Caterpillar 3116 is a bad Engine?

[jawcn]

I noticed last night that the late model MTV tractors going out to auction have CAT C7 engines and not 3126Bs

from what i have read so far, it does not seem like C7 is a bullet proof engine as well...over all, CAT engine just gets bad reputation out there. hope my 3116 will work out for me

 

[m16ty]

They are good engines.But they are throw away engines.Not rebuildable from what I was told.

They are rebuildable. Just like PB said earlier though, they don't have sleeves so you have to have them bored and sleeved if you want to replace a cylinder. As apposed to a sleeved engine where you just drop in another sleeve.

I guess a more correct term would be that they aren't "in-frame" rebuildable.


As to the original question, some people like Cats and others don't. All the manufacturers and models have their good points and bad. IMO, the 3116 isn't the best engine Cat has made but it isn't the worst either.

 

[Carlo]

I think CAT and have experience that they make a good engine, in general, BUT they made some motors that did not live up to their name like the 3208. That was a through (no sleeves) away motor and lucky to see 100k. But on the other side my uncle had a 1693 that went over 15000 hours with no rebuild. May that motor knocked on a cold fall morning and smoked but once it warmed up it sure did pull. It was in a Steiger tractor in Canada.
Cummins lovers have you heard of the 555 V8? If that wasn't a boat anchor! Do any of you remember the 5.7 Oldsmobile diesel? Gasoline based motor redesigned to diesel. GM should have been tarred and feathered for that! Don't forget the first 6.2's! There is good and bad with every engine manufacturer.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Looked last night. My m1083 mtv has a 3116 rated at 290 hp

 

[mooresM35A2]

You just have to take care of them like any other engine. Alot of guys dont like 3116s because you need the special injector setting tools. The C7 is alot better than the 3126 . Has alot of improvements. Just my but Cat does make some of the longest lasting engines out there. CAT does stand for one thing though: Costs A Ton.

 

[Jake2670]

Caterpillar upgraded the oil cooler gaskets because they all leak. They also changed the high pressure oil line design a few times, also leaked. I've rebuilt a bunch of the 3116 and 3126 engines. Make sure you use anti seize on all bolts, especially the front cover.
It was a good engine. I liked it when it was fully mechanical, still have the injector setting tools. 2¢

when did they go electronic ?

 

[tobyS]

when did they go electronic ?

This is an old thread.

My M35A3 is mechanical and I think the FMTV is electronic.

 

[Ronmar]

Cat introduced the HEUI 3126 in I believe 1998, but it didn’t find its way into the LMTV until the A1 version around 2002?

 

[Mullaney]

when did they go electronic ?

.
Jake2670 ,

If you have a 3116, you shouldn't feel left out in the cold or anything...
Less electronics = Less crap that breaks with a big price tag associated with it.
There is a thing called the "oil line of death" on the 3116. Easy fix. FIX IT, be happy and move on.

The 3126 is a good motor too and a few years newer.

 

[coachgeo]

.
Jake2670 ,

If you have a 3116, you shouldn't feel left out in the cold or anything...
Less electronics = Less crap that breaks with a big price tag associated with it.
There is a thing called the "oil line of death" on the 3116. Easy fix. FIX IT, be happy and move on.

The 3126 is a good motor too and a few years newer.

IMHO if you need to rebuild.. pull it and put a Cummins in her. 6.7 mechanical... maybe 8.3 Im not a Cummins nut. Its just a better engine

 

[Third From Texas]

IMHO if you need to rebuild.. pull it and put a Cummins in her. 6.7 mechanical... maybe 8.3 Im not a Cummins nut. Its just a better engine

Or find a better truck...

IMO, just put an LMTV cab on <insert_truck_with_lockers_highway_gears_disc-brakes_cummins_engine_air_conditioning_etc>.

/done
/easy

;p

 

[coachgeo]

Or find a better truck...

IMO, just put an LMTV cab on <insert_truck_with_lockers_highway_gears_disc-brakes_cummins_engine_air_conditioning_etc>.

/done
/easy

;p

you do know the FMTV came stock with a Cummins too right? Limited supply... but they did.

 

[Third From Texas]

you do know the FMTV came stock with a Cummins too right? Limited supply... but they did.

That was just BAE whoring themselves out.

 

[Al Capone]

I had a Kodiak truck with 3116 I bought and it had over 1 million miles . Found owners maintence book snd it stated complete rebuild at 995,000 miles. Not positive if he did engine of just drivetrain . Either way that’s impressive . Very weak motors in my opinion

 

[chucky]

It was cats first metric disposable engine probably to replace the 3208 another disposable engine but if treated half way decent look at all the cat heavy equipment they put it in with great success so if this is cats worst give me a cat anytime over anything else i know of I would take international engines like the DT line up 2nd to cat ! And of coarse just my opinion

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Yep, total junk. Causes birth defects too. No power, throw-away block, oil lines kill the engine, overhead is a nightmare...

In and effort to take this pain away from owners, I will accept any good running 3116 free of charge, and take this awful pain off your hands. I just want to be helpful. Let me get you my address.

 

[frank8003]

Survey...... "oil line of death 3116" (governor oil feed line)

Can anybody say what this fitting is? I worked with many strange fittings on P&W engines but first I see this one. Need nomenclature. All I find is "boss" connection. It is P/N 6V8647 4730-01-360-9109 (6V8647) They are just called "O-Ring Boss" (ORB) fittings.

www.steelsoldiers.com