I’ve been running my 3408 powered Kenworth for over 20 years and it hasn’t missed a beat except for 2 blown turbos in all that time. It’s putting out 550 HP @1900 RPM at the wheels, but I see yours is air to air aftercooled whereas mine is jacket water aftercooled as from the manufacturer. It pulls 11 axle A-Trains @ 174,000 lbs (79 tonnes) all over the Australian outback. One small mistake, you’re wrong about the bore and stroke being the same as a 3406. The 3408 has a shorter stroke but the same bore, although a lot of parts are the same. If it had the same stroke, the engine would be 19 liters, not 18. My engine’s never been out the frame, it’s had 3 in-frames and it’s done nearly 70,000 hours since 1980 when it was built. The secret is clean oil, properly dosed coolant, proper start up and shut down, and bearing rolls at the right intervals. Plus never let anyone else drive it.
Are 3408s a bit fragile? We have a Sig Series 02 KW Cummins coming up on 1.45m kms that has the shit thrashed out of it by 5 different people (all of who would be struggling to drive a stick up a dogs arse btw) and its had about 5 clutches and 2 partial gearbox rebuilds. The whole truck is turning to shit but the motor has had 2 turbos but not so much as the head off it. It overheats too. We just leave it alone as much as possible in case it stops lol. I suppose comparing an inline 6 to a V8 is a bit unfair since V8s suffer secondary vibration that inline 6s don't. We have a few 3406 Cats but they don't have the poke on hills our Cummins engines do. Would i rather a Cummins over a 3408 for the type of work you do? Nah I'll take the 3408 (that's the mechanic in me. I like you can open them up and the cylinder bmehp is lower than a 6 as well as the hp being at 1900 as opposed to 2100 ;)
ThePaulv12 I hardly think mine is fragile, just look at the hours it’s done and the weight it pulls in extreme heat. There’s still a few operating here in Australia with bigger loads than mine. As long as you do the bearing rolls, like any early 3400 series, and you don’t lug it below around 1400 rpm, the crankshaft will last. I’m a firm believer in oil sampling every oil change too.
@@gm16v149 just quietly I'm being playful to stir up the argument manufacturers and armchair experts. We're the real deal and i like it when people with absolutely no idea of the real world tell me my business.
Beautiful truck!! Fantastic engine. I used to work at a Kenworth dealer and nearly all of us there would come around and look at one of these when it came in. For me, it was the 3408, either PC or DI or the 1693. Real powerhouses the old-fashioned way - brute strength!
My grandpa was a diesel mechanic on the 3rd shift back the day, worked for Mason/Dixon trucking out of Kingsport. Anyways one of his jobs was running the trucks on the roller dyno like this. Said he always had the driver's door open when he did these pulls, so he could hear the engine/driveline better and it was really hot back in that room as well. I'll never forget him talking about nodding off for just a second while he was doing a pull, getting the truck up to speed on the rollers. Said he woke up, engine was roaring, there was a brick wall about 10' in front of him, he jumped right out the open driver's door. Scared him to death lol.
That's J & J Transport's old truck. It's got a 4 way behind the main box. Jimmy took good care of those trucks. Their main business was hauling transformers
these engines were used in shrimp boats, tugs, and large lobster boats and it was very common to see them rated at 1000 + hp continuous hp, shaft hp in the 1100 range.
Awesome to see old school equipment. I have owned 4 trucks and had all the major engines. The Cat was the most powerful and expensive to work on the Cummins was decent but the most dependable and easiest on fuel was the 12.7 Detroit. Before you all get ur knickers in a twist remember That's my opinion yours of course will be different.
Ray McGhee I’m just a wrench but I like the older 60 series. It gets no love. It’s fairly simple , has decent power and gets decent economy. It doesn’t kill any category , just performs well and that’s what’s needed for a workhorse. Done many a engine dyno pull with some guys from interstate mcbee as they were developing replacement injectors years ago. I forgot how many runs we did , but it was over about a 6mo period every few days, and probably 4-6 pulls each time they came. Heh those ol boys learned pretty good how to swap injectors, I think we got it down to about 45 mins with 3 guys.
MrHillfolk Lifetime wrench here too , your description is exactly correct , been around them all , young and the old moth eaten stuff too worked on gensets w/v 71 series Detroit's, 1693 cats , all the old Cummins , even the ones w superchargers B's I think , compression releases also, but with the steel haulers and the graveltrains horsepower was/is king .But with the spreading out of the auto industry that isn't what it was years ago.
AWESOME! Thanks for posting. Don't know what kind of mpg's this guy is getting but God bless him for keeping some old school iron like that big beast out on the road! If that ain't pure American muscle, I don't know what is. I think I'm still having heart palpitations after hearing her beautiful song on that dyno!
Well I been reading the comments and replies figured I would add one of my own back in the day I drove a 83 359 with a 3408 and a 6x4 it was at 1150 hp and 2400 foot pounds of torque if you were real conservative about how you drove you could get 4.2 out it but usually 3.5 mpg and it had 308 gears in it it was never late for anything but a fuel stop and was registered on paper in AZ at 165 mph it was so hot that at nighttime you could get the elbows to turn red pulling hills but it would bust and split a 4 speed auxiliary straight down the Center
Nowadays they put out those kind of numbers with six cylinders not eight, plus considerably more torque and decent mpg not gpm like this hog. Don't get me wrong, it's cool as all get out, but not efficient.
