The 3196: More of a good thing.

What the 3176 started, the 3196 took one step further; packing 10 percent more power and 16 percent more displacement into the same engine dimensions. Put simply, the top-rated 3196 has the highest power output, lowest weight-to-power ratio and best fuel consumption to power rating of any diesel in its class. Period. The 3196 is also built for long engine life, with lower cylinder pressures and exhaust temperatures than other engines in this class. And premium engine protection features are built right into the electronic control system. Think of it as a marvel of modern Cat engine technology, with high-pressure electronically controlled fuel injection, high-efficiency turbo-charging, and high-strength/low-weight component designs. Or just feel it, commanding the controls of a 50-footer powering out to sea with twin Cat 3196 engines. Available with optional factory custom paint.

The Cat 3196, a compact 12-liter displacement totally electronic marine diesel engine with ratings up to 660 bhp (492 bkW) at 2300 rpm, provides the highest power output, lowest weight-to-power ratio - at 3.92:1 (2.39 kg/kW) - and best fuel consumption to power rating of any diesel engine in its class. Specific fuel consumption at 2300 rpm is .351 lb/bhp-hr (214 g/bkW-hr) and propeller demand fuel consumption at 1900 rpm cruise speed is 17.6 gph (66.7 L/hr).

The 3196 electronic control system adjusts fuel delivery to optimize power and torque while limiting smoke and emissions. Both fuel injection timing and duration are closely tied to a variety of factors including air inlet temperature, boost pressure, fuel temperature, engine load, engine speed, and desired throttle speed to ensure exceptional performance. The control system's fuel timing and air/fuel ratio maps were fine tuned in the development lab, based on detailed load profile data from field test engines accelerating to planing speed.

The mechanically-actuated unit injector fuel system develops high injection pressure from a camshaft design that supplies more fuel earlier in the combustion cycle. Combined with the optimized unit injector nozzle tip design, this improves combustion efficiency to increase power while reducing fuel consumption. Smoke is virtually eliminated, and emission levels meet current and anticipated European and U.S. regulations.

The high-efficiency turbocharger provides superior boost pressure from relatively low exhaust pressure. A robust turbo shaft, large bearings, improved lubrication design, and water-cooled housing ensure durability as well as performance.