International Truck Launches New 12.4L Diesel Engine

[kscarbel2]

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  February 27, 2017

International Truck said it will launch the International A26 engine, a new 12.4-liter diesel designed for the Class 8 market, on Feb. 27 at the Technology & Maintenance Council’s Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tenn.

The company said the A26 was developed through an initiative called Project Alpha that brought together a team of trucking industry powertrain engineers. Together, initiative members focused on emphasizing simplicity over complexity and using only proven components.

The truck and engie maker listed these as key features of the A26:

• Components engineered to maximize uptime
• Light weight of 2,299 pounds
• The most efficient engine in International’s on-highway lineup
• The quietest engine in International’s lineup
• Hundreds of thousands of hours of testing
• Millions of real-world test miles

More details on the new engine will be available after International’s official announcement, schedule for this evening at the TMC meeting.

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[kscarbel2]

International Truck Launches 12.4l A26 Engine

International Truck Press Release  /  February 27, 2017

Born from a new way of thinking and designed with uptime in its DNA

International Truck today launched the International^® A26 engine, a powerful new 12.4-liter engine designed to provide industry-leading uptime to the Class 8 market. Driven by a commitment to deliver customer uptime, the A26 was developed through an initiative called Project Alpha, which brought together a new team of the industry's foremost powertrain engineers. The initiative pursued a fresh approach that emphasized simplicity over complexity and using only proven components to deliver industry-leading uptime.

"Project Alpha has fundamentally changed how we design diesel engines," said Bill Kozek, president, Truck and Parts. "The International A26 has been designed to address the rigorous demands of Class 8 truck customers. It's been tested to extremes and meets a demanding B10 design life standard for an unprecedented 1.2 million miles."

Built from the proven MAN D26 engine crankcase, the A26 produces up to 475 horsepower and 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque from a design that's 600-700 lbs. lighter than a traditional 15L big bore engine. Its components have been carefully engineered to deliver uncompromising uptime as well as class-leading fuel efficiency, reduced weight and quiet operation.

"The A26 was designed from the ground up to deliver industry-leading uptime, durability and reliability," said Darren Gosbee, vice president, Advanced Engineering. "The A26 is as simple as a modern engine can be, and we've built uptime into every part of the development process, from design to calibration to testing."

Every component is engineered to maximize uptime. Utilizing a titanium compressor wheel with a simplified single-stage design, the A26 features a variable geometry turbocharger that reduces complexity and enhances reliability. Larger piston pins, connecting rods and bushings help optimize load distribution for enhanced durability, while smaller piston cooling jets increase oil pressure to improve lubrication, increasing oil change service intervals up to 70,000 miles.

At 2,299 pounds, the A26 is the lightest engine in its class.  The A26 is 55 pounds lighter than the engine it replaces, and also enables an impressive 200 pounds of additional weight reduction in vehicle-mounted components. Its Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) crankcase has greater strength and fatigue resistance than traditional gray iron. Composite valve covers and shot-peened aluminum flywheel housing help deliver impressive weight savings over traditional solutions. 

The most efficient engine offered in International's on-highway lineup.  Engineered to deliver up to five percent greater fuel economy, the A26 has a simplified air management system, featuring a new Variable Geometry Turbocharger. Fuel injection pressure is maximized by the engine's 2,500 bar (36,300 psi) high pressure common rail fuel system. Coupled with new cylinder head coolant passages that are 50 percent less restrictive to reduce parasitic loss to the water pump, the A26 reduces both fuel consumption and emissions.  

Quietest engine in our lineup. The A26's uniquely sculpted crankcase, which is isolated with the oil pan through a specially designed rubber gasket, absorbs vibration and reduces harshness for a quieter in-cab experience. The engine's six-blade fan, specially designed gear teeth and sophisticated calibration and programming are specifically built to reduce engine noise.

The A26 is backed with the industry's best engine warranty: two years, unlimited miles. The warranty reflects confidence in the engine's reliability and durability, which have been confirmed through extensive validation and testing process, including:

• Hundreds of thousands of hours of "key life" and dyno testing at extreme engine speeds and loads.

