The John Deere 6135 engine is the six-cylinder, 13.5-litre PowerTech diesel that powered 9R, 9RT and 9RX four-wheel-drive tractors from the early 2010s and the S780 and S790 combines. The code reads 6 cylinders, 135 for 13.5 litres. Where Deere’s 4.5, 6.8 and 9.0 L engines moved to common rail, the 13.5 L uses electronic unit injectors. In Deere’s current Final Tier 4 / Stage V line-up, the 13.6 L JD14 fills that size. This page covers specs by variant, machines, oil and service intervals, measured fuel use, and what a calibration can and cannot do.
John Deere 6135 engine specs
| Specification | John Deere 6135 (PowerTech 13.5 L) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 824 cu in (13.5 L) on Deere sheets and manuals; OECD test reports give 13,548 cc (about 827 cu in) |
| Cylinders | 6, in-line, four-stroke, 4-valve head; firing order 1-5-3-6-2-4 |
| Bore × stroke | 5.20 × 6.50 in (132 × 165 mm) |
| Compression ratio | 16.0:1 on Tier 2 and Tier 3 engines; 15.3:1 on Interim and Final Tier 4 |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged and air-to-air aftercooled: fixed turbo (Tier 2), variable-geometry turbo (Tier 3 PowerTech Plus), or a fixed low-pressure turbo feeding a VGT or wastegate high-pressure turbo (PSX, PSS, PSL) |
| Power range | Industrial: 350–600 hp (261–448 kW) by variant and duty rating; generator standby up to 634 hp (473 kW). Combines: 473 hp (S780) and 543 hp (S790) rated. |
| Engine oil capacity | 10.3–12.7 US gal (39–48 L) with filter, depending on the machine |
| Fuel system | Electronic unit injectors (EUI): up to 2,000 bar on Tier 2/3, 2,275 bar on Interim Tier 4, 2,350 bar on Final Tier 4 |
Variants and emissions tiers
For Interim Tier 4, Deere used three-letter suffixes: P for the PowerTech Plus platform, V or S for a variable-geometry or series turbo setup, and X for the exhaust filter. Deere said at the time that the 13.5 L came only with series turbos, so there is no 13.5 L PVX. Ratings below are from Deere spec sheets and its industrial engine selection guide.
| Deere name | Example model | Emissions level | Turbo | Rated power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerTech 13.5L | 6135HF475 | Tier 2 / Stage II (sold today as non-certified) | Fixed | 394–601 hp (294–448 kW) |
| PowerTech Plus | 6135HF485 | Tier 3 / Stage IIIA | Variable geometry | 350–600 hp (261–448 kW) |
| PSX | 6135HFC95 | Interim Tier 4 / Stage IIIB | Series (fixed + VGT) | 400–600 hp (298–448 kW) |
| PSS | 6135HFC09 | Final Tier 4 / Stage IV | Series (fixed + VGT or wastegate) | 414–600 hp (309–448 kW) |
| PSL | 6135HFG06 (generator) | Final Tier 4 | Series | 579 hp prime, 634 hp standby |
| JD14P / JD14X (13.6 L successor) | 6136HI550 / 6136CI550 | Final Tier 4 / Stage V | Wastegate / series | 402–684 hp (300–510 kW) |
Power ranges span Deere’s continuous, heavy-duty and intermittent duty ratings, so the same engine model can carry several numbers. Deere’s PSS sheet lists EU Stage IV, and its current Final Tier 4 / Stage V guide lists no 13.5 L.
Reading the engine plate
Tractor engines carry codes such as 6135RW401, the engine OECD recorded in the 9410R, 9510R, 9560R and 9470R tests (RW is Deere’s tractor application code). S780 and S790 combines use 6135HH codes: HH004 for Tier 2, HH009 and HH010 for Tier 3, HH008 for Final Tier 4 / Stage IV.
Which machines use the 6135
- 9R and 9RT (OECD-tested in 2013): 9410R, 9510R, 9560R, 9460RT and 9560RT, all with the 6135RW401.
- Later 9R and 9RX: the 9470R (OECD-tested in 2016 with the 6135RW401 and covered by Deere’s 9R Final Tier 4 guide) and the 9420RX, 9470RX and 9520RX, which Deere’s guide lists with the JD 13.5L.
- Combines: S780 (473 hp rated) and S790 (543 hp rated).
- Not every 9R: the 9570RX and 9620RX use a Cummins QSX15, and the 9360R a 9.0 L.
The current S7 800 and S7 900 list the same rated power (473 and 543 hp) on the 13.6 L JD14 that the S780 and S790 made on the 13.5 L. The 8R 440 also uses the JD14. To find your own machine’s rating, use the John Deere catalogue.
