified piston crowns or sometimes just a thicker cylinder head gasket.

 

[Entropy1]

Assuming I put this engine into my grader - should I attempt to detune it? (install the naturally aspirated fuel injection, governor, intake, and exhaust?) - or should I install it with the turbo? It would be an appreciable increase in torque/power. I don't want to damage the grader's driveline.

I don't desire lots of power - just an operational grader (the potholes in our roads are pretty bad). My old engine is 99% complete (only missing its injectors - and the fact that it's seized up). I'm pretty sure I have the dry clutch, but I won't know for sure until I pull it.

EDIT: I've been searching the internet/forums regarding turbocharged D318 engines. Lots of discussion about adding a turbo. Haven't found any information whatsoever about deleting the turbo. . . .

 

[Welder Dave]

There's a D318 listed in the buy and sell forum. Not sure if you saw it or it's already sold.

 

[OzDozer]

It would require a considerable amount of work to remove the turbo, the fuel settings need to be re-adjusted and the timing degrees needs to be reset as well. The genset governor won't cause any issues.

The 149.5HP power output of the genset D318 will definitely cause drivetrain problems with the grader.
I think your grader is 100HP? - the later Cat 12's with the D333 were 115HP with basically the same drivetrain, but 149.5HP is going to tear up the driveline for sure.

 

[OzDozer]

There's a D318 listed in the buy and sell forum. Not sure if you saw it or it's already sold

That's the one in Nth Carolina? It's a long way to haul it to Washington State.

 

[OzDozer]

Entropy1 - Here's a D318 coming up for auction in FL in 12 days time. The auction site says it came from a 12F 59H series grader, but that information is wrong, the 12F was not released until the mid-1960's, and it was fitted with the D333 engine.

CAT D318 ENGINE

6 CYL, DIESEL

www.jeffmartinauctioneers.com

The good news is - I checked the engine block part number shown in the auction photos (1H5652) against the Cat NPR (Numerical Parts Record) and this part number was replaced by 5H7505 engine block part number.
Checking the fitment of 5H7505 engine block against the machines or equipment it was fitted to, reveals that this cylinder block was fitted to 12E graders with the serial number range of 8T11252 to 8T21904.

So this auction engine is a suitable fit for your grader. If you can acquire it cheaply (I'd be surprised if it brought any more than $300-$400), then it may be economic to ship it from FL.

 

[Entropy1]

Shipping a 3000 pound engine from FL to WA is not going to be cheap. The last time I shipped an engine (disassembled & cleaned Pontiac 400, from WA to TX), the shipping company wanted to charge appreciable hazmat fees. It wasn't until I showed them that they couldn't pull a single drop of oil from the cast iron, that they agreed to label the shipment as "machine parts". It was still quite expensive, and that was 15 years ago.

 

[56wrench]

The oil pan on the genset engine is likely not the same as the grader engine due to the mount pads(or lack of) on the bottom

 

[bccat]

The oil pan on the genset engine is likely not the same as the grader engine due to the mount pads(or lack of) on the bottom

Also engine lube oil pump is different , also radiator & hoses are not the same

 

[Entropy1]

Why would I need to swap the lube oil pump? Is the pump pan-specific?

 

[bccat]

Why would I need to swap the lube oil pump? Is the pump pan-specific?

Yes & oil pump in grader’s , as in cat dozers has a scavenge oil pump & pressure pump with 2 pickups