• Millions of real-world test miles over the harshest North American roads, including high altitudes and temperatures as low as -40° F.

• Full validation cycles (concept, design, statistical and product validation) over a period of years to identify, correct and retest any issue.

The A26 engine is available for order in the International LT Series of long-haul vehicles and RH Series of regional haul vehicles.

[kscarbel2]

The dedicated International A26 engine website - https://www.internationaltrucks.com/engines/international-a26

The A26 Engine Brochure - https://www.internationaltrucks.com/-/media/navistar/trucks/pdf/brochure/a26/a26-brochure.pdf

[kscarbel2]

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[kscarbel2]

Navistar Debuts International 12.4-Liter A26 Engine for Highway Tractors

Transport Topics  /  February 27, 2017

Navistar moved to re-establish its standing in the engine business by unveiling a new 12.4-liter power plant, the International A26, designed for usage in the company’s two newest over-the-road trucks, LT and RH.

The engine will be made in Navistar’s Huntsville, Alabama, engine plant starting in April, and then installed in International LT linehaul trucks for delivery to buyers in May.

Bill Kozek, Navistar president of truck and parts, said the new engine, which will replace the N13, is part of the company’s three-year-old turnaround plan and commitment to uptime for fleet operators.

“This is a great time to be at International. We’ve been through a lot and we’re coming out of it,” said Kozek.

Darren Gosbee, vice president of powertrain engineering, said the engine is the first fruit of the company’s Project Alpha, a rethinking of the company’s engine business.

Gosbee said an LT tractor powered by an A26 got 9% better fuel economy than the company’s 2016 lineup of a ProStar Plus with an N13.

The torque range for A26 is 1,350 to 1,750 pound-feet, and the horsepower range is 370 to 475 hp.

The weight is 2,299 pounds, or 55 pounds less than an N13, or about 650 pounds lighter than a 15-liter engine.

Engineers made more use of aluminum and compacted graphite iron, Gosbee said.

The main goals of the design, he said, were fuel economy, quiet operation, less weight and durability.

Gosbee said Navistar has submitted all of its paperwork to the Environmental Protection Agency, seeking certification of the engine’s compliance with the new 2017 emissions standards. “Now we’re just waiting for approval,” Gosbee said.

[kscarbel2]

Uptime, uptime, uptime: International Truck launches A26 engine

Fleet Owner  /  February 27, 2017

New 12.4-liter diesel designed for simplicity, reliability

Calling it “as simple as a modern engine can be,” International Truck on Monday launched the International A26 engine, a new 12.4-liter diesel designed to provide industry-leading reliability to the Class 8 market.

Speaking from the exhibit hall at the TMC annual meeting here, Bill Kozek, president, Truck and Parts, explained that the A26 is the company's latest product engineered with a focus on customer uptime. The engine was developed through an initiative called Project Alpha, which brought together a new team of top powertrain engineers. The initiative pursued a fresh approach that emphasized simplicity over complexity and using only proven components.

“Project Alpha has fundamentally changed how we design diesel engines,” Kozek said. “The International A26 has been designed to address the rigorous demands of Class 8 truck customers. It’s been tested to extremes and meets a demanding B10 design life standard for an unprecedented 1.2 million miles.”

Built from the proven MAN D26 engine crankcase, the A26 produces up to 475 horsepower and 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque from a design that’s 600-700 lbs. lighter than a traditional 15L big bore engine. Its components have been carefully engineered to deliver uncompromising uptime as well as class-leading fuel efficiency, reduced weight and quiet operation, explained Darren Gosbee, vice president, Advanced Engineering.

“The A26 was designed from the ground up to deliver industry-leading uptime, durability and reliability,” said Gosbee. “The A26 is as simple as a modern engine can be, and we’ve built uptime into every part of the development process, from design to calibration to testing.”

As presented by Gosbee:

Every component is engineered to maximize uptime. Utilizing a titanium compressor wheel with a simplified single-stage design, the A26 features a variable geometry turbocharger that reduces complexity and enhances reliability. Larger piston pins, connecting rods and bushings help optimize load distribution for enhanced durability, while smaller piston cooling jets increase oil pressure to improve lubrication, increasing oil change service intervals up to 70,000 miles.