@@opaqueman5043 we're still pretty far from making capable electric semis. There's just no way to pack the range a massive tank of diesel does with current battery technology.
I haul logs out of Louisiana we’re always over not very many trucks around could have kept up with her unfortunately we got rid of her because body was falling apart it was all there though
I’ve always been fascinated by this engine and know virtually nothing about it. One old timer told me they don’t like cold weather and are hard starters. He said they can be expensive to repair and aren’t reliable but again that’s one man’s opinion.
My first job we had some 3408 Cats in trucks for peddle runs. They were very reliable but he was right in repairs being expensive. Parts are indeed expensive.
For those who wondering why that big 18 litres V8 engines with over 600 bhp have relatively low torque figure? In my educated guess, it is a legacy from the past. Cat offered 3408 at max 450 hp 1450/1460 ft.lb back in 80's, why so? Because clutch and transmission back then not as strong as today and simply cannot handle big amount of torque. 1450 ft.lb was a big number 30-40 years ago.
NICE TO HAVE A TRUCK LIKE THAT, SO LONG YOU MAINTAIN IT RIGHT AND Y OUR DRIVING STYLE IS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ENGINE AND YOU CARE ABOUT MANTANICE OF THAT ENGINE.
Still running 2 3408 Cat Powered 1985 W900's in our fleet. You take care of them and not abuse them they will last. Caught one driver Rough Handling one of our trucks. We had him pulled into the next Scale house and fired him.
That's a really pure CAT 👏👌👍 That's a really a hilarious on the hills 😃 no one passes this beast 🤣 👏 😃👌 this is a best truck ever see👏👏👌👍 cheers from Norway
WELL IT MAYBE WASNT THE BEST ''' BUT IT WAS THE ''MOST'' POWERFUL TRUCK ENGINE EVER BUILT ''''' RAW POWER ''' BUT IF YOU 'REMEMBER' IT HAD 'TROUB LE' HOLDING A ''BOTTOM END'''' THATS WHAT ''KILLED IT ''' I LOVED THIS MOTOR ''
that's a a really a king of the road not so much trucks passed this 😂 Take care of this beast 👌 cheers from Norway CAT 3408 a one of the best ever V8 CAT made
Plenty of parts are interchangeable though. I’m rebuilding a spare 3408 truck engine and a lot of part numbers are the same, except for heads, block and crank of course. Water pump and oil cooler are different too.
You can make it a b model 3408 by putting a b model crank and cam in it convert the fueling over to a b model cut c16 pistons in it c 18 connecting rods and a 3508 turbo and marine heads then you can put some real power to the ground
@@bryanwilson5011 And hope that offset crank won't break. Why don't you think that truck pullers use the 90 degree Mack V-8? Because it is nearly indestructable. Caterpillar 60 degree V-8 (from a shortened 3412) crankshaft is weak and cannot take much more than 800hp reliably. Why don't you think that Caterpillar doesn't make the 3408 anymore-in favor of the superior C18?
@@Tchristman100 that's why they put the b model crank in them old tc cats bud in 1987 v8 cats were b models bud that's why you cut in c16 pistons I mean really you need it all spelled out for ya
@@bryanwilson5011 Really sort of a moot point now since the only 3408 that Cat makes is the G model for natural gas with spark plugs putting out a measly 425hp maximum. They do still make the 3406C mechanical (like my 3406B jacket water aftercooled).
The quarry I work has a Cat 769D that has a 3408. Sounds really good. It also rarely has any power train issues, most of the times the machine it’s never the motor
That’s so awesome. The engine in my pickup dynoed at 1138 HP and 1285 Flbs of torque. But it eats fuel like mad! Two fuel pumps are needed when that tune is in.
Anatoliy Dashkevich Yes it’s a gas engine. It’s a 454 LSX with twin turbos. Finally found a great tuner in Florida. Low boost in 1st gear. Maybe 7 pounds. 2nd gear 10-12 Pounds, 3rd gear 16 pounds and 4th gear it rips at 24 to 26 pounds of boost. It’s had 100+ dyno runs and 300+ passes at the strip. Texas Speed & Performance know what they’re doing.
That was my dads truck there is a lot of stories behind that truck. Broke the chains on the dyno for us. So you know I’m real underneath the American flag sticker there is a ding and the pin striping on the bunk is not the same height one sides lower then the other. Dose it still have the 4 and a 6 twin sticks in it.
Cool story but it’s power didn’t break the chains lol. Must have been a weak link. 1700 foot pounds torque and 600 hp doesn’t equate to much in today’s standards with what goes on these dynos. It was powerful for its day but the worked over 6 cyl are putting out way over that in torque and you have trucks with worked over cats and Cummins putting down over 1200 hp on these dynos. So no, this 3408 didn’t brake those chains because of its power
@@camelmanjd2671 Yes Sir , It was in a Long Nose W900 KW , Double Over 13spd, 3.55 Gears . That thing was an animal ,owner had a driving award for 138mph from the state of AZ. Owner said " Shit I was on the Jake for a 1/4 mile for he clocked me !!!"
jkdwayne we had a black w900L that was a glider kit with a 6nz cat it was tuned and all that and it’d go 132mph. Lost it a couple years ago when our driver lost control in the smoky mountains and had to use the runway ramp. Hit the pit so hard it snapped the frame on the truck and ripped the steering axel off
Fuel is an issue today... I have no idea which old and new engines are the most fuel effiecient... Guess alle the elctronic injection and working together with the auto transmissions works for better fuel consumption. But all the emmisions after treatment works the other way... Just a thought and in no way an expert opiniun from me
Very cool. Nice truck. I suspect that long after our government craps out these trucks will still be moving up n down the roads bringing people what they need😁.
