The Diesel Garage banner

CAT 1693 - Specs and the story on them?

201K views 48 replies 24 participants last post by  midnitetrucker7 
#1 ·
I have been searching around for info on the old CAT 1693. What are the specs, weaknesses, etc. All I know is that it is a predecessor to the 3406. Any info or comments are appreciated. Thanks.
 
#27 ·
From what I understand, the early pre cup 3406's sound very similar to the 1693's. Were 1693's still in production for other applications after 1977? Seems like it would be pretty tough to continue to work one these days with the scarcity of parts for them. They are a great novelty but I wouldn't want to base my livelihood on one right now.
 
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm not sure if the were used in anything else after 76. The sound comes from the DOHC which wasn't carried over to the 3406. Cat still offers all the parts the last time i called about some, and as far as not being able to find many motors for parts the internals of the old D343 are pretty close. This might scare you but 7 or 8 years ago I ask the local Cat dealer what it would take for them to do a major overhaul, the quote was over 32,000.

As far as making a living with one I wouldn't want to try and feed it with these fuel cost.
 
#29 ·
kblackav8or said:
Thanks for the info. So you think a 3406B or C is the best? I am sorta split between the Cat and Cummins 855's of various flavors being a casual spectator and potential future owner.
it is really personal preference between Cat and Cummins,yhe cummins will make more power with a lot less money

but for the cat 3406 for sure C is best depending on what you are putting it in.
some short nose petes have no room for aftercooler so a 3406A is bout good as it gets

the 1673 as first put in trucks in 1960 basically because that was the first year for electric start for cat,before that they had pony engines to start them
 
#31 · (Edited by Moderator)
I had a 74 freightliner with the 425 in it. Nuthing ever went wrong with it in 700,000 miles except the little check valves in each end of the injector lines. they went bad and the power went south. a mech at Miami cat was listening to it and said" I know what's wrong" he grabbed each injector line and said they were pulsating. Sure enough, they were. A new set of check valves and all was ok. it ratted like hell at about 900 rpm with no load on it. Sounded like it would blow up. 335 Cummins did that too. Sounded cool. It was the injection... no leaks either. that engine was bone dry. I sold it to a guy in bud lake nj who rans scrap paper to Ohio and bricks back, he ran it for 1,300,000 miles before a tear down. The rings were perfect, they did a recon head and turbo kit and buttoned it up for another few 100,000 mies and he retired. a great engine... butt I had to have a 600 kta in 1980.
 
#36 · (Edited by Moderator)
I'm sorry for my ignorance. But I remember in the 90's I did a clutch job (it was an oil spill) but when I went to the dealer, and just said it was caterpillar and they gave me a seal of an model A crankshaft. but when I took off the clutch and the fly wheel and it was a gigantic seal. The truck stopped for three weeks because nobody had seal. But I do remember is a cover band behind the block, and one of my friends said it looked as a marine motor. It was a freightliner cab over. Did anyone ever seen something like this?
 
#37 ·
im sorry for my ignorance. but i remember in the 90's i did a clutch job(it was an oil spill) but when i went to the dealer, and just said it was caterpillar and they gave me a seal of an model A cranshaft. but when i took off the clutch and the fly wheel and it was a gigantic seal. the truck stoped for three weeks becausew nobody had seal. but i do remeber is a cover band behind the block, and one of my friends said it looked as a marine motor. it was a freightliner cab over. did anyone ever seen something like this?
All 3400's have the same seal. A 3176 has a bigger seal held in with ten 6mm bolts. A brakesaver has gobs of seals, but still the same size and still hydro-dynamic... Welcome back bud...T
 
#38 · (Edited by Moderator)
... Welcome back bud...T

Oh thanks, in that time I drove a 75 white road commander with a clack clack A model, with a transmission 12513. The other truck I had the motors didn't look the same. at the time I was broke, and it was easier for me to do the job. It wasn't the model 3406. I have doubts if it was a 1673B,c,1674, 1693 or if it was a special production that was made1972 (1693) but I remember clearly is the big triangle shape cover behind the block, the flywheel on top of the shell. The seal was around the size of a dinner plate (10"-12"). Do you remember seeing a seal like this?
 
#39 ·
... Welcome back bud...T
oh thanks , in that time i drove a 75 white road comander with a clack clack A model, with a transmition 12513. the other truck i had the motors didnt look the same. at the time i was broke, and it was easier for me to do the job. it wasnt the model 3406 . i have doubts if it was a 1673B,c,1674, 1693 or if it was a special production that was made1972 (1693) but i remember clearly is the big triangle shape cover behind the block, the flywheel on top of the shell. the seal was around the size of a dinner plate (10"-12"). do you remember seeing a seal like this?
Honestly, sounds like a 343 or 344 dozer motor. I'd have to see it to know. That's a HUGE seal!!!!!!
 