At 2,299 pounds, the A26 is the lightest engine in its class.  The A26 is 55 pounds lighter than the engine it replaces, and also enables an impressive 200 pounds of additional weight reduction in vehicle-mounted components. Its Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI) crankcase has greater strength and fatigue resistance than traditional gray iron. Composite valve covers and shot-peened aluminum flywheel housing help deliver impressive weight savings over traditional solutions. 

The most efficient engine offered in International’s on-highway lineup.  Engineered to deliver up to 5% greater fuel economy, the A26 has a simplified air management system, featuring a new Variable Geometry Turbocharger. Fuel injection pressure is maximized by the engine’s 2,500 bar (36,300 psi) high pressure common rail fuel system. Coupled with new cylinder head coolant passages that are 50% less restrictive to reduce parasitic loss to the water pump, the A26 reduces both fuel consumption and emissions.  

Quietest engine in the lineup. The A26’s uniquely sculpted crankcase, which is isolated with the oil pan through a specially designed rubber gasket, absorbs vibration and reduces harshness for a quieter in-cab experience. The engine’s six-blade fan, specially designed gear teeth and sophisticated calibration and programming are specifically built to reduce engine noise.

The A26 is backed with warranty of two years, unlimited miles. The warranty reflects confidence in the engine’s reliability and durability, which have been confirmed through extensive validation and testing process, the company says. This includes:

• Hundreds of thousands of hours of “key life” and dyno testing at extreme engine speeds and loads.

• Millions of real-world test miles over the harshest North American roads, including high altitudes and temperatures as low as -40° F.

• Full validation cycles (concept, design, statistical and product validation) over a period of years to identify, correct and retest any issue.

The A26 engine is available for order in the International LT Series of long-haul vehicles and RH Series of regional haul vehicles. Production will begin in April, and delivery in the LT will follow in May.

[kscarbel2]

Navistar Rising: A26 Engine Signals New Chapter

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  February 27, 2017

When International President Bill Kozek came from Paccar in 2014 to right the ship at Navistar, he knew the situation was critical. And he knew the task before him was immense. In fact, many industry experts were ready to write off the truck and engine manufacturer. But he expressed confidence that the talent, the determination and the sheer stubbornness of Navistar’s employees would eventually win out.

At the Technology & Maintenance Council Annual Meeting Monday night, the company announced a completely new and thoroughly modern family of diesel engines that, in Kozek’s words, will allow Navistar to not only regain the ground it lost during the divisive EGR-SCR wars of the early 2000s, but to also stake a claim as a diesel engine technology leader at a time of tremendous change in the North American trucking industry.

Leading International’s charge into the new, technological future is the A26 diesel engine – a wholly new powerplant, developed using the company’s also-new Project Alpha engine design program, a radically new diesel engine design philosophy.

Project Alpha was initiated as a way to cast off old, stratified engine design thinking, and approach the concept of a modern, fuel-efficient diesel from a totally new perspective. Navistar’s new A26, 12.4-liter diesel engine is the first product of that program.

"Project Alpha has fundamentally changed how we design diesel engines," Kozek said. "The International A26 has been designed to address the rigorous demands of Class 8 truck customers. It's been tested to extremes and meets a demanding B10 design life standard for an unprecedented 1.2 million miles."

The new A26 is also a first glance at a new, but quickly growing collaboration between International and Volkswagen, which acquired a major stock-holding stake in the company last year. The A26 is based on the crankcase of a D26 engine from MAN – a German truck and engine manufacturer wholly owned by Volkswagen.

According to Darren Gosbee, vice president of advanced engineering for International, the new A26 diesel engine produces up to 475 horsepower and 1,750 lb.-ft. of torque from a design that's 600-700 lbs. lighter than a traditional 15-liter, big bore engine. Additionally, he said, its components have been carefully engineered to deliver uncompromising uptime as well as class-leading fuel efficiency, reduced weight and quiet operation.

