According to reports by the Diesel Technology Forum, diesel currently accounts for 7 million vehicles. This figure has been on an increase since then as the perspective of Diesel engine vehicles being a difficult technology has been gradually debunked. Rather than being difficult when compared to gasoline engines, diesel engines have better fuel economy, carry heavy loads without overworking the engine , and even live longer.
But even with a long list of advantages the diesel engine has over the gasoline engine , there’s still a major setback—the winter cold.
Diesel engines usually face some difficulties during the winter cold. That’s because diesel fuel is always prone to freezing during these times. And that makes the diesel engine difficult to start. However, if you are properly informed, you can skip through the difficulties of the winter.
In this article, we have put down some tips to help you keep your engine working normally even in the frigid cold of winter.
Let’s show them to you!
1. Make sure to have good wipers
Let’s start with what every car owner should put in place as the winter approaches. A lot of people go for the main ideas and forget the little details. So, let’s start with the little details. Apart from the damage the cold winter can bring to your engine, it can also blur your view when driving.
Your screen is the only lens you can see through. If it’s not clear, then it’s impossible to see. During the cold winter, you should expect snow on your screen. Without a good wiper, you can’t properly take the snow off your screen when driving. And the blurred view when driving poses danger to you. Get yourself ready by getting a good wiper.
2. Keep your car’s heating unit in working condition
Still considering little details that can have a huge impact. Your car’s space heater is as important as your windscreen wiper. Because they both sponsor clear vision when driving in the frigid winter cold. Sometimes the blurry vision is caused by condensation of water vapor inside the car. The easiest way to clear the condensed vapor off your windscreen is by using your car’s space heater. The warm air will dry the glass a little through evaporation. It will also stop further blurring.
3. Full tank is of essence
Have you tried cooling a half-filled bottle of water as compared to a full bottle? It will take a longer time for the full bottle to completely freeze as compared to the half. For this reason, making sure to always fill your tank is a good measure to avoid the fuel from gelling. Try as much as possible to never let it go beyond half. Keep it full before parking the vehicle for the night.
4. Always park your vehicle in a warm place
Your diesel engine stays hot when working. How about when dormant? Well, it doesn’t. It slowly takes the temperature of its surroundings. If left exposed to the cold winter, the diesel engine stays cold, tends to freeze the diesel fuel, can freeze the oil, and cause further damage. The best solution is to keep it safe in a warm place. If left exposed to a warm place, the diesel engine remains warm. That’s why we advise you to always keep your vehicle in a warm place overnight.
5. Change your oil
Many diesel engine owners tend to give attention to only diesel fuel and other vehicle liquids. They completely disregard the presence of oil as a liquid that can also gel and affect the engine’s efficiency. Cold has a way of affecting liquid and hampering its ability to freely flow. When your oil gels, it won’t be able to freely flow to moving parts for lubrication. That’s a bummer because lubrication becomes difficult.
Diesel engines, unlike gasoline, are heavy-duty vehicles. This means that they normally require thicker oil. But here’s our advice for you–as the winter approaches, change your oil to a lighter one because the thicker the oil, the more the tendency to get thicker.
6. Buy a spare fuel filter
During the winter, you face a lot of problems with fuel gelling, so you tackle it in a lot of ways. One of the ways you can struggle with fuel gelling even with a full tank is that the little amount of fuel that sits on your fuel filter is very prone to freezing since it is so small. This can clog the filter, trap fuel, and further damage the engine.
To tackle such hassle, keep a spare filter handy, so as soon as you want to start your engine with a clogged filter, you change it without much stress.
7. Heating options
Can you make sure your engine stays in a warm place throughout the winter? If you can’t then, a heating option is a must for you. Heating options prevent your diesel engine from succumbing to the temperature of its surroundings. It keeps the engine internally hot when not in operation. This will ensure all engine fluids from gelling and ensure they freely flow. Examples of these heating options are- heating block heaters, oil warmers, and battery warmers. It’s only advisable to use these heating options when the surrounding falls below 32°F.
8. Add anti-gel to your diesel fuel
The freezing point of diesel fuel is 32°F. This means that there’s a huge tendency for your diesel fuel to gel the day the temperature goes below that. There’s a safe way to lower the freezing point of your fuel. This is by adding anti-gel to your fuel. This immediately takes the freezing point below the usual and gives it better immunity against thickening or gelling.
War Against Winter Hassle
The list can keep expanding if we go further. There are numerous ways to avoid winter hassle. The most assuring of all ways to wage a war against the winter is by scheduling an appointment with the diesel experts as soon as the winter approaches. They’ll get your diesel vehicle ready in all possible ways to keep your engine running like there was never a winter.
Phoenix Diesel Repair does everything diesel at a very comfortable price. Let’s get your diesel engine ready, up, and running for the winter. Book an appointment today!
