Cat 3406... plumbing a pre-luber

[electrotech]

Hi guys,

Does anyone have a good opinion for where (on the engine block) to plumb in the pressure-side of a pre-luber?

We have our D398's setup already. I dont know the 3406 well enough.

Thanks!

[JK]

I suspect you are not getting any answers because this is a question you should be asking Cat. They will tell you exactly how to plumb this in.

[offshoresnipe]

Ah yes, you are so right JK.
I was on a vessel years ago that had 3600 Cats, less then 500 hrs and the boys on the dock that worked for the company did some changes to plumbing on the LO systems, thought the engines would run better. Long story short, things did not go well for me in the Gulf of Alaska that trip. (Winter time sail).
When we did make it back to the home dock, the Cat guys showed up and well it was not a very nice day.
Something to do about voiding the warranty. I kept a very low profile that week at the dock, was just glad I had not been the guy that had come up with this great plan that looked so good on paper.
Heads rolled that day and a for a few weeks latter.

[JK]

Ouch, that must have cost.
One thing about Cats, you do exactly what the Mfr says and the engines will give the service they say it will.
If you don't, well you see some interesting things.

[Big Pete]

I think most machinery is the same....
The manufacturers designed and tested it, and they get all the feedback when it goes wrong.
They just know far more about their piece of machinery than anybody on board is ever likely to do.
I have seen a fair few problems, caused by ship's Engineers thinking that they know better than the makers.
Good luck, Pre lube is generally a good idea, though if the flow rates are too high, you can erode the bearings and cause premature failure....

Remember what the earlier contributor said, any modifications that are made to any piece of machinery, without detailed WRITTEN approval of the maker, will totally invalidate any warrantee or guarantee that the maker has given on the machinery.
Heads can roll, big style, so be careful.


Big Pete

[Halifax_Stoker]

Don't be so willing to trust CAT as well. An old ship I was on got the CAT technicians to do the bearings on a 3512 and while they were working they cut out pipes from the engine block they said were useless. Well these useless pipes were meant to aid in the lubrication of the Journals. No one knew they did this until 200hrs more on the engine and it blew up. Don't know why the alarm didn't ring in because this happened a couple weeks before I started on the vessel but I know an oiler was almost killed, and CAT replaced the engine right away to save face. Remember techs. can be both good and bad, but I would take the work of an expeirenced liciensed engineer than someone with company branded tech. title anyday.

JUST REMEMBER FOR GOD SAKES NO GALVONIZED PIECES IN THE PRE - LUBE SYSTEM......HEARD MANY HORRER STORIES ABOUT THAT

[JK]

Yes that is true, but I have yet to not have Cat refuse to stand by their work and cover the repairs.
But if you have someone else do it and there is a screw up, then you are out a huge amount of money, because you paid to have the work done the first time and a bigger dollar amount the second time to fix it correctly.
Besides, if you use their reman parts, you have a longer warranty.