"The A26 was designed from the ground up to deliver industry-leading uptime, durability and reliability," Gosbee said. "The A26 is as simple as a modern engine can be, and we've built uptime into every part of the development process, from design to calibration to testing."

To achieve that goal, Gosbee said, every component on the A26 has been designed from the get-go to maximize uptime. This includes using a titanium compressor wheel with a simplified single-stage design, as well as a variable geometry turbocharger that reduces complexity and enhances reliability. Larger piston pins, connecting rods and bushings help optimize load distribution for enhanced durability, while smaller piston cooling jets increase oil pressure to improve lubrication, increasing oil change service intervals up to 70,000 miles.

The A26 diesel tips the scales at 2,299 pounds, whicn Gosbee said makes it the lightest engine in its class, weighing in at 55 pounds lighter than the engine it replaces. That said, International engineers were able to leverage the company’s cutting edge compacted graphite iron (CGI) crankcase technology to ensure the A26 has greater strength and fatigue resistance than traditional gray iron. Gosbee said the engine’s composite valve covers and shot-peened aluminum flywheel housing help deliver impressive weight savings over more traditional engine block casting solutions. 

Taken as a whole, Gosbee added, the A26 is the most efficient engine ever offered in International's on-highway lineup. Thanks to a simplified air management system and a new variable geometry turbocharger, Gosbee says the A26 delivers a 5% fuel economy boost over International’s previous, comparable engine offering. Fuel injection pressure is maximized by the engine's 2,500 bar (36,300 psi) high-pressure common rail fuel system, which is coupled with new cylinder head coolant passages that are 50% less restrictive to reduce parasitic loss to the water pump, which allow the A26 to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions.  

Another design strongpoint Gosbee touted are the low sound levels emitted by the A26. “The A26's uniquely sculpted crankcase, which is isolated with the oil pan through a specially designed rubber gasket, absorbs vibration and reduces harshness for a quieter in-cab experience,” Gosbee said. “The engine's six-blade fan, specially designed gear teeth and sophisticated calibration and programming are specifically built to reduce engine noise.”

According to International, the A26 is backed with the industry's best engine warranty: two years, unlimited miles. This warranty, Gosbee said, reflects confidence in the engine's reliability and durability, which have been confirmed through extensive validation and testing process.

The A26 engine is available for order in the International LT Series of long-haul vehicles and RH Series of regional haul vehicles.

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[Timmyb]

Well, on paper it sounds like a great thing. I guess time will tell in the end. Will it be using ad blue?

Edited February 28, 2017 by Timmyb

[kscarbel2]

3 minutes ago, Timmyb said:

Well, on paper it sounds like a great thing. I guess time will tell in the end. Will it be using ad blue?

Yes Tim, it will use Adblue.

[kscarbel2]

International unveils new A26 engine

Today’s Trucking  /  February 28, 2017

International has launched a new 12.4-liter engine, known as the A26, drawing on an engineering project that became known internally as Project Alpha – as well as selected European components.

The A26 is replacing the N13 and comes with ratings of 370 to 475 horsepower and 1,350 to 1,750 lb-ft of torque. While built in Alabama, it shares a crankcase and rotating components with MAN’s D26.

It will not be the last European influence to be found in International trucks. Volkswagen, which also has an ownership interest in MAN, is taking a 16.6% stake in Navistar, and there are plans to bring a Volkswagen powertrain to North America as early as 2019.

“This is an opportunity for us to partner with a world-class organization,” said Bill Kozek, president of truck and parts. “It’s going to be a great opportunity for us to learn a lot from the Volkswagen team, and I think the Volkswagen team will learn a lot from us.”

Of course there is still plenty of North American content in the A26, and not just subtle design changes like the different wrist pin on the piston.

The A6 has boosted fuel economy 5% over its predecessor, says Darren Gosbee, vice president – advanced engineering.

When mated to the recently unveiled LT series truck, the 2018 Model Year will offer a 9% bump in fuel economy compared to Model Year 2015.  In three test runs on a 764-kilometer route it achieved 8 miles per gallon (29.4 liters per 100 kilometers), Gosbee said. “This did not include the use of predictive cruise or neutral coast.”

