Caterpillar Engines Offer Improved Fuel Efficiency

By Staff -- Logistics Management, 1/1/2000

The Caterpillar Truck Engine Division has introduced two new engines--the 14.6-liter C-15 and the 15.8-liter C-16. Both engines are built on the Cat 3406 engine's design platform.

According to the manufacturer, the two new engines feature four key differentiations from their predecessors: They are lighter, more fuel-efficient, quieter, and more reliable.

The C-15 and C-16 models weigh nearly 200 pounds less than the 3406E. The weight was reduced by refining several components, including a sculptured cylinder block, crankshaft, flywheel, bearing caps, oil pan, and air compressor.

The manufacturer credits Advanced Diesel Engine Management (ADEM) 2000, an advanced system for monitoring and improving truck engine performance, for the new equipment's improved fuel efficiency. ADEM 2000 provides an advanced processor, additional memory, and enhanced compatibility with new vehicle technology to track the engine's most crucial information. The system features a 32-bit, 24-megahertz processor that runs three times faster than previous models and controls more than 100 customer-set parameters.

Both engines also feature several components that make them quieter than their predecessors. For example, drive-by noise is reduced by 0.5 decibels with the addition of a high-contact ratio spur-gear train, a thicker gasket on the isolated oil pan, and a stronger seal on the sound-attenuating front camshaft-access cover.

To improve reliability, enhanced seals were incorporated into the cam-access cover, the flywheel housing, the oil pan, water lines, and the front plate to block joint. The new leak-free seals are designed for easy assembly. Other enhancements include revised routing of the wiring harnesses and a Caterpillar-designed fuel injector.

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