9 Worst Things You Can Do to a Diesel Engine

[dodge man]

Off road fuel and on road fuel are the same other then the dye.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

Using the wrong grade of diesel (e.g., #1 vs. #2, or off-road vs. on-road diesel) can also impact engine performance and emissions compliance.

While #1 & #2 fuel will effect "performance" as the #2 has more paraffin in it to burn, hence more power and won't effect emissions ...but like was stated above, only difference in off-road vs on-road is the dye, and has NO discernable difference in the two categories mentioned, however DOT may cut back your wallet a bit if they catch you with dyed diesel in a road vehicle ...

Letting the fuel tank run low
Running a diesel engine on a near-empty tank can cause serious problems. Sediment and contaminants naturally settle at the bottom of the tank, and when fuel levels drop, these particles can be pulled into the fuel system, clogging filters, damaging injectors and reducing fuel flow.

Only way that could possibly happen is if water got through, besides your fuel pump could also be harmed running water through it, that's why fuel filters have a bowl to collect the water, some have a drain too ... The filter will clog up with sediment, and actually filters "better" the more crud it has caught, until no more fuel will go through ... And water is heavier than fuel, so like mentioned it sits on the bottom of the tank (and fuel bowl), which smaller tractors have bottom gravity fed supply lines ... My Semi-truck truck has an actual pickup tube, and leaves about 10+ gallons in the bottom ...

We also go 60,000 miles on oil changes on our semi-trucks ...

The coolant I use in my tractor says "good for 1.5 MILLION MILES"!

But, I change it every two years!

 

[Hay Dude]

That list is pretty obvious, but here’s 2 others not on the list:

Lugging: lugging a diesel engine can be harmful as it may lead to increased wear and potential damage to engine components. It's generally better to operate at higher RPMs to ensure the engine runs efficiently and avoids stress.

I see this frequently. I see a lot of operators run at a lower RPM than they should.


Here’s another big one not mentioned:

Shutting off a hot turbocharged diesel: Shutting down a diesel engine with a turbocharger over 1200 degrees instantly stops the oil flowing through the turbo bearings. The oil can actually start “coking” in the bearings.

If you were to rev up your engine and then shut it off, it will cause damage and wear to the turbocharger as the oil pressure drops with it is still spinning at very high RPMs. Modern turbochargers can have turbine speeds above 100,000 rpm! Even the older models will have RPMs ranging from 40,000 to 60,000.

At these speeds, lubrication of the turbocharger bearings is super important for your turbo to last. The turbo must be allowed to spin down before the oil vacates. If not, you will be putting another turbo on before long.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

And the newer ones with DPF ... Idling ... Will plug up the DPF much faster than either turning it off, or WORKING it! Neither of mine can be over revved, they have a governor on them ...

I see lots of semi-trucks idling over night, then the HUGE clouds of smoke the first mile or two as they regen mostly cleaning out the DPF ... But there is a very fine layer of ash left over from each regen which burns off the soot, that builds up, and causes more frequent regens, and will eventually need to be cleaned or replaced, resulting in down time and extra money spent.

 

[big bubba]

same true of the gassers, tractor or vehicle. in addition, puttsing around for 10-15 min tasks does no favors for the engine.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

And the newer ones with DPF ... Idling ... Will plug up the DPF much faster than either turning it off, or WORKING it!

As I recall, when reading up on such things after getting a Pete with a 3406B (no emissions, obviously), the rings weren't even made to seal at idle.

That may only be true for the older designs, but I don't needlessly idle anything if at all possible. My '17 Ram 3500 has 11 idle hours on it, my '21 Ram 1500 (gasser) has one.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

We, as a company had Auxiliary Power Units (APU's) installed at Kenworth prior to taking delivery ...

If the drivers will use them there is a huge savings in fuel, they roughly burn 1-2 gallons of diesel per "night" whereas my 15 liter Cummins burns .8-1.2 gallons of fuel per HOUR at idle ... Over the course of 4 years they more than make up the initial $13K cost ...

PLUS, they share the same coolant as the truck engine, so when I start the 15 liter the coolant is already 75°-125°F, so starts easier in the winter, and less warm up needed, besides it keeps the batteries topped up ... Yet many drivers insist on idling there trucks all night, even like last night in South Carolina it was about 70° when I went to bed, 52° when I got up ... I was snug in my sleeper, without even needing the heater in the APU! Or they leave it idling while fueling, then wander inside for another 15 minutes ...

 

[big bubba]

as with any machine, single use owner/operators from new helps longevity if they know what they're doing

 

[Too many Kubotas]

as with any machine, single use owner/operators from new helps longevity if they know what they're doing

Aside from how to operate things, correct break-in and early first oil changes can really help with longevity.

I tend to overkill, bringing new vehicles home on a trailer, then putting them on the lift to check fluid levels (which are rarely correct) and install magnetic level plugs wherever possible.

Next is the diff gear break-in, following gear manufacturers' guidelines. With those first painful 100 miles done, and the brakes properly bedded in, I switch to the vehicle manufacturer's recommended break-in.

Before that's over they get a first oil change at 500 or so miles, and new diff fluid. The latter has saved a couple of diffs from an early demise.

Well, you get the idea, I treat them all as forever-vehicles, which they never end up being. Heck, I've sold several with under 1,000 miles on them.

 

[big bubba]

what's the current new vehicle 1st oil change since factory? 4-6k? can't imagine