Propulsion engines
Caterpillar marine engine service and survey
Caterpillar marine diesels power a large share of the sportfish and motor yacht fleet on this coast, and they run long hours. I service, diagnose and survey Cat marine engines, including the compression testing and load trials that tell you what condition a high hour pair is really in.
Caterpillar on this coast
Cat propulsion is common in convertible sportfish boats and larger motor yachts here, often with high hours and a long service history worth reading carefully before a purchase.
What I see most on these engines
High hour condition assessment
Cat engines routinely reach hour counts where the important question is not whether they run but how much life remains. Compression, borescope and oil analysis answer that.
Aftercooler service
Aftercoolers foul with salt and restrict airflow, which shows as high exhaust temperatures and black smoke under load.
Exhaust and turbo condition
Wet exhaust corrosion and turbo condition are recurring findings, and both are best caught by inspection rather than by failure.
On high hour Caterpillar marine diesels, remaining service life is assessed through compression testing on every cylinder, video borescope inspection of the cylinders, and laboratory oil analysis, rather than by running hours alone.
Factory certification is held with Volvo Penta. Work on other makes draws on 20 years of independent marine diesel experience rather than a manufacturer programme, and I will say so plainly if a job belongs with a dealer.
Services for Caterpillar owners
Mechanical Marine Surveys
A documented condition report on your propulsion engines and generator, from visual inspection through sea trial.
Diesel Repair
Engine, transmission and generator service on marine diesels, from routine maintenance through a complete repower.
Engine Diagnostics
Find the actual cause before parts get bought, using engine management data, live readings and a borescope.
Other propulsion makes
Volvo Penta
I spent six years at a Volvo Penta dealer and hold Volvo certification, and I began performing marine diesel e...
Cummins
Cummins marine diesels are widespread in this region across sportfish, trawler and cruiser installations. I se...
Yanmar
Yanmar powers a great many sailboat auxiliaries and smaller propulsion installations along this coast. They ar...
Caterpillar: common questions
Do you service Caterpillar marine engines?
Yes. Over 20 years in marine diesel I have worked across effectively every make of marine engine found on this coast, including Caterpillar. Call with the model and hours and I will tell you honestly whether it is a job I should take or one better sent to a dealer.
Can you survey a boat with Caterpillar engines before I buy it?
Yes. A mechanical marine survey covers compression on every cylinder, engine management data, a sea trial under load and laboratory fluid analysis, regardless of engine make.
Do you carry parts for this brand?
Common service parts for the engines I see most often, yes. Model specific components are ordered once the fault is confirmed, which avoids paying for parts that turn out not to be the problem.
Tell me what the engine is doing
Describe the symptom on the phone and most of the time the problem is narrowed before I arrive. Surveys are booked around your sea trial date.