Diesel Engines

As the snow is finally gone and the temperatures get warmer, it’s important to perform some regular maintenance on your diesel vehicle. Winter can be incredibly hard on vehicles, so it’s best to ensure that your vehicle is in great road condition while it’s easier to perform maintenance yourself. Here are DFC Diesel’s top tips for spring maintenance for your diesel. 

Why is Diesel Spring Maintenance Important?

All vehicles, no matter their fuel source, require regular maintenance. A diesel engine requires regular maintenance because it has such high pressure requirements for combustion. Just like it’s important to winterize your vehicle, it’s also important to get your diesel ready to thrive in the spring and warmer months. Winter is harsh, so you want to ensure that all the elements of your diesel that could have been impacted by the extreme cold is checked and maintained. Maintenance is one of the primary ways to ensure your diesel engine lasts longer than a warranty. Many service manuals recommend the bare-bones maintenance approach, but putting some extra love into your diesel and increasing the frequency of maintenance will ensure your vehicle lasts longer and works better. 

What Kind of Damage Can Winter Cause for Diesel Vehicles?

Winter is harsh for every vehicle. The extreme cold during the dead of winter, the harsh chemicals used to remove ice, as well as the freeze-thaw period can all cause issues for your diesel. Here are a few key kinds of damage that winter can cause (and that you need to check in the spring!):

Battery Power Lost

Winter can sap the energy out of your battery, causing it to fail even as the temperatures warm. Once a battery dies, it’ll never be the same. If you found yourself jumping your vehicle on the regular, you may have a battery on its deathbed. 

Cracks in Rubber and Plastic

The extreme cold can damage the rubber and plastic throughout your entire vehicle. This means that the hoses that hold fluid, fuel lines, seals around your doors, and other pieces of plastic in your exterior could become damaged during the winter. 

Rust and Corrosion

The sand and salt on the roads can cause some major issues with your vehicle. Small rocks in the sand can hit something the wrong way and cause damage to your windshield and vehicle body, salt can corrode the metal and paint on your vehicle, and the salt and sand can also get into your vehicle’s brakes and exposed undercarriage. 

Fluid Issues

The wintertime is not kind to the fluids in your vehicle. Brake fluid, engine oil, coolants, transmission fluid, power steering, differential fluid, hydraulic clutch fluid, and window washer fluids are all vehicle fluids that could encounter issues from freezing temperatures during the winter. 

What Needs to Be Tuned Up for Spring

The springtime is when you can finally stand outside and tune up your vehicle. Here is a list of things you will want to replace/maintain or at least check every spring.

1. All fluids in your vehicle. It’s a good idea to replace all the fluids (brake fluid, engine oil, engine coolants, transmission fluid, power steering, front and rear view differential fluid, hydraulic clutch fluid, and window washer fluid) every spring. 
2. Replace your filters. Filters are meant to be replaced, replacing your air filter and fuel filter every spring is a wise choice. 
3. Brakes and brake pads. You may not need to replace them, but it’s wise to ensure your brakes are clean and in good working order every spring after a harsh winter. 
4. Tires. When you change over your winter tires, make sure that your summer tires have an even treat and are good for another season of driving. 
5. Cooling system. For a diesel engine, the cooling system is one of the most important things to check before it gets too hot out. Ensure your vehicles cooling system is functioning properly to avoid the diesel overheating (which can cause major issues). 

Tips for Diesel Spring Maintenance:

• It is far better to change your vehicle’s oil based on the mileage and way you drive compared to what the dash says.
• It’s better to change clean engine oil than dirty. If your engine oil is dirty, it’s already causing damage. 
• It’s best to service your vehicle more often than recommended by the service manuals, this will help you get the most out of your diesel. 
• Regularly check your fluid levels.
• Regularly replace all your filters. 

DFC Diesel is home to Edmonton’s number one diesel engine experts. Our team is highly trained and specialized and can provide insight to all your diesel needs. If you need diesel parts, a new diesel engine, or you simply have a question about diesel engines, contact us!

Proper maintenance of your diesel engine can greatly prolong the life of your vehicle. You may ask yourself, what is the best diesel engine oil? Not all motor oils are equal, and choosing the best motor oil for diesel engines can help your diesel engine last longer, as well as have the oil itself last longer, helping you avoid endless oil changes.

