Home » How To Extend The Lifespan Of A Truck’s Engine — Commercial Vehicle Tips

How To Extend The Lifespan Of A Truck’s Engine — Commercial Vehicle Tips

If you manage a truck fleet, naturally you want to get the most mileage and use out of them as possible. This helps increase profitability for your operation. It also helps save time. Of course, if one of your fleet trucks does have an engine problem, you can always call the experts for commercial truck repair in Gainesville. But, in the meantime let’s talk about some tips to extend your truck’s engine life. That way you can avoid hassles in the future and make your job that much smoother.

How To Extend The Lifespan Of Truck’s Engine

Here are some effective ways to extend the lifespan of a commercial diesel truck engine:

Consistent Maintenance

Heavy diesel trucks operated at high temperatures. That means there’s more compression, more heat, and ultimately more chance of something breaking down.

So, when it comes to keeping your trucks on the road, stick to a scheduled maintenance plan. Top off the oil, check oil filters and fuel filters, and even air filters.

Change these out as frequently as possible to keep up with manufacturer guidelines. When you’re having your trucks serviced, make sure the technicians check the exhaust temperatures and engine coolant as well.

Proper Driving

If you’re a fleet manager or owner, then you can teach your truck drivers to treat your trucks’ engines well. The way a vehicle is driven has a big impact on how long it lasts and performs.

For instance, you want to avoid frequent traffic stops, jump starts, or rabbit jump starts. Every time this happens, it puts more wear and tear on the diesel engine.

Also train your drivers to warm the vehicle up before taking off. Obviously diesel engines have better gas milers once they get going, but they need some time to get started.

Additives

Diesel trucks often come with warranties. Your manufacturer will cover you on the warranty as long as you use EPA registered additives that they approve of. Some additives you can add to your diesel fleet to prevent breakdowns are engine cleaners.

These detergents clean out the fuel injectors and reduce emissions from the exhaust. It’s one of the best underutilized methods to increase the lifespan of a truck engine.

Anti-gel

If your fleet operates in cold weather, this keeps the diesel fuel from congealing when the temperatures drop.

Lubrication

You can lubricate the fuel injectors and fuel pumps. This keeps them working at peak performance for longer.

The diesel fuel becomes more lubricated and therefore can handle the high power demands of modern trucks.

Cetane Booster

Cetane is the quality of your diesel fuel ignition. In other words, it’s sort of like the equivalent of octane for gasoline.

With more cetane, the fuel is more efficient. This means it’s better for the engine and ultimately keeps your truck in top shape.

Making a Commercial Truck Engine Last Longer

If you use these tips above, you can keep your fleets on the road as long as possible. Obviously routine maintenance and the occasional breakdown are going to be par for the course when you’re a fleet manager. And that’s why you should always be aware of the signs of a wornout truck engine. But the more you can do to set your truck drivers and your vehicles up for success, the less money, time, and lost profit you’ll have to deal with from your trucks giving out.

Gainesville Truck Repair

Every vehicle will eventually have a mechanical, electrical, or other type of failure. This is especially true with heavy duty commercial trucks.

They carry a lot of weight, undergo a lot of pressure, and ultimately have bigger workloads than residential vehicles. For that reason, you should stick to the tips above for prolonging the lifespan of your truck.

However, in the case that you do have a tire blowout or some kind of breakdown, that’s where repair services come in handy. You can contact the experts at Road Rescue, Inc. for mobile truck repair.

No matter what issue you’re facing, we’ll help you get your vehicle back on the road. That way, it can start producing again and you can keep your drivers happy.