So wait, can ye enlighten me? Why would the CAT C7 scare off a buyer?
I'm just wondering...i though people loved all CATS big and small...
Any color marine diesel has it's quirks. Some more $$expensive$$ than others.
Read this post off another forum:
"Another set of after coolers leaking again. First set failed at 1100 hours and now this set leaking with less than 500 hrs. Both time the failure has resulted in damage to the valve seats.
Am now being quoted 92 hrs labor to replace 1 head and both after coolers. Supposedly the new design after coolers have solved the leaking issues. These engines now have a total of 1600 hrs and have been Cat Maintained and serviced since new. ECU downloads show almost the entire life under 80% load and I change all filters and oil every hundred hours like clock work.
What have some you other folks experienced with the C-7 in regards to the after coolers?
And how can it possibly take 92 hrs to perform this repair?
I surely hope a 25K bill doesn´t come with every 500 hours of operation"
continued:
"The 2 that are getting ready to be installed will be the third set. New design and new piping arrangement " hence the more labor".
First set shortly after 1000 hrs, had high intake air alarm and high manifold temp alarm. Shut down and inspection showed leak on the port after cooler and damaged exhaust valve. Had the head replaced and new after cooler installed. Decided to have the starboard pressure tested and it showed slight leakage. Replaced it.
Now at 1500 hrs and 260 miles from home port with no warning same scenario as before. Core leaking on port engine and valves damaged. Limped home on the starboard for 45 hrs. Inspection of starboard showing corrosion around the end cap. Suggested by Cat to replace before eminent failure. " I believe them"
So, 32K in repairs at 1600 hrs.
I will say Cat helped me out the first time quit a bit. But, the fact that they replaced the old with the same type after cooler didn´t get me far. In doing extensive research on here I even found 1 post that a guy had 10 C-7s in a fleet and every one of them had after cooler failures within 1000 hrs.
I would at least think the redesigned after cooler additional labor would be covered.
SO yes, as of next week i have bought the after coolers that came on the engine, the after coolers that have failed again, and now the newly designed after coolers.
I will say again, yes Cat is helping some. I´m just not sure they couldn´t help a little more"
FWIW,
Bill D