The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to use synthetic or traditional oil. Traditional oil is made from natural mineral oil and often has some impurities. Synthetic oil is a manufactured product that replicates natural oil, yet has no impurities, is more consistent, and often has additives to improve performance and longevity. Synthetic oil is more expensive than natural oil, which is its only downside. If you want the best motor oil for your diesel engine, synthetic is always the best choice for the health and safety of your engine. 

You will also always want to ensure you use the best diesel oil that is made for diesel engines. Motor oil for diesel engine have different additives that are meant to improve the longevity and performance of diesel engines, and oil for diesel engines also has a higher viscosity. 

Best Diesel Motor Oils

Mobil

Mobil 1 5W-40 Turbo Diesel Truck Motor Oil or Mobil Super 96819 15W-40 Delvac 1300 Motor Oil

Mobil’s brand of diesel-specific synthetic motor oils are some of the best available, plus they’re easy to find. Mobil motor oil deals really well in low temperatures, making it an ideal choice for Albertans. Mobil motor oil protects, lubricates, and boosts engine performance, and it also serves to prevent leaks. Mobil oil is a great way to boost performance while increasing longevity. You also don’t need to worry about changing your oil as often, as the fully synthetic formula blocks buildup that could harm your engine. Mobil diesel-specific motor oil is a fantastic choice for all diesel engines, the only downside is that you can only buy Mobil in gallons, making it a little more difficult to measure out as you’re changing your oil.

Royal Purple

Royal Purple 04154 API-Licensed SAE 15W-40 High-Performance Synthetic Motor Oil

Royal Purple combines proprietary additives with premium base oils, creating a highly effective and protective oil. Royal Purple gives users enhanced performance capabilities while also working to optimize fuel efficiency, making it a great choice for daily drivers. Royal Purple motor oil is also very easy on a diesel engine’s system, making it a great choice for rebuilt engines, brand new engines, or engines with high mileage. This oil contains additives that prevent metal to metal friction as well as helping clean and flush out any sludgy buildup. The only disadvantage of Royal Purple is that the gallon-sized bottles may run a little low, and there’s no markings on the container, so you have to be careful as you’re filling up with oil.

Shell

Shell Rotella T4 Triple Protection Conventional 15W-40 Diesel Engine Oil

Shell’s diesel motor oil is a great choice for both new and older diesel engines as it exceeds API CJ-4 requirements. Shell’s motor oil provides fantastic performance and has enhanced viscosity control. Because of this, Shell’s diesel oil is great no matter what the external temperature is, since the viscosity doesn’t change much — making it a fantastic choice for us living in the North. The oil also has some improvised wear performance, so it provides a lot of extra protection from engine wear and tear. The oil is built to protect you from any sludge or buildup that may occur, as well as provide some enhanced performance capabilities when you need to push your engine a little harder. Only known disadvantages are that some purchasers have stated their bottles have leaked or that the oil stinks when it burns.

Why You Should Use Synthetic Engine Oil?

If you’re looking for the best oil for your diesel engine, you can’t go wrong with synthetic oil. Synthetic oil is designed to withstand extreme temperatures and conditions, making it ideal for use in diesel engines. It also provides superior protection against wear and tear, helping to extend the life of your engine.

When it comes to choosing the best synthetic oil for your diesel engine, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, consider the weight of the oil. Heavier oils tend to be better at protecting against wear and tear, while lighter oils may offer better fuel economy.

Second, consider the climate where you’ll be using your engine. If you live in a cold climate, you’ll want an oil that won’t thicken and cause engine problems in the cold weather. Conversely, if you live in a hot climate, you’ll want an oil that won’t break down and cause engine problems in the heat.

No matter what your needs, there’s a synthetic oil out there that’s perfect for your diesel engine. With so many options on the market, it’s easy to find the best oil for your needs. So don’t wait any longer, switch to synthetic oil today and enjoy the benefits of improved performance and extended engine life.

Always do your research when deciding on new engine oil that is optimal for your diesel. If you have any questions, be sure to talk to one of our expert technicians, they’d be happy to help!

