Coolant Drain Plug

[96beavermontereycatdiesel]

So I think I have fuel in my coolant!

After I got home from driving it coolant comes pouring out of the reservoir cap and it smells like diesel fuel.

Went out and checked the reservoir after it cooled down and it's still full, so where do I drain the coolant?

Thanks guys!

Just bought it and I'm really bummed out.

[wolfe10]

I contacted a friend who is a retired Caterpillar tech.  Here is his reply:

 

" What you have is a copper sleeve in the head for each injector and one of the copper sleeves is cracked. This is allowing

Diesel fuel to go into the coolant because diesel fuel pressure is higher than the cooling system pressure. We used to

replaced the copper sleeves in the field but anymore Cat will want to exchange the head with another loaded head."

 

You might check with a local Caterpillar dealer to see what the cost difference would be between a reman head and replacing the copper injector sleeves (if the copper sleeves are still available and they are able to do it).

[dickandlois]

46 minutes ago, 96beavermontereycatdiesel said:

So I think I have fuel in my coolant!

After I got home from driving it coolant comes pouring out of the reservoir cap and it smells like diesel fuel.

Went out and checked the reservoir after it cooled down and it's still full, so where do I drain the coolant?

Thanks guys!

Just bought it and I'm really bummed out.

Could you post the model of the Engine and if it has a rear or side cooling.

Rich.

[96beavermontereycatdiesel]

1 hour ago, wolfe10 said:

I contacted a friend who is a retired Caterpillar tech.  Here is his reply:

 

" What you have is a copper sleeve in the head for each injector and one of the copper sleeves is cracked. This is allowing

Diesel fuel to go into the coolant because diesel fuel pressure is higher than the cooling system pressure. We used to

replaced the copper sleeves in the field but anymore Cat will want to exchange the head with another loaded head."

 

You might check with a local Caterpillar dealer to see what the cost difference would be between a reman head and replacing the copper injector sleeves (if the copper sleeves are still available and they are able to do it).

Thank you again! I'm really bummed out, just got this thing and having issues. 

[jleamont]

3126 CAT would be my guess?

What year?

The depending on the year some are copper (earlier years) and some had Stainless Steel sleeves (later years after 1999-2000). I'm betting on the 3126E. Very common outside problem of the RV world. Depending on the accessibility of your engine will determine how bad of a job it is. In a truck I had them down to 6 hours, RV will really depend on access to remove the valve cover. I still have the removal, installation tools and the slide hammer in my tool box.

here is a link on the tooling and how it all looks with a cut away photo;

http://www.irontite.com/PDF/451-6581-00 CAT 3126B Instructions_141203.pdf 

Here is the sleeve photo if Stainless;

[manholt]

Joe.  If you go by his "Handle", you just lost the bet.. 96' Beaver Monteray!  That would be copper.

Carl

[jleamont]

Yea, I missed that, I was looking for a signature. If he was a retired mechanic I'd say go for it. Otherwise that is one for the experts to tackle. Funny I never had a copper one fail on a CAT, Just Ford and Navistar (same design).

Carl, that's why I don't gamble, I'm terrible at it and have no luck .

So...here is the copper one;