OceanSphereENGINES

L28HX

Main Engine 4-Stroke · Main Engines (4-Stroke)

Technical data from manufacturer or class sources · not yet verified by a person​‌​​‌​⁠⁠⁠‍​‍‌‍​⁠‌⁠‍⁠
280 mmBore
390 mmStroke

The Niigata L28HX is a medium‑speed, four‑stroke trunk piston main engine delivering up to ~370 kW per cylinder, distinguished by its Miller‑cycle operation and VIVT (variable intake valve timing) for improved fuel efficiency.

Specifications

Technical data.reference — unverified

Do you have the manufacturer datasheet for this model? Send it with the enquiry form — we check it and name the source.

Cylinder Pressure (28AHX)18 MPa (180 bar) maximum
Cylinder Pressure (28HX)15 MPa (150 bar) approximate
Specific Fuel Consumption (SFOC) 28AHX421 g/kWh (achieved via Miller cycle + VIVT)
Max Output/Cylinder 28AHX370 kW @ 800rpm; 345 kW @ 750rpm
Turbocharger TypeExhaust gas turbocharger with 2-stage charge air intercooling
Starter SystemCompressed air starter
Emissions Compliance28AHX: IMO Tier II/III (DF variant); 28HX: IMO Tier I
Speed (rpm)720
ConfigurationL
Fuel TypeHFO/MGO
TechnologyMedium-Speed Trunk Piston
Inspection

Inspector Detail

Common issues

  • Turbocharger fouling or surging that reduces charge air pressure
  • VIVT actuator/linkage wear affecting Miller-cycle timing and causing cylinder-to-cylinder power imbalance
  • Piston ring and liner wear with rising blow-by and cylinder oil consumption at high load
  • Fuel injector wear or coking causing exhaust temperature deviation between cylinders
  • Charge air cooler fouling reducing intercooling efficiency and raising exhaust temperatures
  • Exhaust valve seat burning or leakage under HFO operation
  • Main and big-end bearing wear from fuel/lube contamination or degraded lube oil
  • Crankcase oil mist build-up - an early warning sign rather than a routine finding

Inspection checklist

  • Compare exhaust gas temperature spread between cylinders (a spread over roughly 50 C points to injector or valve trouble)
  • Check charge air pressure and turbocharger speed against the load diagram
  • Borescope inspection of piston rings/liner condition at scheduled running hours
  • Verify VIVT actuator response and timing calibration
  • Check cylinder head valve clearances and seat condition
  • Inspect crankcase oil mist detector function and relief door/deadman seals
  • Verify governor and fuel rack linkage move freely without binding
  • Check turbocharger bearing condition and vibration trend
  • Review cylinder lubrication feed rate against the maker's load-dependent curve
  • Take crankshaft deflection readings at the scheduled interval

Service intervals

Cylinder head / valve overhaultypically every 8,000-12,000 running hours, engine/OEM-schedule dependent
Piston and liner inspectiontypically every 12,000-16,000 running hours
Turbocharger overhaultypically every 12,000-24,000 running hours, per the engine and TC maker's own schedules
Fuel injector service/testingtypically every 2,000-4,000 running hours
Lube oil analysisevery 500 running hours or monthly, whichever comes first
Crankshaft deflection checkevery 2,000-4,000 running hours or whenever the crankcase is opened

Typical intervals for this design class, not the manufacturer’s figures for your model. The manufacturer’s manual is binding.

Typical wear limits

Piston ring end gap (280 mm bore class)typically 1.0-2.0 mm depending on ring position - confirm against the engine's own manual
Cylinder liner diametral wearcommonly considered for renewal around 0.3-0.5% of bore diameter - confirm against the engine maker's own limit
Main/big-end bearing clearancetypically 0.15-0.35 mm depending on bearing size - confirm against the maker's table
Valve clearance (cold)typically 0.3-0.6 mm intake/exhaust - confirm against the maker's setting sheet

Ranges are typical for this design class. Always confirm against the manufacturer documentation for your serial number.

Critical spares

  • Piston ring sets for the 280 mm bore class
  • Cylinder liners
  • Fuel injector nozzles/valves
  • Cylinder head gaskets and seals
  • Main and big-end bearing shells
  • Turbocharger repair kit (bearings, seals)
  • Inlet and exhaust valve sets with seats

Safety

  • Crankcase explosion risk - confirm oil mist detector is in test and never open the crankcase hot without proper cooldown and venting
  • Hot surfaces around the exhaust manifold and turbocharger - check insulation/lagging integrity
  • High-pressure fuel system - depressurize fully before injector work
  • Starting air system - isolate and bleed before working on the air start distributor
  • Rotating shaft and coupling guards must be fitted before using turning gear

Class survey

Falls under Continuous Machinery Survey or the class periodical survey scheme if enrolled; surveyors typically check the crankcase explosion relief valve condition/test record, governor overspeed trip test, cylinder liner/piston running-hours log, and turbocharger overhaul records against the class-approved intervals.

Estimated lifetime: Medium-speed trunk piston main engines of this class commonly reach on the order of 100,000-140,000 running hours between major overhauls with proper maintenance, heavily dependent on fuel quality, load profile and maintenance regime.

Documentation

Manuals

Need this part?

Request a quote for this model.

Free of charge — send us your request for Niigata equipment. Our team checks it and replies by e-mail.

For marine equipment hardly any maker or authorised dealer will name a price while the vessel is unknown. With the vessel details, availability and price can be settled faster; without them we may have to ask first, which costs a few days. If you are not allowed to name the vessel, a photo of the rating plate is enough — attach it below or send it as a reply to our confirmation e-mail.

Your contact details are not published. No account required.
Related models

Also in Main Engine 4-Stroke.

Other models of the same equipment type, Niigata first.

By manufacturer MAN Energy SolutionsWärtsiläCaterpillarHiMSENMTUVolvo PentaYanmar Power Technology Co., Ltd.HanshinDaihatsuPielstickMaK (Caterpillar)Rolls-Royce / BergenCaterpillar MaKCumminsBaudouinAll manufacturersSpare parts by equipmentNew here? Create a free account Can't read the plate? Try the nameplate scanner All Niigata models More like Niigata L28HX
More than the data sheet shows

We answer by e-mail, never with an automatic reply.

Tell us what you need for this Niigata L28HX — a part, a service call, a second opinion. Are you Niigata? Claim this brand page.

Service engineer? Write the day report for this L28HX in OceanSphere Work — photos, hours and parts, as a PDF for the owner. Try it free for 14 days →

Frequently asked

Questions that come up with this equipment.

Is this model's data free?

Yes. Specifications, documents and service notes for this model are readable without an account. An account adds saved searches and requests, nothing is taken away.

Can you find a part for this exact model?

Yes. Tell us the manufacturer, the model and what you need — a person reads every request and replies by e-mail.

The specifications look wrong — what now?

Send us the nameplate or the correct value. We check it against the manufacturer datasheet or class-society record and update the page.