3176 Cat injector?

I lost the #4 injector in my little 3176 last week, so it went in the shop MOnday morning for the injector an a few other little odds and ends. Just got a call from the mechanic who told me everything is done besides the injector. His Cat rep has searched nationwide and is telling him that Cat no longer makes that injector.:smt011 He's found one at a Cat house that's been sitting on a shelf for a long time, but he can't get that place to call him back.

I know there aren't too many of these old 3176's running up an down the road, but there are quite a few of them used in the marine industry. I inquired about that and was told that the trim codes are different and that a marine injector wouldn't work.

My little 3176 has served me well with well over 1.5 million on it with no overhaul. It runs well, and outside of repairing a few oil leaks here and there, an injector every once in a great while, and components outside the engine itself, it hasn't given me hardly ANY problems. It's NEVER left me on the side of the road, and I've been happy with everything besides it's lack of power. I'm renting a 2011 Volvo right now with a D13/10spd right now, though, and I'll put my little 3176's power up against that engine any day so it's not THAT bad.

I know this little engine is really high mileage and if it quit tomorrow, there's no way I could complain about it. The oil analysis still shows no significant wear and the fuel mileage stays right around 7. I just can't see getting rid of this old thing as long as it's still working good. It's sure going to pizz me off if I can't find an injector for this thing. And what do I do in the future?

Have any of you, by chance, ever run into this before? Do any of you know if it's possible to have someone reman my injector? Since Cat isn't making the on road engines any more, my mechanic tell me that Cat is getting harder to deal with. I've liked my Cat and have always been kind of a Cat guy. I know if I had a C-15 or a 3406, I probably would have no problems finding anything I needed, but how long is THAT going to last? It is a reality that one day my old shaker's gonna quit me and I'll be looking for a replacement. Depending on how this turns out, I may be scratching all the trucks powered my Cat off of my list of potential tractors to buy. Sure do hate to do that, but I'm not going to fight them to find parts and support.

 

I'm not too sure. I have the 3176B. I just go a call, though, and we've located one that is to be overnighted to us and put in tomorrow.

Is there a significant difference in the engines between serial numbers?

I'd have to actually look at the engine, which is at the shop 20 minutes away, to get the number.