There are a lot of upsides to having a diesel truck, not least of which is its long lifespan and simple maintenance schedule. However, just because you can do the maintenance tasks less frequently doesn’t mean you can skip them altogether. In fact, for a diesel engine, this maintenance is crucial to making sure you can get that long lifespan that diesel engines are known for. Don’t forget the maintenance you need to do if you have a diesel truck that you want to run well.
Monitoring Gaskets
The gaskets that connect the various areas of your engine have an important job in a standard gas vehicle. Those gaskets function under even more extreme conditions when in a diesel engine. Checking to make sure they don’t have any leaks is crucial to keeping your engine running smoothly. If one gasket blows and starts leaking, you’ll want to replace all of them at once because the others will probably break soon as well.
Changing the Air Filter
Your engine needs clean air for successful combustion, so you need to keep your air filters clean. Failing to do this means that more and more contaminants will find their way into your engine and start to age it prematurely. How often you need to change the filter can vary depending on where you drive. Sandy or dusty environments will require you to change the filters more frequently than areas with clean roads.
Coolant Changes
The coolant inside a diesel engine slowly becomes acidic over time. Given that your truck is composed primarily of metal, it’s a very bad idea to let that acidic coolant sit in your tank for long. Your owner’s manual can tell you exactly how many miles you can go before you need to flush and replace your coolant.
Regular Oil Changes
Like with any gasoline-powered vehicle, one of the important maintenance tasks you need to do when you have a diesel truck is regular oil changes. Regularly, in this case, means somewhere between every 3,000 to 5,000 miles. Forgoing this oil change can do severe damage to your engine because it won’t have enough lubrication, resulting in an unhealthy amount of friction and heat under the hood.
Glow Plug Inspection
The glow plugs inside your diesel truck are responsible for its ignition capabilities. If you go too long without checking and replacing your glow plugs, you could end up stuck somewhere with a completely dead engine. If you live in a region with inclement weather, you’ll want to check these even more frequently, as the cold can damage them faster than warm temperatures.
