Understanding

Cat Engine Nomenclature

JULY 99

Nomenclature: A system of names used in an art or science.

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 Preface

The assignment of nomenclature commands top level attention at Caterpillar. A formal Nomenclature Committee
meets regularly, is chaired by a group president and his vice presidents. The Engine Products Division vice president
represents the Engine Divisions.

All new models added to the Cat engine line and all requests for a series letter change to reflect significanatly
improved models must be approved by this committed. The process allowing this to happen will be discussed later in this
paper.

Engine Nomenclature

There are three basic methods used to determine nomenclature for Cat engines. One for small branded and
parent bore models (3003 – 3126), one for medium engines (3200 – 3500 including 3176 and 3196) and the final one for
large Lafayette and Kiel sourced engines (3600 – CM43).

In addition, other descriptors (prefixes and suffixes) are included in the nomenclature plan.

Note: The nomenclature referred to in this material is current as of the date this was printed.

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 Nomenclature for
Small Branded and Parent Bore Engines

Small Branded Engines (3003 – 3066)

1st digit – 3, in keeping with the use of 3000 series for engines.
2nd digit –0, denoting small branded product
3rd digit – 1 through 9, each number denoting a branded engine family, (i.e., 1.0 liter per cylinder equals
5 … the next larger size using 6 and the next smaller size using 4 etc.
4th digit – number of cylinders

Parent Bore Engines (3114 – 3126, excluding 3208)

This information is provided for references only as all new products will follow guidelines as established in the Medium
Engines section of this material.
The 3114, 3116, and 3126 were assigned nomenclature based on the following criteria for engines with individual cylinder
displacement of less than 10 liters.

1st digit – 3 – in keeping with the use of 3000 series for engines.
2nd & 3rd digits – indicates the displacement of each cylinder of the engine in the tenths of liters.
4th digit – number of cylinders.

See appendix B for approved models.

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 Nomenclature
for
Medium Engines

A new nomenclature plan for engines with this category was approved on April 28, 1999 applies to all future
medium engine models. This method (i.e. C-10, C-12, etc.) and appears to work well for all currently planned future medium
engine product. Based on review of industry standards, this follows the generally accepted method of using displacement to
identify these size engines.

1st digit – C is accepted as representing Cat

2nd & 3rd digit – indicates total engine displacement in liters.

See Appendix C for approved models.

Note: Several current engine models were designated nomenclature based on an earlier plan where the first two
digits expressed as hundreds (i.e., 3200, 3300, 3400, 3500) identify the engine family. The third and fourth digits indicate
the number of cylinders (i.e. 04 = 4 cylinders, 12 = 12 cylinders, etc.). Two models, the 3176 and 3196 were designated
nomenclature based on the same plan as mentioned earlier where the second and third digit represent displacement of each
cylinder of the engine in tenths of liters.

Note: Nomenclature for these two models will be changed to comply with the 4/28/99 plan as noted on appendix C.

Models where much equity is apparent will maintain this nomenclature until replaced with new models or where
significant market needs support changing to the 4/28/99 plan.
See Appendix D for approved models.

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 Nomenclature
For
Large Lafayette and Kiel Sourced Engines

Nomenclature for the 3600 family of engines was determined based on the previous medium engine nomenclature
plan where the first 2 digits expressed as hundreds identify the engine family and the last 2 digits indicate the number of
cylinders.

Note: This plan includes renaming the Cat 3600 family of engines as appropriate.

See Appendix E for approved models. Nomenclature for Kiel sourced (Caterpillar) engines is based on generally
accepted industry methods of engine identification for these size/type engines by including cylinder bore size in the
nomenclature. In this plan (i.e. 16CM32) the first digit(s) indicate the number of cylinders, the"C” will be accepted as
representing Cat, the”M” represents medium speed and the last two digits are in bore size in centimeters. If there ever were
to be high speed versions of these engines they will be identified with an “H” in place of the “M”.

See Appendix F for approved models.

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 Nomenclature
For
Descriptors for all Engine Models

Nomenclature for all gaseous fueled (spark ignited) Cat engines will be noted with the prefix “G” (i.e. G3306, GC-
10, G16CM32, etc.). The “G” will be shown capitalized and immediately next to the model number. The “G” prefix is
reserved only for gas engines.

Nomenclature use of the term “Series” will apply as significant improvements are made to the engine. The first
models of engines to be assigned nomenclature are understood to be a “Series A” but will not be specifically assigned an
“A” letter. The letters, in alphabetical order, beginning with a “B” will be shown capitalized and immediately following the
model number (i.e. 3306B, C-10B, 16CM32B, etc.) or will be separated from the model number by the word “Series” (i.e.
3306 Series B, C-10 Series B, 16CM32 Series B, etc.). Both C-10B and C-10 Series B are acceptable for example.
Because of potential confusion with numbers and to preclude any experimental, military or governmental product, the
following letters are excluded from size usage: I, J, M, O, X and XM.

Note: Modifiers such as NA, T, TA (i.e. 3306 TA etc.) are not nomenclature.

