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Caterpillar 3208T Engine

The Caterpillar 3208T is a turbocharged, 10.4-liter (636 cubic inches) V8, four-stroke diesel engine designed for medium-duty commercial, industrial, and marine operations. Building upon the naturally aspirated base, the addition of a turbocharger significantly improves air-to-fuel mixing, power delivery, and high-altitude efficiency. It features a compact, linerless parent-metal block construction. While highly efficient, the elevated thermal loads of the turbocharged configuration demand rigorous adherence to cooling system maintenance schedules and strict monitoring of exhaust gas temperatures to avoid cylinder head warping or cracking.

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. Components: 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. Components: 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 3208T
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) ............... 638 (10.4)
Rated Engine Power (Industrial), hp (kW) ............... 210 (157)
Rated Engine Power (Marine), hp (kW) ............... 375 (280)
Peak Torque (Industrial)............... 680 Nm (500 lb-ft) at 1400 rpm
Peak Torque (Marine)............... 1015 Nm (750 lb-ft) at 2400 rpm
Rated Engine Speed, rpm ............... 2600-2800
Aspiration Type ............... 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) ............... 37.0 in (941 mm)
Overall Length (Marine), in (mm) ............... 50.0 in (1271 mm)
Overall Width (Industrial), in (mm) ............... 36.7 in (932 mm)
Overall Width (Marine), in (mm) ............... 37.9 in (963 mm)
Overall Height (Industrial), in (mm) ............... 35.8 in (910 mm)
Overall Height (Marine), in (mm) ............... 40.1 in (1019 mm)
Dry Weight (Industrial), lbs (kg) ............... 1450 lb (658 kg)
Dry Weight (Marine), lbs (kg) ............... 1702 lbs (770 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) .................. 20.0 (19.0)
Engine Oil Capacity (Marine), qts (L) .................. 15.7 (15.0)
Coolant Capacity (Industrial), qts (L) ............... 25.2 (24.0)
Coolant Capacity (Marine), qts (L) ............... 58.8 (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 3208 Specs
  
• Cat 3208TA Specs
  
• Cat 3304 Specs
  
• Cat 3304B Specs
  
• Cat 3306 DITA Specs
  

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