Anyone here with 3208 cat turbo 375hp diesels?

Hello all, I am trying to find air filters for my 3208's and it appears no one makes them anymore. Mine are the foam type used on the marine versions, it is not the same as what was used on the industrial versions but the housings look similar. I did find that Walker makes a paper disposable drop-in replacement but am not sure it it will actually fit my filter box and in any case I just can't bring myself to pay $150.00 per filter.

I thought about making my own foam ones but am afraid conventional foam may not stand up to the environment or have the correct filtration properties.

What are you other 3208 owners doing for air filters? Anyone have any ideas?

Capt Kangeroo said:

Hello all, I am trying to find air filters for my 3208's and it appears no one makes them anymore. Mine are the foam type used on the marine versions, it is not the same as what was used on the industrial versions but the housings look similar. I did find that Walker makes a paper disposable drop-in replacement but am not sure it it will actually fit my filter box and in any case I just can't bring myself to pay $150.00 per filter.

I thought about making my own foam ones but am afraid conventional foam may not stand up to the environment or have the correct filtration properties.

What are you other 3208 owners doing for air filters? Anyone have any ideas?

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I don't have Cat 3208's, but did retrofit K&N filters to another brand engine on our boat. Removed the old assemblies and swapped in some generic units that fit perfectly in the space. Even managed to use the original support brackets. The K&N on-line catalogue gives exact dimensions of each filter....flange dimensions, length, diameter, taper, etc. Just a thought...

We have the 3208's-375 hp. Bought new foam filters from local Cat dealer in Beaufort about a year ago. If you cannot find them, you can wash your old foam filters in mineral sprits, couple of times, and blow them dry with an air hose. Make sure they are dry before reinstalling.
Chuck

Thanks guys, mine are past the point of cleaning any more. I'll try to track down that Beaufort dealer, perhaps he has old stock. Will also have a look at K&N & try to match something by size. What a pain for a piece of foam, hard to believe Cat would quit making a filter for a popular engine, the motor is not that old!

Chuck, are your filter housings the ones with the big (female) threaded bolts on each corner of the cover?

Capt. Kangaroo,

Yes, our housings have four female bolts on the corners. Try Gregory Poole Marine Power @ 252-504-2640. They are the Cat dealers for much of NC. Lots of locations, so they can probably find them for you. Be sure to have the engine serial number when you call.
Good luck
Chuck

Just got this off of boatdiesel:

f you don´t like the Cat foam filters that come stock with your engine I would suggest a K&N universal clamp on filter.

Take some measurements of your filter area, go on line to the K&N web site and do your home work. Know what you want. Do NOT buy a filter with metal or wire support for the filter. Buy a filter that is all molded rubber with a 4" band clamp.

Remove the stock Cat filter assembly a clamp it to your turbo.

Buy the cleaning / oil kit and you will get years of service out of these filters.

Thanks guys, appreciate all the help. Will post back here for the benefit of others what I turn up on the above leads.

Hello
We have been looking at a 52' with twin 3208 Cat 375HP. How are the engines and what can I expect for fuelburn at around 8-10 knts. Displacement is 49000#.
Thanks in advance

Guinness said:

Hello We have been looking at a 52' with twin 3208 Cat 375HP. How are the engines and what can I expect for fuelburn at around 8-10 knts. Displacement is 49000#. Thanks in advance

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We have a 55' with twin 3208 Cat 375HP., with displacement 44.000 cruising at around 8-10 knts and burning arround 5.5-6.5 g/hr

I can't comment on the fuel burn because two years on we are still burning the fuel that came with the boat. As to the question "how are the engines", I have not had any trouble yet but I think Cat must have got a bargain on steel when they designed these motors, they are ridiculously overbuilt for the application. I'm certain if you stripped the massive guards, brackets and housings off them you would end up lightening them by several hundred lbs each. Even the flat washers are a 1/4 in thick and I'm convinced you could safely block the boat using the air filter housings. Certainly no one can fault Cat for flimsy construction but I must be using 75hp of my 375 just to haul these things around.

Speaking of air filters I note I promised to get back to all with the filters I used. What I found was the originals "are" still available from Cat but the part number had been changed. Cost was about $100. each! When they get changed next time I'm following Peters advice above re: K&N filters.

Thank you for the great advice. That makes us ONE STEP closer to a decision. Hope nobody mind that we are asking questions and using your guys experience to come to the best decision we can on buying our first and hopefully last trawler. Anybody have any experience with the construction of the Kha Shing. That is what this 51' is.

Guinness said:

Thank you for the great advice. That makes us ONE STEP closer to a decision. Hope nobody mind that we are asking questions and using your guys experience to come to the best decision we can on buying our first and hopefully last trawler. Anybody have any experience with the construction of the Kha Shing. That is what this 51' is.

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Yup- pretty bulletproof. Out PT52 is from the Kha Shing yards; we've had to deal with the usual problems of a 1989 boat:

• Replaced the electronics
• Replaced the original fridge
• Repaired some leaks in the potable water system
• Replaced the potable water pump

all normal for a 1989 boat. The previous owner maintained the vessel quite well, and we were the beneficiary of that care.