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 Appendix A Small Branded Engines

Approved Nomenclature

3003 Perkins 103-10

3013 Perkins 103-15
3014 Perkins 104-19
3024 Perkins 104-22
3034 Perkins 104-30
3046 MHI S6S
3054 & 3054B Perkins 1004
3056 Perkins 1006
3064 MHI S4K
3066 MHI S6K

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 Appendix B Parent Bore Engines

3114
3116
3126 (and 3126B)

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 Appendix C Medium Engines

C-7 (new – all configurations)

C-9 (new – all configurations)
C-10 (truck only*)
C-12 (truck only*)
C-15 (truck only)
C-16 (truck only)

*Cat 3176 and 3196 commercial and machine engines will be changed to C-10 and C-12 respectively when new C-7 and C-
9 engines are introduced.

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 Appendix D Medium Engines

3208
3304*B
3306*B and 3306C
3406*C and 3406E
3408*C and 3408E
3412*C and 3412E
3456
3508* and 3508B
3512* and 3512B
3516* and 3516B
3524B
G3524
G3532

3176C
3196

*Available as gaseous fueled “G” prefix

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 Appendix E Large Lafayette Sourced Engines

3606* 6CM28**
3608* 8CM28**
3612* 12CM28**
3616* 16CM28**
3618 18CM28**

* Available as gaseous fueled “G” prefix

* Approval received from Nomenclature Committee to change 3600 nomenclature to CM nomenclature

when and if appropriate.

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 Appendix F Kiel Sourced Engines*

6CM20
8CM20
9CM20

6CM25
8CM25
9CM25

6CM32
8CM32
9CM32
12CM32
16CM32

6CM43
8CM43
9CM43
12CM43
16CM43

6CM601
8CM601

*If and whenever gasified would have “G” prefix

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 Processing a Request for Nomenclature

Requests for new nomenclature will typically fall within one of two areas; new nomenclature for a new core engine,
or nomenclature change (i.e., later series letter – (3406B – 3406C) to an existing engine model.

New Cat engine nomenclature requests will usually be initiated by the core engine product groups. By reviewing
the guidelines presented earlier in this material, appropriate nomenclature should be evident. This being the case, two
memos need to be developed by the product manager. The first memo is directed to the Marketing Communications
Supervisor (MCS) in the Marketing Support group of EPD. This memo needs to include engine specs, markets served, and
production dates as well as proposed nomenclature. If the MCS agrees that the proposed nomenclature meets the
nomenclature guidelines the memo is routed to the Worldwide Marketing Managers and on to the EPD VPs for their
approval.
The second memo is drafted for the EPD VP signature and addressed to the Nomenclature Committee secretary
requesting committee approval. The Nomenclature Committee may secure approval by mail if necessary, otherwise the
request will be presented usually by the Worldwide Marketing Manager at a formal Nomenclature Committee Meeting.
If the request is tied to significant changes to current engine models, the nomenclature request may be initiated by the core
engine product group or a marketing group and again based on guidelines presented earlier in this material.
In either case it is supposed that the requestor has discussed the proposal with all interested parties and has
secured their support when making the request.
Any questions to this process should be directed to the Marketing Communications Supervisor in the Marketing
Support group of EPD (309)578-6659.

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Diesel 10-Dec-2003
Current Sales On- Electric Industria Oil & Approved Sort
Model Marine Highway Power l Gas Rail Nomenclature Code
New (C0.5) X C0.5 CP
New (C0.7) X C0.7 CP
3003 X C1.0 CP
3011C X C1.1 CP
3013 X C1.5 CP
New (C1.6) X C1.6 CP
3014 X C1.9 CP
3024C X X C2.2 CP
New (C2.5) X C2.5 CP
3044C X C3.3 CP
3054 X C4.0 CP
3054B X C4.2 CP
3054C X C4.4 CP
3054E X C4.4 CP
3056 X C6.0 CP
New (C6.6) X C6.6 CP
3304 NC 33
3116 X NC MD
3126E X C7 MD
3306 X NC 33
3406 X X X NC HD
3406C X NC HD
3406E C15 HD
3408 X X NC HV
3412 X X X X NC HV
3456 X C16 HD
3456C X C16 HD
C-9 X X C9 MD
C-10 X C10 HD
C-12 X C12 HD
C-15 X C15 HD
C-16 X C16 HD
C7 X NC MD
C9 X X NC MD
C11 X NC HD
C13 X NC HD
C15 X NC HD
C18 X NC HD
C30 X NC HV
3508 X X X X NC 35
3508B X NC 35
3512 X X X X NC 35
3512B X NC 35
3516 X X X X NC 35
3516B X NC 35
New (3508C) C170-8 35
New (3512C) C170-12 35
New (3516C) C170-16 35
3606 X X X X C280-6 36
3608 X X X X C280-8 36
3612 X X X C280-12 36
3616 X X X C280-16 36
16CM32 X X X C320-16 KL
9CM43 X C430-9 KL
Gas 10-Dec-2003
Current Sales On- Electric Approved
Model Marine Highway Power Industrial Oil & Gas Rail Nomenclature Sort Code
G3306 X X X CG10 33
G3406 X X X CG15 33
G3412 X CG27 HD
G3508 X X X CG170-8 35
G3512 X X X CG170-12 35
G3516 X X X CG170-16 35
G3516B X X CG170-16 35
G3516E X CG170-16 35
G3520B X CG170-20 35
G3520C X CG170-20 35
G3606 X X X CG300-6 36
G3608 X X X CG300-8 36
G3612 X X X CG300-12 36
G3616 X X X CG300-16 36
16GCM34 X X CG340-16 KL