Some of the improved fuel economy comes through reduced weights. The 2,229-pound A26 is 55 pounds lighter than the N13 it replaces, and is 700 pounds lighter than a 15-liter engine, but it also helps to shed another 200 pounds of extra weight in vehicle-mounted components, International says.

Several upgraded materials have been introduced. Valve covers are made of a composite material, and the flywheel housing is made of shot-peened aluminum, both helping to save weight. The Compacted Graphite Iron crankcase is also said to be stronger than traditional gray iron. Meanwhile, the compressor wheel is now made of titanium, and is part of a simplified single-stage design.

Fuel economy is further enhanced with a new Variable Geometry Turbocharger, while fuel is injected through a 36,300-psi high-pressure common rail fuel system. New cylinder head coolant passages are also 50% less restrictive than the ones they replace, reducing parasitic losses to the water pump.

Piston pins have been enlarged, and connecting rods and bushings have been optimized. Smaller piston cooling jets have also been introduced to increase oil pressure and improve lubrication, and an oil cooler thermostat bypass lets oil bypass the oil cooler in cold weather.

International will offer oil drain intervals of up to 70,000 miles (112,000 kilometers) for fleets that are achieving more than 6.5 miles per gallon (36 liters per 100 kilometers). Diesel Particulate Filters will also last 600,000 miles (about 950,000 kilometers) or 11,000 hours, which essentially eliminates the requirement for the first owners of the engines, Gosbee added.

He also refers to the A26 as the “quietest engine in our stable”. That involves several improvements. For example, a rubber gasket designed for the sculpted crankcase isolates the oil pan to absorb vibration and reduce harshness. There’s also a six-blade fan with specially designed gear teeth that have been further calibrated to reduce engine noise.

International continues to stress the importance of “uptime” in all of its product launches and business targets. In the last year, dwell times in shops were slashed 50%, and half of all repairs are now turned around in one day, Kozek said. The engine’s over-the-air programming and remote engine calibrations will help to further improve the shop times. “Those trucks do not visit the dealership,” he said.

Other durability-related features include a stainless steel, laser-welded, single-stage Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler, and the high-pressure common rail Bosch fuel pump has been tested for six years and been used on the 15-liter MAN D38 since 2015. Loads are distributed with a larger piston pin, connecting rod and bushing. The single variable-geometry turbocharger also features a titanium compressor wheel, promised to offer superior fatigue life.

The engine is promised to have a B10 design life of 1.9 million kilometers, describing the point when just 10% of units will fail, and it comes with a two-year warranty with unlimited miles.

“It’s a great time to be at International. We’ve been through a lot,” Kozek said, alluding in part to past challenges with the company’s emissions strategy. “We’re coming out of it.”

International has submitted the A26 for approval under EPA 17 emissions standards, and is scheduled to enter production in April. The N13 engine, still used in severe service and vocational trucks, is being produced until the end of this year, Gosbee says.

[DailyDiesel]

I see the RH moniker being tossed around in these articles. I assume that is the replacement for the Transtar line?

[kscarbel2]

Jacobs engine brake available for International A26

Fleet Owner  /  March 17, 2017

Jacobs Vehicle Systems announced the launch of a compression release engine brake for the International A26 engine.

Jacobs and Navistar engineers collaborated to provide an engine brake for the latest A26 International engine offering. “By leveraging the benefits of the new Variable Geometry Turbo, the A26 engine brake performance increased up to 67% at lower engine speeds and higher altitudes,” according to the company. “This engine update improves driveability, increases foundation brake life, and lowers total cost of ownership of International trucks equipped with the A26 engine brake.”

“Jacobs is proud to continue working with Navistar and International Trucks to provide engine brakes that complement their latest A26 engine. With this enhanced Jacobs Engine Brake, drivers experience a reduction in the need for downshifting and improved NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness),” said Sergio Sgarbi, president, Jacobs Vehicle Systems.

The Jacobs Engine Brake is now available on the A26 engine and will come factory installed on all International LT Series of long-haul vehicles and RH Series of regional haul vehicles.

