• Thank you for visiting HeavyEquipmentForums.com! Our objective is to provide industry professionals a place to gather to exchange questions, answers and ideas. We welcome you to register using the "Register" icon at the top of the page. We'd appreciate any help you can offer in spreading the word of our new site. The more members that join, the bigger resource for all to enjoy. Thank you!

D3B with Cat 3204 Engine. (Newbie alert!)

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
Maybe unlucky for someone.? Built 13th September 1980.

Be aware that all parts and service information is derived from the machine Serial Number, not some nebulous "model/build year"
BTW, thank you!
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
The 45V DI uses a tapered rod, the 45V Indirect Injection (pre-cup) uses a straight rod. Make sure you use the right ones.
You got a good deal if all in good condition.
That's a handy bit of advice. Explains why the basket case engine has two different type rods. The tapered has a hole in the lifter end right (top)? SMH. The 9 I picked up are all straight type (bottom).:mad:CBF58FDE-B4E4-45BD-8E67-75D0A934FCA8_1_105_c.jpeg
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
Just to be clear, DI is Direct injection into the cylinder (piston has a bowl shape in face). PC is Pre-combustion which has a chamber in the head itself and the pistons are generally flat faced?
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
Anybody need IDI pushrods for a Cat 320x (who really knows) engine? (rhetorical question) So this is all part of the learning process I guess. Mistakes will be made.
 

AllDodge

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
2,582
Location
Kentucky
When I rebuilt my 3204 I had to replace a few push rods, and the new didn't match the old but worked just fine.
photo220-jpg.117031
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
When I rebuilt my 3204 I had to replace a few push rods, and the new didn't match the old but worked just fine.
photo220-jpg.117031
OMG, must have been the same folks that worked on my machine....LOL Although your engine is pristine compared to mine.
 

AllDodge

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
2,582
Location
Kentucky
OMG, must have been the same folks that worked on my machine....LOL Although your engine is pristine compared to mine.
I bought a few rods when I was rebuilding it. My motor wouldn't run and the reason was it was rusty inside and bearings where gald.

I have a thread showing the rebuild
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
I bought a few rods when I was rebuilding it. My motor wouldn't run and the reason was it was rusty inside and bearings where gald.

I have a thread showing the rebuild
Have you got any keywords I can search to find your thread?
BTW, the connecting rods are tapered, although Cat Reman'd so that's a win! 0R0820


Nevermind, I found it! Thanks!
 
Last edited:

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
Alldodge, do you or anyone else on here have a detailed photo or exploded view of the injector "spacers and clamps"? I have scoured Cat Parts, my parts manual, and my service manual for correct spacers and clamps. The Frankenmotor head is NOT going back on this machine, I just keep finding one thing after another....
While assembling the replacement head (which is going well now that it is all cleaned up) I grabbed the "spacers, clamps, and bolts" that were holding the injectors in "Frank" and found they were metric thread..... Who the heck does that? Why would you take out 5/16" factory bolts and install metric?
Now I do not trust how the injectors were mounted in Frank and want to install them correctly on this new (to me) head....which is not buggered up with metric bolts.
Thanks in advance!
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
18,068
Location
Canada
Gotcha. Soooo many renditions and modifications over the years has made references by date/model to be generally useless. The Cat parts pages are painful to load, but like you said, everything is by Machine Serial Number clearly.
But if I ever sell the thing, be nice to tell them the Year instead of 23Yxxxx. I hope to get it to be a keeper though.
I have a case 450B dozer that I WILL be selling soon. Undercarriage is clapped out and the darn thing overheats after a while. Radiator is likely clogged, but that's another story. It DID get a rebuild on the engine, and runs great except for the overheating thing. I priced undercarriage for it and could get chains, sprockets, and hardware from a group in LA for about $3600 delivered. Replacement radiator is crazy expensive though.
Chains sprockets and hardware is only part of it. If you need bottom rollers, top carrier rollers, idlers and pads plus new hardware will more than double the cost of new undercarriage. $3600 is a pretty good price for rails and sprockets if it's a known brand. Quite often if the chains are worn so are the bottom rollers.

As far as a D3B the transmissions are generally pretty durable. I think your machine is a 3F/1R transmission. You can check the trans. screen for black particles. If it's pretty clean is an indicator the trans. is probably in good shape. Fluid should be fairly clear too.
 

lizrad999

Active Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2024
Messages
37
Location
Eads, TN
Occupation
Network Engineer III
Alldodge, do you or anyone else on here have a detailed photo or exploded view of the injector "spacers and clamps"? I have scoured Cat Parts, my parts manual, and my service manual for correct spacers and clamps. The Frankenmotor head is NOT going back on this machine, I just keep finding one thing after another....
While assembling the replacement head (which is going well now that it is all cleaned up) I grabbed the "spacers, clamps, and bolts" that were holding the injectors in "Frank" and found they were metric thread..... Who the heck does that? Why would you take out 5/16" factory bolts and install metric?
Now I do not trust how the injectors were mounted in Frank and want to install them correctly on this new (to me) head....which is not buggered up with metric bolts.
Thanks in advance!
I think figured out the injector clamp assembly. Not only did someone have the clamps upside down, they tried using a couple washers instead of the correct spacers. Luckily Cat lists the specs of the spacers and I was able to machine replacements. The following are some photos I wanted to share for anyone else that might be looking for the same info in future. Let me know if I didn't get it right.15E922CC-6C99-4A94-BA95-B34FE0358BDC_1_105_c.jpeg18653114-7FEE-4561-9F97-20E413755F91_1_105_c.jpeg172FE820-D065-40E3-8BD2-36F84B2457A4_1_105_c.jpeg
 
Top