4 was a good number you could turn them to 400 horsepower on both sides and still do 4 mpg engine brakes were the reason they dropped it in us. Was still available in Canada after 87
Drove a 3406b in a89 k-w it was like a mule headed back to the barn loaded or empty ,get your ducks in a row boys and this won't hurt a bit. Company trucks right lane.
Old school trucks are coming back (except in California where they've been outlawed by the climate change fanatics) At my first job in the 1970s & 80s we had some light duty Ford F7000s with the 3408s. Very reliable and generally trouble free. We averaged about 6 mpg on the road (5 in the mountains) At the time we still had some with 534 gas engines that got about 4 mpg. They were pigs.
The truck is still running today and there is not an ISX or a c15 that wants anything to do with it. It will snack on those PDI tune C 15 6nz engines they would not even be a full meal for that old cat
You can make it a b model 3408 by putting b model crank cam and fueling system cut c16 pistons in it with c18 connecting rods marine heads and a 3508 turbo then you can put some power to the ground
Keep that old girl lubed, greased, and polished so she’ll go another million while lookin pretty. That’s the perfect truck to restore as a show piece when it’s time to retire it off the highway so people don’t forget what an oldish truck is.
Every dyno, whatever the vehicle type, always done at direct ratio (1:1). On semi truck like this, if it got 13 speed or 18 speed eaton fuller, the direct ratio is on 7H gear (11th gear on the 13 speed eaton or 16th gear on the the 18 speed eaton)
And you can literally fix it yourself on the side of the road. Between the lack of breakdowns and cost of mechs nowadays it makes up for it’s inefficiencies in fuel cost by saving labor and downtime costs.
Excellent point you made. As one who's lost $400 a day for the last 20 work days because I can't find an available $189 an hour mechanic to take me within 4 days after I call them I'm calling a mobile mechanic and just crying uncle. Don't forget about the DEF fluid cost which could be as much as four cents per mile and then those DEF filters are like $1,500 so yeah.... I might hop on the spreadsheet and try and drill down more on this. But for me, hauling intermodal containers, I pretty much have to get 6 miles per gallon but I still use a pre EGR pre ELD tractor to do it. If I were in higher paying freight I think I could stand a five mile a gallon truck.
These days they build em just to barely make it out of the warranty period, if you follow the manufacturer recommended service internals you be lucky to see 500k on the dash before she needs a inframe.
That is very well put: making them only last until the warranty period is over. I just don't think heavy duty diesel engines can take all the emissions b******* that gasoline car engines can with without consequences.
true, but they have refined diesel fuel for cleaner burn, less lubrication now so wears engines faster. I would imagine regular early oil changes with a good fuel additive they should all go 800k+
1969 was the first Scania V8 was introduced and today still making one of the most powerful " factory built " V8 engines today. High horsepower and high torque. Caterpillar shouldn't stop making V8, just start making it better.
Uh Cat makes better v8s than Scania also can your Scania turn 1000hp with 2 parts changed and a tuner a 3406E Cat makes about 600hp max and gets 6.5 to 7 American mpg or about 10 or 11 euro
Did this truck come from southeast pa? Fixed a twin to it (same color and exact same stripes) a whiel back, but i belive it had a 3406.....wonder if they owned this truck as well
If you own rig & trailer free and clear and if you have a good lanes or a fixed contract that pays. You can run pretty much anything you want,hell I'd run a hopped silver 8v92 just to piss off the envirodicks. Every time I'd turn the key would be a great big F.U. to the world.and bring a smile to my face
Can't go wrong with a CAT. I know a lad that has a CAT engine in his trike. The engine is out of a gen set connected to a BMW 5 series box. Sounds easy but a lot of engineering went into it. Too speed 60mph, lots of torque and very good mpg..
Would like to see somebody come up with some Jake's for one of these 3400 series 8s.... I'm just thinking out loud here but theredically wouldn't the jake housing off a 3406b work on the 3408 head?.... would have to make a custom rockerbox cover though
No , because 3400 series cat don't have a rocker arm for injectors ( which is used by a jake ) 3406 uses a adjoining cylinder rockers to triger the jake the timing of rocker arms don't come out wright for a 3408.
I love how everyone is so fast to shit talk about a Cat or a Cummins or a Detroit and so on!!! But 99% of them have NEVER even OWNED or worked on any of them!!! Let alone ALL of them to actually have a foot to stand on to put one or the other down. LOL!!!
Shit? Give me a break! 90% of the motors in our shop are Cats. On the rare occasion we have Detroit, it's more often than not a fuel or blower problem. Almost never mechanical.
@@SgtStickyTits notice I said NEW Detroit's. It's sad a shitmins can't even go 100k without a cam lobe shittin the bed. Series 60 Detroit's can't even go 75k without shittin the rear or front main seal. I worked for caterpillar for 7 years. I worked for Cummins for 6 months. I quit Cummins when I found out what a bunch of fraudulent fucks they truly were. Ship a cam to us with "MADE IN USA" on the box. Pull the cam out to find shitty grinds and shitty hard faced surface. Look on the end of the cam and see "MADE IN BRAZIL" the fuck? Call Cummins. "The camshaft are casted and hardened in Brazil then shipped here. The finishing process is done here. There for its "MADE in USA" " uh.... That's not the way it works.... But... Ok. Every single cam we replaced lasted between 65k and 100k. The shop wound up habing to replace a guys fully built and tuned 800hp big cam 400 because the cam was hollow 😂
@@robby844 You must of worked at a shop with a bunch of morons working there because I have had #2 Big Cam 3's and a Big Cam 4 and they ALL had over 1.5 million on them without ever being apart or rebuilt and the factory installed camshaft still in them never replaced.
