LOUISVILLE. Navistar will add a 15-liter diesel to its MaxxForce engine line by combining the basic block and architecture of Caterpillar’s existing C15 engine with its own fuel and emissions systems. Ready sometime in 2010, it will offer on-highway and heavy-haul fleets a higher power option then its MaxxForce 13 engine with ratings from 435 to 550 hp, according to Eric Tech, vp & gm for Navistar’s engine group.
Like the company’s other diesels, the new 15-liter will use EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) only to meet the new 2010 emissions regulations, or what is being called “an in-cylinder solution.” The other common 2010 emissions solution is SCR (selective catalytic reaction), which treats exhaust gases after they leave the engine.
Late last year, Caterpillar announced that it would not develop a heavy-duty truck engine to meet the 2010 requirements and would exit the truck market. At the same time, it entered into an agreement with Navistar to produce a severe service truck under the Caterpillar brand as well as work on other unspecified projects. The MaxxForce 15 is the first of those projects to be formally announced.
Navistar has a working version of the new 15-liter on view at the Mid-America Truck Show, but said it would not be available until sometime after January 2010. Preliminary specs for the Cat-derived diesel include 15.2 liter displacement, twin-turbocharger with intercooling and aftercooling, a direct injection fuel system based on Navistar’s current MaxxForce technology and peak torque ranging from 1,550 to 1,850 lb.-ft.
The company also introduced a special Harley-Davidson edition of its LoneStar conventional tractor. Painted in the traditional Harley-Davidson black and silver with orange highlights, the newest LoneStar will be limited to just 250 units in 2009. Special features include extensive use of chrome and the Harley-Davidson logo on the exterior, as well as a highly customized interior with rosewood cabinetry and a special edition instrument cluster.
