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Originally Posted On: https://a1fleetservice.com/how-to-maintain-your-diesel-truck-for-peak-performance-and-maximum-profits/

How to Maintain Your Diesel Truck for Peak Performance and Maximum Profits

Downtime is never ideal, and it can cost businesses tens of thousands of dollars per hour. If you rely on a truck fleet, it’s vital to make sure it’s fully operational at all times.

While repair and maintenance work comes at a cost, it will allow you to continue operating efficiently while keeping issues to a minimum. Continuous operation is vital if you want to achieve your business goals and maximize your profits.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at how you can keep your diesel trucks running with professional fleet repair in Houston. Keep reading for more.

Is Diesel Engine Maintenance Different?

When it comes to vehicle maintenance, there’s a lot of overlap between different types. Much of what’s needed for diesel fleet maintenance also applies to general fleet maintenance. There are, however, some problems and considerations specific to diesel trucks.

It’s essential to stay on top of things if you want to increase diesel truck lifespan and prevent major issues. Handling things the right way can have a huge impact on operational efficiency allowing you to maximize trucking profits.

Common Issues With Diesel Engines

There are plenty of common issues that apply to almost all vehicles. If you have a diesel fleet, there are some key problems that you need to keep an eye out for.

Diesel Fuel Contamination

This can happen if additional materials get into the fuel inside a truck. It’s often caused by microorganisms and rust in water and sediment. These can lead to a wide range of contaminants getting into a fuel tank.

This can cause permanent damage to the fuel tank, and other systems, so avoiding it is crucial. It can also impact the overall efficiency and performance of a vehicle.

Oil Oxidation

Oil oxidation can occur if too much oxygen mixes with the engine oil. It changes the consistency of the oil which can put increased strain on the engine. This can cause lasting damage and make the vehicle less efficient.

Battery Problems

A faulty battery can bring a truck to a complete halt, and these issues can occur quite suddenly. Corroded connections can stop a battery from working properly, so it’s best to catch such issues as early as possible.

Damaged Glow Plug

Glow plugs ensure good fuel efficiency, so when they’re damaged, fuel usage can increase significantly. This will result in higher fuel costs and a greater environmental impact, both of which are never good. Damaged glow plugs can also be identified by black smoke coming from the vehicle or weak acceleration.

Low Power

Low power in a diesel engine can occur for various reasons such as dirty spark plugs, a clogged fuel filter, or low compression. Each of these causes should be dealt with in different ways, so you’ll want to hire a professional diesel fleet mechanic to tend to the issue.

Engine Overheating

Smoke or steam coming from the engine is a sign of overheating. A high temperature gauge is also a common sign of this. It usually happens if there’s insufficient airflow, a coolant leak, or a malfunctioning water pump.

Black Engine Exhaust

Black smoke coming from the exhaust is a clear sign that something is wrong. This might happen if there are combustion issues, a clogged air filter, or engine strain. An experienced mechanic will be able to address the issue.

Diesel Truck Care Tips

The better you look after your vehicles, the less likely any of the above issues will be. These diesel truck maintenance tips can help you avoid costly problems.

Keep the Engine Clean

This is one of the most important things you can do to keep your diesel fleet operational. Regular engine cleaning will help prevent a range of potential problems from occurring.

Schedule Regular Radiator Maintenance

Similarly to the engine, the radiator should be properly maintained. Regular maintenance will maximize the lifespan of a truck and help keep it fuel-efficient.

Prioritize Timely Oil Changes

Oil degrades and becomes contaminated with time. This will impact engine lubrication and damage engine performance. Routine oil changes are vital to maintain efficiency and prevent serious harm to an engine.

Change Air and Fuel Filters

People often underestimate how important it is to change filters, but it’s something that needs to be done. Filters protect engines from various contaminants like pollen, dust, dirt, and other harmful debris. When filters become clogged, they’ll be less effective and this will have an impact on performance.

If an engine runs for a long time with poor filtration, it can cause lasting damage. You should regularly replace air and fuel filters to avoid this.

Your Fleet Repair Schedule

It cannot be understated how important it is to have a fleet repair schedule. A clear plan of all routine maintenance will help ensure your fleet is always operational and in a good state. Routine maintenance will highlight small issues before they grow, helping to keep repair costs down.

It’s a good idea to create an inventory list of all of your vehicles with important details like make, model, age, and mileage. You can then establish a schedule that’s spread throughout the year. This will ensure you don’t have to take too many trucks off of the road at one time for maintenance work.

You can optimize your routine maintenance schedule over time. Tracking all repair work will help you spot any patterns or recurring issues. You can then determine what’s causing these, and take action to prevent the same thing from happening in the future.

On top of this, you should have driver inspection checklists. If your drivers perform inspections before and after every trip, they may be able to spot small issues so you can deal with them sooner rather than later.

Professional Fleet Repair in Houston

Your diesel trucks are vital for your business, so you need to make sure you maintain them properly. Routine maintenance is vital, and you should always deal with problems as soon as possible after noticing them.

A1 Fleet Service provides premium diesel service, routine maintenance, and mobile fleet repair. We have over 23 years of experience and have repaired more than 9,000 diesel engines. Get in touch today to find out more about our fleet repair in Houston.