The boat handles well, tracks true underway, and is spacious and comfortable. Engine access is great, although I wish it had full standup access; that being said, each engine is easy to service.

We're full time liveaboards, and the PT52 is perfect for us.

Thank you Pau Hana. e are going back this morning for the second look.

Have a link for the boat? Like to take a look online.....

My boat also an 1989 and I have an advise. Ask Mr. Catterpilar (Bruce Hicks) brucehicks@bellsouth.net , cel. (954)3208. He's the best in cat 3208 (look his cel number).
He came to my boat and gave us a class, showing all the problems that we could get and cleaned and fixed everything.

After a day sailing with 1500 RPM, Bruce's advice is "Full Power" for 30 seconds to 1 minute to clean the engines. Don't be "Full Power" but increase the RPM to 2.300/2.500.

I have 375hp 3208's and threw my air filters in the trash several years ago (rotten). Aside from a stray mosquito or two, why should I have air filters?

The engine room does not get much dust like an earth-mover,

neworleansrich said:

I have 375hp 3208's and threw my air filters in the trash several years ago (rotten). Aside from a stray mosquito or two, why should I have air filters?

The engine room does not get much dust like an earth-mover,

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psneeld said:

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x10

neworleansrich said:

I have 375hp 3208's and threw my air filters in the trash several years ago (rotten). Aside from a stray mosquito or two, why should I have air filters?

The engine room does not get much dust like an earth-mover,

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No disrespect meant sir, but are you out of your mind????

All 4 stroke-engines, diesel or gas, need an air cleaner in place.

As you all know I just brought my boat up from S.F. I had to replace my filters on my 3208s and they were only availble from Cat @ $49.99 each....

neworleansrich said:

I have 375hp 3208's and threw my air filters in the trash several years ago (rotten). Aside from a stray mosquito or two, why should I have air filters? The engine room does not get much dust like an earth-mover,

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Clean air is just as important as clean fuel, do you take oil samples? With out air filters your likely to see high chrome & iron, the chrome is from the piston rings.

The oil samples have been within the same range. As far as the comment "All 4 stroke-engines, diesel or gas, need an air cleaner in place", this is true for gas engines that run on specific air/fuel ratios. A diesel pumps in more air than needed for the amount of fuel. Having a filter in place would not affect the mixture in a negative way. The only issue I can see is maybe a bit more intake noise.

neworleansrich said:

The oil samples have been within the same range. As far as the comment "All 4 stroke-engines, diesel or gas, need an air cleaner in place", this is true for gas engines that run on specific air/fuel ratios. A diesel pumps in more air than needed for the amount of fuel. Having a filter in place would not affect the mixture in a negative way. The only issue I can see is maybe a bit more intake noise.

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An air filter has nothing to do with the volume of air an engine ingests, unless the filter is overly restrictive.

The filter stops particulate matter from entering the engine. I'm sure that you may believe that all is OK with your engine, but it's a matter of "when" not "if" problems occur if you run your engine without an air filter.

neworleansrich said:

The oil samples have been within the same range. As far as the comment "All 4 stroke-engines, diesel or gas, need an air cleaner in place", this is true for gas engines that run on specific air/fuel ratios. A diesel pumps in more air than needed for the amount of fuel. Having a filter in place would not affect the mixture in a negative way. The only issue I can see is maybe a bit more intake noise.

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You need to get your filter back in place. There are all sorts of stuff in your engine room that can find it's way into your engine. Diesel engines are basically heat/air pumps and a 3208 at full song can pump a very significant amount of air....I'm talking full air exchange 4x a minute. Anyway, any small particulate matter that makes it into your engine can do significant damage over time and if big enough, imeediately!!! There is a reason why fuel filters are measured in microns.

If I was in the market to buy a boat & when I checked the engine room & saw no air cleaners that is when I would stop considering that boat. The cost of filters are cheap compared to the cost of a in frame overhaul. Pay close attention to pg 2

http://pdf.cat.com/cda/files/3375362/7/Air+Intake+Systems+LEBW4969-04.pdf

Another + for air filters.
If you don't think there is dirt in the marine environment just don't sweep the floors in your cabin for a couple of weeks. SWMBO gets cranky if ours doesn't get swept or vacuumed every day or two. Even with "go barefoot" all the time calluses on my feet it starts bugging me after 2 or 3 days when the Boss is not on board. Just think how good or not it would be if some of that grit is crystallized salt.

My Perkins 6.534 do not have air cleaners, nor appear to have ever had them. Should I be worried?

Max Simmons said:

My Perkins 6.534 do not have air cleaners, nor appear to have ever had them. Should I be worried?

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Sort of....high HP diesels are vacuum cleaners....lower HP diesels ...less so.

If you have a reasonably clean engine room and never leave anything that can get sucked into the intake...maybe not.

I would find SOME kind of filter system for it...doesn't have to be fancy or expensive...just something t keep the chunks out.

Not much dust at sea , just clean up well after GRP or woodwork projects.