Benjamin Esposti Dumbass regen that uses fuel. Smh, so dumb. Modern diesel emissions equipment reminds me of the year I was born. 1973. Let’s slap some shit on here to choke power and kill fuel mileage, and still not be all that clean. But look at cars now, who drives a new car home and cuts the cat off anymore? Besides the engine management issue , it won’t really add much more power even if you retuned for it. Modern gasoline emissions equipment actually works and isn’t much of a hinderance. I won’t buy a 08 or newer diesel, I’ve gotta resort to my old toys now.
I’ve been running my 3408 powered Kenworth for over 20 years and it hasn’t missed a beat except for 2 blown turbos in all that time. It’s putting out 550 HP @1900 RPM at the wheels, but I see yours is air to air aftercooled whereas mine is jacket water aftercooled as from the manufacturer. It pulls 11 axle A-Trains @ 174,000 lbs (79 tonnes) all over the Australian outback.
One small mistake, you’re wrong about the bore and stroke being the same as a 3406. The 3408 has a shorter stroke but the same bore, although a lot of parts are the same. If it had the same stroke, the engine would be 19 liters, not 18.
My engine’s never been out the frame, it’s had 3 in-frames and it’s done nearly 70,000 hours since 1980 when it was built. The secret is clean oil, properly dosed coolant, proper start up and shut down, and bearing rolls at the right intervals. Plus never let anyone else drive it.
I've watched yours and it is SWEET! Nice rig and if it'll run upside down it'll run anywhere. Thanks, Mate!
I was about to switch to your channel and check in on ya👍
Good to see you're still around!
Are 3408s a bit fragile?
We have a Sig Series 02 KW Cummins coming up on 1.45m kms that has the shit thrashed out of it by 5 different people (all of who would be struggling to drive a stick up a dogs arse btw) and its had about 5 clutches and 2 partial gearbox rebuilds. The whole truck is turning to shit but the motor has had 2 turbos but not so much as the head off it. It overheats too. We just leave it alone as much as possible in case it stops lol.
I suppose comparing an inline 6 to a V8 is a bit unfair since V8s suffer secondary vibration that inline 6s don't. We have a few 3406 Cats but they don't have the poke on hills our Cummins engines do.
Would i rather a Cummins over a 3408 for the type of work you do?
Nah I'll take the 3408 (that's the mechanic in me. I like you can open them up and the cylinder bmehp is lower than a 6 as well as the hp being at 1900 as opposed to 2100 ;)
ThePaulv12 I hardly think mine is fragile, just look at the hours it’s done and the weight it pulls in extreme heat. There’s still a few operating here in Australia with bigger loads than mine. As long as you do the bearing rolls, like any early 3400 series, and you don’t lug it below around 1400 rpm, the crankshaft will last. I’m a firm believer in oil sampling every oil change too.
@@gm16v149 just quietly I'm being playful to stir up the argument manufacturers and armchair experts. We're the real deal and i like it when people with absolutely no idea of the real world tell me my business.
The sound of the 3408 is UNMATCHED!! I love the sound of straight pipe 3406 but the 8 is super sweet! Love the CATS
Love the sound of the v8s no matter who made them.
Yes!
V8 is the superior engine design
Agreed Cat, Cummins, Scania they all sound good.
@@chrismckell5353 Mercedes Truck also ... their V8 engines have a particular sound, clearly recognizable
Mack E9. Ultimate sound.
Beautiful truck!! Fantastic engine. I used to work at a Kenworth dealer and nearly all of us there would come around and look at one of these when it came in. For me, it was the 3408, either PC or DI or the 1693. Real powerhouses the old-fashioned way - brute strength!
Still running 2 '86 Pete 359's with 3408's in them. Weekly 3 turns to Dallas from KC.
would love to see some footage
WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO I - 40 ''' STOP BY AND SAY ''HI''
1.8 million miles......131 lot lizards, 14 different std's, and 36 dr.s in 23 different cities and 26 years later shes still purring
lol and thats a lot of lizzards and stds to go along with them any videos of the ol days ?lol er truckin videos :)
Dwreck Baker gotta love them lot lizards 🦎
Purring? Pumping? 😂😅
@@biscuitninja he lucky to be still purrin after all those lizzards and STDs
biscuitninja Purring on the outside, pumping on the inside
My grandpa was a diesel mechanic on the 3rd shift back the day, worked for Mason/Dixon trucking out of Kingsport. Anyways one of his jobs was running the trucks on the roller dyno like this. Said he always had the driver's door open when he did these pulls, so he could hear the engine/driveline better and it was really hot back in that room as well.
I'll never forget him talking about nodding off for just a second while he was doing a pull, getting the truck up to speed on the rollers. Said he woke up, engine was roaring, there was a brick wall about 10' in front of him, he jumped right out the open driver's door. Scared him to death lol.
That's J & J Transport's old truck. It's got a 4 way behind the main box. Jimmy took good care of those trucks. Their main business was hauling transformers
you can tell by the paint job striping...😊
these engines were used in shrimp boats, tugs, and large lobster boats and it was very common to see them rated at 1000 + hp continuous hp, shaft hp in the 1100 range.
