JCB Announces $68.5 Million Investment in Six-Cylinder Dieselmax 672 Engine

In June, JCB announced plans to begin production of six-cylinder engines with the addition of the JCB Dieselmax 672 to its engine lineup. The introduction of the engine represents an investment of around $68.5 million, said the company. By the time the engine goes into full production later this year, its launch will have created more than 50 new jobs.

The first engine rolled off JCB’s UK production line in November 2004. In 2011, JCB began producing engines at its Indian headquarters in Ballabgarh. To date, JCB has produced more than 250,000 engines globally.

“In a relatively short space of time, we have become a major producer of engines and today more than 70 percent of JCB’s machines are powered by the engines we manufacture,” said JCB Chairman Sir Anthony Bamford. “The move into six-cylinder engine production is a historic moment for our business and a natural step to take. We look forward to setting new standards in performance and fuel efficiency.”

The JCB Dieselmax 672 is based on the company’s successful four-cylinder 4.8-liter Dieselmax engine, with a high degree of parts common across the two engine platforms. The Dieselmax engine has been production for more than eight years, with many engines worldwide running reliably after more than 20,000 hours of service. Today’s Dieselmax features electronic control, Delphi common rail fuel injection and fixed geometry turbocharging.

The six-cylinder engine will be offered with ratings of 188 hp, 221 hp, 255 hp and with a maximum output of 302 hp. Maximum torque is an impressive 885 lbf-ft. More impressive still, JCB has managed to produce an incredibly efficient engine in the Dieselmax 672, promising up to an 8 percent increase in fuel efficiency compared to previous engines in the JS excavator line. In testing, the 7.2-liter engine has recorded a specific fuel consumption of just 189g/kWh while delivering excellent performance and rapid response.

The six-cylinder engines will be built on a dedicated line at JCB Power Systems’ modern purpose-built facility in Derbyshire, UK. In development for more than two years, the engines have already completed more than 50,000 hours of testing, 30,000 of which have been in machines working in the field.

The Dieselmax engines have 500-hour service intervals, maintaining low operating costs and maximum uptime for customers. The engines will also be offered as part of the company’s OEM product line, for use in non-JCB machinery.

“The six-cylinder Dieselmax 672 is the ultimate expression of our Dieselmax engine design philosophy,” said Alan Tolley, Director of Engine Programs at JCB Power Systems. “Through the use of innovative engine design and technological development we have produced a reliable, highly durable and incredibly fuel efficient engine, that will go on to power our larger equipment in many markets around the world.”