Maximizing Your Performance Kenworth: Tips for Power and Efficiency
October 28, 2025 - 8:54:19 am

Owning a Kenworth isn't just about driving a truck; it's about making a statement. It's a commitment to "The World's Best®," a promise of quality, durability, and unmatched driver pride. But the true value of a Kenworth is realized on the road and on the balance sheet. Achieving peak Kenworth’s performance is a two-sided coin: it's about having the raw power to pull the heaviest loads up the steepest grades, and it's about operating with maximum efficiency to minimize costs and maximize profitability.

These two goals—power and efficiency—are not mutually exclusive. They are the direct result of smart operation, cutting-edge technology, and a world-class maintenance partnership. At Wallwork Truck Center, we are your partners in this pursuit. Here is our expert guide to getting the absolute most out of your Kenworth truck.

The Foundation of Performance: Trusting the Integrated Powertrain

Modern Kenworth performance is a story of seamless integration. The PACCAR Powertrain is not a collection of parts; it's a single, harmonized system engineered to work together.

• PACCAR MX Engine: The heart of your truck, the MX-13 or MX-11, is designed to deliver optimal torque at low RPMs. This is the key to both its pulling power and its fuel economy.
• PACCAR TX-12/TX-18 Transmission: This automated transmission is your performance co-pilot. It has been programmed with millions of miles of data to know the exact shift point needed to keep the MX engine in its "sweet spot," whether you're climbing a mountain or cruising on the flat.
• PACCAR DX-40 Axles: These axles are designed for high efficiency, reducing parasitic energy loss and transferring more of the engine's power directly to the pavement.

The Tip: The single best thing you can do for both power and efficiency is to trust the technology. Let the automated transmission do its job. Fighting the system, manually overriding shifts, or trying to "outsmart" the truck will almost always result in less power and higher fuel consumption.

Tips for Maximizing Power and Responsiveness

A healthy engine is a powerful engine. Maintaining the "power" side of the Kenworth’s performanceequation is a direct result of meticulous, preventative care.

1. Adhere to a Professional Maintenance Schedule

Your engine's power output is directly tied to its health. A preventative maintenance (PM) schedule isn't just about changing oil; it's about comprehensive inspections.

• Our Expert Solution: At Wallwork Truck Center, our factory-trained technicians do more than just follow a checklist. They have an expert eye for your PACCAR powertrain. During a PM service, they're looking for early indicators—the beginning of a boost leak, a slight weep from a seal, or the faint sound of a failing bearing—that can be fixed before they lead to a major power-loss situation.

2. Insist on Genuine Kenworth and PACCAR Parts

The temptation of cheaper aftermarket parts is strong, but it's a dangerous gamble with your truck's performance.

• Fuel Filters: Genuine PACCAR fuel filters are designed with specific media to protect your high-pressure fuel injectors. Clogged or inefficient filters can starve injectors of fuel, which directly kills horsepower.
• Air Filters: Your engine's turbocharger is a high-performance component that needs a massive volume of clean air. A high-quality OEM air filter ensures maximum airflow while protecting the turbo's delicate fins from dust and debris. A compromised turbo is the fastest way to lose power.
• Our Expert Solution: Our parts department stocks a massive inventory of genuine parts. We don't just sell you a filter; we provide the exact, factory-specified component that was designed to maintain your engine's original performance specifications.

3. Keep Your Aftertreatment System Healthy

In a modern truck, power and emissions are directly linked. A problem with your Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) or Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system will, by design, cause the engine to derate, cutting its power significantly.

• The Tip: Allow the truck to complete its regeneration cycles. Don't interrupt them unless absolutely necessary. Use high-quality Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and address any "check engine" or "aftertreatment" fault codes immediately. A minor sensor issue can quickly become a major, power-robbing DPF clog if ignored.

Tips for Mastering Fuel Efficiency

This is where smart driving and proactive maintenance pay off in your fuel budget.

4. Become a Smooth Operator

The driver is the single biggest factor in fuel economy.

• Minimize Hard Braking & Acceleration: Every time you hit the brakes, you are wasting forward momentum that your engine burned fuel to create. Look ahead, anticipate traffic, and let the truck coast when possible.
• Reduce Idle Time: An idling engine gets 0 MPG. Modern Kenworth trucks are designed with systems like engine auto-shutdown and battery-powered HVAC in the sleeper to minimize idle time. Use them.
• Leverage Predictive Cruise Control: Let the truck's "brain" work for you. The predictive cruise system reads the road's topography ahead and will intelligently accelerate or let off the throttle to use the truck's own momentum, saving fuel on rolling hills.

5. Be an Aerodynamic Advocate

Wind resistance is your greatest enemy. The Kenworth T680, for example, is an aerodynamic marvel, but it's up to you to maintain that advantage.

• The Tip: If a chassis fairing, cab extender, or bumper dam is damaged, get it fixed. That "minor" crack or missing piece can create significant aerodynamic drag, costing you tenths of a mile per gallon—which adds up to thousands of dollars per year.
• Our Expert Solution: Our Wallwork Truck Center Body Shop is staffed by experts who can quickly and professionally repair or replace any damaged aerodynamic components, restoring your truck's factory-designed efficiency.

6. Defeat Rolling Resistance

The second biggest fuel-waster is rolling resistance.

• Check Tire Pressure Daily: This is the easiest and most impactful "free" efficiency gain. Under-inflated tires on your tractor and trailer dramatically increase rolling resistance and force your engine to work harder.
• Get a Professional Alignment: A misaligned truck and trailer "scrub" their tires down the road, fighting against the direction of travel.
• Our Expert Solution: We have state-of-the-art alignment racks in our service centers. A regular alignment check at Wallwork is a small investment that pays for itself in fuel and tire savings, often within just a few months.

Use the Technology Kenworth Gives You

Achieving peak performance with Kenworth is easier than ever, thanks to the tools at your fingertips.

7. Use Your 15-Inch Digital Display

This isn't just a fancy dashboard; it's your performance coach.

• Monitor Your Vitals: Keep an eye on real-time MPG, average MPG, and engine load.
• Listen to the Coach: The T680's display provides real-time "Driver Coaching" prompts, suggesting a different gear, a lighter foot, or other actions to improve economy.
• Review Your Post-Trip Analysis: When you shut down, the screen can show you a summary of your trip, highlighting idle time, hard braking, and fuel used, giving you actionable data for your next run.

8. Partner with Kenworth TruckTech+

Kenworth TruckTech+ Remote Diagnostics is your ultimate uptime performance tool. Before a fault code even becomes a major derate, the system can send an alert to you and to us at Wallwork Truck Center. This allows our service team to:

• Diagnose the problem remotely.
• Check that we have the parts in stock.
• Advise you on whether it's an "address now" or "fix at your next PM" issue.
• Schedule you for service, minimizing your downtime.

Your Partner in Performance

Your Kenworth truck is the finest tool in the industry. But like any high-performance tool, it delivers its best results when paired with expert service and genuine parts. At Wallwork Truck Center, we are your dedicated partners in achieving maximum performance with Kenworth. Our factory-trained technicians and knowledgeable parts staff are here to ensure your truck delivers the power you need and the efficiency you demand, every single day.

To schedule a performance check-up, an alignment, or your next PM service, contact your nearest Wallwork Truck Center location today. Let's keep your Kenworth performing at its absolute best.