CAT C32 Heat Exchanger Maint & Cleaning

Hi,

You already had the answers to this in your previous thread.

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/technical-discussion/15151-c32-aftercooler-maintenance.html

SOS I have a question for you,
Are your C32 burning a lot of oil? If so, how much are you adding in between oil changes? Thinking your oil interval is 250hrs.
I am working with a set of C32 gens for the first time, and I am burning a lot of oil. Caterpillar headquarters says this is normal but I am just not feeling it.
I would be appreciative if any one else has any experience to share.

Hi,

C4ENG, What do you call a lot of Oil?

How much oil are you burning for how many hours?

Are you using the proper CAT DEO oil?

The oil change interval is 250 hours or 1 YEAR, whichever comes first.

Are you doing the SOS oil analysis with each oil change?

I've run a few different C32's in a main engine application and rarely had to add oil, if ever. The one I did have to add oil was past it's recommended oil chance.

this problem in C32 Gen set. So i want first asked you a

This problem in C32 Gen set. So I want first asked you the capacity of your engine pan?
Second, you must check there is any failure in the down of aftercooler core or not?

With 2 different C 32 250 kw gen sets still under factory warranty, I burn so much oil that if I did not add any, I would run out before 250 hours. Out side the boat is an ugly oil slick/ or soot slick, not sure, while sitting in a marina with stagnant water flow. Surely something mechanical is wrong that I can only guess to but I am just more shocked that CAT headquarters says "this is acceptable level of oil consumption and no warranty call".
I am thankful to hear from others that there C32's do not act as such.

How much load are you running on them? If they're too lightly loaded they'll run a little fuel rich and burn oil as well as live a shorter life.

Hi,

Are you sure these are C 32 Engines? The C32 is basically the old 3412 on Steroids.

If so they must be seriously de rated as there are no C 32 Gensets that I can find in CAT's published data with such a low output.

How much oil in gallons or litres are you burning every day?

Do you have any accurate way of determining the actual kilowatts produced?

If you can PM me the engine numbers I can find out what the engines actually are.

There will be a figure given by any engine manufacturer as to how many grams pre kWh you should be burning so you can do your own research and check the numbers, if you have SW cooled Oil Coolers you might be loosing oil out of there.

There are many variables until a few are announced or eliminated the answers to your questions will continue to elude you.

This problem in most C32 Gen set.
First how much oil burned in 250 hrs?
if it burned more than 30 liters, ther are aproblem and you must contact with your dealer or cat. manufactor.
Second the capacity of your engine pan?
if your engine capacity is 80 liters, you must chang this oil pan by big one take 120 liters and you find the other oil pan part no. on parts book.
note: CATERPILLAR recommendation in this case that first you must chang oil pan.

I think you hit the nail on the head. They are severely light loaded. I saw 140 KW at the highest load peak with a boat load of guess. Then normally run 80-90 KW, that has to be damaging for a 250 KW set. The ship yard had plans for a load bank for the vessel, but then politics happened and it was not followed through.

K1, not sure the C32 resembles the 3412's. They look like two different animals. I would guess maybe the replacement series motors like 35 series for the D399's, although those look more similar. I appreciate you offering to run the numbers for me but I just got off shift for now and do not have them.

Hi,

I have scoured my books and looked on line a bit today. I cannot find a C 32 Genset as a full CAT Package nor can I find a C 32 Genset Engine rated at less than 590 bkW for 1500 rpm ( 50 Hz) and 683 bkW for the 1800 rpm models.

250 ekW can easily be obtained by a 3406C Engine powered Genset.

Are you sure these are 12 Cylinder turbo charged engines driving these little gensets?

Here is a link that shows the current offerings from CAT: http://marine.cat.com/gensets

The comparison between a 3500 Engine and a 399 is a lot wider than a 3412 and a C32. The D 399 was a V16 pre combustion engine with high pressure injectors operated by a HP Fuel Pump. The 3500's come in 3 main flavours the V 8, 12 and 16 with a V20 available in a gas only version. The diesel versions have either mechanical or electronic fuel injectors, individual cylinder heads and are a lot easier to remove the charge air cooler from.

I guess if the situation gets desperate enough someone could open the sound shield and read the engine and generator data plates ...

They are Kilo Pak gen sets. They marine-ized the C32 for there use.

Hi,

That makes the whole situation about as clear as mud.

Kilopak do not have anything near that big on their site.

How many of these units do you have on your vessel?

They might have made an automotive diesel into a marine genset - cheap but not conducive to a long trouble free life by any means.

Why don't you call kilo pak and ask if they will sell you a 250 KW.

Are you sure they aren't C9s?

Why would they install such oversized generators? There should be installed 150KW generators, maybe 175kw at the most. Especially if you have 2 and are only running 140 KW peak power. Is there any way to create more of a load, such as operate all of the Air Conditioning chillers to get your load factors up? Install more refrigeration/freezers? etc. Or have a load bank installed now.