The 12.9-liter Paccar MX-13 engine continues to achieve growing adoption by customers in their new Kenworth Class 8 trucks.
This engine offers a fuel economy improvement of up to 3.5%, which may amount to about a $2,500 annual fuel savings for the typical long-haul truck averaging 120,000 miles per year. For 2013, the MX-13’s top ratings were increased to 500 hp and 1,850 ft-lb of torque.
The MX-13 uses the latest common rail, fuel-delivery technology, which enables injection pressures of up to 36,000 psi, or 2,500 bar, and enhances fuel efficiency and performance. A common rail fuel system uses controls to regulate fuel in a central manifold, only compressing the amount of fuel mixture needed. The result is finer fuel atomization and more ways to optimize combustion.
The engine also is designed to an industry-leading B10 life, which means an estimated 90% of MX-13 engines will go beyond one million miles in life before an engine rebuild is required. A pair of early, customer 2010 MX engines—each with nearly 550,000 miles—was closely examined earlier this year. Wear patterns appeared similar to that of a newly broken-in engine with little soot and clean rings and grooves, while all other components from camshafts to the liner flange looked like new parts.
Available in Kenworth Class 8 models, including the T660, T680, T700, T800, T880, and W900, the MX-13 engine offers a range of horsepower and torque ratings for hauling applications that range from lightweight to more than 100,000 lbs.