First let me say thank you for allowing me to join your group as I am a new member.


I am slowly restoring a 1977 C8000 ex-pumper truck. It came with a N/A Cat 3208 running but smoking and blowing by in the worst possible manner. I had decided to rebuild it, but while looking at other parts came across a turbo 3208 out of a State of Ohio truck. I am told it runs and does not smoke/ blow by at all. The guy wants $1500 for the engine.


My questions are: 1 will the turbo version fit in a C series chassis with the close exhaust manifold tolerance to the frame rails? 2 is the N/A radiator ok to use with a turbo engine? 3 are the crankshaft bolt patterns the same so that the flywheel off my engine would bolt to the turbo engine?


This truck is going to be used to haul around different antique farm machines and tractors that I own and will be a toy itself. It probably won't see much more than 1500 miles a year if that put on it.

 

Hi Allifordih, Welcome,


I remember reading there were a few differences between turbo and NA 3208 cats (blockwise)
There's a good rebuild story I read on engine rebuilders website.
Below is the sections I copied on crankshafts and bellhousings related to engine swaps, sorry no fig. pictures with it.
Hope this helps until someone more knowledgeable drops by.
Geoff


Bellhousings
Figure 19 shows the three most common bellhousings used on the 3208 engine. Bellhousing A is used on both turbo and non-turbo applications. It is an SAE 2 and is double-drilled at the top on the inside (which would be on the bottom of the image) this bell housing uses a paper gasket seal to the block. B is the early design SAE 2 used with non- turbo engines and is single drilled at the top for mounting bolts and also uses a paper gasket to the block. C is the latest light weight bell housing used and is also a SAE 2 and double drilled at the top and uses sealer only between the bell housing and block.
There are some SAE 3 bell housings used in off-road applications and of course the serial number and arrangement number will give you that information. It is absolutely critical that the bell housing be dial indicated in relationship to the crankshaft for alignment prior to final torque. Failure to do so will result in bell housing fracture.


Crankshafts
The 3208 engine utilizes a forged steel crankshaft with true ground radii – they are not rolled. Pick this crankshaft up once and you will know why they are not. There was no scrimping on metal on this Caterpillar crank. You can have an 8- or 10-bolt flywheel flange (Figure 5) and they both have the same bolt
Figure 4.
Figure 5.
pattern. If you use an 8-bolt flywheel on a 10-bolt crankshaft, be sure to install two plugs with sealer into the unoccupied holes or you will leak oil badly.
There is a somewhat unique oiling to this crankshaft the connecting rod oil holes join to one common oil passage coming from the main journal to the rear of it. So the 1-2 rod throw is oiled by #2 main, and so on. Therefore, the #1 main bearing journal does not feed any connecting rods and does not have an oil hole in it. Crankshaft thrust endplay is controlled at the #4 main bearing position and it uses one single bearing half that is flanged to control crankshaft endplay. This engine is externally balanced so make certain that flywheel index is correct.