If you want to keep your diesel truck running properly, then you have to ensure it is maintained. Use our tips for diesel truck maintenance found here.
As the warm weather finally descends across the country, you’ll likely want to hit the roads with the windows down. The last thing you’ll want to interrupt this perfect weather is automobile issues.
If you’re driving a vehicle with a diesel engine, there are a few extra steps and precautions you should take to ensure the health of your vehicle.
Diesel technology has come a long way over the past few decades, cutting down emissions and gaining miles per gallon. These advances make diesel engines a great alternative to traditional automobiles. But if you are running a diesel engine, you’ll want to keep it running at peak performance.
Read on, and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about diesel truck maintenance.
Fill Your Truck Up on Fluids
Just like our bodies, our vehicles need to stay properly hydrated to work their best. If you want your truck to be running at its full potential, you must regularly check up on the fluids. These fluids include engine coolant and oil level.
Coolant keeps your engine from overheating. It’s important to always have enough coolant in your vehicle as you’re driving, or else you could have serious engine problems.
Outside of having enough engine coolant present, you should also be checking its level of acidity. Engine coolant can grow to be quite acidic, so much so that it can actually begin to rot away at the interior of your vehicle.
It’s essential that you check and change the engine coolant of your vehicle to avoid this kind of damage.
If your oil level gets low, it can put a large amount of stress on the engine of your vehicle. Your car usually will alert you the moment that your oil level gets below an acceptable amount.
Outside of the above essential fluids, it’s also never a bad idea to check up on your window washer fluid. Running low on window washer fluid can be terrible if you’re about to head out on a long trip.
A dirty or obscured windshield can be a danger to drivers, so it’s important that you ensure your vehicle is ready to go.
A Clean Engine Is a Happy Engine
A little bit of spring cleaning can go a long way. Dirt, grime, and gunk can easily build upon a diesel engine over time. Eventually, this lack of cleanliness can actually begin to affect engine life.
Wiping away this dirt and guck on a regular basis can help ensure positive performance from your diesel engine.
Speaking of cleanliness, it’s also important to keep on eye on the cleanliness of your fuel. Clean diesel fuel promotes a better fuel economy and performance. There’s no reason to use dirty fuel, as you’ll just be hurting your engine and vehicle in the long run.
Keeping your vehicle clean and fresh is the best way to ensure a long and happy life in the future.
Keep an Eye on Your Exhaust and Filters
Your vehicle’s exhaust system is there to help both your vehicle and the natural environment around it. It’s important to ensure it’s working properly.
Over time, damage to your exhaust system is likely. After all, chemicals and road corrosion are passing through it each time you drive your vehicle. The best thing you can do is to keep an eye out for leaks, which are a common signal of exhaust problems.
The moment you think there might be an issue with your exhaust, take your vehicle in for repair. Exhaust issues can be serious and are not worth messing around with.
Another thing to keep an eye on is your air and fuel filters. You need your vehicle to get enough clean air to run properly. Diesel engines use a lot more air than normal gas engines, so this is key.
Many modern diesel trucks have sensors that let you know when your air filter needs replacing. But if your truck doesn’t, you’ll need to keep a close watch on when a filter is no longer fully functional.
Your fuel filter is also essential for optimal performance. Diesel fuel has a higher chance of contamination then gas, so your fuel filter will need to do a good job inspecting incoming diesel.
A good fuel filter is so important to proper performance that you may want to consider replacing filters before the recommended date.
Treat Your Vehicle Right
The way you drive and treat your diesel vehicle has a lot to do with its overall health and life. Be kind to your car.
For example, living in a cold climate requires a number of life adjustments. This includes changing how you treat your vehicle.
In cold weather, give your engine time to warm up before taking it on the road. Cold weather and diesel engines don’t mix well, and this warm-up time can be helpful to the health of your engine.
Don’t leave your truck idling for long periods of time either. Not only is this bad for the environment, but prolonged idling can actually shorten your engine’s lifespan. It puts wear and tear on your piston which can then erode over time.
If you teat your truck respectfully, it’s a lot more likely to treat you well back with a long and healthy life.
Understanding Diesel Truck Maintenance
There a few extra steps and precautions when it comes to owning a diesel based vehicle. But if you understand the basics of diesel truck maintenance, there can be a great number of benefits as well.
Having problems with your diesel engine? Check out our blog for more help.