Takes me 3-4 tries to start our Caterpillar 3126 engines after they have sat overnight. Once started they run fine. We wait extra time for the preheat--volts back to 13.3. They try to start--getting to 300-500 rpms and then die. Cat has no answers. Anyone have a clue?? W Macauley Lucky Dog Grand Banks 42 Europa--850 hours Vero Beach, FL _wmchz@aol.com_ (mailto:wmchz@aol.com)

Do both engines display the same erratic behavior? If it were just one engine I would suspect an airleak in the fuel system between the injection pump and the injectors which might be allowing air to enter the fuel lines requiring a bit to repressurize the lines after the boat sat overnight. But, it would be very unlikely that both engines would suffer from this situation simultaneously. However, it sounds like it is a fuel delivery problem. Jim Alexander ----- Original Message ----- From: <WMCHZ@aol.com> To: <trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com> Cc: <LeeLipfert@aol.com>; <bheber23@cfl.rr.com>; <BYSDIANA@aol.com> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 2:59 PM Subject: T&T: Starting problems Cat 3126B engines > Takes me 3-4 tries to start our Caterpillar 3126 engines after they have > sat > overnight. Once started they run fine. We wait extra time for the > preheat--volts back to 13.3. They try to start--getting to 300-500 rpms > and then die. > Cat has no answers. Anyone have a clue?? > > W Macauley > Lucky Dog > Grand Banks 42 Europa--850 hours > Vero Beach, FL > _wmchz@aol.com_ (mailto:wmchz@aol.com) > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering > > To unsubscribe send email to > trawlers-and-trawlering-request@lists.samurai.com with the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body of the message. > > Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World > Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

Go to boatdiesel.com and post your question in the Cat forum. You will get some very informed advice. Mine is that you have a fuel system air leak. David ----- Original Message ----- From: <WMCHZ@aol.com> To: <trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com> Cc: <LeeLipfert@aol.com>; <bheber23@cfl.rr.com>; <BYSDIANA@aol.com> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 11:59 AM Subject: T&T: Starting problems Cat 3126B engines > Takes me 3-4 tries to start our Caterpillar 3126 engines after they have > sat > overnight. Once started they run fine. We wait extra time for the > preheat--volts back to 13.3. They try to start--getting to 300-500 rpms > and then die. > Cat has no answers. Anyone have a clue?? > > W Macauley > Lucky Dog > Grand Banks 42 Europa--850 hours > Vero Beach, FL > _wmchz@aol.com_ (mailto:wmchz@aol.com) > _______________________________________________ > http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering > > To unsubscribe send email to > trawlers-and-trawlering-request@lists.samurai.com with the word > UNSUBSCRIBE and nothing else in the subject or body of the message. > > Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World > Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

My guess it's the throttle linkage. I move my throttle a little above the idle position when I start my 3126B. Otherwise at idle I also need to crank a couple of times. The battery draw for pre-heating should not effect your starting. The pre-heater does draw the batteries until the coolant comes up to temperature. CAT sells an 110V AC coolant heater to install in the heater block. Thus pre-heat the block before you start the engines and alleviate battery drain. Len Valenti Architeuthis dux Mainship 39 Kent Island, MD DrBlizzard@comcast.net -----Original Message----- From: WMCHZ@aol.com [mailto:WMCHZ@aol.com] Sent: Friday, December 23, 2005 2:59 PM To: trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com Cc: LeeLipfert@aol.com; bheber23@cfl.rr.com; BYSDIANA@aol.com Subject: T&T: Starting problems Cat 3126B engines Takes me 3-4 tries to start our Caterpillar 3126 engines after they have sat overnight. Once started they run fine. We wait extra time for the preheat--volts back to 13.3. They try to start--getting to 300-500 rpms and then die. Cat has no answers. Anyone have a clue?? W Macauley Lucky Dog Grand Banks 42 Europa--850 hours Vero Beach, FL _wmchz@aol.com_ (mailto:wmchz@aol.com)