Peterbilt 359 3406b

Tobin

Tobin

5.7 IDI Powaa!
So I am not really looking for a truck but if something decent pops up for a good price, I will probably be tempted to get it. Browsing through Craigslist, a 1985 359 day cab with a 3406b CAT and 9 speed transmission came up. Asking $11k. Needs some cosmetic work but looks solid.

Thoughts? Seems like the 3406b is a pretty solid reliable mechanical motor. It would just be used for personal stuff.
 
The b models are solid engines. Parts are readily available, etc.
it cost more to work on a cat than a Cummins but they tend to have a longer life.

Be aware with a 359, those trucks are getting fairly old. While I love them and have spent time running one, they have some quirks and such that people don’t pay attention to.
I know you say you won’t be using it but in personal matters but... how much time do you look to spend in it? A 359 cab is roughly 6” narrower than a 379 if my memory is correct. There is little to no leg room in one for most people.
Steel or aluminum frame? Lots of stuff to look and watch out for on aluminum.
Rear gears and which trans is another thing to look closely at because some trucks are spec’d oddly and could have a undesirable set of gears in it.
359’s are pretty well known for their rats nest wiring inside the dash. Some are fine where as others have had way way too many hands in them and they can be a complete wreck.

Just some quick stuff off the top of my head.


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Thanks for the info.

I won't buy a aluminum frame.

I'll have to sit in it to see how much room there is.

It will be a toy mostly. The wiring by the pictures is one of the things that is a mess. That is fine, I pretty much plan to rip it all out and re-do it. I am looking for a solid foundation with a good running motor and I can play with all the other cosmetics.

I'll have to get some more information and report back.
 
Check for leaks around the firewall. It's common for a 379 to dump water on the power distribution panel from the windshield I'm not sure if the 59's have the same issue.

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Looks like the real thin steel frame and it's taken a hit or 2 at the back.

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biggy238 said:
Check for leaks around the firewall. It's common for a 379 to dump water on the power distribution panel from the windshield I'm not sure if the 59's have the same issue.

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No fuse block down there but windshields are the same.


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Tobin said:
So I am not really looking for a truck but if something decent pops up for a good price, I will probably be tempted to get it. Browsing through Craigslist, a 1985 359 day cab with a 3406b CAT and 9 speed transmission came up. Asking $11k. Needs some cosmetic work but looks solid.

Thoughts? Seems like the 3406b is a pretty solid reliable mechanical motor. It would just be used for personal stuff.
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Definitely reliable, but the jacket water aftercooled engines won't overwhelm you in terms of horsepower. You could always upgrade to an air to air aftercooler if you wanted to.
 
I ran an after cooled B that was no slouch and wasn’t a pain to keep cool.


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SmokinCAT said:
Seriously?
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What the hell is everybody's problem on here lately? Every time I say something, somebody has to get butthurt and argue. I'm Cat PAR certified and have run hundreds of Cat truck engines and industrial engines on the dyno. I can tell you with 100% confidence that if you turn the screws to a JWAC B model, the air inlet temps. will be so high it'll burn the friggin paint off of the manifold. Taking into consideration the fact that as a good rule of thumb the egt raises 3 degrees for every 1 degree rise in inlet temp., you certainly don't want to poke the bear on a JWAC engine. So yes, I'm serious.
 
Interesting... the one I ran was still painted when I got done.


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mhuggler said:
What the hell is everybody's problem on here lately? Every time I say something, somebody has to get butthurt and argue. I'm Cat PAR certified and have run hundreds of Cat truck engines and industrial engines on the dyno. I can tell you with 100% confidence that if you turn the screws to a JWAC B model, the air inlet temps. will be so high it'll burn the friggin paint off of the manifold. Taking into consideration the fact that as a good rule of thumb the egt raises 3 degrees for every 1 degree rise in inlet temp., you certainly don't want to poke the bear on a JWAC engine. So yes, I'm serious.
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So all the 587hp generator set engines have the paint burnt off of their JWAC?

Look up 5kj8073, 515hp truck engine, has a JWAC.
 
SmokinCAT said:
So all the 587hp generator set engines have the paint burnt off of their JWAC?



Look up 5kj8073, 515hp truck engine, has a JWAC.
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Watch out now he’s “cat certified”. Certified by the same DF’s that thought cutting the relief groves in the heads was a good idea. How could this ever be an issue?

e6affb582cbed9c2fb8ecd3c433b16e1.jpg


Oh and yes Jared’s 800hp B still has the original white paint on the cooler from 1985.

Carry on.
 
mhuggler said:
What the hell is everybody's problem on here lately? Every time I say something, somebody has to get butthurt and argue. I'm Cat PAR certified and have run hundreds of Cat truck engines and industrial engines on the dyno. I can tell you with 100% confidence that if you turn the screws to a JWAC B model, the air inlet temps. will be so high it'll burn the friggin paint off of the manifold. Taking into consideration the fact that as a good rule of thumb the egt raises 3 degrees for every 1 degree rise in inlet temp., you certainly don't want to poke the bear on a JWAC engine. So yes, I'm serious.
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No one has a problem unless you make a claim that is proven BS then preach from a high horse. Plenty of high hp aftercooled motors running around with no issues.
 
Has anybody ever isolated the jwac from engine coolant and ran it with a separate cooler? I started pondering on it the other day while I was piecing a cummins together.

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mhuggler said:
What the hell is everybody's problem on here lately? Every time I say something, somebody has to get butthurt and argue. I'm Cat PAR certified and have run hundreds of Cat truck engines and industrial engines on the dyno. I can tell you with 100% confidence that if you turn the screws to a JWAC B model, the air inlet temps. will be so high it'll burn the friggin paint off of the manifold. Taking into consideration the fact that as a good rule of thumb the egt raises 3 degrees for every 1 degree rise in inlet temp., you certainly don't want to poke the bear on a JWAC engine. So yes, I'm serious.
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Do you work at a full time dealer or TEPS, and whereabouts geographically?


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chevota84 said:
Has anybody ever isolated the jwac from engine coolant and ran it with a separate cooler? I started pondering on it the other day while I was piecing a cummins together.

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It is possible, use a wet line tank and a 55gpm remote mount water pump and then return thru a small radiator with electric fan and I think it would be okay, having enough water volume would be key to it not over heating.
 
Yeah. It's a big, fairly efficient cooler and if you could get the water temp going in down 100-150° there has to be a gain. Maybe I'll fiddle with it if I get mine back together and running.

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