Detroit Diesel Corp. announced updates to its engine family for 2013 to meet Greenhouse Gas 2014 (GHG14) regulations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The enhanced Detroit heavy-duty engines incorporate improvements to engines, electronics and BlueTec emissions systems.

All Detroit heavy-duty engines feature an enhanced BlueTec emissions system. New components include liquid-only DEF delivery, which the company says improves fuel economy due to the elimination of air assist. Additional changes to every engine include upgrades to DDEC engine electronics that contribute to improved engine control, optimized powertrain and BlueTec management capabilities, and more accurate fuel economy reporting.  

Improved serviceability for all Detroit engines is the result of a 1-Box package of fewer universal parts, the company announced. Also contributing to decreased maintenance costs is a new fuel filter system featuring one less filter and longer replacement intervals (100,000 miles vs. 50,000 miles). The new filter also requires less priming strokes and has easier access to the water drain.  
 
“By optimizing components where it best makes sense, we have reduced the overall complexity of our engines, which ultimately benefits serviceability and performance,” said David Hames, general manager for marketing and strategy for Daimler Trucks North America.
 
Specific improvements to the Detroit DD15 engine include a proprietary asymmetric turbocharger with an amplified common rail system (ACRS), which the manufacturer said provides higher injector pressure for improved combustion control while eliminating the pressure regulator. Further contributing to improvements in fuel economy, the company noted, are a variable-speed water pump and an optimized oil pump that reduce load on the engine. Additional enhancements include an optimized piston design, which reduces oil consumption through the use of an improved oil control ring.  

The updated Detroit DD13 engine now features longer service intervals and improvements such as fuel injector nozzle modifications and a new crankcase sensor for OBD requirements. Also, a variable speed water pump creates greater efficiency compared to a gear-driven design. The enhanced Detroit DD16 now has a wider selection of available ratings up to 600 HP and 2,050 ft.-lb. of torque.  
 
“It is our goal to pace the industry in emissions compliance and fuel efficiency,” said Brad Williamson, manager, engine and component marketing for DTNA. “Early submissions for GHG14 engine compliance is evidence of this strategy for the updated family of Detroit engines.”