MAN TGX won the 2008 international Truck of the Year competition in large part because of the MAN D2868 diesel, which has been manufactured since 2007. The 680 horsepower and 3000 Nm serial diesel engine was the most powerful available in Europe at the time. This eight was the Bavarians’ flagship engine until 2014, when the 15.2-liter MAN D3876 inline-six was unveiled at an exhibition in Hanover.
The MAN D2868 engine is already intriguing because it was created by MAN in the early 2000s. However, Liebherr, a well-known manufacturer of construction equipment, also produces the engine based on the same block casting and several design solutions. They signed a cooperation agreement in 2002. Furthermore, this is an illustration of Liebherr’s work as an engineering firm; its motor has some particular variations. Consequently, Liebherr produces its own engine, the D9508, while MAN produces its own, the D2868.
Specifications
Although the sleeves and connecting rods have been drastically changed, it appears that you can still use the updated piston engine-veteran D2866, in-line “six.” Additionally, the pistons are made entirely of steel, with a unique channel for supplying oil to cool the piston and a unique polymer applied to the skirt. When operating at maximum loads, the heat-resistant steel edges of the piston’s combustion chamber won’t burn and this skirt won’t break off. A new, stiffer split 4-valve head that was consistent throughout all of the engine’s cylinders was created specifically for the V-8.
The MAN in-line diesel engines of the D20 and D26 series are similar to the D2868 engine in many aspects, but not in terms of parts and assemblies. Coolant and oil were circulated separately through the cylinder head and the block. The gasket in them only seals the gas joint, so if it burns out, neither the oil nor the “water” will enter the pan. However, it is far more challenging to accomplish the same task with separate cylinders than it is with a common head. On this G8, though, the Germans were also able to make independent circulation. For the first time in its existence, MAN has used a consistent casting of the primary.
It was necessary to choose high-strength cast iron and perform thorough strength calculations because the block of such a powerful engine is subject to increased loads.
| Also called | D2868 |
| Engine’s type | diesel V8 |
| Number of cylinders | 8 |
| Valves | 32 |
| Cylinder bore, mm | 128 |
| Piston stroke, mm | 157 |
| Displacement (l) | 16,2 |
| Torque output, hp / kW at rpm | 680 / 500 at 1900 |
| Max torque output (Nm) | 3200 |
| Euro standards | Euro 5 |
| Cooling | water |
The motor was immediately fitted with a Common Rail system since it was designed to meet the recently implemented Euro-4 toxicity standards in the European Union. By this point, MAN had fully transitioned to electronically controlled fuel systems from engines with mechanical injection pumps. However, there were “options” after the exhaust gases were neutralized.
AdBlue was not used in the initial implementation of Euro-4 MAN diesel engines; instead, the PM-KAT particulate filter from MAN and the cooled gas recirculation system EGR were utilized. The “eight” D2868 was neutralized using the same method. “The company will continue to adhere to the EGR and PM-KAT® concept to achieve Euro 5 and will propose it in a timely manner, by the legal deadline,” MAN’s management declared at the time.
But after three years, all new MAN engines were converted to neutralization with an aqueous urea solution using SCR technology. It was discovered that corrosion destruction of the piston group happens between 200 and 400 thousand miles when the engine is running on diesel fuel with a high sulfur content. The aluminum pistons’ bottoms appeared to be molten as a result. The D2868 engine has an SCR system with all the required features, especially since it is Euro-5 level, but the steel pistons most likely did not have such a flaw.
| Dimensions D2868 |  |
|
| A-Length | 1535 mm | |
| B-Width | 1066 mm | |
| C-Height | 1297 mm | |
| D-From bottom edge of oil. pallet to the knees. shaft | 555 mm | |
| Weight (net) | 1505 kg | |
Main advantages of MAN D2868
Low noise level; low fuel consumption and economical AdBlue additive consumption; high payload because of low weight; compliance with Euro 5 and EEV regulations; safe stopping and strong acceleration because of superior torque at low revs; wide rpm range with maximum torque; increased power while lowering exhaust emissions and optimizing fuel consumption because of MAN AdBlue® technology; an effective and eco-friendly SCR system.