Click Here For Our Videos

First-time Diesel Owners Beware: Extra Maintenance Is Required
by Jason Lancaster

If you’re new to diesel engines, there are quite a few things that may come as a surprise to you. First of all, diesel engines generate tremendous amounts of torque. This allows them to tow or haul thousands of pounds of materials or equipment, and they can often accelerate very quickly even when loaded down. Yet despite their incredible power, they are surprisingly fuel efficient. These qualities of efficiency and power may someday make diesel engines more common than gasoline engines, but for now it’s important for any new diesel owner to know that diesel engines require more maintenance than gas engines. In fact, failure to perform these essential maintenance tasks could result in your diesel suffering major engine damage.

Most likely, your diesel came equipped with a turbo-charger. The turbo-charger is similar to a jet engine - there are compressor blades inside the turbocharger that can spin at 20k or 30k rpm. As these blades spin, they force clean outside air into the engine, increasing engine efficiency and performance. Because the turbo-charger is so powerful, great care must be taken to make sure the air entering the turbo is clean and clear of debris. If, for instance, a small particle or piece of debris were to enter the turbo as it was spinning at max speed, it’s possible this particle could cause one or more compressor blades to shatter. Therefore, it’s incredibly important that the air filter on your diesel is clean and properly installed. Most manufacturers have equipped their vehicles with sensors that will tell you to check your air filter, and nearly all diesels have air-filter restriction gauges. The restriction gauge will tell you if your air filter has become too clogged to protect your turbo-charger, and you should immediately replace the air filter if the restriction gauge indicates to do so. Unlike a gasoline engine, failure to change your diesel’s air filter will lead to thousands of dollars in engine damage relatively quickly. For this reason I suggest you keep a spare filter in your vehicle just in case.

Even if you don’t have a turbo, there are lots of other maintenance items that are especially important on diesel engines. Fuel filters are critical to proper diesel performance because diesel fuel, unlike gasoline, contains quite a few impurities. While a gasoline engine fuel filter might require replacement once every 30k miles (mostly as a precaution), diesel fuel filters can become clogged in as little as 10k miles. Make sure to check your owner’s manual to find out what your manufacturer suggests. If at all possible, use the same service station every time you refuel. That way your chances of buying a bad tank of diesel are reduced.

In addition to containing a relatively large amount of impurities, diesel fuel also contains water. Even though small amounts of water will not hurt your diesel engine, most modern diesels are equipped with water separators. Depending upon your manufacturer, you may need to manually purge the water from your diesel’s fuel system as often as once a month. Check your owner’s manual for instructions. If you don’t purge the water from your diesel’s fuel system, you may experience poor performance and fuel economy. Many service facilities will perform this task for you at little or no charge.

A lot of old-timers call Diesel engines “oil burners” because, unlike gas engines, diesels burn some of the engine’s lubricating oil during normal operation. In fact, diesel engines under heavy use can burn two or three quarts of oil between changes. That’s why it’s especially important to check your diesel’s oil level regularly. When you check the oil make sure the engine has cooled for at least 30 mins and that your vehicle is on level surface. The owner’s manual will explain when you should add oil based on the oil dipstick reading. Remember to do this often — if the oil level falls too low you will suffer engine damage.

Diesel engines don’t like cold temperatures. At temperatures below zero, diesel fuel may “gel” (turn from a liquid to a semi-solid). Below freezing, diesel engines tend to start harshly and warm-up very slowly. At extremely low temperatures (below -10 F) normal diesel engine oil does not protect the engine from friction. Therefore, it’s very important to remember to use your diesel’s block heater if outside temps ever dip below zero. If you can afford the electricity, I recommend you plug-in your block heater any time the outside temperature dips below freezing. This will protect your engine, keep your fuel warm and gel free, make for quick and smooth start-ups, and it will help your engine warm-up quickly. Check your owners manual, but usually your block heater plug-in is wire-tied to a harness behind and underneath the bumper.

Unlike most modern gasoline engines, new diesel engines often have a manufacturer specified break-in period. During this period (usually the first 500 or 1000 miles) your owner’s manual will tell you to avoid driving at sustained speeds and to refrain from towing or hauling. In other words, it’s best to avoid any long highway trips or any heavy use for the first few days or weeks. Once this initial break-in period is over, it’s not uncommon for your diesel to continue to break-in for the first 20,000 or 30,000 miles. Unlike gasoline engines, which are truly broken-in after 3k to 5k miles, diesels need lots of time and use to reach their peak efficiency and performance. Most long-time diesel owners will tell you that their diesel didn’t really start to perform until the engine had a year or two of use.

To summarize, it’s very important that new or first-time diesel owners review their engine manual. In addition to normal vehicle maintenance, diesel owners should keep a close eye on their air filter restriction gauge, change the fuel filter often, always check engine oil between oil changes, purge water from the fuel system as required, and remember to plug-in the block heater any time outside temperatures drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit. When you do all these extra tasks, your diesel engine will reward you with 200,000+ miles of good service.

Author Jason Lancaster operates TundraHeadquarters.com, a resource for Toyota Tundra owners. For anyone looking to buy a diesel Toyota, TundraHeadquarters.com recently uncovered evidence of a diesel Toyota Tundra in development.

Click Here For Our Videos

Popularity: 1% [?]

Bookmark to:
         

If you're new here, you may first want to get a copy of my information and resources jam packed handbook on your right. Thanks for visiting!