Hi guys, Just wondering if this is possible, we have a Cat 312CL with a Perkins engine in it with some issues, we also have a Mitsubishi engine off a Cat 312CL. I was wondering if its possible and how much work it would be to swap the Mitsubishi in place of the Perkins? I guess the first problem would be the stepper motor as the Perkins engine has a 1 cable stepper and the Mitsubishi a 2 cable stepper, but anything major that would need changing? Does the computer need to be changed as well? I checked the wiring diagrams and both the single and double cable steppers have 6 wires coming into it from the computer. Has anyone done anything like this before? Willing to give it a shot and put my findings here if some of the seniors can give me some advise. I also have a Cat ET with the flash files so could flash the computer if needed, however have no clue how this is done! Thanks DIgger
What's a 312CL doing with a Perkins in the first place? Just curious.
Hi CM, All the European versions of Cat 312, 312B and some 312C's all had Perkins engines in them. I have seen a few 312C's with the Mitsubishi's though. The Perkins power units are a bag of trouble, over 8000hrs and they all lose turbos and what not. Overhaul absolutely necessary! I think Cat owns Perkins or at least part of it.
Cat bought Perkins outright in 1998 for something like $1.3 billion. In some markets the engines are still branded as Perkins even though they are installed in Cat machines, in other markets the exact same engine is branded as Cat.
Having been involved with the four cylinder unit for a number of years we had the policy not to change the oil as most leaked out just change the engine, our deepest sympathy. Uffex
hahah i like your comment Uffex..........if this was Facebook you would have a ton of like...........i feel the same, unfortunately we just buy and sell and rent a few...... the Perkins units seem to be a bit fragile compared to the Mistubishis for sure. Like you say the main culprit is the oil change........amazing some of the condition we have found some of these engines in!
Thanks for the info. I thought about that after I posted - a different spec. I believe all the US versions have Mitsu's in them. I had a 315 that had both Cat and Mitsu' on the engine. I have never had a problem out of the Cat/Mitsu engines.