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3114, 3116,3126 top end set up

Coaldust

Senior Member
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May 9, 2011
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Subarctic Backwoods Trailer Park
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Big trucks is what I know. HAZMAT is what I tow.
I’ve been thinking, since those are such a niche engine and many of us old 1.1 & 1.2 liter guys are aging out, there could be an opportunity to specialize, to some degree. Especially, on the marine side of the house.

Someone that could test bench governors and such.
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2025
Messages
12
Location
Rocbester mn
I’ve been thinking, since those are such a niche engine and many of us old 1.1 & 1.2 liter guys are aging out, there could be an opportunity to specialize, to some degree. Especially, on the marine side of the house.

Someone that could test bench governors and such.
I have all the tooling to set up and replace injectors for 3114,3116, 3126 mechanical injectors
 

chidog

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2021
Messages
1,492
Location
wa
I never played with one, but curious what is so special about setting the top end? No space to work in or?
Hmm I've done the top end on some interesting engines.
 

pushbroom

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2017
Messages
131
Location
Saskatchewan
Ran into that last year on a 3116. Injector cups were leaking. Phoned around and no one had the tooling or knowledge. Local Cat dealer had 1 guy that was on vacation that still could do it. Customer waited 2 months for it to get fixed I think.

That being said, unless I find the tooling dirt cheap there isnt enough demand to get into it.
 

Coaldust

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Subarctic Backwoods Trailer Park
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Big trucks is what I know. HAZMAT is what I tow.
The special thing about the 1.1/1.2 is you have to be intimately familiar with your tooling, the updates and have access to the Caterpillar TMI.

Cat changed the tooling and the procedure so many different times, the service manual is worthless.

Or, use the Carpenter method, or do it by feel.

Especially, if you have to mess with the governor. Or, injector cups. Even at the dealer, we only had a guy or two that were good at timely with the procedure.

Before they got replaced by the 3126B HUEI, we had sold a bunch in new builds and re-powers in Bristol Bay boats, seine skiffs, dive boats, charter boats, yachts…. And, they were generally a huge disappointment.

But, I made bank working on them and the never ending warranty policy, PIP’s, PSP’, updates, swing engines, turbos, exhaust manifolds, fuel systems, cylinder heads,…..
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2025
Messages
12
Location
Rocbester mn
I never played with one, but curious what is so special about setting the top end? No space to work in or?
Hmm I've done the top end on some interesting engines.
There quiet intence, image a i jection pump, timing, fuel setting , syncing each injector, valve lash, cutting all the injector seats if u can other wise drain the coolant and change all the injector cups press and coin them in and recut them big job not for the i experienced guy, inexperienced gut take 3 days to do
 

Vetech63

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2016
Messages
7,885
Location
Oklahoma
There quiet intence, image a i jection pump, timing, fuel setting , syncing each injector, valve lash, cutting all the injector seats if u can other wise drain the coolant and change all the injector cups press and coin them in and recut them big job not for the i experienced guy, inexperienced gut take 3 days to do
Sounds like a Detroit but once you have done 100s of them you can do it in your sleep....and pretty quick too
 

Tyler d4c

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2016
Messages
2,633
Location
Salix Pa
I’ve been thinking, since those are such a niche engine and many of us old 1.1 & 1.2 liter guys are aging out, there could be an opportunity to specialize, to some degree. Especially, on the marine side of the house.

Someone that could test bench governors and such.
If i could get the tools i would be that for the local area someday
 

Coaldust

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
6,043
Location
Subarctic Backwoods Trailer Park
Occupation
Big trucks is what I know. HAZMAT is what I tow.
The deluxe Carpenter Kit is $2,500. You can find injector cup kits on EBay reasonable.
Many Cat dealers ditched the Cat tooling for Carpenter.

I always thought Detroit racks were easier than 3100 series. The racks are backwards from each other. That was a long time ago. Rare for me to run into a 3100, nowadays.

From a money standpoint, it’s not worth the liability to touch one because they always result in a comeback. Even, if you do everything correctly, undoubtedly an injector cup will crack or leak, or a genuine reman injector seizes, etc,…… or, the turbo leaves the chat and it’s your fault because you did a tuneup on it 6 months ago.
 
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