12 years as a diesel tech here on gm engines. things you should know
#1 keep your airfilter clean, sounds stupid and logical right, i have replaced about 6 engines due to a dirty air filter when a diesel cant brethe it will pull the air from somewhere and that is usually the crankcase breather causing to run its self out of oil. Thick black smoke or wet black smoke check your air filter.
#2 ya a diesel will run away ben there done that, had an intercooler full of oil and came in behind another guy to finish, was told it was cleaned out, guess whaty it was full of oil. how to stop a runaway, kill the air !!! I held a metal drain pan over the intake till it died, the longest 30 seconds of my life.
#3 diesel natually hydrates, meaning it pulls moisture from the air. gonna let it sit for awhile fill the tank up all the way. I always add a microbiocyde to my tractor fuel about once every 3 fill ups. i use stanadyne performance formula. this helps lubricate the pump and injectors.
#4 befor you buy any used diesel engine start it up and open the oil fill cap, if its puffin like a freight train say thank you and goodbye. thats blow by meaning a worn engine. this said my dad has a 455 deere lawn mower with a diesel which has had blow by for years still runs just wont catch my kubota.
feel free to drop me a line anytime
remember all an engine needs is fuel fire and air wont run its because one of the 3 is missing