Detroit Diesel has formally introduced its new DD13 engine, a smaller version of the DD15, displacing 12.8 liters in the usual inline-six arrangement. A 16-liter version is coming, all three in the series sharing a common base design that will be leveraged on a global scale by Daimler Trucks. Some 65% of the engine’s components are exactly the same as the DD15.

Aimed at LTL, regional distribution, and vocational markets, the DD13 will be offered in output and torque variants from 350 to 450 hp and 1350 to 1650 lb ft. The peak-torque range is a wide 500 rpm, making for easier driveability. With technologies similar to the DD15 but weighing 400 lb less, it’s said to provide fuel economy up to 5% better than the MBE 4000 that it will be replacing. Detroit says it will pull strongly down to 1100 rpm and its cooling system is claimed to reduce fan on-time.

A key feature is the engine’s electronically-controlled ‘Amplified
Common Rail Fuel System’ (ACRS), a precision fuelling system that works
with DDEC VI engine-management controls to create an optimal combustion event. This helps to cut NOx emissions while improving fuel efficiency, Detroit says.

The DD13 can go up to 50,000 miles between routine service intervals, and it was designed with convenience in mind — the cartridge-style filters (oil, coolant and
fuel) are positioned above the frame rail for quick service. There’s also a maintenance-free crankcase breather. As well, the asymmetrical turbocharger has fewer moving parts than variable-geometry or waste-gated designs, which should enhance durability. Detroit says the DD13 has a B50 life of one million miles.

The market launch of the DD13 will start with Sterling and Freightliner in 2009, followed by Western Star in 2010. It will be manufactured at the Detroit Diesel plant in Redford, Mich.