Recently started working with 3408 V8 Engine blocks at a new job & it’s honestly an enjoyable experience. Thank you for sharing your truck videos!
Awesome to see old school equipment. I have owned 4 trucks and had all the major engines. The Cat was the most powerful and expensive to work on the Cummins was decent but the most dependable and easiest on fuel was the 12.7 Detroit. Before you all get ur knickers in a twist remember That's my opinion yours of course will be different.
Ray McGhee
I’m just a wrench but I like the older 60 series.
It gets no love.
It’s fairly simple , has decent power and gets decent economy.
It doesn’t kill any category , just performs well and that’s what’s needed for a workhorse.
Done many a engine dyno pull with some guys from interstate mcbee as they were developing replacement injectors years ago.
I forgot how many runs we did , but it was over about a 6mo period every few days, and probably 4-6 pulls each time they came.
Heh those ol boys learned pretty good how to swap injectors, I think we got it down to about 45 mins with 3 guys.
I also like the 12.7 Detroit 500 hp. Dead reliable pull good and easy on fuel. To bad they stopped making them.
MrHillfolk Lifetime wrench here too , your description is exactly correct , been around them all , young and the old moth eaten stuff too worked on gensets w/v 71 series Detroit's, 1693 cats , all the old Cummins , even the ones w superchargers B's I think , compression releases also, but with the steel haulers and the graveltrains horsepower was/is king .But with the spreading out of the auto industry that isn't what it was years ago.
AWESOME! Thanks for posting. Don't know what kind of mpg's this guy is getting but God bless him for keeping some old school iron like that big beast out on the road! If that ain't pure American muscle, I don't know what is. I think I'm still having heart palpitations after hearing her beautiful song on that dyno!
Bly thkd the best way to get good mpg on the 3408 was lie about the miles or gallons.
Sounded like the trumpet part of the Jurassic Park T-rex .
Well I been reading the comments and replies figured I would add one of my own back in the day I drove a 83 359 with a 3408 and a 6x4 it was at 1150 hp and 2400 foot pounds of torque if you were real conservative about how you drove you could get 4.2 out it but usually 3.5 mpg and it had 308 gears in it it was never late for anything but a fuel stop and was registered on paper in AZ at 165 mph it was so hot that at nighttime you could get the elbows to turn red pulling hills but it would bust and split a 4 speed auxiliary straight down the Center
Very awesome 😎 thanks for sharing with us 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 and they say a 3408 wouldn’t keep up with today’s trucks....this proved that wrong didn’t it
He said the the engine was fueled. Meaning they turned it up.
@@rrobins9857 like most people do with the newer stuff
Tesla. That is all.
Nowadays they put out those kind of numbers with six cylinders not eight, plus considerably more torque and decent mpg not gpm like this hog. Don't get me wrong, it's cool as all get out, but not efficient.
@@opaqueman5043 we're still pretty far from making capable electric semis. There's just no way to pack the range a massive tank of diesel does with current battery technology.
Man it runs so clean and sounds so good!
Remember the 3408 Caterpillar along with the KT 450 and KTA 525-600 Cummins. Big power in those days.
1693caterpillar still big power in miss my old 425 it was putting about 575 to the ground
@@justinlopez4806 Now that's a real ground pounder.
I haul logs out of Louisiana we’re always over not very many trucks around could have kept up with her unfortunately we got rid of her because body was falling apart it was all there though
Everyone forgot another powerhouse 12v71
Justin Lopez didn't forget it, it just wasn't in the same realm as the big dogs.
3408 CAT is a beautiful sounding motor and I'd love to drive that thing.
That is the craziest load cell dyno I have ever seen!! Way different
I’ve always been fascinated by this engine and know virtually nothing about it. One old timer told me they don’t like cold weather and are hard starters. He said they can be expensive to repair and aren’t reliable but again that’s one man’s opinion.
My first job we had some 3408 Cats in trucks for peddle runs. They were very reliable but he was right in repairs being expensive. Parts are indeed expensive.
No EGR no DPF bullshit , good ol power
Pittsburgh born and raised, love the work you do PGH POWER
For those who wondering why that big 18 litres V8 engines with over 600 bhp have relatively low torque figure? In my educated guess, it is a legacy from the past. Cat offered 3408 at max 450 hp 1450/1460 ft.lb back in 80's, why so? Because clutch and transmission back then not as strong as today and simply cannot handle big amount of torque. 1450 ft.lb was a big number 30-40 years ago.
NICE TO HAVE A TRUCK LIKE THAT, SO LONG YOU MAINTAIN IT RIGHT AND Y OUR DRIVING STYLE IS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS ENGINE AND YOU CARE ABOUT MANTANICE OF THAT ENGINE.
Still running 2 3408 Cat Powered 1985 W900's in our fleet. You take care of them and not abuse them they will last. Caught one driver Rough Handling one of our trucks. We had him pulled into the next Scale house and fired him.
Neat, and thanks for the information on 3406 and 08 i didn't know that, thanks for posting, really nice video!
Nothing like the sound of a 3408 under load.
Amazing rig! My father's Pete has around 1.6 on it. :D. Love the video sounds like it's got another million miles left or more in it!
