Regular Diesel Engine Maintenance Can Save You Money
Regular diesel engine maintenance means cars and trucks last longer, which means you can save money. Read on to learn more about diesel engine maintenance.
Keyword(s): Diesel Engine Maintenance
11% of all vehicles in the United States run on a diesel engine. By the end of this year, diesel engine sales are expected to reach nearly $250 billion!
Whether you’re the proud owner of a diesel engine yourself, use diesel engines on your fleet of trucks, or just want to learn more about Diesel Engine Maintenance, you need to read this article!
We’re sharing with you some of our favorite Diesel Engine Maintenance tips. Don’t wait until it’s too late to start taking proper care of your engine.
When it comes to your car or truck, prevention really is the best cure.
Why Diesel Engine Maintenance Matters
Before we get into the tips themselves, let’s talk frankly about why Diesel Engine Maintenance is so important.
First of all, improper care can mean that dirt and other debris can make its way into the engine. While a few pieces of dirt may not seem like much at first, they can accumulate fast.
Before you know it, your engine will start to slow down, or you may notice your ride isn’t as smooth as it once was. Your engine and its internal parts will get worn down quickly.
Eventually, this can cause your fuel pump to fail, and wreck havoc on other parts of the engine.
But the cost of these repairs and the loss of income while you wait for your truck to be fixed aren’t the only things to consider.
Improper Diesel Engine Maintenance is a serious safety hazard.
Especially if you’re driving a truck on a busy interstate, an engine failure can have extreme, sometimes fatal, consequences. The reality is that only 1.4% of truck driver fatalities happen because drivers are tired.
Engine failure is a common cause of the over 3,400 trucker fatalities in a single year.
Now that you know why Diesel Engine Maintenance is so crucial, let’s take a look at the ways to protect your engine – and yourself.
1. Get Your Filtration System Frequently Checked
Even if diesel oil today is made with a lower sulfur content than in the past, the oil filtration system is crucial for preventing residue from the sulfur from building up on the engine.
Also, the filtration system helps to prevent carbon build-up in your engine.
How?
By filtering out all the components of the diesel oil that can lead to this build-up on your engine.
However, if you don’t change your oil (and, by extension, the filtration system it works within) this build-up will increase at a rapid pace.
It can also lead to serious clogging within the fuel injection part of your engine, leading to costly professional repairs.
Avoid this by making checking your filtration system a regular part of your Diesel Engine Maintenance!
2. Bleed Your Fuel System
Don’t worry – this isn’t as gruesome as it sounds!
Remember that every time you switch out your filter or do anything else to your entire fuel system, you’re letting air get into it. Eventually, that air builds up and ends up locking the necessary fuel from getting into your system’s parts, especially the cylinder.
The good news? Boats and other bigger water vehicles usually “bleed out” this air on their own. However chances are, you’re not operating a boat. This means that you’ll need to jiggle the air plug from time to time, to make sure your fuel’s flow isn’t blocked.
3. Rapid-Fire Tips
Not all Diesel Engine Maintenance tips need to be lengthy. Here, check out our list of fast ways you can keep your engine going:
- Keep your gear in neutral
- Make sure that you’re not starting the engine before you’ve hit the handbrake
- Don’t get burned
- Always make sure your oils and coolants have time to cool down before you start doing work on your engine
- Take any old oil to the proper recycling facility.
- Pouring it down a drain is dangerous.
- Don’t leave your engine in idle for too long
- Buy a diesel treatment when you’re refueling
- This will filter out impurities in oil
- Always make sure your filters are in line with your manufacturer’s requirements
- Drain your water separator
- Or get one installed in your truck
- This will help to collect water that runs off your fuel
4. Don’t Blow A Gasket
Because even if one is shot, it’s just an indication that the others aren’t far behind.
Instead of waiting until multiple gaskets are leaking, if you see one that’s leaking, go ahead and replace the entire gasket set now.
Also, always make sure that you’re buying high-quality parts like injection pumps, exhaust brakes, and transmissions.
You may think you’re saving money in the short term by going for cheaper options, but often, the Diesel Engine Maintenance costs and the lost time at work while your truck is in the shop will make you wish you had invested more wisely.
5. Use Your Early Warning System Wisely
These notification alarm systems are installed on your truck for a reason – use them. They can help to tell you when your engine has gotten too hot (likely because of issues with your filtration system.)
This overheating usually happens when you’re running low on your engine coolant, or when your coolant has already started leaking out.
When you’re driving a gasoline engine, often, it will shut off on its own when overheated. But since a diesel engine is larger and can withstand more damage, it usually won’t shut off automatically when there’s a problem.
That’s why paying attention to your warning system is such a crucial part of your Diesel Engine Maintenance.
Looking For More Tips On Engine Maintenance, Safe Driving, And The Best Fuel?
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