I have run 3 boats with 3126 Cats all three were DOGS. Very slow performance out of hole, run high RPM to get power, and engines smoked a lot. The maintenance was relatively easy but had to buy a special Cat oil designed for the 3126 engine and if was expensive. But if there is a major problem it's a lot to tear on of these engines down. Its a badly designed engine in my opinion I would go with a Cummins engine any day over the Caterpillar.
Last edited by capt jeremy oc; 11-05-2008 at 09:41 PM.
Tryin' to be the man, my dog think's I am. marine diesel service owner
What horsepower, what application?
There's alot to fill in here as can be expected. Your going to run into some that may have had good experience. Just had a customer today with a good running Cat ,that asked for a quote on a Cummins 330 B. The Cummins B&C series engines have good power, are economical, and are very owner friendly. But I might add that any engine is only as good as the "service" support if you have a problem.Frank, SeaPower
ps. PM me if you like.
check up on your gear ratio, props. and engine settings!
When the cats came out strong the new motto was "If it's not a Cat ..It's a Dog! Cummins Yanmar volvo everyone is building great power plants now days you just have to figure out 'weight - gear - horsepower - prop' balance. hire a cat mechanic for a cpl hours to see whats up. usually it will be worth every penny.
I know one guy who put 1200hrs on a set before they blew up
he replaced them with cummins diamond series.
the only other guy I know with these motors is on his 5th engine in a 34 luhrs in 8yrs, the last two replacements had him threatening lawsuits with attorneys hired to do the work and cat finally settled.
I will say a good friend had a 32 Albermarle with the 350HP 3126 cats and they ran great. The 350HP 3126 engines seem to run better then the 420hp 3126 Caterpillars. Granted the 420HP engines are in bigger boats.
Tryin' to be the man, my dog think's I am. marine diesel service owner
Capt. Quest,
I'm a Cummins dealer here in Eastern, NC. Yes I've got a few in the works right now. The re-con product is what I sell and recomend the most. The older boat re-power's and the like for like re-power's are a no brainer IMO. The newer boats that have the evironmental (emission) constraints are the more complicated. It's hard to beat the older, friendlier, mechanical engines day in and day out. Simplier is better. Frank, SeaPower
Thanks Sea !!! I don't really think that most know about that..!
But as for the re-cons they are just a tits up engine and the company stands by them 100% ... glad to hear you are doing them. 1 thing I will add is that most people who do these re-powers need to get someone like you to install them for proper instalation and for the warrantee. I have to hand it to them they built a great engine. we are looking at a 38' Bertram now for re-power.
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