That's a really pure CAT 👏👌👍 That's a really a hilarious on the hills 😃 no one passes this beast 🤣 👏 😃👌 this is a best truck ever see👏👏👌👍 cheers from Norway
WELL IT MAYBE WASNT THE BEST ''' BUT IT WAS THE ''MOST'' POWERFUL TRUCK ENGINE EVER BUILT ''''' RAW POWER ''' BUT IF YOU 'REMEMBER' IT HAD 'TROUB LE' HOLDING A ''BOTTOM END'''' THATS WHAT ''KILLED IT ''' I LOVED THIS MOTOR ''
So simple ,3408,Love them from Apex /Trans Canada & Manitoulin.
God damn that’s a good looking truck! Ready to haul too!
that's a a really a king of the road not so much trucks passed this 😂 Take care of this beast 👌 cheers from Norway CAT 3408 a one of the best ever V8 CAT made
The o'l CAT sounds healthy she's a beauty
The 3408 and 3412 stroke (6.0") is not the same as the 3406 stroke (6.5"). But the same piston bore of 5.4".
Plenty of parts are interchangeable though. I’m rebuilding a spare 3408 truck engine and a lot of part numbers are the same, except for heads, block and crank of course. Water pump and oil cooler are different too.
You can make it a b model 3408 by putting a b model crank and cam in it convert the fueling over to a b model cut c16 pistons in it c 18 connecting rods and a 3508 turbo and marine heads then you can put some real power to the ground
@@bryanwilson5011 And hope that offset crank won't break. Why don't you think that truck pullers use the 90 degree Mack V-8? Because it is nearly indestructable. Caterpillar 60 degree V-8 (from a shortened 3412) crankshaft is weak and cannot take much more than 800hp reliably. Why don't you think that Caterpillar doesn't make the 3408 anymore-in favor of the superior C18?
@@Tchristman100 that's why they put the b model crank in them old tc cats bud in 1987 v8 cats were b models bud that's why you cut in c16 pistons I mean really you need it all spelled out for ya
@@bryanwilson5011 Really sort of a moot point now since the only 3408 that Cat makes is the G model for natural gas with spark plugs putting out a measly 425hp maximum. They do still make the 3406C mechanical (like my 3406B jacket water aftercooled).
The quarry I work has a Cat 769D that has a 3408. Sounds really good. It also rarely has any power train issues, most of the times the machine it’s never the motor
nice, love to own one of those, but not here in Crookafornia.
That’s so awesome.
The engine in my pickup dynoed at 1138 HP and 1285 Flbs of torque. But it eats fuel like mad! Two fuel pumps are needed when that tune is in.
Laiken Bellesario is that a gasoline engine? The horsepower and torque numbers are really close.
post video!
Anatoliy Dashkevich Yes it’s a gas engine. It’s a 454 LSX with twin turbos. Finally found a great tuner in Florida. Low boost in 1st gear. Maybe 7 pounds. 2nd gear 10-12
Pounds, 3rd gear 16 pounds and 4th gear it rips at 24 to 26 pounds of boost. It’s had 100+ dyno runs and 300+ passes at the strip. Texas Speed & Performance know what they’re doing.
What a ass .
Let's see your Chebbie pull Monteagle @ 80,000 lbs tough guy! LOL!
That was my dads truck there is a lot of stories behind that truck. Broke the chains on the dyno for us. So you know I’m real underneath the American flag sticker there is a ding and the pin striping on the bunk is not the same height one sides lower then the other. Dose it still have the 4 and a 6 twin sticks in it.
No it is a 13 speed now.....
Cool story but it’s power didn’t break the chains lol. Must have been a weak link. 1700 foot pounds torque and 600 hp doesn’t equate to much in today’s standards with what goes on these dynos. It was powerful for its day but the worked over 6 cyl are putting out way over that in torque and you have trucks with worked over cats and Cummins putting down over 1200 hp on these dynos. So no, this 3408 didn’t brake those chains because of its power
Quad turbos on one for a customer in PA , back in the early 90's . She made 900 ish with propane on the dyno. Shredded a tire during the pull!
WOW!!!!
@@camelmanjd2671 Yes Sir , It was in a Long Nose W900 KW , Double Over 13spd, 3.55 Gears . That thing was an animal ,owner had a driving award for 138mph from the state of AZ. Owner said " Shit I was on the Jake for a 1/4 mile for he clocked me !!!"
Knew a guy that had one twin turbo that was putting 1050 to the ground.... Something must have been choking the quad if it only made 900...
jkdwayne we had a black w900L that was a glider kit with a 6nz cat it was tuned and all that and it’d go 132mph. Lost it a couple years ago when our driver lost control in the smoky mountains and had to use the runway ramp. Hit the pit so hard it snapped the frame on the truck and ripped the steering axel off
jkdwayne 3408 don’t have a jake guy
we had a few 3408s in the quarry. great powerful engines, they did love fuel lol
Fuel is an issue today...
I have no idea which old and new engines are the most fuel effiecient...
Guess alle the elctronic injection and working together with the auto transmissions works for better fuel consumption.
But all the emmisions after treatment works the other way...
Just a thought and in no way an expert opiniun from me
So wierd seeing a truck on the dyno. Instead a pull to redline it starts at the governor and loads it down till idle.
Great engine,great truck. Keep up the good work,Bruce
Holy cow I didn't know those motors put out that much power
Up to 900 with marine cam and turbo.
That’s raw cat power love it ❤️
Very cool. Nice truck. I suspect that long after our government craps out these trucks will still be moving up n down the roads bringing people what they need😁.
