Question on CAT 3406 liner projection

Discussion in 'Trucks [ Eighteen Wheelers ]' started by Bigkenny, Jun 1, 2012.

  1. Bigkenny

    Bigkenny Bobtail Member

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    May 31, 2012
    Wyoming
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    Hired a kid fresh out of diesel mechanic school to do an in frame on a CAT 3406. Didn't realize until after we got the cylinder head in place that he didn't have a sled gauge and only checked the projections by finger. Before I crank the motor up for the first time what is the worst that can happen if the projections are off? When the liners were installed they were pushed down until they wouldn't go down anymore. I'm not an expert of diesel mechanics, I just make the wheels turn. Thanks for the help.
     
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  3. truckmechanic

    truckmechanic Medium Load Member

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    It would be worth the money to me to tear it back down and check for the peice of mind and also to possibly save Money later from a blown head gasket,cracked liner, or cracked head you will be out some time and money but it would be worth it.if I were him i would eat the labor cost we learn from our mistakes and you should never assume that its write in the long run you can end up with a bad reputation and that my freind is bad for business
     
  4. Superhauler

    Superhauler TEACHER OF MEN

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    how many miles were on the motor before in frame? and why was it overhauled? that has alot to do whether you tear it back down or not. but for peace of mind and to be sure yeah like truckmechanic said pull it down and check. better to do it right the first time than to screw it up later! did you reuse the head? if so did you redeck it? or just clean it up? alot of if's here! not to rain on your parade but you get what you pay for. never go cheap always go the right way. even if it cost more. it will be cheaper in the long run. ask me how i know!!
     
  5. Bigkenny

    Bigkenny Bobtail Member

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    May 31, 2012
    Wyoming
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    I hear ya and totally agree. Normally I'd go back and tear into it but I don't have a torque wrench that goes high enough to do the head, we had that job outsourced but only ended up saving $100 over buying the overpriced torque wrench ourselves. Just about out of money for the build and if it doesn't get back on the road the wife is done with both me and the truck LOL.

    The head is a remanned unit with no run time on it so I assume everything was done correct atleast on that part. The truck had well over 1 million miles before the tear down. The reason for the tear down was excessive blowby, turns out several pistons were cracked. Only thing that didn't get touched was the camm. Should I still be worried?
     
  6. C16KIWI

    C16KIWI Medium Load Member

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    Just run it:biggrin_25519:

    If the protruision was to low it will blow a headgasket if its too high it will crack a liner.
    By the sounds of it you need to be working it just keep a eye on the coolant level.
     
  7. spacetrucker88

    spacetrucker88 Heavy Load Member

    what would you rather have low money or no money? Liner protrusion is a big deal a blown head gasket is a big deal and a cracked head is a big deal,why would you let a kid fresh out of school do an overhaul anyway? I have seen a lot of so called diesel mechanics rebuild the 3406B cats only to run nine or ten thousand miles and bang a big hole in the side of the block. My guess was the rods were not checked or resized. ( on the ones that flew apart) The wife is just gonna have to deal with this because it is possible you are gonna end up with no money and an engine scattered all over the road if you do not go back into it. By reading your post it sounded to me like you were trying to be cute or funny but you may end up crying.So go do the right thing as Dr Laura would say.
     
  8. Superhauler

    Superhauler TEACHER OF MEN

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    you could just run it. if you didnt have liner protrution problems before and your not pushing alot of hp you might get lucky. but heres what happened to me. i had a 2ws with over 1 mill on it had cat in columbus in frame it. one year almost to the day it blew the headgasket, found out they didn't check the liner protrution. thats when my nightmare began. if i hadn't stumbled across this site and talked to mr haney and a few others. i would still be at the mercy of that shop! i've never looked back. learned alot in the past few years, still learning,will never stop learning. the cam nah if it wasn't flaking no worries. i had the original in my old 2ws with over 1373000 miles on it.
     
    Scrapper Thanks this.
  9. Gear head

    Gear head Medium Load Member

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    Liner height will cause blown head gasket or cracked liner an it won't be long if its wrong.
     
  10. Scrapper

    Scrapper Light Load Member

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    Nashville, AR
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    superhauler is right on...this site is great and the guys are great and have more knowledge in their pinky nail about these trucks than I ever will. Listen to them. Most have been there and done that and now are on here telling the tale. I'm very new to this business and wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am now without it!

    As already stated...it will be WAY cheaper to go in and check and even adjust correctly now than it will be to fix broken parts down the road. You really aren't going to be out alot more money other than time by doing this. You are not replacing any parts YET. I have and I know many more have done jobs just to remember or find out when they are done they forgot or have an inkling in their minds that they did something wrong. Then took the rest of the day or after work into the night to tear it back down and fix it right so the job will be correct. Thats where the pride in your work comes in. The youngin should have enough pride in his work to go back in and help you get it right. As truckmech already said...he'll have a short lived mechanic life if his jobs are like that. Own up to the mistake and fix it right. For your sake he should!

    Not worth much but my $.02
     
    Oxbow and truckmechanic Thank this.
  11. SL3406

    SL3406 Medium Load Member

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    Why would it be WAY cheaper to fix it now if it's already back together and running? There is at least a 50/50 chance it will be alright. Either way you have to buy a new head gasket set. If the protrusion is off the counter bores have to be cut no matter if you do it now or later. Last time I had that done it cost about a $1,000 have have all 6 cut and shimmed. If I was broke and wasn't running the truck real far from home it would be well worth the risk to just run it to me.
     
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