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Caterpillar 3208 Engine

The Caterpillar 3208 is a heavy-duty, 10.4-liter (636 cubic inches) V8, four-stroke diesel engine introduced in the 1970s. Known as a durable mid-range workhorse, it found massive success across marine, truck, agricultural, and industrial applications. It features a compact, linerless block design where the cylinders are bored directly into the parent iron. While highly reliable at lower power calibrations, high-output turbocharged variants demand strict cooling system maintenance to prevent thermal stress.

Fuel System Type: High-pressure mechanical direct injection. Injection Pump: Single, centrally mounted V-type mechanical injection pump assembly. It distributes fuel through individual steel lines to mechanical injectors located in each cylinder head. Timing and Regulation: Driven by a mechanical governor with an automatic timing advance unit to adjust injection timing relative to engine speed. Maintenance: The system requires comprehensive manual priming and bleeding via the hand priming pump if air enters the fuel lines.

Lubrication System Type: Full-pressure, wet-sump lubrication system. Componens: Gear-driven oil pump, integral oil cooler bypass, and spin-on fluid filters. Service: Standard operation utilizes high-quality 15W-40 diesel-rated engine oil.

Cooling System Type: Liquid-cooled, closed-loop configuration. Componens: Centrifugal water pump, dual water temperature regulators (thermostats), and a bypass circuit. Application Variants: Industrial models use standard radiators, while marine configurations integrate an engine-mounted heat exchanger alongside a raw-water auxiliary pump.

General Technical Data

Engine Specifications

Engine Model ............... Caterpillar 3208
Engine Type ............... 4-cycle 8-cylinder V-block direct injection liquid-cooled diesel
Number of Cylinders ............... 8
Cylinder Arrangement ............... V-type
Engine Bore, in (mm) ............... 4.50 (114.0)
Engine Stroke, in (mm) ............... 5.00 (127.0)
Displacement, cu.in (L) ............... 636 (10.4)
Rated Engine Power (NA, Industrial), hp (kW) ............... 170-225 (126-167)
Rated Engine Power (NA, Marine), hp (kW) ............... 210-250 (155-185)
Rated Engine Power (T/TA, Industrial), hp (kW) ............... 250-375 (185-278)
Rated Engine Power (T/TA, Marine), hp (kW) ............... 435-460 (322-340)
Peak Torque (NA)............... 540-650 Nm (400-480 lb-ft) at 1600-1800 rpm
Peak Torque (T/TA)............... 743-878 Nm (550-650 lb-ft) at 1600-1800 rpm
Rated Engine Speed, rpm ............... 2600-2800
Aspiration Type ............... Naturally Aspirated or Turbocharged
Compression Ratio ............... 16.5:1
Firing Order ............... 1-2-7-8-4-5-6-3
Crankshaft Type ............... Forged steel
Piston Type ............... Cast-aluminum alloy
Con Rod Type ............... Forged steel
Cylinder Block Type ............... Cast iron
Cylinder Head Type ............... Cast iron
Lubrication System ............... Full-pressure
Oil Pump Type ............... Gear-driven
Oil Filter Type ............... Full-flow, spin-on
Cooling System ............... Liquid-cooled
Water Pump Type ............... Gear-driven, centrifugal
Air Cleaner Type ............... Dry dual-stage
Starting System ............... Electric Starter
Electrical System ............... 12V or 24V
Alternator Rating, Amps ............... 65-105

Fuel System

Fuel System ............... Direct injection
Injection Pump Type ............... Distributor, rotary
Fuel System Control ............... Mechanical
Governor Type ............... Mechanical
Fuel Injector Type ............... Multi-hole
Fuel Type ............... Diesel Fuel

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length (Industrial), in (mm) ............... 36.1-37.5 in (915-955 mm)
Overall Length (Marine), in (mm) ............... 42.7-50.0 in (1085-1270 mm)
Overall Width (Industrial), in (mm) ............... 31.7-36.7 in (805-930 mm)
Overall Width (Marine), in (mm) ............... 36.1-37.9 in (915-965 mm)
Overall Height (Industrial), in (mm) ............... 33.8-35.8 in (860-910 mm)
Overall Height (Marine), in (mm) ............... 36.2-40.1 in (920-1020 mm)
Dry Weight (Industrial), lbs (kg) ............... 1225-1450 lbs (555-660 kg)
Dry Weight (Marine), lbs (kg) ............... 1592-1982 lbs (720-900 kg)