Holy crap when he said the wheel horsepower numbers I was blown away, what a beast
Would be nice to know what fuel mileage he is getting. I had friends back in the day that ran 3408s at the best got about 4 miles to the gallon
That's about average I think. 5 at best.
Second Nature Lawn Care 3.5
4 was a good number you could turn them to 400 horsepower on both sides and still do 4 mpg engine brakes were the reason they dropped it in us. Was still available in Canada after 87
This is awesome! Shame the on-screen display didn't include RPM as well.
Any chance you could post the power curve graph from this truck?
vsTerminus hello. Is this the same guy who makes engine mods for ets2 an ats? If so thanks for the work. I really enjoy using your Mack engine mod.
I really need to win the mega milions
you can get a truck like for 40-60k. expensive but def dont need to be a millionaire. get to work
That isn't how you get to 1.8 million miles...
Me tooo ! May we both Win!
Is that the normal torque for a 3408? Figured it would be higher. I’m sure tweaking can be done to increase horsepower and torque.
Drove a 3406b in a89 k-w it was like a mule headed back to the barn loaded or empty ,get your ducks in a row boys and this won't hurt a bit. Company trucks right lane.
Never be late with a CAT 3408!!!
How much do you guys really know? You didn't know that although the 3406 has a 6.5 inch stroke the 3408 and 3412 have a 6.0 inch stroke.
I think this is the only 379 I’ve seen with a 3408.
nope there is more
Curt Ray no doubt there are more. This is the only one I’ve seen.
And it's a glider? Maaaan that is niiiice, real niiiice!👍
I had a “real” one not a glider with a 5x4 trans
that's a glider it was put together and put why it's a 1990 mid Pete with a 1983 V8 cat
Old school trucks are coming back (except in California where they've been outlawed by the climate change fanatics) At my first job in the 1970s & 80s we had some light duty Ford F7000s with the 3408s. Very reliable and generally trouble free.
We averaged about 6 mpg on the road (5 in the mountains) At the time we still had some with 534 gas engines that got about 4 mpg. They were pigs.
The truck is still running today and there is not an ISX or a c15 that wants anything to do with it. It will snack on those PDI tune C 15 6nz engines they would not even be a full meal for that old cat
3408 shares bore size with 3406. Not stroke. They are completely different engines
You can make it a b model 3408 by putting b model crank cam and fueling system cut c16 pistons in it with c18 connecting rods marine heads and a 3508 turbo then you can put some power to the ground
@@bryanwilson5011 can't put a 3406 cam in a v8🤦♂️
Very different 379 with a 3408 Yessuh
Left lane gang leaving all the mega fleet trucks in a cloud of black smoke
I learned to drive in my brother's 1979 359 pete with a 3408 and 5x4 single over.
Keep that old girl lubed, greased, and polished so she’ll go another million while lookin pretty. That’s the perfect truck to restore as a show piece when it’s time to retire it off the highway so people don’t forget what an oldish truck is.
Love it one day I'll be a trucker myself an have a cool ride when I turn 18 an get my CDL .. BUT NICE TRUCK 🍺
I love my C15 but count me in on a 3408
I love the 3400 series motors. I mainly ran 3406 E which as he explained is a 6 cylinder where the 3408 is 8 cylinders
a world and i say a world of difference from the 3200 series lol
That's a real truck!!
what gear do you generally do a dyno pull in with a rigs like these? i've always wondered
Direct drive
Every dyno, whatever the vehicle type, always done at direct ratio (1:1). On semi truck like this, if it got 13 speed or 18 speed eaton fuller, the direct ratio is on 7H gear (11th gear on the 13 speed eaton or 16th gear on the the 18 speed eaton)
You are never late when you drive a Cat V8
That's for sure. Even more so if you happen 2 b running a 3412. Yes they DO exist in trucks but very rarely. Nice rig.
@@paulkirkland1535 yes they do but to heavy for American trucks. See them Australia
Cool motors. Plenty HP, but not alot of torque, no Jake brake and hard on fuel in today's high fuel prices.
Very nice old school to bad the industry is going to the you no where ..... with all the new regs very sad to see love the video
And you can literally fix it yourself on the side of the road. Between the lack of breakdowns and cost of mechs nowadays it makes up for it’s inefficiencies in fuel cost by saving labor and downtime costs.
Excellent point you made.
As one who's lost $400 a day for the last 20 work days because I can't find an available $189 an hour mechanic to take me within 4 days after I call them I'm calling a mobile mechanic and just crying uncle.
Don't forget about the DEF fluid cost which could be as much as four cents per mile and then those DEF filters are like $1,500 so yeah....
I might hop on the spreadsheet and try and drill down more on this. But for me, hauling intermodal containers, I pretty much have to get 6 miles per gallon but I still use a pre EGR pre ELD tractor to do it. If I were in higher paying freight I think I could stand a five mile a gallon truck.
These days they build em just to barely make it out of the warranty period, if you follow the manufacturer recommended service internals you be lucky to see 500k on the dash before she needs a inframe.
Dan R that’s no shit half of my bosses trucks have preemission motors again 2-08 and 1-12
That is very well put: making them only last until the warranty period is over.
I just don't think heavy duty diesel engines can take all the emissions b******* that gasoline car engines can with without consequences.
true, but they have refined diesel fuel for cleaner burn, less lubrication now so wears engines faster. I would imagine regular early oil changes with a good fuel additive they should all go 800k+
i used the beginning audio idle clip to make a looping white noise video on my channel
Just think what it could do with the fuel system like a 3406E.
