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Originally Posted On: https://wefixdieseltrucks.com/how-often-should-you-service-your-diesel-truck/
The diesel engine has long been seen as one of the toughest and most robust combustion engine setups known to man. Used in almost every application, you can think of. Diesel engines can be attributed to single-handled turning the world’s economy over. Trucks only make use of the diesel engine, but like any machine with turning parts, it can be susceptible to failure.
However, regularly servicing your diesel truck will prevent this from happening. Read on below to find out all you need to know about servicing your diesel truck.
Why Does a Diesel Engine Need Servicing?
For maintenance and optimum performance, you still need to have frequent services. For instance, it’s necessary to replace the oil, fuel, and air filters. You can think of a diesel engine as any other type of machinery. Constant moving parts that need their oil replaced.
There are still certain vehicles that need the water separators to be manually emptied, for example, on older types of diesel engines. Water inside a diesel engine can reap havoc. Should you have a newer truck that uses a better grade of diesel, water shouldn’t be a major issue.
However, on every service, the technician will take a look at the water separator and empty it if necessary. Therefore, servicing your truck prolongs its lifespan and ensures that your fuel consumption remains constant.
It is always a good idea to have a professional technician handle the diesel maintenance requirements of your truck as they have the diagnostic tools, parts, and accessories, as well as the knowledge to complete a service on your truck.
Diesel Engine Maintenance Checklist
When servicing a truck, it is a good idea to have some sort of checklist on hand. This will help the technician and ensure the best possible service. As a truck owner, this is the time that you note down any abnormalities which you think the truck has.
Coolant Check
Coolant is what keeps the diesel engine from freezing over and overheating. If the coolant isn’t replaced as per the required schedule, it will turn acidic and erode the radiator and internal parts of your engine.
A coolant check should not only be on service but should be checked regularly by the driver. Some owners go as far as changing the coolant before every winter and every summer.
Replacing Air Filters
Equally as crucial as coolant, air filters remove any debris from the air that would otherwise enter your engine. Should debris enter your engine, it can cause premature wear or even complete failure of your engine.
Trucks are known to drive in some of the worst road conditions, and debris can build up quickly in the filter. A driver should check the air filter once in a while. The airbox can be cleaned regularly but should the truck be operating on dirt roads? The air filter must be replaced all the time.
Engine Cleaning
On every service or periodic interval, your truck cab must be raised, and your truck engine sprayed clean. Cleaning your engine with a de-greaser will remove any muck build-up, and any oil clean will be more visible to the naked eye.
Fuel Filter Change
A fuel filter removes any soot from diesel. Diesel as a substance isn’t as clean as petrol, and the fuel filter can get clogged. Once the fuel filter gets clogged, debris can bypass the filter and enter the fuel system.
This can be detrimental to your engine as the right amount of diesel won’t enter the combustion chamber, and it won’t run properly. A fuel filter doesn’t need to be replaced every service unless you are using a lower grade of diesel.
How Many Miles Should You Service Your Diesel Truck?
As with any heavy-duty equipment, missing a service interval can cause a variety of problems. Depending on where the truck is operating and what type of work it is doing, you can measure service intervals in hours or miles.
The normally recommended service interval for trucking is every 15 – 000 miles or one year, whichever comes first. Of course, this interval is dependent on the type of brand or if your truck is driving in hard conditions.
We also recommend that every truck be sent for a thorough inspection once a year. Most companies don’t do these inspections, but for peace of mind, it is the right way to go.
The type of engine oil that you use in the service also makes a big difference. The better brands of engine oil should always be used with the right viscosity. Viscosity is how thick or thin the engine oil is.
Too thin, and the engine oil won’t be able to lubricate the engine internals correctly, while if the engine oil is too thick, the oil pump won’t be able to distribute the oil around the engine.
Signs Your Truck May Need an Immediate Service
Additionally, your truck may give you some signs that a service is required right away. This holds true, especially if you haven’t serviced your truck in a while. These signs may also be signaling that your truck has a bigger problem than you might think.
- Struggles to start
- Blowing excessive smoke
- lacking performance
- Knocking noise in the engine
- Rough idle
Don’t Forget Your Service Intervals
A piece of machinery, especially a diesel truck, can take care of you and your business as long as it is taken care of. Servicing your truck at the correct intervals with the correct fluids will ensure that you get many thousands of miles out of it.
Are you looking for a workshop that specializes in truck servicing? Want to keep your engine fresh and running for thousands of miles? Go on over to our service page and leave your truck in professional hands!
