Ford LN8000

ChevyKenworth · Jan 11, 2015

I have a ford ln8000 with a cat 3208 turbo and a 13 speed, I want to pull a cat 953 track loader around with it.
Do you guys think the old cat 3208 turbo is good for the job?

willie59 · Jan 11, 2015

Good for the job? Adequate would probably be a better word. If I recall the 3208 turbo was around 215 hp, certainly not going to tear up the highway, but more than capable of pulling a 953 around the South Carolina terrain.

mitch504 · Jan 11, 2015

Sure, you might not keep up with traffic, but I used to pull D7 and D8s with a 237 hp Mack.

ChevyKenworth · Jan 11, 2015

Good to hear, I was asking because I have read a lot of negative stuff about the 3208's capabilities and I haven't put my truck to work yet to see how the power is, all the trucks I have drove had the better 6 cylinder Cats and Cummins engines in them.

willie59 · Jan 11, 2015

Well, the word "power" typically isn't used to describe a 3208. But unless you live in the hill country of SC, it will pull the machine, just ain't gonna be no speed demon.

ChevyKenworth · Jan 11, 2015

Do you guys know what the hp rating is for the 3208 turbos?

DoyleX · Jan 11, 2015

Power no... Kinda like a turbo charged cigarette lighter

willie59 · Jan 11, 2015

ChevyKenworth said:
Do you guys know what the hp rating is for the 3208 turbos?

If the ID plate is still on the engine it should noted the rated HP. I could be wrong because it's been many years, but I think the 3208 turbo was 215 HP.

Dualie · Jan 11, 2015

Biggest i remeber seeing is maybe a 230?

bvfdfire · Jan 11, 2015

i think biggest ive seen is 230 hp and that was turbo and aftercooled. we used to have 5000 gallon tanker at our volunteer fire dept that was a 3208 na only 175 hp. talk about low power!

Steve Frazier · Jan 11, 2015

Something about the exhaust on those things always burned my eyes. If you're comparing it to big Cummins and Cat 6s you're in for a surprise!

51kw · Jan 12, 2015

Turbo 3208 can be up to 290 hp. Spent years hauling a 130 samsung hoe and 855 Case crawler loader around with the same truck. As has been said, not the fastest but will do the job fine.

RZucker · Jan 13, 2015

Just for the fun of it, I have seen a Cat brochure that claimed 430HP for the 3208T in a marine application... I have no idea how.

Dualie · Jan 13, 2015

and don't expect them to live very long running the higher HP ratings at full load

Cmark · Jan 13, 2015

Two reasons why marine engines can quote big HP figures;

1) Marine engines have different "ratings". The big horsepower engines are only rated for intermittent duty, and

2) They have virtually unlimited cooling available

Also bear in mind that you can't measure horsepower, you can only calculate it and if you rev the bejaysus out of an engine then the HP figure goes up.

Birken Vogt · Jan 14, 2015

Like everything that old, expect it to start giving trouble if you run it a lot. I would be very easy on it.

I would run it but I would only do it with the expectation that it was just there to get me by until I can buy something newer. No way I would consider that truck and engine combination a long term solution to anything but for short term it should be great and I really liked the way 3208s ran when they were somewhat of a current product.

Dickjr. · Jan 17, 2015

The one good thing about the 3208 , or at least the one I had , cold weather starting. It would start at 0* not a problem. Pulled a backhoe and small crawler , Case 850D. It was a pig. The turbo model does better. Most of them I've seen around here are 250 HP. I have seen NA at 210. I'd try it with caution on long hills etc. Get good at shifting if your not already. You never quit shifting in this type set up. They are fairly fuel efficient .

Shimmy1 · Jan 17, 2015

Do you know if it has a RTO9513 or is it a direct RT613? If it's the direct, they are a sum beach to get used to shifting. The 9513 overdrive is a bit easier, but not much. One thing to find out, 3208 usually had push clutches, no clutch brake. They had an air operated trans brake. If they don't work, they can be troublesome to get working. As far as your original question, that turbo should pull the load just fine, just don't expect it to last forever. If it doesn't have a pyrometer, I would think hard about putting one on so you don't cook it.

ChevyKenworth · Jan 28, 2015

I have been thinking about trying to get a 160 size trackhoe also, how do you think the 3208 will handle that much weight. Do you guys think it will be to much for that engine? I have the truck for sale, I'm going to try and find a good used mack. I'm asking so I will know just in case it doesn't sale.

Old Doug · Jan 29, 2015

This truck will pull just about any thing you put behind it but at what speed is another thing. At one time it was brand new state of the art that was back when trucks didnt run as fast as cars. I have a pickup that i have owned for all most 30years and i use it every day. It was a frame and cab so i built it up with what was the best parts back then. 30 years ago there was nothing like it as far as pulling a trailer it was fast and powerful but today every pickup has a 400HP with a 6speed over drive. My pickup has to be pushed hard to keep up with traffic but its payed for and dosent have a bunch of computor junk to go bad. If your truck is in good shape it will do what ever a new more powerful truck will do besides pass a sports car and you want need to worry about going to the bank once a month.

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