1969 was the first Scania V8 was introduced and today still making one of the most powerful " factory built " V8 engines today. High horsepower and high torque. Caterpillar shouldn't stop making V8, just start making it better.
Uh Cat makes better v8s than Scania also can your Scania turn 1000hp with 2 parts changed and a tuner a 3406E Cat makes about 600hp max and gets 6.5 to 7 American mpg or about 10 or 11 euro
Use to be Detroit 8/v71 and 12/v71 ....then the cat 3408 and some Cummins v8 ....but those trucks are not on the road except truck shows
Neither of those 2-strokes could ever out pull a Cat, even if they had more hp
Did this truck come from southeast pa? Fixed a twin to it (same color and exact same stripes) a whiel back, but i belive it had a 3406.....wonder if they owned this truck as well
That was me and my dads old truck there was 7 of them all the same color just diff years and motors
578 hp, 1713 tq
You're welcome.
Is there much difference in power potential between the 3408 DITA with the capsule vs pencil injectors?
Sweet rig
A 500 HP 3408 is the best thing in a 359 or 379.
It will pass every thing out there besides a fuel station!
Awesome
@Pittsburgh Power, Inc
What transmission does this glider kit have in it?
If you own rig & trailer free and clear and if you have a good lanes or a fixed contract that pays. You can run pretty much anything you want,hell I'd run a hopped silver 8v92 just to piss off the envirodicks. Every time I'd turn the key would be a great big F.U. to the world.and bring a smile to my face
V8 never late
Hello from Spain, how Manu h.p have this engine? And when its made? thanks
And the EPA wails every time it drives by…..😂
Can't go wrong with a CAT. I know a lad that has a CAT engine in his trike. The engine is out of a gen set connected to a BMW 5 series box. Sounds easy but a lot of engineering went into it. Too speed 60mph, lots of torque and very good mpg..
Wow it is a good look
Did you not make them like they used
🇯🇲😎🥃 Pops got him a beast!!!!!
Would like to see somebody come up with some Jake's for one of these 3400 series 8s.... I'm just thinking out loud here but theredically wouldn't the jake housing off a 3406b work on the 3408 head?.... would have to make a custom rockerbox cover though
No , because 3400 series cat don't have a rocker arm for injectors ( which is used by a jake ) 3406 uses a adjoining cylinder rockers to triger the jake the timing of rocker arms don't come out wright for a 3408.
Why aren’t there V8 Semi in the US any more?
EPA, of course
Dang I feel old now
Surely that engine make more torque than that. It must be turned way down. Nice truck though.
Omg I love that truck
It;s not a motor guys,its an Engine.
I love how everyone is so fast to shit talk about a Cat or a Cummins or a Detroit and so on!!! But 99% of them have NEVER even OWNED or worked on any of them!!! Let alone ALL of them to actually have a foot to stand on to put one or the other down. LOL!!!
Ive worked on all of them.... Cummins and new detroits are SHIT.
@Jim Allen not true... At all.... Any mechanic knows that...
Shit? Give me a break! 90% of the motors in our shop are Cats. On the rare occasion we have Detroit, it's more often than not a fuel or blower problem. Almost never mechanical.
@@SgtStickyTits notice I said NEW Detroit's. It's sad a shitmins can't even go 100k without a cam lobe shittin the bed. Series 60 Detroit's can't even go 75k without shittin the rear or front main seal. I worked for caterpillar for 7 years. I worked for Cummins for 6 months. I quit Cummins when I found out what a bunch of fraudulent fucks they truly were. Ship a cam to us with "MADE IN USA" on the box. Pull the cam out to find shitty grinds and shitty hard faced surface. Look on the end of the cam and see "MADE IN BRAZIL" the fuck? Call Cummins. "The camshaft are casted and hardened in Brazil then shipped here. The finishing process is done here. There for its "MADE in USA" " uh.... That's not the way it works.... But... Ok. Every single cam we replaced lasted between 65k and 100k. The shop wound up habing to replace a guys fully built and tuned 800hp big cam 400 because the cam was hollow 😂
@@robby844 You must of worked at a shop with a bunch of morons working there because I have had #2 Big Cam 3's and a Big Cam 4 and they ALL had over 1.5 million on them without ever being apart or rebuilt and the factory installed camshaft still in them never replaced.
4 miles to the gallon with 80 000 lb load, ouch, not fuel happy , but it will pull, and it will last longer than I6 cat. Just like V8 Scania motor. TH
yup, but the Scania can do 6.5 mpg easy...
Our 08 Cummins only gets 4.5 mpg . Had a friend had that had a 84 model 3408 that would get 5.8mpg pulling doubles 1300 bushels of grain!
My C15 gets 4.5 pulling 160k.
Modern engines have the pollution control, which unfortunately, and somewhat counter-intuitively, uses MORE fuel.
Benjamin Esposti
Dumbass regen that uses fuel. Smh, so dumb.
Modern diesel emissions equipment reminds me of the year I was born.
1973.
Let’s slap some shit on here to choke power and kill fuel mileage, and still not be all that clean.
But look at cars now, who drives a new car home and cuts the cat off anymore?
Besides the engine management issue , it won’t really add much more power even if you retuned for it.
Modern gasoline emissions equipment actually works and isn’t much of a hinderance.
I won’t buy a 08 or newer diesel, I’ve gotta resort to my old toys now.
Круто. Плохо что у нас в России таких нету.
All under 30psi of boost.
very interesting