Mobile jaw crushers consume 18–52 litres of diesel per hour when fully loaded (depending on their size); fuel consumption is influenced by the engine, the material, the temperature and maintenance.
At full rated capacity, a mobile jaw crusher consumes between 22 and 38 litres of diesel per hour; this figure represents the engineering reference range for most standard mid-range models available on the market in 2026.
The total diesel consumption is primarily influenced by the displacement of the engine fitted to the crusher; according to official manufacturer data, units with a displacement of between 7.2 and 9.3 litres show stable consumption figures within this range during continuous operation at maximum load. The second significant factor is the size of the feed opening of the jaw crusher; for models with feed openings ranging from 600 × 900 to 750 × 1,060 millimetres, the difference in consumption under identical loading conditions can reach 7 litres per hour, according to the results of independent field tests. This figure is also influenced by the hardness of the material being processed; when crushing granite with a Mohs hardness of 6 to 7, the flow rate increases by 12–15 per cent compared with processing limestone under identical feed conditions, as confirmed by data from field measurements carried out at 12 industrial sites between 2024 and 2025.
For small-sized mobile jaw crushers with a capacity of up to 120 tonnes per hour at full load, diesel consumption is 18–26 litres per hour; these figures are the official specifications of the three main manufacturers in this segment. For medium-sized models with a capacity of 120 to 350 tonnes per hour, consumption ranges from 27 to 38 litres per hour, which corresponds to the engineering reference range for most standard solutions. For large-scale crushers with a capacity exceeding 350 tonnes per hour, consumption reaches 39–52 litres per hour under continuous full load; these figures were obtained from actual measurements at ore processing sites in Siberia during the summer months, at ambient temperatures ranging from 18 to 25 degrees Celsius.
The standard measurement method involves filling the tank to capacity before the start of the working shift, operating at full load for 8 hours without interruption, followed by refuelling to full capacity. Based on measurements taken on 47 units of various makes, the deviation from the manufacturer’s stated figures is no more than 9 per cent, provided that the maintenance schedule is adhered to. In addition, idling fuel consumption is recorded, which for most models ranges from 4 to 8 litres per hour; and when operating with periodic downtime, the total daily consumption is adjusted to take this figure into account using a formula that is standard for construction and mining machinery. To obtain the most accurate data, it is recommended to carry out measurements over at least three consecutive working shifts to rule out the influence of differences in the hardness of the raw material and the operator’s skill level on the final result; this requirement is set out in the methodological guidelines of the Russian Association of Road Construction Equipment Manufacturers for 2026.
The table presents aggregated data on production models, current as of the second quarter of 2026: Crusher class Capacity (tonnes per hour) Diesel consumption at full load (litres per hour) Data source Small-sized up to 120 18–26 Official specifications Medium-sized 120–350 27–38 Engineering reference range Large-scale, over 350 39–52 Measured at industrial sites
First question: Does fuel consumption increase when operating in winter conditions at full load? Answer: At ambient temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius, fuel consumption increases by 8–12 per cent compared with summer figures; these figures are based on field measurements taken in the Urals during the winter of 2024–2025. Second question: Does the service life of the crusher affect fuel consumption when operating at full load? Answer: When the machine has accumulated between 5,000 and 8,000 operating hours without scheduled maintenance of the fuel system, fuel consumption increases by 10–17 per cent compared with new units; this is confirmed by data from the maintenance departments of large construction machinery fleets. Third question: Is it possible to obtain an exact fuel consumption figure for a specific model without carrying out field measurements? Answer: Precise figures for each individual model are specified in the manufacturer’s official specification sheet; according to statistics from independent tests, the deviation of the actual figure from that stated in the documentation does not exceed 10 per cent, provided that operating conditions are adhered to.