Maintenance basics: oil capacity and intervals
Deere’s crankcase figures, including the filter:
| Machine | Engine oil with filter |
|---|---|
| S780 / S790, Tier 2 and Tier 3 | 10.3 US gal (39 L) |
| S780 / S790, Final Tier 4 / Stage IV | 11.4 US gal (43 L) |
| 9420R, 9470R, 9520R and 9420RX–9520RX | 12.7 US gal (48 L) |
- 9RX with the 13.5 L: first change at 100 hours, then every 500 hours or yearly with Plus-50 II, a John Deere filter and diesel under 15 ppm sulfur; otherwise every 250 hours. Deere’s 9R wheel-tractor guide lists the oil filter at 500 hours.
- S780 / S790, Final Tier 4: the operator’s manual gives 400 hours with Plus-50 II and 250 hours with other approved oils, and at least once every 12 months. It requires diesel under 15 ppm sulfur. Deere’s parts-guide revisions for these combines give different figures, so follow the manual for your serial number.
- Industrial engines: Deere’s 13.5 L spec sheets list a 500-hour oil change.
Final Tier 4 machines also need emissions system service at the hours in the operator’s manual.
Typical fuel use and how to measure it
OECD tractor tests, run at the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, give fuel use at maximum PTO power. US figures are converted from the metric reports:
| Tractor (OECD report) | Max PTO power | Fuel use | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9410R (2/2 768) | 377.9 hp (281.8 kW) | 21.20 gal/h (80.2 L/h) | 17.8 hp-h/gal |
| 9510R (2/2 766) | 368.3 hp (274.7 kW) | 21.04 gal/h (79.6 L/h) | 17.5 hp-h/gal |
| 9560R (2/2 771) | 364.2 hp (271.6 kW) | 21.10 gal/h (79.9 L/h) | 17.3 hp-h/gal |
| 9460RT (2/2 777) | 359.8 hp (268.3 kW) | 20.67 gal/h (78.2 L/h) | 17.4 hp-h/gal |
| 9470R (2/2 924) | 370.8 hp (276.5 kW) | 20.10 gal/h (76.1 L/h) | 18.4 hp-h/gal |
Treat these as fuel benchmarks at about 360–380 hp, not as engine ratings. The PTO figures barely change from model to model, while the same 9560R recorded 505 hp (377 kW) maximum drawbar power.
The 9470R report also shows the value of working at lower rpm. At its 2,099 rpm rated speed it made 334.9 hp on 20.58 gal/h. At 1,700 rpm it made 370.8 hp on 20.10 gal/h: more power for less fuel.
To measure your own, fill to the same mark before and after a day on one job and divide gallons by engine hours; log acres for gallons per acre. Our guide to tractor fuel consumption per hour covers the method.
Economy and power potential
Deere already varies the 13.5 L’s output electronically. On the S780 and S790 the factory adds a 50 hp (37 kW) power boost at rated speed, and peak power reaches 540 and 617 hp. Across industrial duty ratings, the same PSS engine model runs from 414 to 600 hp. The turbo hardware, cooling and driveline of your machine still set the limits.
An Eco Tractor Tune calibration is matched to the engine variant and confirmed on the dyno or with a before-and-after fuel log:
- Eco tuning aims for more usable torque in the working rev range, the same lower-rpm zone where the 9470R test turned the most work per gallon.
- Performance tuning focuses on torque and power for heavy draft work and big headers.
Results depend on the machine and the work. See how we measure them on our tractor dyno tuning page.
Other John Deere engine pages: 4045 (4.5 L), 6068 (6.8 L) and 6090 (9.0 L).
Frequently asked questions
How much horsepower does a John Deere 6135 have?
Deere’s industrial 13.5 L ratings run from 350 to 600 hp (261–448 kW) depending on variant and duty rating. The S780 is rated at 473 hp and the S790 at 543 hp, with peak power of 540 and 617 hp.
How much oil does a John Deere 13.5L hold?
Deere lists 10.3–12.7 US gal (39–48 L) including the filter: 39–43 L on S780 and S790 combines and 48 L on 9R and 9RX tractors with the 13.5 L. Check your operator’s manual.
Which John Deere tractors have the 13.5L engine?
9R and 9RT models tested in 2013, such as the 9410R, 9510R, 9560R, 9460RT and 9560RT, and later models such as the 9470R and the 9420RX–9520RX. The 9570RX and 9620RX used a Cummins QSX15 instead.
Does the John Deere 13.5L use common rail?
No. Deere’s 13.5 L spec sheets describe electronic unit injectors, with injection pressure rising from 2,000 bar (Tier 2/3) to 2,350 bar (Final Tier 4).
What is the firing order of the John Deere 6135?
Deere’s S780/S790 operator’s manual lists 1-5-3-6-2-4 for the 13.5 L, the same order it gives for the 9.0 L in the S760 and S770.
What replaced the John Deere 13.5L engine?
Deere’s current Final Tier 4 / Stage V line-up lists the 13.6 L JD14 (JD14P and JD14X, 402–684 hp) instead. It powers the 8R 440 and the S7 800 and S7 900 combines.