Need rebuilt 3208NA for my Californian 34LRC.

1984 Californian 34. Owned 7 years never an issue with the engines. Last mechanic messed up one of them..(I will not go into that for my sanity). Need to replace piston rings on it, engine needs to go out for that, so decided in going with a fresh rebuilt long block 3208NA (210hp). Any recommendations on reputable shops that do Cat rebuilds will be appreciated.

Check with T&S in Maryland, USA. They do a lot of the Cat 3208 marine remans from here in the US east coast. If you are not in a hurry, you could ship yours up there and they will ship it back when done.

Thanks for the recommendation Ski. Called, very nice people, however they quoted $18,000.00 for a rebuild. Found that quite high....

On eBay:
$8500 https://www.ebay.com/itm/CAT-3208-D...381308?hash=item41e83ffabc:g:73AAAOSwrptbK9VU
$8000 https://www.ebay.com/itm/CAT-3208-D...383682?hash=item41e8400402:g:80EAAOSwbzVbK-Hs
Engines in Maryland & NJ.
Also a few running takeouts About $4000

Yes, they are pretty hi-$ for a rebuilt from a reputable shop. I've heard that one of the reasons why is they often encounter a void when boring to put in liners, and the block has to be discarded. This after stripping, tanking, etc and maybe boring 1-8 holes. It's figured into the end price. If this is indeed so, buying one from a discount seller would be risky in the long run. I don't otherwise see why they would be so expensive, the parts are relatively abundant and low cost. Anyhow, it would make more sense to fix the one you have than install one rebuilt engine.

How many hours on it? What happened that it's messed up?

A running takeout would be least expensive.


A Cat 1160 is the daddy to the 3208 , same but has replacible liners , rebuildable , not considered a throw away.


https://www.adelmans.com/caterpillar-1160-diesel-engine-57v11348

orvals said:

Thanks for the recommendation Ski. Called, very nice people, however they quoted $18,000.00 for a rebuild. Found that quite high....

Click to expand...

I know T & S quite well; they do quality work. One of the considerations in picking a rebuilder is their reputation and warranty. While a rebuild failure is rare, it does happen. T & S uses OEM parts and is a factory authorized rebuild shop. As a result, a part failure is covered by the manufacturer, parts and labor. While you hope you never have an issue with a rebuilt engine, understanding the warranty, how it's applied and what's covered, is important before you buy. Lastly, understand what is and isn't being done or replaced when evaluating the price.

Ted

$18,000 is a lot of money. But maybe not too much for a job done well. I don't know about T&S labor rates but skilled, experienced labor working out of a good shop in my area is $85 - $120 / hr. Closer to the $120 mark for the really good techs out of really good shops.

Ski
What is the cost of a warrantied Cummins reman, say a 6BT in the low 200HP range?

I have not priced out a 6BT 210 in a long time. And depending on the dealer/distributor it can vary quite a bit. Sometimes you can get a sweetheart deal, sometimes they want to club you over the head. Just a gut-feel, mid 20k range.

I'm a bit puzzled by the 18k T&S quote. Usually a good bit lower, but maybe this is an outright purchase with no core. Shipping a 2000lb dead engine from PR to MD is not a trivial expense. Maybe like posted above, good cores are getting hard to find.

Very curious what killed the engine.

I was quoted 18K for a swap. I do know very well my engine and the repairs needed are minor. But I need to take it out to work on it. If it coming out, I'll rebuild (more refresh) it. A Cat 3208 long block, factory rebuilt, standard size, not .010 or .020 over, goes for around 6-7k. Warranty does not cover the expensive part, removing the engine and putting it back on.
The shop was very friendly, they might do amazing work but it is not what I am looking for. I do not need new heads, manifolds, heat exchanger, pump, injectors or any of the ancillaries. Maybe I should have asked for just a short block rebuild.....

"I have not priced out a 6BT 210 in a long time. And depending on the dealer/distributor it can vary quite a bit. "



Hmmmm...Just saw a 6BT with ZF 2:1 for $13K... Tempting !
But the other Cat is in great shape, re-engine is a big thing.... Saw Yanmar 260HP, 1200lbs less than the cat for $18K.....

Anyways, appreciate all the comments, I'll most likely have someone do the hard work of taking it out and I'll do a local refresh on it.

Orvals
If you've not done it already, go through the boatdiesel website archives on the 3208. Post some questions too on your specific needs and issues. There are some really smart Cat guys on that forum, Ski from here being one. Boatdiesel residents Dave and Nautidawg are two more. Good luck.

Look in Boats and Harbors , many rebuilders advertise there.


In some cases factory new short blocks are cheaper than rebuilding.