Looking at a deal where I would buy some old equipment. Currently there are 45 of these Cat G3408 motors. I've been reading that they are multi-fuel and are currently set up for natural gas. I have zero knowledge of the oil and gas industry and am looking for some. Ive been told these motors drove compressors, but compressors for what? Any info would be greatly appreciated
They are not multi-fuel they are gas type fuel. They share very little parts in common with diesel motors other than the block. Don't have a clue what kind of compressors. Bob
Engine fuel would be natural gas. I've seen something like those in gensets making power from cow dung. Compressors might also be natural gas. I've been told the fuel can be extremely corrosive and hopefully someone here can shine a bright light on them with more info.
I can't even find a used one online. Would they use them at natural gas sites?
What little I know of them on natural gas pipe lines is that gas has weight and is subject to gravity like any fluid. If the pipe runs up hill, it normally has to be forced up the hill by some method.
I used to work for a place that built gas compression equipment, among other things, for the oil and gas industry. I recall 3412 natural gas engines on a couple of them. Seemed odd to me at the time that big of an engine having spark plugs. It makes sense to run on natural gas since that what they are using the compressors for. You posted info on Cat and Waukesha engines. I'd guess they ran reciprocating compressors. What do you want the engines for? Gas Compression | Alco Group (alcoenergy.ca) Reciprocating Compressor Packages | Alco Group (alcoenergy.ca)
The motors are attached to a gas compression rig for gas wells. One company bought another and there are a few of these that the new company didnt want. We also bought a mix of 35 tractors and straight trucks off this same company.
I'm only trying to figure out what these motors could be worth or find somebody that does know. Anybody here from WY?
No direct experience with dung or other gas powered Cat's. But there is a large landfill not too far from here that has some large Cat Gensets that run on the methane they collect from the garbage. Recall one of the Cat mechanics mentioning working on them. He said it was kind of strange as when he showed up they would tell him exactly which engine had the problem and which cylinder was bad. Seems they have pyrometers in every exhaust port and they are hooked to a computer display so going by the temp readings they know the instant one cylinder has a problem. I also recall that one of the biggest problems were valve problems from the corrosive nature of the fuel they get from the garbage. He also mentioned that they are about the cleanest engines he works on, no nasty fuel oil to deal with. Not sure if he mentioned any odor from the methane. I know when riding the motorcycle on the road maybe 100 yards from the building they are in there is no noticeable smell. Might have to stop by there some day as they have an "Education Center" building!
One thought about the gas 3408's, wonder how many Holly 850's you would need to run one? I'm sure there is someone out there crazy enough to try that conversion! Sounds like a good project for Truck Shop!
Ive been around a few of these . Those are definitely natural gas compressor engines. What bothers me is all I have been around are 4 times that size, so I fear the market may be limited on those. Most I have seen are Waukesha or White, maybe a few Cats here and there. Im thinking these small versions are for small distribution lines and definitely NOT for main lines. Since they cant really be used in anything else I would bet it would take forever to sell them for a profit.
Need to talk to Randy Grubb that built the Blastolene special with an engine from a tank. Jay Leno Blastolene Special Tank Car, Leno's Garage - Randy Grubb
Same here. The ones I came across were like 3512 or 3516 size, even 3600s in some cases. Having said that the G3408 is still a current model. https://www.cat.com/en_US/products/new/power-systems/oil-and-gas/gas-compression-engines.html?page=2
Maybe it was 3512's for the compressors in the shop I worked at??? It was back around 1990/1991.
I've called several cat dealers in Texas that sell these and most are clueless, and most of the secondary market guys haven't been any help. It's one of those items where you're looking for that one guy..... local scrap guys aren't really interested either which tells ya something. I've got a couple people heading out to look these over. Wouldn't be the first time I've scrapped perfectly good motors that can't be used for anything.
Only real secondary market I could possibly see for those maybe is a smaller dairy that does the gas to energy thing. But you'd still probably sit on them for quite a while, that's the problem with the odd ball used stuff like that finding the right person to unload it on.
There was one of the bigger ones I looked at for a guy near here, and it wound up abandoned on the storage lot. Maybe buy one and put it in a rat rod with a bunch of carburetors like Mr. Hansen said.
The government would scrap them too. Years ago I was out on a job at the Air Force National Guard. They had brand new (around 12 or so) Allis Chalmers 3500 MK II's and a few 11000's. All were brand new, never used, spares for gen plants and such. They had sat in storage so long that they were loading them in scrap dumpsters with forklifts.