3208 cat running overly rich

[rbh]

We bought a truck last year with a reman turbo 210 hp 3208 cat and 725?? allison auto behind it. from what I was told the motor has less than 50k miles on it.
When the truck is started or placed under load it blows black very bad.
One thing that we did have checked was the boost, it had 2 pounds of boost at about 2200 rpm +- ( just below the shift point) so the tech turned up the fuel preasure/rate???? and now we are around 8psi boost.
The truck came from Alabama and had sat and not run for a long time.
QC had mentioned a couple of things about the injectors, the turbo and the advance in another post.
fresh air cleaner and newer muffler
The next thing I was going to do was a pop test on the injectors as they could be rusted up from sitting so long.
anyone else want to take a stab at this problem.
thanks
rob

 

[Bondo]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

Ayuh,... My 1st 2 thoughts are,...
A Dirty air filter, or injectors pizzing, instead of Spraying...

 

[slia67]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

What year is it?

My first thought was the same as Bond-o's, dirty air filter. Then timing on the pump. But it's been years since I've messed with them and I may be thinking about another engine all together.

 

[rbh]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

What year is it?

My first thought was the same as Bond-o's, dirty air filter. Then timing on the pump. But it's been years since I've messed with them and I may be thinking about another engine all together.

The truck is a 1985 tandem 8000, not sure what the date of the reman engine is though, like I said I dont think there is 50k miles on it, maybe lots of hours though as its a digger derrick.

 

[QC]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

so the tech turned up the fuel preasure/rate????

As I mentioned in the other thread, fuel pressure is not how you turn up the wick on a mechanically governed Cat . . . What was the complaint when he did that? It would be helpful to know what he really did. It should never need to be turned up, especially if the complaint is black smoke If there was not a low power complaint, I don't understand why the tech turned it up in the first place. You don't need boost just to have boost, you need boost to control smoke and make power. You don't solve smoke by adding fuel.

Like anything this needs to be properly diagnosed. Low Power/black smoke procedures are very similar. Yes, check timing, yes check advance. Air cleaner inspection, exhaust inspection (need to get air out to get air in). Turbo inspection. Air inlet piping inspection (boosted side). I don't trust that this injection pump was ever right, and I don't trust the turbos condition. When they say "reman" did they mean a factory reman or do they mean somebody adjusted the valves and called it an overhaul? Sorry for the sarcasm, but you never know . . . BTW, valve adjustment is another good thing to consider as it is a maintenance item anyway. I never bought into valve adjustments helping with power or smoke, but it is considered required checks in the Cat procedure if I recall correctly.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

I thought the 210HP was a naturally aspirated 3208...not turbo... something weird there

 

[QC]

Re: 3208 cat running overly rich

No, first turbos were 210s as well . . . 225s and 250s followed. There were even 275s and then 300s for RVs and fire/emergency vehicles only.