Update on My Reno Status - My 3 Choices....

[Andy Coleman]

Fellow Wanderlodgers:

Just got off the phone with my mechanic in Reno today. As he had
promised me, he removed the heads on both sides of my 3208 motor and
inspected the top end. Being on a stand, it is now much easier to do.

On the side of the engine that blew the head gasket, he said there was
anti-freeze staining on the inside of all four cylinders. He said he
could probably removed the staining with a very fine emory cloth. He
inspected the head gasket, and noted that it had probably been going
bad for some time. It didn't just blow from my trip. The head was
etched from antifreeze going places it should not have. He
recommended that I have the head rebuilt. He said it was also
possible that I had some antifreeze leakage without knowing it. I
changed the oil before leaving for my trip - and noticed nothing unusual.

The head on the other side appeared fine, so did the cylinders and
gasket. He recommended that since I have the engine out, I might want
to go ahead and rebuild that head too, and of course replace the
gasket on that side.

He also told me to consider installing a new re-man 3208. With the
engine already out and all the parts and labor required to re-build my
old one, he said it was something to consider. When I told him that I
plan to keep my FC for another 10+ years, he seemed to recommend this
option more.

The service supervisor ran some numbers and boiled it down to three
options for me. Brace yourself!

1. Install 2 new head gaskets & put the engine back together - total
cost $8,100.00.

2. Install 2 reman heads and gaskets. Put the engine back together.
Total cost $9,700.00.

3. Install a cat re-man (and warrented) engine and put everything
back together. Total cost $20,400. The engine itself - $11,750.00.

I did some engine research weeks ago when I first had my problem. I
found that the Rhino engines
http://www.rhinoengines.com/caterpillar3208engines.htm re-mans a 3208
for under $7,000.00. 24-month unlimited nationwide warrentee. The
service guy told me they had two bad experiences with Rhino engines in
the past, and would not install them. They have a manufacturer in
California called Ariva (Sp?) that they buy re-man engines from. It
would cost me around $9,700.00, but not have the full nationwide
warrentee a Cat re-man does. They don't purchase engines from any
other re-man firms.

I asked the service guy if he could send my existing heads to a
machine shop to be re-built, over buying two new re-man ones. He said
they could, but of course had no idea what that would cost.

Well, there you have it... The decision that I must make in the next
few days... I am leaning towards #2, and sending my two heads off to
be re-built at a machine shop. If they are not in too bad shape, it
might cost me less than buying two re-man ones.

I'm also basing my decision on the performance of the engine so far -
it did not even burn a quart of oil on the first 5,000 miles of my
trip! It ran smooth, sounded really good, had plenty of power (for a
250 HP turbo 3208), and did not smoke.

I'm sharing all the ugly details of my experience with all of you in
the hopes it might benefit somebody in the future. I also would like
to hear if you guys agree with my choice of #2. And of course, I'm
bracing myself to hear "you are being ripped off" responses.

Thank you all for the many offers of advice and sympathy. If I didn't
have this list to consult and vent, I don't know what I would do!

Andy Coleman
83' FC-35 250 HP Turbo 3208
Spring Lake, NJ