The 330 CAT Diesel Engine Guide: Specs, MPG, Review
There are plenty of engines. This should make powering your RV easier but you do not always get a choice in what engine is doing the powering. If you are serious about RV life, then you should do some studying and see what type of engine will be best for your preferred RV model.
MPG can be deceptive. What one person gets in their RV with this engine may not be what you get. One owner experiences 8 mpg, while another barely gets over 9. It is doubtful that you will see more than 10 mpg with this engine.
To learn more about this engine, just continue to read our article. It has the information you need to know to tell if this is a good motor or not. Unfortunately, people may fudge their results and report higher mileage than what they really get.
What is a 330 Caterpillar Engine?
This motor is an inline 4-cylinder motor that can produce 330 HP and comes with a turbocharged design. Its 860 lb-ft of torque is quite good. the engine is powerful enough to handle 5% grades at 70 miles an hour. Plus, it is rated as one of the strongest of all 330 engines out there.
On steep grades and full loads you may slow down to 40 mph but that is normal. This is one durable and reliable motor and can pull trailers or cars with little trouble.
While some people may say that it is an under powered engine for longer RVs but that does not seem to be the case. Most owners have said that is not the case and their 330 pulls just fine.
Many come with an exhaust brake which will push the RPMs up to about 2800. This will surprise many owners as the normal running RPMs are down around 170 to 2100.
Keep in mind that the performance you get out of this engine depends on the brand and model of your motorhome. Everyone seems to perform slightly differently.
Plus, your driving and packing habits will play a large role in how this engine performs for you.
CAT 330 Hp Engine Specs
Information is not forthcoming on this motor, at least where RVs are concerned. Lots of information on this engine when they are placed in heavy equipment but piecemeal when it comes to RVs.
What we have been able to find out is that this motor produces 330 HP at 2400 RPM and 860 lb-ft of torque at 1440 RPM. One reason information is lacking is that Caterpillar was said to leave the OTR engine market in 2010.
Most of the early engines were paired with an Allison 100/2000 series transmission. These transmissions were said to not be very good in this situation. You want one in the 3000 series.
The word was that Cat was going to team up with International and make a CAT truck but we have not come across any verifiable information to prove that true.
If you want to know about towing, this motor seems to handle pulling an extra 7500 pounds along with filled water tanks and supplies, etc. It just went slower up the hills. But the engine did go 65/70 mph on the straight and flat highways.
330 CAT Diesel Mpg
One owner said that talking about this topic is just like talking about fishing. Every other result is total make-believe. There are other owners who say that if anyone claims to get more than 10 or 11 mpg, it is made up.
The reports that we saw had the mpg between 6 and 8 with one reporting 9.1. The uppermost limit you should be able to get would be 10 mpg. But as we have said so many times before, there are a lot of mitigating factors involved.
Do not expect to get high-end mpg when you are driving the west coast mountains. While you may be going slower, you are climbing some very stiff grades. Your driving habits will play a large role in how many miles you get per gallon.
If you are a heavy-footed driver, expect to be around the lower end of the scale. Then wind and weather conditions play a similar role in your economy as well. Wind resistance is a big economy killer every time.
But if you maintain your engine well, something we have said often also, then you should be able to get great performance from this engine.
How Much Does a CAT 3126 Weigh?
The 3126 weighs in at 1250 pounds or 568 kg. It is a very heavy engine and was in production for some time before Caterpillar introduced the next generation. In 1998 Cat introduced the 3126B.
This newer version was designed to meet the implementation of the 1998 EPA, CARB, and Canadian emissions regulations. Every few years these emissions standards change and engine makers are forced to re-design their motors.
This was true for the 3126E. It was designed and produced in 2002 as Cat wanted to get ahead of the new 2004 emission regulations. The 3126 motor got anywhere between 175 to 300 HP and those results were at 2200 to 2400 RPM.
The torque was between 420 and 860 at 1440 RPM no matter the model or generation. Other specs for this motor are as follows:
Dimensions
Length: 42.8 in (1086mm)
Width: 26.5 in (674mm)
Height: 36.5 in (927mm)
Displacement
439 cu in (7.2L)
Bore and stroke
4.33 x 5.0 in (110 x 127mm)
Compression ratio
16:1
Aspiration
Air To Air AfterCooled (ATAAC)
As you can see it was well designed. The 3126 carried a lot of power with it so your RV could easily make it to your destination no matter the road conditions. It also was a reliable and decent engine to have powering your RV.
