Navistar Debuts International A26 at TMC, 12.4-Liter Engine for Highway Tractors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Navistar Inc. 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,” Kozek said at a Feb. 27 press event connected with the annual meeting of the Technology & Maintenance Council.
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.
He 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.