Maintenance Data

Service Information

Thermostat begins opening ............... 82C (180F)
Thermostat fully open ............... 91C (195F)
Cooling system pressure ............... 83-103 kPa (12-15 psi)
Operating oil pressure ............... 380-550 kPa (55-80 psi)
Idle oil pressure ............... 70-100 kPa (10-15 psi)
Intake Valve Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.015 (0.38)
Exhaust Valve Clearance, in (mm) ............... 0.025 (0.64)

Engine Oil and Coolant

Engine Oil Type .................. SAE 10W-30, 15W-40
API Service Classifications ......................... CD, CE, or CF-4
Engine Oil Capacity (Industrial), qts (L) .................. 12.1-20.0 (11.5-19.0)
Engine Oil Capacity (Marine), qts (L) .................. 12.6-15.7 (12.0-15.0)
Coolant Capacity (Industrial), qts (L) ............... 24.1-25.2 (23.0-24.0)
Coolant Capacity (Marine), qts (L) ............... 49.3-58.8 (47.0-56.0)

Service Intervals

Change oil and filter ............... Every 250 hours
Replace fuel filters ............... Every 250 hours
Inspect air filter ............... Every 50 hours
Change coolant ............... Every 2 years
Valve-lash adjustment ............... Every 1000 hours
Injector inspection ............... Every 1000-1500 hours
Compression test ............... Every 2000 hours
Drain water separator ............... As required
Belt inspection ............... As required

Service Specifications

Cylinder Bore Inside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 4.500-4.503 (114.30-114.38)
Crankshaft Journal Outside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 3.748-3.749 (95.20-95.22)
Crank Pin Outside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 2.749-2.750 (69.82-69.85)
Crankshaft End Play, in (mm) ................ 0.005-0.015 (0.13-0.38)
Intake Valve Stem Outside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 0.3705-0.3715 (9.411-9.436)
Exhaust Valve Stem Outside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 0.3690-0.3700 (9.373-9.398)
Intake Valve Guide Inside Diameter (Installed), in (mm) ................ 0.3735-0.3745 (9.487-9.512)
Exhaust Valve Guide Inside Diameter (Installed), in (mm) ................ 0.3735-0.3745 (9.487-9.512)
Intake Valve Stem to Guide Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.0020-0.0040 (0.051-0.102)
Exhaust Valve Stem to Guide Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.0035-0.0055 (0.089-0.140)
Intake Valve Spring Free Length, in (mm) ................ 2.37 (60.2)
Exhaust Valve Spring Free Length, in (mm) ................ 2.37 (60.2)
Intake Cam Height, in (mm) ................ 1.638-1.650 (41.61-41.91)
Exhaust Cam Height, in (mm) ................ 1.638-1.650 (41.61-41.91)
Piston Pin Outside Diameter, in (mm) ................ 1.5000-1.5003 (38.100-38.108)
Piston Pin to Piston Bore Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.0003-0.0009 (0.008-0.023)
Top Ring Side Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.003-0.005 (0.08-0.13)
Second Ring Side Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.002-0.004 (0.05-0.10)
Oil Ring Side Clearance, in (mm) ................ 0.002-0.004 (0.05-0.10)
Top Ring End Gap, in (mm) ................ 0.015-0.025 (0.38-0.64)
Second Ring End Gap, in (mm) ................ 0.015-0.025 (0.38-0.64)
Oil Ring End Gap, in (mm) ................ 0.010-0.020 (0.25-0.51)

Tightening Torque Specs

Cylinder head bolts ............... 190 Nm (140 lb-ft)
Main bearing cap bolts ............... 160 Nm (118 lb-ft)
Connecting rod bolts ............... 125 Nm (92 lb-ft)
Flywheel housing-to-block bolts ............... 75 Nm (55 lb-ft)
Flywheel-to-crankshaft bolts ............... 160 Nm (118 lb-ft)
Oil pan bolts ............... 41 Nm (30 lb-ft)
Injector clamp bolt ............... 35 Nm (26 lb-ft)
Rocker Arm Shaft Support Bolts ............... 41 Nm (30 lb-ft)
Fuel injection pump mounting bolts ............... 24 Nm (18 lb-ft)

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• Caterpillar Engines Specs
  
• Cat 3204 Specs
  
• Cat 3208T Specs
  
• Cat 3208TA Specs
  
• Cat 3304 Specs
  
• Cat 3304B Specs
  
• Cat 3306 DITA Specs
  

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