[kscarbel2]

International Ships First Trucks With A26 Engines

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  June 30, 2017

International Truck announced it has started customer shipments of its first International LT Series and RH Series trucks with the company's new A26 12.4-liter engines.

The company's internal testing shows these products are delivering up to 9% better fuel economy  over the comparable models built only a year ago.

When it unveiled the engine at the Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting in February, the company said the A26 was developed through an initiative called Project Alpha that brought together a team of trucking industry powertrain engineers. The developers focused on emphasizing simplicity over complexity and using only proven components.

The truck and engine maker listed these as key features of the A26:
    •    Components engineered to maximize uptime
    •    Light weight of 2,299 pounds
    •    The most efficient engine in International’s on-highway lineup
    •    The quietest engine in International’s lineup
    •    Hundreds of thousands of hours of testing
    •    Millions of real-world test miles

"Delivering our 12.4-liter engine is a significant milestone for Navistar," said Persio Lisboa, Navistar executive vice president and chief operations officer. "We continue to receive great customer feedback on the products we're delivering today. Customers will continue to experience outstanding levels of quality, reliability and uptime with our new family of Class 8 on-highway trucks, now complete with the A26 engine."

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[kscarbel2]

International Backs A26 Engine With Uptime Commitment

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  August 18, 2017

International has launched the A26 Customer Uptime Assurance Program, backing the recently launched A26 12.4L engine with the promise of reimbursement for extended downtime.

If a customer experiences a warrantable failure on an A26 engine within its two-year standard warranty period, and experiences downtime greater than 48 hours from the time of diagnosis, International Truck will provide the customer with a $250 International Advantage Card, good for future parts and service purchases at an International dealership, subject to standard conditions.

Customers may be eligible for a maximum of eight cards per vehicle over the two-year period, a value of as much as $2,000 per vehicle.

"The new A26 big-bore engine was designed with uptime in its DNA, and the best customer support in the business," said Michael Cancelliere, president, truck and parts. "We are so confident in the unparalleled uptime offered by the A26 that we are now offering a program that provides customers financial reimbursement if our uptime commitment is not met."

In pursuit of improved uptime, International Truck designed the A26 engine for increased service intervals that keep customers on the road longer, including oil, aftertreatment, and a longer coolant service interval of eight years, 15,000 hours and 1.2 million miles.

"By design, the engine coolant and the A26 will perform for years to come for customers who order it in the LT Series or RH Series vehicles," said Darren Gosbee, vice president, powertrain. "Our engineers continuously test and validate the A26 engine, and the team approved the extended coolant service interval in an effort to provide customers with additional efficiencies that help them reduce their total cost of ownership."

The Uptime Assurance Program applies to all stock and sold vehicles in the International LT Series and the International RH Series that are powered by an International A26 engine and enrolled in the company's OnCommand Connection Advanced Remote Diagnostics system or its OnCommand Connection Telematics. Customers should contact their local International Truck dealer for program details.

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[kscarbel2]

International Takes New A26 Engine on Tour

Heavy Duty Trucking  /  September 7, 2017

International Truck is taking its new A26 12.4L engine on the road to dealers throughout the North America with the launch of the International A26 Mobile Training Tour.

The tour is scheduled to visit more than 100 International Truck dealer locations to provide an up close and personal opportunity for sales, parts, and service personnel, and customers to experience the newly designed engine. Trainers will be on hand to demonstrate the increased fuel efficiency, reduced noise, lower weight, and focus on uptime as they teach the ins and outs of the engine. The tour consists of two trailers and is scheduled to run through the spring of 2018.

"Since its introduction, the International A26 engine has continued to impress with its outstanding fuel economy and light weight while providing the highest level of uptime for our customers," said Michael Cancelliere, president, truck, and parts. "We are excited for our dealers and customers to learn just how impressive this engine is firsthand."

Unveiled at the Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting in February, the A26 started shipping in new trucks in late June.

The mobile tour will spend two days at each dealer location and provide a series of training sessions, which will include hands-on engine disassembly and component identification. Many dealerships will also be holding A26 engine customer training events concurrent with sales training.