Tach not working

[gcyeaw]

After having the transmission replaced the tachometer stopped working. I noticed a transducer type device on the flywheel housing, is that a tach sender that gathers pulses from the flywheel gear, or am I way off base here. It is a 3208 250 HP engine from the mid to late 90's.

Since I had them change the rear main seal when the tranny was off I suspect they may have mis-adjusted it when re-mounting the flywheel.

[warbucks13477]

Your tach sender is on the front of the Cat 3208. Its a small sender with a right angle drive attached to it with two wires coming out of it. They probably unhooked it?????

[gcyeaw]

Tom,
After some research i found the later Cats had a sender that keyed off the flywheel teeth. Remember this is a newer engine, not an '83 but a 1994 version. I located the sender, now I need to see if it is broken or just out of adjustment. I am looking for the adjustment procedure, but I think it will be adjust and pray. I don't see any way to get to the inside to measure the clearence. First I need to unscrew it to see if it is damaged.

Here is a picture of the transducer.

[warbucks13477]

Gardener I believe the picture you posted is of the magnetic sensor used for the speedometer and not the sensor for the tach drive. Where did you find this information relative to the tach sender being on the flywheel? All of the Cat 3208's I have seen the sender is smack on the front of the engine.

And just for my interest where did the previous owner get a 1994 Cat 3208? Do you have a 300HP version?

[gcyeaw]

Tom,
The flywheel wouldn't be useful for the speedometer, the engine speed is not relative to MPH until the trans is in lockup. Woody had the spec for adjusting it. As far as the engine, 1994 is what is written in the notes, I don't have the paperwork. It said 250 HP, and it seems to run like that. It is definitely not 300 hp.

[warbucks13477]

Gardener so often people make remarks like this predicated on something that someone else put down in their papers like you found. Have you written down the part # and assembly # off the right valve cover of the engine and checked it against the information from Caterpillar, that will give you the real information. Maybe the engine was installed in 1994 or maybe it was rebuilt in 1994 or even remanufactured in 1994 with the CORRECT parts but you are never going to know until you check things out.

Its possible that in your engine they are using the magnetic sensor to count the teeth on the flywheel to drive the tach. However from what I see in your picture it is the very same sensor that is used on the passenger rear wheel on the other FC models to drive the speedometer.

[gcyeaw]

Tom,
You are correct, I should confirm the engine configuration rather than take some mysterious notation in the Blue Book. Thanks.

So the tansducer may even be the same as the spedo unit, so If I need a new one I might at least have a starting point.

[grahamular]

Gardner,

I thought I'd drop in and see how things were going with the coach...very sorry to hear of the transmission woes. You may have already run across this info, but there should be a receipt with the other docs from the Alban CAT shop in Elkridge, MD. Due to an in-op tach, they replaced the tach sender about a week before you bought the coach, so there may be some part info on the receipt or perhaps some recourse if the part was defective. "Chris" is the Service Tech at Alban CAT who I dealt with for the repairs I had done there. He has worked on other WL's of that vintage and might remember some details on the sender replacement. 410-796-8000.

Graham

[gcyeaw]

Grahm,
Thanks for the information. It's 25 years old the these things happen. Other than the imediate problem, we love the coach. I have been having some fun fixin the little things.

Gardner