Quote:
Originally Posted by archangel.ahl
I can definitely say I'm not a fan of the 3208, but I do like this aspect of the internet and forums in general. The op worked the the hell out of the 3208 and never had a problem (or probably not serious ones). This is nice to hear and maybe I should re-evaluate my opionions on the 3208 next time I see one.
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I too am not a big fan of the 3208.
What the OP did with a 3208 is probably what kept it going so long and so well. The normal operation of a school bus with a 3208 was about the worst sort of service you could have asked it to do.
One of the cost cutting corners Cat used when they designed the engine was to design the pistons in an oval shape. They were designed that way so that as they warmed up they would round out. It actually was a pretty good idea and worked in applications where the engine was started in the morning and was run hard all day long.
But in school bus use the engine was started and would run 10-40 miles with multiple stops and then shut down. And then 4-6 hours later would repeat the same performance. Rarely would the engines get up to operating temps. It was a particular problem during the winter. As a consequence the pistons rarely every got warm enough to get fully round and tended to wear the cylinders into an oval shape. Even when the pistons did warm up there would be "gaps" where the oval of the cylinder didn't meet the piston. Which is why most of the most school buses with 3208's became known as mosquito foggers as they would smoke like crazy on start up, smoke on acceleration, and when they got really loosey goosey inside they would smoke when going downhill.
The later versions with the additional piston rings and turbo were better. But in school bus use the 3208 was not the best choice.