Cat 350?

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

I understand but the object isnt how much metal you can stuff in a frame but how much power you make.. and all im saying is that its a lot easier to build power than it is to stuff metal



-Christopher

Wait I'm confused. What are we talking about?

[cadillackid]

We were talking about stuffing a cat 350 or N14 into a school bus frame. The only reason for a bigger engine is more power. I’m just saying you can get more power easier by building up a smaller engine

[Tango]

I totally agree with Cadillac --- Virtually every diesel engine I have seen was set up to run at what can only be described as a "de-rated" output. In other words, they are ripe for improvement as far as HP & torque without coming close to compromising the reliability, mpg's or longevity.


The Cummins "B" series are great examples. The 4BT can be turned up from 120 to 250 horses with practically nothing but a screwdriver and most result in slightly better mpg's. The 6BT's can be likewise improved with easy HP gains in the 150 range.


Same is true for most diesels, especially the in-line 6's.


The other option being to buy and stuff in a much larger, heavier engine that is de-rated to the power level you can get from a properly tuned smaller, lighter engine.

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

We were talking about stuffing a cat 350 or N14 into a school bus frame. The only reason for a bigger engine is more power. I’m just saying you can get more power easier by building up a smaller engine

I think that was another thread. I thought this one was "what Cat could be in this bus".

[Kubla]

Turning engines up is great, but they do not last as long when you do that, at 250 hp, the bt4 would no longer last 300,000 miles. Yes you can get loads more power out of a 3406 cat, but you would void the 500,000 mile warrantee they used to give on them

[Tango]

The guys over at 4BTSwaps might disagree. At about 250 that engine is running at a much higher efficiency than it is at lower ratings. ie, less lugging, less heat will only improve longevity. That said, there is most definitely a point on any engine where pumping up the power will yield a serious net loss on reliability and longevity. The trick is to find the point that fits your needs and that you are willing to accept the price of.
(my favorite so far is the vid of the 2200hp 6bt exploding on the dyno..and the builders laughing in the background) They had the bucks and just wanted to see how far they could take that set up.



I do understand the "warranty" thing but that's a whole nuther nut.

[railbus5]

The Cat 350 is a 3406 model engine. A 1994 would be a "B" engine. They are mechanical injectors. These are highly prized engines. They go upwards of 500,000 miles and just do a top end and a million miles for major overhauls if taken care of. I drove one in a 1995 dump truck brand new. It took 40,000 miles to break it in and run real good. The big brothers are 400 and 425. They use the same block but different sleeves and pistons and injectors. They can be turned up to pull better. I loved that engine. It would pull it guts out and just purr.