Maintenance tips for diesel engines

A diesel engine is an internal-combustion engine in which air is compressed by pistons causing ignition of fuel towards the end of the compression stroke.

You probably have plenty of reasons as to why you cherish your diesel-powered engine. Some of these reasons are friendly fuel economy, rare frequent maintenance checks as gas-powered vehicles, and lower emissions.

In as much as your diesel-powered engine doesn't require much attention to serve you to your satisfaction, you should check out some of these tips to ensure you get the best out of it.

Maintenance tips

Keep your engine clean

With a longer lifespan compared to that of their gas counterparts, diesel engines are likely to have dirt and dust accumulate on its engine after navigating very long distances. This will in turn shorten your engine's lifespan. Proper cleaning is therefore very important to avoid dirty engine components like intercoolers and radiators affecting your engine.

Monitor the fluids

The engine oil lubricates the engine's moving parts. It's therefore very important to keep your eye on your fluids. Just like the engine oil, you should keep an eye on the engine's coolant too. This prevents the engine from overheating and damaging the electrolysis in your cylinder lines.

Change the fuel filters

Fuel filters should be changed regularly as dirty fuel filters don't bypass and restrict fuel flow to your engine. This reduces the engine's performance rate. The engine is likely not to start with completely clogged filters. Most diesel engines should be replaced after every 10000 to 15000 miles, but you should first confirm with the manufactures recommendation for your make and model.

Replace the air filters

The frequency at which you change your air filters depends entirely on the environment you are operating in. Air filters, therefore, need to be changed more frequently if you are operating in a dusty environment. The restricted flow of air will only be experienced with a dirty and clogged air filter.

Check your engine's radiator

Trucks are known to produce a lot of heat when in operation thus it's the radiator keeps the truck cool when transferring heat to the air. A faulty radiator would definitely lead to overheating as it would reduce the heat transfer from the engine to the air. Regular coolant and radiator exchanges can help you prevent overheating of your engine. Many automobile manufacturers suggest that one should get a radiator fluid exchange for every 40,000 to 60,000 miles travelled. If you need diesel engine maintenance, we invite you to bring your vehicle into our auto repair shop today!