cat 3406 pcta

The pump and timing advance is totally different. The B pump bolts right to the front structure with the timing advance inside a cone shaped cover on the front of the timing cover. The PCTA pump is driven by a shaft and is mounted farther back on the engine. Timing control isn't near as good and as with any glow plug engine the pre cups where the glow plugs are, are bad to crack. They are were good engines and could be pretty stout, but loved fuel, Usually about 4 to 4.5 is tops. Most of the pre cups were changed to DITA years ago when they were over hauled you could exchange the head for a DITA head with no core charge. The last version of the 3406A were direct injection from factory.

 

No the millage really doesn't. The B is alot better engine all around and finding some one who really knows an A is tough. Course the B is getting that way too.

 

They are not as plentiful here in NE Arkansas but they are around. By far they are my engine of choice. We have a 7fb 350hp in a w900b ken worth pulling a 28 ft dump out of a quarry that avg 6.8 a gallon with 80k gross. 35 mile one way haul we are tickled with.

 

Don't get me wrong the A is a fine engine just hard on fuel

 

It NEEDS air. Try putting a late b/early C turbo on it..my 86 flc went from 4 to 5.8 mpg with no other mods..15 sp. .81OD, 3.7 rears on short 24.5's..1650@60mph

 

I'm reaching here myself, looking at older posts about 3406A PCTA's. I am running a 1978 3406A in my 78 W900A model. I am not looking for miracles here, but I'm really wanting to try and get a little more power out of this engine during the time I plan on running it in this truck. The end goal is to find a B or C ultimately, and do a swap out. But I have to wait a bit; so in the meantime I'd like to get some info if anybody has had the same similar experience as this with an A.

Mine supposedly is a factory 375 HP based on the VIN of the truck. Again, I don't expect a major transformation in power based on the engine's specs, but there's gotta be "something" I can do to temporarily get this thing to pull slightly better than it does. Right now I'm really making her work hard, and averaging about 4.8 mpg. It's a 15 double over with 4:33 rears. It goes OK on the flats but hills are not our friend now. It's just kind of numb, my B seemed to make power when you got into a hill as where this A just falls on it's nose.

Can somebody tell me what I can do to get a little more out of her? I'm thinking a bigger turbo to get more air, and a bit more fuel to spin it...I drive it by the pyrometer anyways, so I don't plan on cooking it. I ran a 1986 B model for years with no charge air cooler, just watched the exhaust temperature closely.

If anyone has any good ol' custom tricks that I can use to get another 50/60 HP or so more I'd be tickled. What turbo should I be looking for? One off a later B, or thereabouts? A part number would be nice too...

Thanks in advance.

 

Let me add to what @wore out said, the first B models did not have ATAAC (air to air after cooling), but had water jacket after cooling (JWAC). The increase in horsepower from 400 to 425 came with ATAAC. Correct me if I'm wrong wore out.