#41 ·
My ex Girlfreinds father had a 72 Long nose Pete with one. I drove it once. All I remember was the turbo was LOUD. It pulled pretty good but man did the hood go out forever in that truck. I think it is the largest big hood I ever drove. Unfortunatley he flipped it dumping. He was restoring it when cancer got him.
 
#43 · (Edited by Moderator)
I worked for Adams truck lines back in the 80's he had an all Cat fleet mostly 1693's and a few 3406A's the 1693's were mostly 425 hp a few were 325 hp the 425 had an after cooler the 325 did not. That engine hp rating was to the wheels not the flywheel that engine with the big turbo could be turned up to 575 hp or better to the wheels. Man would that engine pull if you knew how to drive it. You learned not to pin the peddle to the floor you let the governor work. The fuel mileage was atrocious if you ran it hard it was 2.3 to 3.5 mpg. Yes we used to run and keep up with the Monfort and Vitalis drivers.

Adams was one of the BEST companies in the Midwest to drive for. As a sole owner Elmer Adams had 75 tractors and 125 trailers hauling swinging meat to the east coast from Omaha. at that time it was truly fast food, fast trucks and fast women... Damn that engine would pull. I'm glad I can put that feather in my cap and say I've got the tee shirt been there and done that. That old double bunk KW cabover I used to drive was fun. Not many people can say they ran that engine and the ones that have can say you can't compare it cause while the others were changing gears you were changing states... Enjoy thanks for the trip back in time when fuel was cheap and truckin' was fun...

Jamie Barnhard
 
#44 ·
:sprayw
A couple of guys here still have them , Midnitetrucker7 & Rodgerstar1
they are quite the engine
 
#45 ·
J'ai a exécuté 1693 moteur auparavant et ils sont assez bons sur powerwise sur le camion verison, mais sur le bulldozer verison maintenant qu'est toqure fou le cadre de TR/MIN très bas là dû.

Mais j'aime ce son aussi.


I have ran 1693 engine before and they are pretty good on powerwise on truck verison but on bulldozer verison now that is insane toqure there due very low RPM setting.

But I like that sound as well.

Merci.
Marc
 
#46 ·
I was involved with them in Madill yarders, they were 525 HP version the same one they used as the rear motor in a scraper, in a yarder it is full power for ten second then Idle. it took 7 seconds for them to stop blowing black smoke. they would blow the neck out of the industrial radiators. when the split the heads open. I did many of them `CAT`use to have a sadist that would crumple up the separator plate brown paper gasket. My wife would iron it flat and we would put it between two pieces of cardboard and drive to the machine and when it dried and shrunk to the right size put on the separator and finish the assembly. Memory says the head castings were 2,200 dollars. I still have the tap for the precups, and remember the bag of shims you got to set the precup so the glow plugs were in the right position. Just a thought!
 
#47 ·
As a kid i had this hardcover book about trucking with lots of cool photos and such(wish i still had it). I remember one paragraph in the chapter on truck specs talking about different engine choices. The author said "drivers who had a CAT engine would sometimes leave it idle all nite just so other drivers would know there was a 'pro' on the lot". Don't know if that was the real reason or not back then,but the time period dates it as the 1693 you all are talking about. Still makes me chuckle
 
#48 ·
1693



Doug,
We used to gather at the Rebel Truck stop in Youngstown Ohio or the T/A in Barkyville PA We would take off as a group. Sometimes as many as 20 trucks hauling hanging meat in to Lower Manhattan Little West 12 ST. To Sterling, Eastern, Samon and Son's and golden pack. The companies we would run with were Adams Waymar, Phelps, Vitalis & Holiday. Most of the time we were heavy IL. was a 73,280 state this was before US went to 80,000 lb nation wide. We always dodged the scales on I-80 and I-480 We were half crazy we talked trash on the CB to keep each other awake. The first ones to unload headed back across the river to Rubes Jersey City truck center on Rt's 1 & 9 in Jersey City NJ. to get your meat hooks tossed and your trailer washed out. Then it was a mad dash back to Omaha. It was crazy fun you had to look out for Silver Bullet an Iowa state trooper that hung around the I-80 Atalissa exit. He was hungry you couldn't talk your way out of a ticket from him. Rube is still alive he and his son Larry run a brokerage just down the street from his old truck stop. That was truckin....
 
#49 ·
I think I could run the 1693 and be ahead of where I'm at with this darn acert I'm running. I know I'd get there faster, and it got better fuel mileage than the acert. Though that isn't saying much. I pull a 5 axle b-train with drop decks hauling alfalfa hay and gross between 100,000 and 125,000 most the time loaded one way, between 160 and 250 miles round trip. The 1693 would get right around 4 mpg on this haul. The acert gets 3.8 pretty consistenty. Wish I still had my e-model or the c-15. They'd both pull 5 on a daily basis. You couldn't pay me to buy another acert after having this one.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top