Diesel Engine Maintenance During Winter

The winter comes with a lot of undeniable fun. From kids having snowball fights to young lads enjoying the skating activities. There’s just something in the air that brings joy during the winter. Probably the Christmas vibe that comes along with it. Or maybe the Hanukkah. But in the midst of this fun and joyful energy, the winter can be a headache for diesel engine drivers.

Diesel engine maintenance during winter becomes crucial, as the cold temperatures can take a toll on your engine ’s performance if not properly maintained.

Besides the slippery road or the worsened vision the snow brings, it also presents a lot of difficulties for diesel engine owners. You wouldn’t want to battle with your engine, or have your engine refusing to start-up in an embarrassing scenario. You can avoid all these hassles if you are abreast with tips on diesel engine maintenance during winter. 

In this article, we will drive you around useful tips for keeping your diesel engines in good condition during the winter, with a focus on diesel engine maintenance during winter.

Let’s get started!

1. Keep the tank full

It will take a longer time for a cup filled with water to freeze up, than for a half-filled cup. The same applies to your fuel tank. To prevent the fuel from freezing or gelling, especially in colder months when diesel engine maintenance during winter is critical, keep it as full as you can. Before you stop for the night, top off your tank. Never let it go below half.

2. Change your fuel filter regularly

Still keeping fuel size in context, your fuel filter allows a small amount of fuel to sit on it. This fuel, when compared to the amount of fuel in the tank, is so small. And it freezes overnight, especially during colder months, making diesel engine maintenance during winter crucial. We advise you to regularly change your fuel filter. And always have a spare with you just in case.

3. Park your vehicle in a warm place

When your vehicle is in use, it normally generates enough heat to prevent freezing. But how about when it’s not in use? That is when it is susceptible to freezing, especially if you haven’t considered proper diesel engine maintenance during winter. That’s why we advise you to provide your garage with extra heat. This would prevent you fighting with your vehicle when getting it started.

4. Consider heating options

Heating tools for your vehicle is a must-have during the winter. They keep the fluid in your engine flowing, warm up lubricants, and ensure smooth running of your engine as though the temperature is normal. Some of these heating options are heating block heaters, oil warmers, and battery warmers. Using heating block heaters during the winter is a precautionary measure to prevent your vehicle engine from damaging. But you should also have in mind that it’s only advisable to use when the temperature falls below -20°F. Additionally, regular diesel engine maintenance during winter is crucial to ensure that your vehicle performs optimally, even in the harshest conditions.

Heating block heaters Glow plugs

Glow plugs play vital roles in warming the vehicle’s cylinder during the winter. Glow plugs can typically last for about 100,000 miles. Your glow plug needs to be tested or changed if you are experiencing any of these symptoms: 

• Hard starting in cold
• Engine misfire
• Decrease in power and acceleration
• Engine misfire

5. Add anti-gel to your fuel

Anti-gel additives help in lowering the freezing point of your diesel fuel. And a lowered freezing point means longer period before the fuel freezes. With the anti-gel additives, your fuel will flow fluently with no threat of thickening. We advise you to add the additives as soon as the winter draws by.

6. Change the oil

Fact is that diesel engines aren’t as complicated as gasoline engines. Diesel engines can withstand heavy duty tasks without easily wearing out. They are also made of fewer components than the gasoline engine. Thanks to its heavy duty potential, they run at higher temperatures. This means they would need heavy weight oil to operate. During the winter, we advise you to buy lighter oil, or synthetic oil. They are less viscous, so they won’t thicken quickly. 

7. Keep your battery in check

Cold weather slows everything down, including the chemical reaction responsible for energy generation in your battery. In fact, at 32°F, a car’s battery loses about 35% of its strength. And at 0°F, it loses about 60% of its strength.

But your engine requires nearly twice as much power to start. For those relying on diesel engines, diesel engine maintenance during winter becomes even more crucial to ensure your engine performs properly in freezing temperatures. And if the battery is older than 5 years, it will have a harder time cracking up for a start.

However, a fully charged battery would only freeze at -76°F, while a fully discharged battery will freeze at -32F. So make sure you battery is fully charged for winter. 

8. Keep your wiper in good condition

Let’s not neglect the little details here. A faulty wiper during the winter is like faulty eyes. Your wiper must be very much ready for the wet weather, because you are going to get a lot of it. You just can’t see much with a faulty wipe on a snowy day. You would be forced to park your car and wait for the snow to subside. If you keep hearing a screeching sound when its functioning, then it’s probably time for a new pair.

Key Takeaways 

People treat their vehicles as their babies. Well, a lot of people do that. And that’s okay. Just like a baby, during the cold, they need warmth to stay alive. So is your vehicle—warmth, and a little more attention, especially when it comes to diesel engine maintenance during winter. Keeping your vehicle well-maintained during the colder months ensures it runs smoothly and reliably.

If you neglect your vehicle during the cold, it can lead to a knockdown. Let’s prevent that now.

If you still have any more puzzles unattended, contact us. Let’s show you how to get things right. We are your vehicle’s doctor. And let’s show you more tips in Diesel engine maintenance during the winter.

Your diesel engine-powered vehicle has the capability to serve you immensely through the frigid winter months. But only if you adapt your maintenance practices to the requirements of the ambient temperature. Diesel engine maintenance during winter is crucial to ensuring optimal performance in cold weather. Now’s not the time to park your vehicle indoors and wait for the heat to come back. Work with us to make your vehicle your ally during this season.

We’ve worked with so many clients over the decades to get their diesel engines performing in top conditions in winter and 2022 is another year we’re signing up to help more clients with theirs. Will your vehicle be one of them?