Engine

What is the best engine for my job?

The key is to match the engine's horsepower and torque to the job. Choosing an engine that's right for your type of driving and the loads that you carry will give the best fuel economy.

In general, the slower your engine speed, the higher its durability over time and the greater its fuel efficiency. If you travel at speeds that are too high for your engine to cope with, fuel efficiency will decrease and the rate of engine wear and tear will increase.

To choose the right engine, you need to understand more than just the weight that you will be carrying. You will also need to know the types of roads you will drive your truck on and describe this to your dealer. Generally, you should choose higher-powered engines for long distance or high speed work. On the other hand, trucks operating on local roads and suburban areas will generally be more economical if they have less power and fewer gear ratios.

Hot Tip: When you are looking at truck specification details, compare the engine's speed at maximum power to the engine's speed when it is travelling at 100km/h in top gear. Ideally you will find that the engine's RPM at 100km/h is less than its maximum RPM. This is called Power in Reserve and helps ensure the truck doesn't lose speed whenever it encounters a slight incline or other traffic conditions which might slow it down.