PACCAR Engines for Semi-Trucks & Commercial Vehicles
Founded in 1905, PACCAR Incorporated touts itself as “a global leader in the design, manufacture and customer support of high-quality premium trucks.” Even if you are not aware of the name of their company, it is almost impossible you do not know the names of their most popular brands in North America: Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks. In all PACCAR heavy-duty trucks are PACCAR’s own powertrains, comprised of axles, a transmission, and most importantly, an engine.
PACCAR Engine Types
There are currently four types of truck engines PACCAR proudly manufactures, all conveniently labeled in odd numbers based on the number of liters each engine can hold in its piston cylinders.
PX-7
While the most basic of the four PACCAR truck engines, what the PX-7 lacks in raw power it makes up for in endurance and dependability.
First, the performance statistics. The PX-7 is a dinky little thing, with eleven variations ranging from 200 horsepower to 360 horsepower, and peak torque ratings from 520 to 800 pound-feet. The most powerful version of the PX-7 is weaker than the weakest variation of MX-13, and PACCAR themselves suggest the PX-7 for use with medium-duty vehicles only.
This is far from saying that the PX-7 is worthless. At a dry weight of under 1,200 pounds, this engine is much lighter than most, minimizing fuel consumption.
PACCAR prides itself in the PX-7s durability, so much so that they offer a warranty at 3 years, unlimited miles. It is hard to beat infinity. PACCAR also offers extended warranties for the length of time the engine is covered.
Another convincing perk of the PX-7 is its maintenance simplicity. While other engines have a long list of maintenance intervals for various parts depending on what percentage of use is idling, the driver and fleet owner only need to remember 15-15-200: 15,000 miles for the fuel filter, 15,000 miles for the oil and filter, and 200,000 for the Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) filter.
While putting a PX-7 in a class 8 truck might not perform to expectations, its fuel economy, long life, and simplicity make it the perfect engine for any smaller trucks in your fleet.
Specifications
- Configuration: Inline 6-Cylinder
- Bore X Stroke (MM): 107 x 124
- Displacement: 6.7 Liters
- Dry Weight: 1,151 Lbs.
- Oil System Capacity: 18 U.S. Quarts
- Horsepower: 200-360 HP
- Peak Torque: 520-800 LB.-FT.
- Governed Speed: 2600-2800 RPM
- Clutch Engagement Torque: 400 LB.-FT at 700 RPM.
- Base Warranty: 3 Years/Unlimited Mileage.
For more information on the PX-7, check out the specification sheet PDF
PX-9
The stronger brother of the PX-7, PX-9’s main advertising focal point is its power-to-weight ratio. Its eleven variants range in horsepower from 260-450, with peak torque ranging from 720-1250 pound-feet at comparable revolutions per minute (RPM).
The higher-end variations are fit for heavy-duty trucks, but even if your fleet is medium-duty, the lower end PX-9s have features that are normally reserved for heavy-duty trucks, such as replaceable wet liners on its cylinders and bypass oil filtration.
The maintenance schedule on the PX-9 is very similar to that of the PX-7, but if the engine has a coolant filter equipped, the formula becomes 15-15-15-200. Unlike the PX-7, however, the PX-9 has a much more limited warranty of 2 years and 250,000 miles, but they offer plan extensions.
The PX-9 is truly a middle-of-the-road engine. If you want a medium-duty truck to have the extra “oomph” of a heavy-duty truck, or a heavy hauler to have some of the simplicity of a medium-duty engine, the PX-9 variations are a great fit for your truck.
Specifications
- Configuration: Inline 6-Cylinder
- Bore X Stroke (MM): 114 x 145
- Displacement: 8.9 Liters
- Dry Weight: 1,695 Lbs.
- Oil System Capacity: 24 U.S. Quarts
- Horsepower: 260-450 HP
- Peak Torque: 720-1,250 LB.-FT.
- Governed Speed: 2100-2200 RPM
- Clutch Engagement Torque: 500 LB.-FT at 700 RPM.
- Base Warranty: 2 Years/250,000 Miles.
For more information, check out the PX-9 specification sheet PDF.
MX-11
For the fleet manager, the MX-11 is a great choice. It has remote diagnostics to help those in charge detect problems before they become a major inconvenience, minimizing downtime at every step of the trip. If this does not sound reassuring, PACCAR stands behind this engine with a 2 year, 250,000 mile warranty, with extended warranty plans available.
The MX-11’s variations range in horsepower from 355 to 430, with torque ranging from 1250 to 1650 lb-ft at 900 RPM.
While the MX-11 has a much more complicated maintenance schedule in terms of different forms of use, maintenance is overall much less common than for its PX counterparts. At the absolute heaviest use, the fuel and oil filters will need replacement at every 30,000 miles, meaning less time in the shop and more time on the road.
Specifications
- Configuration: Inline 6-Cylinder
- Bore X Stroke (MM): 123 x 152
- Displacement: 10.8 Liters
- Dry Weight: 2200 Lbs.
- Oil System Capacity: 39 U.S. Quarts
- Horsepower: 355-430 HP
- Peak Torque: 1250-1650 LB.-FT.
- Governed Speed: 2200 RPM
- Clutch Engagement Torque: 737 LB.-FT at 800 RPM.
- Base Warranty: 2 Years/250,000 Miles.
For more information, check out MX-11’s specification sheet.
MX-13
If you hate shopping for engines, the MX-13 is the engine for your vehicle(s). While this PACCAR MX engine only has a warranty for 2 years and 250,000 miles, PACCAR has tested it to have a B10 design life of one million miles. This means that there is a 90% chance the engine will be able to travel across the continental United States over 300 times without requiring a major overhaul. It also comes with the remote diagnostics found in the MX-11 to better ensure engine lifespan.
The MX-13 has eight variations, ranging in 405 horsepower to 510 horsepower, with peak torque ranging from 1450 to 1850 lb-ft.
The maintenance schedule is parallel to its smaller brother, the MX-11. Running it in the harshest conditions will require fuel and oil filter changes ever 30,000 miles, but normal use can up the range on these changes to 75,000 miles.
Specifications
- Configuration: Inline 6-Cylinder
- Bore X Stroke (MM): 30 x 162
- Displacement: 12.9 Liters
- Dry Weight: 2600 Lbs.
- Oil System Capacity: 24 U.S. Quarts
- Horsepower: 405-510 HP
- Peak Torque: 1450-1850 LB.-FT.
- Governed Speed: 2200 RPM
- Clutch Engagement Torque: 937 LB.-FT at 800 RPM.
- B10 Design Life: 1,000,000 Miles
- Base Warranty: 2 Years/250,000 Miles.
More details are available at the MX-13’s specification PDF.
Conclusion
Two of the largest consistent expenses of trucking are diesel fuel and maintenance. Whichever of the two you dislike more, PACCAR has a diesel engine solution for your truck(s) to reduce those expenses as low as possible.
If you have a medium-duty truck and want fuel efficiency, the PX-7 is our top pick. If you want an engine that will last, there is a 90% chance you will want to go with the MX-13. Then there are the two in the middle if you want to reduce your costs across the board in both maintenance and fuel efficiency.
Regardless of your ultimate engine choice, it is clear that PACCAR considers the engine one of the most important parts of the truck and takes great pride in manufacturing them to be the best they can be.
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