FYI from MCI™

MCI drives to meet 2007 engine emissions requirements

When the federal government announced that new diesel emissions standards would take effect in 2007, engine manufacturers and automotive manufacturers got to work. MCI was no exception.

Now, as the deadline grows near, MCI is nearly ready. MCI has already developed a prototype for several months of testing. So far, things are going well.

Bryan Couch, MCI vice president of product planning and technical center, made the following points to attendees at the UMA Motorcoach Expo 2006:

• 2007 EPA engine and cooling package design will not intrude into current revenue-generating space (passenger cabin or baggage bays).
• Cooling package design will yield equivalent ambient capability as MCI's current models.
• New design will offer increased engine compartment serviceability, especially on the hot side of the engine.
• Diesel particulate filter will be mounted to facilitate service and minimize down time.
• MCI will use more J1939 messaging for improved troubleshooting and diagnostics, with a reduction in circuit numbers.
• MCI will continue to offer a wide variety of power train options.

The particulate-filter-equipped coaches will need to use extra low sulfur fuel, which the government expects to be widely available by 2007, and MCI will specify CJ-4 oil. Fuel coolers will become standard equipment. The EPA is expected to recommend that the filters be cleaned every 150,000 miles.

While industry experts have said that the diesel particulate filters will require some added maintenance, Detroit Diesel's Rich Shearing noted in a Bus & Motorcoach News article that the new requirements were an opportunity to improve the design of the engines.

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