DFC Diesel is Edmonton’s premium diesel engine rebuilder. We have the highest standards of quality control and offer the best warranty available, all in-house. We have an unrelenting pursuit of offering the highest quality products and have grown to be Canada’s largest diesel remanufacturing facility. If you want a great product with a great warranty, contact us today!

What is a Rebuilt Engine?

A rebuilt engine is an engine that is taken out of a vehicle, taken apart, and put back together. The engine is carefully disassembled where each part is meticulously cleaned, necessary parts of the engine are replaced, and the engine is reassembled with everything in better order than previously. Every part of the engine is inspected, and any part that does not meet the required standards is replaced. All parts of the engine that do meet the specifications are reused to reduce the environmental and economic impact of the work being done to your engine. 

Pros

• Extends the life of your engine, and in turn, vehicle, for a fraction of the cost of replacing your car
• All critical components have been replaced, and the replaced parts meet or exceed the standards of the previous engine parts

Cons

• Being a mix of old and new parts, some older parts could shorten the life expectancy of the vehicle
• The parts are inspected but not held to the same blueprint standards of remanufacturing
• Some of the used parts could have imperceivable wear (heat stress or microcracks) and cause the engine to fail

What is a Remanufactured Engine?

A remanufactured engine is a more extensive machining job than rebuilding, because the engine is pulled out of the vehicle and returned to factory conditions and blueprint specifics.

Everything that has any potential wear is replaced to bring the engine back to its original standards. Anything that isn’t replaced is remanufactured to the standards of a new part. The mechanical tolerances are restored by re-machining or installing the necessary inserts to restore the unit to its original mechanical tolerances.

Remanufactured engines meet the standards for OEM tolerances, durability, and quality. New pistons, connecting rods, rings, bearings, camshafts, lifters, and oil pump are installed. Essentially, the only part from the original engine that is used is the block — if the block is in rebuildable condition.

Pros

• Replaces the old parts of the engine extensively, from the seals, to the gaskets, to the pistons so the engine is fully replaced 
• Extends the life of an engine, longer than a rebuild
• Often has a warranty that is much longer than a rebuilt engine
• More environmentally friendly that replacing your vehicle, reducing the non-renewable resources needed to manufacture new vehicles

Cons

• Because the process is very exhaustive, remanufacturing can be more expensive
• Can take a longer time to remanufacture the engine completely when compared to other options

What is a Refurbished Engine?

A refurbished engine figures out which part of the engine is a problem, and only replaces the failed parts.

Refurbishing the engine doesn’t look at general wear and tear, but it fixes what has clearly caused the engine to fail. The engine is not taken apart completely, nor is it cleaned and inspected entirely. The engine is only taken apart to replace what is necessary to get the engine running again, rather than increase overall longevity and efficiency.

Refurbishing is the easiest and quickest way to get your vehicle running again, but it also only addresses immediate problems, potentially leading to issues in the future.

Pros

• Because the engine does not need to be completely taken apart and cleaned, it is the most economical choice
• The process is faster than rebuilding or remanufacturing
• Does not risk part failure through the rebuilding process, as nothing is prematurely taken apart

Cons

• The lifespan of your engine is not extended beyond that of fixing a single issue, as no other aspects of the internal engine are inspected.
• The debris and grime that accumulates over time is not cleared away
• The usual wear and tear that comes from regular driving isn’t updated or replaced
• Does not (usually) come with a warranty
• Refurbishing is more of a quick-fix than a long term solution like rebuilding or remanufacturing

There are many items to consider when deciding how you should deal with issues and usual wear and tear associated with your engine.

The time it takes your engine to get back up and running is a consideration if you don’t have any other mode of transportation, cost is always something you need to be aware of, and you want to talk to your mechanic to see what the best option is to keep your vehicle working as well as possible.

Some engines can handle more work than others, and certain brands are more susceptible to rebuilding or remanufacturing. As such, always talk to a professional when it comes to your vehicle’s engine.

DFC Diesel has proudly earned the title of Canada’s largest diesel remanufacturing facility, with standards of excellence unmet by others. Learn about the DFC Diesel difference today.

Considering a remanufactured engine? We’d love to talk.

DFC engraves every engine we remanufacture. Watch the block etching process here:

For more information call us at 1-877-836-8341 now.