Mack CAT powered ex Air Force refueler

[1951 Mack LJ]

I use to own a 5 yard Ford dump truck with the 3208 with a turbo and a 10 speed. Never got any where fast but I could run that truck all day and use hardly any diesel. If I was looking for a truck to run under 32,000 gross weight and it happen to have a cat 3208 with a turbo and a 10 speed I would not think twice about it. But that one being an automatic would be a slug.

[cncFireman]

I could see myself taking out a few stop signs trying to drive one of those around here

[bulldog man]

I Remember when I was growing up in the 80's there was a lot of L 8000 & L9000 Ford Tandem & Tri Axle Ford Dump buckets running in & out of the dirt, sand & rock pits down in Memphis .

Most of them had a 3208 N/A Or a 3208T W/ 613 Road ranger behind them . You could always tell a Louisville Style Ford w/ a "Throw away Cat" as my pop & great uncle called them espically if the driver had the clutch engaged . I always like the sound of a 3208

Aked Pop & Uncle Bud why they called them a Throw away Cat motor & they told me when the 3208 1st came out they were a dry sleeve motor & Before they became wet sleeved if the motor went bad or needed overhauled it was cheaper to buy a new 3208 . Anybody else ever herd this ?

[countryboy5487]

Ya ive heard that said before. same thing with the 3116 and 3126

[farmer52]

Yes the 3208 is called a "throw away" engine. If I remember correctly, the 3208 never had wet sleeves. It was always a parent bore block. The 3208 was a high reving engine and sounded good at high RPMs. For the size of the engine, they were a good engine, especially the turbo version. There was an OTR fleet that ran 3208T rated at 350hp.

[countryboy5487]

Ya a 3208 has a very distinct sound. Who had the 350 3208's farmer?

[bulldog man]

Ya Pops buddy who he bided a lot of jobs with & sub contracted for a lot , had a 225 Cat excavator w/ a 3208 in it & a 613 Cat Paddlewheel Scraper w/ a 3208 in it & they had a very distinct sound .

Wow a 3208 turned to 350 ? ive seen them turned to 300hp & that's it .

[farmer52]

Ya a 3208 has a very distinct sound. Who had the 350 3208's farmer?

I don't remember the fleet's name but they were located near Charlotte, NC. This was in the early 1980s. I don't think they are still in business.

I will dig into my junk pile library and see if I can find more info.

Wow a 3208 turned to 350 ? ive seen them turned to 300hp & that's it .

This was a factory rating for the 3208T on-highway engine. I think the marine version (turbo and charge air cooled) was rated at 500 or higher.

[cncFireman]

A few of those 3208 cats have been dropped into pickups. The 3208 to me sounds similar to the International T444e (aka powerstroke 7.3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOABHUAmhJI

[countryboy5487]

Ya they do sound similar to the IH idi v8's

[bulldog man]

Countryboy : There was a fella out of N.Ms pop used tio work with a lot had a TD25 IH W/ A V8 IH Diesel in it & man I used to like to hear that ole TD25 IH In a hard push what a great sound .

Another motor sounds similar to a 3208 is the 4 stroke 8.2 L Detroit

[farmer52]

Another motor sounds similar to a 3208 is the 4 stroke 8.2 L Detroit

I ran some tests on the 8.2L when I worked at the CAT house. I liked the engine. Can't remember if it had a min-max or full range governor.

[bulldog man]

_{there was a Excavating Company out of West Memphis, AR that used to have a 88' or 89' GMC 7000 Single axle Fuel/Lube truck w. 8.2 T Detroit & 5&2 w/23k axle .}

_{Not sure of the Horse Power but That truck carried a 1500 gallon fuel tank , Kellogg air compressor , 15W40 OIL, Waste Oil, grease drum, Hyd oil tank , Water tank , & gear oil tank & Reels I used to like to hear that ole 8.2T In a hard pull through soft ground & that Turbo start whistling like a tea kettle & black coal rolling out of that belly blower exhaust .}