Is The CAT 3126E a Good Engine?
It goes without saying that every engine will have its bad points. They are always present even though we may not mention them. The reason for not mentioning them is because those negative points may not be severe enough to change anyone’s opinion about how good this motor is.
One owner bought a 3126E new and only had a leaking oil cooler and a fuel sensor go bad on him. This was over 55,000 miles. He may not have driven it enough to see if any other parts failed.
Other owners are saying it is a very reliable engine that comes with decent power. All the owners that we have read said the same thing. They were very satisfied with their engine.
Some models will start at -10 degrees F which has pleased those owners. We are not seeing anything real bad being said about this engine. The worst we read was about the Allison 1000/2000 transmission which one owner claimed that the component was junk.
One mechanic chimed in with his opinion. He called the 3126 okay and gutless. He was the lone opinion on that point of view. He did mention that the fuel system had a lot of moving parts and a lot of special tools were needed to work on it.
That mechanic was actually the worst of all the reviews we read. There may be more but they were not found on the websites we used for our research.
Caterpillar C7 Injector Torque Specs
The best specs we could find were found on a website and we will quote directly so nothing is lost in translation:
“Vin number 1fvacwdcx6hv81556 engine serial number sap09413 changing head and injectors on this motor and have no tighting specs. Tighten bolt (1) through bolt (15) in a numerical sequence to a torque of 15 n·m (11 lb ft). The 201, 230 and 250 hp. “
We found another spec sheet for this motor but there seems to be a lot of clicking to find the information you need. The good thing about this upcoming website is that it links you to manuals. If you need one, it is on that website. Click here to get to the thorough information.
Exploring that website may take a little time but the manuals may help shorten that and give you the information quicker. If you do not find what you need, then talk to a CAT experienced mechanic to help you.
330 CAT Diesel Reviews
As we said earlier, we did not find any severe negative reviews about this Cat motor. People were all satisfied with the results they got although they wished the economy was higher.
There were no major disappointments reported and by that we mean massive parts failures. The engines are reliable and seem to be very durable. Even though the engine did not get above 10 mpg for the most part the owners were very satisfied with the power and performance in other capacities.
Most reviews were very positive with a few owners mentioning only minor parts failures, minor as in not that many. We did not find anyone saying that prospective buyers should stay away from this engine.
Most reviews were very positive and not fake. Usually, you can tell when someone is hyping a bad engine. All the comments did not give off any bad vibes and all comments were reasonable and factual.
There may be some bad 330 engines out there but so far we have not come across anyone giving a bad review of their motor. Even when talking about parts failures, the owners held a high view of the motor.
Your view will depend on your experience with the 330 or another Cat motor. Not everyone will be perfect or very good.
CAT’s Truck Making Venture
We did check out the story that Cat was getting out of the over-the-road engine building and build their own trucks. The news report stated that Cat partnered with Navistar not International.
The story was true and the groundwork was laid in the early 2000s to make this switch over. Unfortunately, that partnership ended after 6 years. However, according to the same 2015 report, Caterpillar is supposed to be making its own trucking line independently.
That independent venture did not last very long either. A 2016 news release stated that they never really began making their own trucks. The company said it will discontinue making them before they had really produced any.
The independent venture was supposed to start at their 2016 Victoria plant after a transition period. 2016 was supposed to be the start of production. However, production never started at the plant nor did the transition process.
It was an interesting business decision as Navistar is very experienced in truck building. It owns International and IC Bus. But in business, you need to stick with what you do best and Caterpillar did engines and heavy equipment the best.
Cat 330 Engine Parts
A quick internet search turns up quite a few places that still carry parts for this engine. Whether those parts are for a heavy-duty vehicle or your RV is not known. You would have to contact them and ask.
We also saw a lot of 330 engines for sale during our research but the condition and cost may be two obstacles for most people. While this motor has not been in production for some time, Cat made a lot of them so spare parts should be out there.
Some Final Words
When it comes to diesel engines, Cat makes a variety of great ones. They also made some very good RV motors that have stood the test of time. If the RV you are interested in comes with a Cat 330 or another motor, you are not going to be disappointed.
From our research, most owners loved their 330 and were quite satisfied with the performance. The fuel mileage is not great but it is about the middle of the road for RVs.
