Reconditioned / Remanufactured Diesel Engines Explained (CAT, Cummins, Komatsu etc.)

Hizbullah Shoukat May 6, 2020 No Comments

Now, many owners of Diesel Engines within heavy equipment Industries such as Construction, Truck & Bus fleets and Agriculture, are quickly realizing that buying remanufactured/reconditioned Engines is a wise choice.

New engines from top brands such as Caterpillar, Komatsu, Cummins, Doosan, etc are approximately 50% more expensive whilst being directly comparable in performance to a reconditioned/remanufactured diesel engine.

So what is engine remanufacturing and what does it entail?  We address all the ins and outs below!

A used engine is rebuilt by a certified rebuilder, according to the specifications of the original manufactured unit.  This is done using a combination of parts/components:

• Reused engine parts
• Reconditioned engine parts
• New, genuine parts, aftermarket engine parts

Ultimately the remanufactured engine is considered in a ‘like new’ condition!

In the USA, remanufacturing engines are considered the engine of choice versus buying a brand new Diesel Engine.  Likely this popularity will be mirrored in other regions, giving wider access to high quality certified engine remanufacturing services at economical prices.

Benefits of Engine Remanufacturing:

1. By remanufacturing your existing Engine, Companies are able to comply with environmental standards whereby recycling/reusing/recovering is advocated when possible.  
2. Saves Companies a lot of money- considering each remanufacturing Engine is approximately 50% the cost of a new engine

There are likely challenges when pursuing a purchase of a remanufactured Diesel Engine for the first time.

• Overcoming a Companies own management culture with a negative perception of remanufacturing their old engine.  It has become the norm and accepted to replace old with new, irrespective of price, in order to eliminate any concerns over performance and quality.  In reality, a remanufactured engine is not only an excellent decision from a financial and environmental perspective; but when a quality certified rebuilder is used, performance matches the expectations of new.  

Points to consider when choosing a remanufactured engine service

• Quality of the Engineering Workshop
  • The workshop should have the appropriate certificate and works carried out by a team of well trained, experienced Engineers following quality practices and protocols.

• Remanufacturing should include the following:-
  1. Crankshaft grinding
  2. Con rod reconditioning and pin boring
  3. Engine balancing – pistons, rods and crankshaft
  4. Cylinder head pressure testing
  5. Cylinder head reconditioning
  6. Line boring and honing blocks
  7. Engine metal spraying

• Engines should be fully Dyno tested and a warranty provided
• Parts used in the remanufacturing process
  • If used parts are used, they should be reconditioned in line with the original engine manufacturer specifications and re-tested prior to installation.  Often new parts will be used from OEM sources or aftermarket parts with confirmed quality

To speak to our technical Engineers or Enquire about a remanufactured/reconditioned engine:

contact us via [email protected]

(Source: adapted from www.bells-caterpillar-cummins.com)