Home | Automotive | Mechanical

First-Time Diesel Owners Beware: Extra Maintenance Is Required

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.

In all likelihood your diesel has a turbo-charger. The turbo-charger, much like a jet engine, has compressor blades inside it that spin at 20k or 30k rpm. These blades force clean outside air into the engine, thereby increasing engine efficiency and performance. However, because the turbo-charger is like a jet engine, great care must be taken to make sure the air entering the turbo is clean and clear of debris. For instance, if a small piece of debris were to enter the turbo as it was spinning at max speed it's possible one of the compressor blades would shatter as it struck the debris. These shattered pieces would then strike other blades, shattering them, until the time when the entire turbo has been destroyed. That's why it's incredibly important that the air filter on your diesel engine is clean and properly installed. To help you, most vehicle manufacturers equip their vehicles with an electronic sensor that will tell you when to check your air filter. Additionally, nearly all turbo-diesels have air-filter restriction gauges. This restriction gauge will tell you if your air filter has become too clogged to protect your turbo. If the gauge indicates a new filter is needed, you should replace it immediately. For all these reasons, I suggest you keep a spare filter in your vehicle just in case.

Even without the turbo-charger, diesel engines have lots of maintenance items that are especially important. Fuel filters are extremely important for proper performance because diesel fuel, unlike gasoline, contains a relatively large amount of impurities. For example, the typical gasoline fuel filter might only need replacement once every 30,000 miles. Yet many manufacturers suggest diesel fuel filters be replaced in as little as 10k miles (depending upon driving conditions). Make sure to check your owner's manual to find out what your manufacturer suggests. Also, use the same service station every time you refuel if possible. If you're favorite service station has bad fuel, you'll find out relatively quickly and you can save yourself money by finding a new fuel source.

Diesel fuel, in addition to having a lot of impurities, also contains water! Even though small amounts of water will not hurt your diesel engine, water does reduce economy and performance. Therefore, most modern diesels are equipped with fuel-water separators. Depending upon your vehicle manufacturer, you may need to manually purge the water from your diesel's fuel system as often as once a month. Make sure to check your owner's manual for instructions. In some cases, if you don't purge the water from your diesel's fuel system you will experience poor performance and fuel economy. Luckily, many service facilities will perform this task for you at little or no charge. They'll also dispose of the contaminated fuel/water mixture.

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 are especially sensitive to cold temperatures. Diesel fuel, for instance, may start to "gel" (turn from a liquid to a semi-solid) at temperatures below zero. At temperatures below freezing, diesel engines often start harshly and warm-up slowly. At very low temps (below -10 F) normal diesel engine oil will not protect the engine from friction. For all these reasons, it's important to remember to use your diesel's block heater if outside temps ever dip below zero. In fact, if you can afford the electricity, I suggest you plug-in your block heater any time the outside temperature dips below freezing. This will protect your engine, keep your fuel warm, make for quick and easy start-ups, and help your engine warm-up quickly. To locate your block heater plug-in, check your owners manual. Typically, they are wire-tied to a harness behind the bumper.

Finally, unlike most modern gasoline engines, new diesel engines often have a break-in period. During the first 500 or 1000 miles (check your manual to find out), it's important that you avoid driving at sustained speeds (i.e. long trips on the highway). Additionally, many manufacturers suggest you refrain from towing or hauling during this period as well. Once this initial break-in period is over, it's not uncommon for your diesel to continue to break-in for the first 20k or 30k miles. Unlike gas motors, 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 engine didn't really start to perform until a year or two after they bought it.

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.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

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

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entiretly, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE VISIBLE links (without "nofollow" tags).