Rebuilt or Remanufactured Engines? Owners Should Factor Emissions Requirements, Innovations in Engine Replacement Choices

WARRENVILLE, Ill., Nov. 9, 2006 -- Truck owners and fleet managers needing to replace their existing engines should consider the benefits of remanufactured engines from the original equipment manufacturer to ensure top-tier performance.

"International(R) ReNEWed(R) engines are rebuilt to current OEM specifications with OEM engineering support using the material specifications and manufacturing processes of the original engine," said Ron Sandefur, vice president of product management and aftermarket purchasing for International Truck and Engine Corporation on the OEM's brand of upgraded remanufactured products.

Though many independent mechanics may offer "rebuilt" engines, third-party replacements do not feature the same level of sophistication or protection. "Rebuilt engines are typically only disassembled to the point of failure and rebuilt to bring them back to operational condition," said Sandefur. These rebuilt engines may or may not have limited warranties available, which could prove costly to the owner if they were to encounter engine problems in the future. "Independent mechanics don't always have the resources to invest in the latest diagnostic or state of art restoration equipment," added Sandefur. "For us, it's absolutely critical to have our ReNEWed engines with right-off- the-line performance -- our name is on every engine."

When a truck is in need of an engine replacement, owners should consider whether that new engine will feature new innovations or whether it will just recreate the obsolete engine. "There are people out there who basically clean them up and don't address those issues. 'Rebuilt' doesn't equal remanufactured," said Sandefur. International's process for remanufacturing engines is exhaustive. The engine is first stripped of every component, with every part being cleaned and inspected. One hundred percent of high-wear parts, including those that are damaged and worn out, are replaced. In addition, every ReNEWed engine gets a new core when the quality of the returned core does not meet quality standards. International backs all of its ReNEWed engines with a 2-year comprehensive warranty, which exceeds most other OEM offerings.

Owners should also consider more than just the cost. ReNEWed engines offer a much more complete solution -- resulting in greater overall performance, higher quality and maximum uptime. They also feature the latest improvements in performance, fuel efficiency and environmental benefits. "It's very difficult for anyone to go back and make a retrofitted engine. Each year, engines come out with more torque, horsepower and produce fewer emissions, and it's incredibly complex to match the electronic components from a specific model year with parts available today," explained Sandefur. "Luckily, we have both the expertise and the in-house engineering knowledge to make sure everything matches up the right way."

Navistar International Corporation is the parent company of International Truck and Engine Corporation. The company produces International(R) brand commercial trucks, mid-range diesel engines and IC brand school buses and is a private label designer and manufacturer of diesel engines for the pickup truck, van and SUV markets. A wholly owned subsidiary offers financing services. Additional information is available at http://www.nav-international.com/ .