Common Winter Issues with Your Diesel Engine, and How To Prepare for Them

The benefits of having a fleet of diesel trucks are innumerable. In addition to getting much better gas mileage, diesel trucks tend to last longer if they’re properly maintained. Winter is hard on all vehicles, but it can be especially rough on diesel trucks. Keep reading to learn more about winter problems and what the team at United Diesel Power can do for fleet maintenance in Memphis, TN.

Common problems

• Gelling: Diesel fuel isn’t like other types of fuel. At about 15 degrees, the hydrocarbons in diesel fuel will start to freeze and bind together. This process is called gelling, and it’s a big problem for diesel engines. Once fuel has gelled, it clogs up the fuel system, which impedes fuel flow. You can combat this problem by blending your fuels or using a diesel fuel with additives that prevent gelling.
• Leaking: Regardless of the fluid, it can start to leak from your vehicle over a period of time. This doesn’t just happen with diesel engines. Any type of car or truck leaks now and then. You’ll want to have those repaired sooner rather than later. Repairing leaks in freezing temperatures takes longer than usual because cleaning the affected area is more difficult. Bring your car in for leak repairs as soon as you can!
• Battery issues: Truck batteries don’t last forever as it is, but the winter tends to take a bigger toll on them. Your battery has to work harder in the winter to keep your truck warm and functioning, which zaps its power. You can work to prevent battery drainage by having your battery and electrical wiring checked each fall before temperatures start to drop.

Solutions

• Fluid transfusion: As mentioned above, cold temperatures can cause your fuel system to clog. Freezing temperatures can also affect your motor oil and other fluids. Since that’s the case, we recommend having all of your vehicle’s fluids transitioned to synthetics for the winter months. Synthetic oils and truck fluids work better in freezing temperatures, so you won’t have to worry about freezing fluids this winter.
• Replace your battery: In addition to having your battery and wiring checked before winter fully hits, you may want to consider just buying a new one. Even though a new truck battery may set you back a few hundred dollars, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
• Store your truck inside: You can avoid tons of problems this winter by keeping your fleet inside rather than outside in the elements. Cold winter winds can’t harm your trucks if they’re in the garage.

Other ways to prepare for winter

• Hydraulic checks: Cold air and poor weather conditions can cause the fluid in hydraulic systems to stop working. Don’t hesitate to give United Diesel Power a call if your hydraulics are failing! Our crewmembers work swiftly to repair any hydraulic issues to ensure your truck isn’t out of commission for too long.
• Buy new tires: Snow tires on diesel trucks are quite common, and for good reason. Snow tires work much better than regular tires on roads that haven’t been plowed yet. Talk to your mechanic about which snow tires are best for your truck.

You’re busy and probably don’t have time to get all of your trucks ready for winter by yourself. That’s why United Diesel Power is here! We have decades of experience with fleet maintenance in Memphis, TN. Regardless of the size of your fleet, you can trust our professionals to have your trucks ready to get through the winter.

Categorised in: Fleet Maintenance

This post was written by Writer