Diesel engine repairs can be expensive, whether you’re driving a big rig, an RV or some other type of vehicle. Avoiding those repairs helps you save a chunk of change, but how do you do that? While it’s not possible to completely avoid the need for Calgary diesel repair professionals, there’s a lot that you can do to mitigate your risk.
Basic Maintenance With Calgary Diesel Repair Professionals
Like gasoline engines, diesel engines need regular maintenance in order to keep operating at peak efficiency. As maintenance declines, efficiency does as well. Over time, this not only compromises performance, but leads to serious damage. In a worst-case scenario, you might be looking at engine replacement. Make sure that your engine is serviced regularly, and know your service schedule. What’s even more important is to know when your service schedule is off – heavy use over a prolonged period of time trumps mileage when it comes to service.
Basic maintenance can often be done on your own, although a professional can do it faster, and for often about the same cost as what you’d pay doing it on your own. Generally, it includes services like:
- Oil change
- Oil filter change
- Checking the air filter
- Checking belts and hoses
- Checking the charging system (generator/alternator, starter and battery)
- Full vehicle inspection for problem areas
You’ll also do well to replace other components subject to wear and tear on a regular basis with Calgary diesel repair professionals. Your air filter is one of the most important. It does the same job on a diesel engine as on a gasoline engine. Namely, it prevents dirt, dust and debris from entering the engine through the air intake. It should be changed as often as necessary, and the frequency is determined by the number of miles driven, as well as the areas in which the truck is operated (high air pollution zones, for instance).
Your fuel filter is another essential element here. Once it becomes clogged with debris from the tank, it must be replaced or the flow of diesel to the engine will diminish and eventually stop entirely. Glow plugs are another important consideration (they should be changed on a mileage/use basis).
These are just a few of the many steps responsible owners should take to avoid more serious repairs from Calgary diesel repair professionals. Again, it’s often worth your time to let a pro handle maintenance, though.