Quiz for all of you Cat engine guys.....

[mwilson]

I do not have pictures, was diagnosed while I was on vacation.



I'll give you the symptoms, tell me what you think was wrong with it.



Background. .

Brand New Cat Reman C-16 600 HP engine complete.

Installed in truck, would start and run but would fill shop full of black smoke in about 30 seconds. Took exhaust manifold off, raw fuel dripping out of the ports. ECM was replaced with another one in test mode, no difference. Followed step by step diagnosis as offered by CAT. Finally given the order to tear it down.



What did we find????



Mike.

 

[goodguys75]

bad injectors???

 

[mwilson]

bad injectors???

Nope. Tested those.

 

[Ram4Sam]

Some gasoline maybe... ... ...



Sam

 

[mwilson]

Nope, fuel was fine.

 

[AH64ID]

Bad head allowing fuel thru the injector port?

 

[mwilson]

Bad head allowing fuel thru the injector port?

Nope, head was fine.

 

[MChrist]

Rag stuck in the intake?

 

[mwilson]

Rag stuck in the intake?

Nope, no rags. (However we did pay for an overhaul a while back when a tech left a red rag in the geartrain of a C-15) Not good.



Mike.

 

[rscurtis]

My first guess would be that the engine was assembled with the cam out of time, but that would have been caught when it was tested. A locked up turbo(s) could be another option. Is the problem with the truck or the engine?

 

[mwilson]

With the engine... .

 

[Wingate]

seen the wrong camshaft put into the wrong engine cause this same issue... but I dont work on trucks, just industrials... The camshafts on the 15, 16, nd 18 appear the same to the naked eye. . but are far from it!.

 

[mwilson]

Not the camshaft, but you are getting very warm. .



Mike.

 

[BIGNASTY]

Accessory drive problem

 

[E7mack96]

love those C16 Cats. . Ran 'em in the heavy haul Petes. As for issues... fuel pump timing?

 

[BIGNASTY]

love those C16 Cats. . Ran 'em in the heavy haul Petes. As for issues... fuel pump timing?

That was my thought with the accessory drive I HAVE NO EXPERAINCE JUST GUESSING OUT LOUD dont even know if the fuel pump is ran off the drive anymore.

 

[Wayne M.]

The C16 is what used to be the 3406, right? I dont see a lot of CAT's.
"Took exhaust manifold off, raw fuel dripping out of the ports"
Really? actual fuel DRIPPING out the exhaust ports? or just wet? I'd think the smoke woulda been white. Going on the "getting warm" hint, valve lash all wrong, or if it has a brake, that wasn't set up right...

 

[mwilson]

Ok, for those that I have not sent a PM to...



Here is the answer.



WRONG CRANKSHAFT!!! Stroke was too short as it had the C-16 pistons but was assembled with a C-15 crankshaft. Could not believe it. Block is the same so the crank fit right in.

To make a C-16 in very basic terms they increase the stroke / throw of the crank and design the wrist pin placement down a bit on the pistons. So with the short stroke C-15 crank in there it could not build enough compression. Piston wasn't coming up anywhere near enough to the cylinder head.



Took a bit to find that one. Came apart easy and was nice and clean... ... .



Mike.

 

[Wayne M.]

A good man found that!! Very careful inspection on disassembly. Thanks for sharing that mike!

 

[AH64ID]

Throw 200 psi at it and I bet it would SCREAM!!