My c15 rebuild

[Brock]

Here is my 2008 cat c15 being tore down. Engine had so much blowby that it was blowing oil fill caps off and loads of oil flying out of the blowby tube. We assumed wed see broken rings but we didn't, what we saw was number 3 and 4 (mostly 3) the liners were so very badly worn and the skirts on the piston as well. Looked like the rings were digging into the sleeves.

Heads cracked as well, cam is not the greatest.

Mechanic figures the damage is due to constant lugging of the motor, I usually drive my prostar so I can't speak to that but I'm wondering about bad timing in the tune. Getting it over to unilevers after its done anyways.

[Texasdude74]

How many hours/miles are on it? The factory tune on those things is God awful and the timing is off. Once Unilever takes care of that it will be a totally different animal. A Cat instead of a dog!

[Running rough]

I do believe even cat engine recommend the c15 Acert to run 1500 to 1600 rpm when pulling 140000 lbs or more, I can't see where a moter will last if a guy is trying to pull super bs at 1200 rpm up a mountain all day everyday, unless of coarse the engine was specifically designed to do so like the Volvo d16xe, I can see extreme lugging damaging Piston skirts and vibrating liners, not say that's what happened with Brock's moter but I have seen c15 acerts with simuler symptoms where the skirts on the pistons are heavily scratched and burning oil like its goin out of style mind u it was a higher milage engine

[Brock]

The motor was rebuilt 2 years ago. Truck has mandate disabled and a tune out of spec Quebec.

Problem I see.... Truck has 336 gears on 24.5 rubber so at 65mph it's turning 1250rpm. I do that so I can run a gear down in direct and cruisearound 1450rpm. Problem is my driver always runs top gear, I know he does and I've told him not to.I only know cause he's told other drivers when they were asking how he got such good mileage.

I've now taken this truck back as my own and hired a driver who takes direction. I'm swapping my 24.5 with the 22.5 from my prostar as well to bring my direct to 1500rpm and drop my prostar from 1600 closet to 1500.

[Running rough]

I feel like I'm tied to cummins, but will say this, they do a good rebuild on your kitty along with a safe tune and you put the right driver behind the wheel, should have a stout moter

[Brock]

Front structure is off, deck is getting cleaned off. Got all my parts in.... went with the federal mogul FP diesel cylinder kits, cat everything else including head and injectors.

Here's a pic of the new piston

   
   

Went with the FP diesel cause they are new rather than reman and have a ceramic coating which I really like.

Cylinders going in today!

[Starlight]

Please post the results of running the aftermarket cylinder kits. I have not been a fan so far of internals being aftermarket but maybe its just a unjustified bias.

[Rawze]

Make sure you plastigauge it. I have heard that many after-market bearing kits are a bit off.

[RPM1]

i have never rebuilt a engine yet wear i did not use plastigadge on crank and rods , feeler gauge or diel indicator on end play on crank measure and mike the pistons and bores , end gap on rings in the bores , side clearance on rings in pistons , all tedious work and probably what many would call over kill , but its my engines and i want it right and to know , peace of mind .