Cat Products

[dave337]

Alure - Cat have decided that the sea water strainers were not fine enough and revised their original specifications. (I will find out the spec if you require it.) We now remove the coolers on a rotational basis at or before 4000 hours. We then send them away for ultrasonic cleaning and crack detection analysis. So far we have returned two coolers for warranty exchange that were found to have cracks forming, these were new coolers less than 12 months old.

Our problems now centre on piston failures.... The plate that retains piston cooling oil that is crimped into the underside of the piston crown is the culprit. We have had three piston failures like this to date recently. And last week one total engine failure, broken conrod trying to batter its way out of the engine..!!! Management liaising with Cat on these issues currently.

PeterT - Unfortunately the only way to properly inspect the aftercooler is to remove it from the engine. Our failures have all occurred in the same area, where the sea water in/out pipe connectors are welded to the matrix.

Dave

[Patrick335d]

Hmm that's a new one I never heard that seaweed is causing cranks on a brass cooler, as long as there are no mussels stones etc inside.

There is no possibility that the pipes connected from the seawater pump to the cooler and back to the heat exchanger is putting too much stress on the joints?

Or the flanges going through the housing to the core are not properly alingned.

[smclaughlin]

What materials is the heat exchanger made out of?  Brass isn't really acceptable for sea water service(dezincificafion).  It should be copper nickel.  I have no experiece with C32 engines, only 3500's.  We run a seperate low temp freshwater circuit for our aftercooling.  Each aftercooler has its own keel cooler (Fernstrum).  The aftercooling exchangers are large, 1.5x the capacity of the jacket water keel coolers.

[umairanwar]

Hi

I have lot of experience about aftercooler failure in c18  c12 and c32. When I go for inspection I check zinc rods. Mostly there is no zinc rods but some smart customer install new zinc rods before I reached. One ship is using c18 engine as auxiliary genset with a SC fresh water in aftercooler with exchanger. I think this is the best way to protect A/C.

[atutosan]

How are aftercoolers cleaned I am looking for schematics on the process and have not been able to find them most probably I have seaweed as well but I do not know the anatomy inside. Can anyone let me know the cleaning procedure. Do I have to open them up to see are they like the heat exchanger and oil coolers that I just cleaned? Thank you

[Josh_Jambon]

im in the process of repowering a 170 ft osv  the units i now have are GM 16v149 s . im looking at cats 3508 and cats C-32... any recomentitions ?

[sharder]

I have a boat with 2 c32's , 2100 hrs one aftercooler failed causing extensive damage , the core replacement has been totally redesigned requiring all new housings and parts totaling $7000 not including the aftercooler , why isn't this a recall given the total redesign?

[sharder]

The zincs on my 2008 c32's sits in the supply tube so when the engine is turned off the water drains down leaving the zinc protecting air while in the aftercooler body there is 2-3 inches of trapped water , aluminum housing , bolted to a cast iron block connected with Stainless tubes to a brass or whatever material the aftercooler core is ,,,metallurgic witches brew

[sharder]

well I've got both engines repaired/done , new aftercooler design is ,the lip is  surrounded by thick rubber gasketing ,both sides , rubber grommets in bolt holes isolating any metal to metal , supply return tubes ,2 rubber o-rings and now not bolted to the water source but isolated by 6" rubber hose , zincs still not effective although with the aftercooler now better isolated from electrolysis might last more than 2000 hrs , we'll see