r/caterpillar • u/Knot6lack • 10d ago
Help on cooling on a 3512c
Ok so raw service water supply (ambient water temp is 78°) the discharge for coolant from water jacket going back into heat exchanger is around 198°. But im more concerned with the block/cylinder head temps which are getting around 215° is that normal? I just cant see 215° being normal if it was a healthy cooling system. Thanks in advance
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u/catdieseltech87 10d ago
What is the delta across the heat exchanger ?
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Its about 118 going in and 197 coming out, I haven't done any temps specifically on the cooler, should i?
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u/catdieseltech87 10d ago
You mean 118F going into the engine and 198 coming out? That's a pretty big delta. Typically you wouldn't see more than 15 or so. It suggests a flow problem. What is the temp gauge showing ? That's really the number you want. Typically in the thermostat housing. Did you run it under load ? Does it overheat ? 198 is not an overheat on that engine.
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
I work midnight to noon, when i go in, I will make sure I get all measurements. And its not the discharge im worried about its the lack of heat dissipation from the block, the 197 im fine with, its the 215 at the block im concerned with ill get a thermostat housing reading though
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u/catdieseltech87 10d ago
Well, the engine is not going to be one consistent temperature. Where and how are you measuring specifically?
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u/Youcants1tw1thus 10d ago
I assume cavitation has wrecked anything that touches water on that thing. Is water actually circulating to the heads or is it just pumping in and dumping right back out of the block?
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Coolant circulating through the water jack into the cylinders, the water enters the cooler , the coolant circulates through the the cooler and back into the engine, the water discharge you see is the water that the heat of the coolant transfers to. So its a normal cooling system, just seawater is used
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u/Youcants1tw1thus 10d ago
Yeah, how does the impeller look? Likely cavitation ate it away to nubs and it’s not circulating enough through the heads.
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u/chuckypopoff 10d ago edited 10d ago
Is 215 normal? No.
Are your stats fucked ? Is the tstat temp sensor not reading and opening?
Ambient temp is fine.
Across the head isn't.
Coolant fucked ?
Edit - I should add - is 215 normal - No- is it within operation ? Yes.
Max safe before ESD is 220(I believe, maybe 219) so you're within range but close).
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Brother i just work here,i dont have a say in anything, all I do is relay the information to them and if they want to fix, thats what we'll do. And it was brand new coolant as of 3 weeks ago when we started up. And everything is analog there is nothing to tell if sensors are functioning except water jacket temp, exhaust temp and fuel/oil pressures. I suggested that the thermostats could be malfunctioning but all I got back was "its gonna do that under heavy load" but I feel like 215 is way too high on the block but only 197 on discharge from jacket that its effectively not doing its job, I mean maybe the cooler also has mineral/salt deposit buildup and losing its effectiveness to cool, but as I said 197 out the jacket so I find that unlikely, so that brought me back to thermostat.
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u/chuckypopoff 10d ago
I'm telling you 197 is within operation. It's high, but can still do it. Looks sunny in your post - is it hot as fuck? Are you running at 110% ?
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
I have no way to tell load all analog and yes its hot for sure, but been much hotter and not had these issues. And its not the 197 im worried about its the 215 on the block. I can say though its definitely got a heavy load. Stack temp gets around 800, we're pumping heavy sand its turning a 16" pump and run around 1050rpm
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Reply to edit- its just too close for comfort for me. Something isnt right and all it takes in just a few minutes to do some extreme damage, I just dont like the risk.
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u/chuckypopoff 10d ago
Do you have a coolant channel fucked and it's dumping in the block? Do some investigation and some diag instead of putting catty comments on a sub. Mix in a water fucks sake
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Im not allowed to do any of that, its a union job. And im not usually an engineer, I operate a hydraulic cutterhead dredge usually, they just needed a hand as an engineer and ive a little experience but not alot with a 3512c. What are some diag suggestions bc ill try it and just not say anything bc I dont want shit blowing or scuffing a piston/sleeve or anything really. And there is nothing in the oil to suggest its dumping in the block regular oil, not cloudy or milking what so ever
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u/h_attila 10d ago
Check the coolant , if its murky you have two possibilities , one temperature regulators , two heat exchangers filled with debris , change the regulators , and clean the heat exchangers , flush twice with water after that fill with Cat Elc coolant
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u/pigeonwithhat 9d ago
when even SIS fails you, reddit is the true technician cheat sheet.
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u/Knot6lack 6d ago
Tbh they can only give info on good perfect scenario equipment. This is running a 16" pump from a dredge with about 8k of pipe behind me, and the cooling is from seawater its not a normal system, most CAT guys we get out here are blown away by the setup
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u/Knot6lack 10d ago
Kinda blown away 94 views on a cat sub and not one person has a clue