Many people are searching for tips on extending turbo diesel engine life expectancy. Or is it turbodiesel engine life expectancy? Whether you prefer “turbo diesel,” “turbodiesel” or even “turbo-diesel,” these vehicles have established a loyal customer base in North America. Follow these sound maintenance practices to extend diesel engine life.

Allow the engine to warm and cool

Hey, some people don’t know this.. Upon startup, allow the engine to warm up before revving it or driving off. This is especially important in cold weather. Hot and cold engine parts expand at different rates, which could cause gaps that lead to leaks or gasket failure. It is equally important to allow the engine to adequately cool down before shutting it off, especially if the vehicle has been under heavy load for a prolonged period of time.

Smoke color

Address any changes in smoke color. White smoke is often a sign of coolant in the combustion chamber or injector malfunction, and blue smoke is usually a sign of oil in the combustion chamber. If your vehicle has exhibited changes in smoke, it’s important to correct the problem quickly before it leads to further damage.

Don’t overheat the engine

Don’t allow the engine to overheat. Maintaining a proper cooling system is vital to the longevity of your vehicle. Follow the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) recommendation on cooling system maintenance. When making engine modifications, be sure to keep track of engine, oil, coolant and exhaust gas temperatures. Diesels are great at staying cool so if it’s overheating the problem may be you.

Fresh Diesel fuel

Engine problems often originate in the fuel tank. Water can find its way into the tank either from the fuel station or through condensation from heating and cooling. It’s important to drain off that water regularly or when the vehicle indicates your fuel/water separator is full. Yeah, a lot of people know that but wait till it’s too late.

Because today’s diesel technology cycles so much fuel back to the tank, and carbon particles can separate from the fuel and collect in the tank and fuel filter, it’s important to use a premium fuel additive like AMSOIL Diesel Injector Clean to minimize these effects. Ensuring you have fresh fuel is also important, so when the temperature drops, you can be confident your vehicle will start.

Diesel Fuel Filters – how many do you have in stock?

Diesel fuel injection systems rely on fuel flow to keep the pump and injectors running at safe operating temperatures. Clogged fuel filters restrict flow, which can lead to damaged pumps and injectors or filter failure. Make sure you follow the OEM recommendation for fuel filter changes.

Air filters – And don’t use those Oil Wetted Gauze

Clogged air filters decrease fuel economy and reduce horsepower. If contaminants are allowed through the filter, catastrophic engine damage can occur in minutes. Regularly check the filter minder (if equipped), or follow the OEM change recommendation. If you frequently drive in dusty conditions, consider changing the air filter more often.

Bypass filters – It’s the smart thing to do

Bypass oil filtration systems feature a secondary filter with the purpose of eliminating nearly all contaminants from the oil. They draw approximately 5 percent of the oil pump’s capacity at any one time and trap the extremely small, wear-causing contaminants that full-flow filters can’t remove. This continual process eventually makes all the oil analytically clean, reduces long-term wear and can extend oil drain intervals. Consider adding an AMSOIL Bypass System to your vehicle.

High-quality lubricants (Real Synthetic)

Turbodiesel vehicles produce a number of challenges for lubricants, and the importance of using premium-quality synthetic diesel oils cannot be overstated.

Turbochargers can spin over 100,000 rpm, creating intense heat and shearing forces that can cause lower-quality lubricants to lose viscosity and their ability to reduce friction, wear and heat, putting critical engine components at risk. Not only that, but turbodiesel vehicles suffer a certain level of fuel dilution, exacerbating viscosity loss and creating an environment more susceptible to engine wear. Lubricants that provide maximum protection and performance under extreme heat and loads are essential to maximizing equipment life and minimizing downtime. And because one of the primary benefits drawing customers to turbodiesels is fuel economy, it is important lubricants also do their part to maximize fuel economy benefits.

In addition, maintaining a clean engine promotes proper engine operation. Turbochargers have small orifices that must stay clean in order to properly lubricate and remove heat from the bearings.

You may have heard “All oil is the same as long as you change it often”. Not true at all!!  The question is how does the oil react to soot, diesel fuel and does it tend to clog your DPF system more quickly?  The oil has to do a LOT more than it used to so most shelf oils are about a “4” on a scale of 1-10, Ten being the best that’s AMSOIL. You can verify this by using it.

AMSOIL Heavy-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil

AMSOIL Heavy-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil gives you the edge to keep trucks and equipment operating at peak performance. It offers outstanding value and provides excellent protection for customers seeking an upgrade over conventional, synthetic-blend or competing synthetic diesel oils. This is the “cheaper” version of the two AMSOIL diesel oils. Yet, even using this, diesel owners state going well past overhaul mileage surprising many old timer mechanics.

• Excellent engine cleanliness and efficiency
• Outstanding acid neutralization for long-term engine protection
• Outstanding protection for OEM-recommended drain intervals
• Available in 10W-30, 5W-40 and 15W-40 viscosities

AMSOIL Signature Series Max-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil

Protect your investment in diesel power and confidently extend drain intervals with Signature Series Max-Duty Synthetic Diesel Oil. Advanced synthetic technology provides excellent viscosity control and outstanding extreme-temperature performance, while minimizing oil consumption. This is the more costly AMSOIL diesel oil but if you calculate fuel savings, longer engine life and it may save your engine when stressing it well past design limits – it’s really cheap insurance. Many who use it become irate with that old timer mechanic who told them all oils are the same. They try AMSOIL and realize all that waste and downtime in the past were just that – a waste!!

• Ultimate engine cleanliness and efficiency
• Outstanding acid neutralization for long-term engine protection
• Top-grade protection for extended drain intervals
• Available in 5W-30, 10W-30, 0W-40, 5W-40 and 15W-40 viscosities

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