Damage from not driving?
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Damage from not driving?
I have a 2000 X 7.3 diesel with under 100,000 miles. I drive it about 10,000 miles a year, all towing. However it does get used everyday driving a student to the bus, a distance of about 10 blocks. There is an engine block heater which I use all winter but the engine never warms up on the ten block run. I do service the engine twice a year, every six months. What damage am I doing and what can I do to prevent any damage?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Fraser Valley
driving for only ten blocks and not warming up can be very bad. when the engine is cold the rings and parts havent expanded and sealed properly, combined with using more fuel to warm itself up you get excess fuel washing down your cylinder walls. this can be bad for things like your rings, cylinder walls and bearings if your oil gets too much fuel dilution. i would recommend using a gas engine for that duty or continue to drive the excursion until you are at full operating temperature before returning home. once at temp give a few heavier throttle accelerations just to work it a little bit.
you could always do an oil sample as well just to see if you are causing too much fuel dilution which is a cheap test that warns you of many potential issues.
i dont know the situation with the student but if that was me, i would be walking! i used to bike 20km each way to get to school
you could always do an oil sample as well just to see if you are causing too much fuel dilution which is a cheap test that warns you of many potential issues.
i dont know the situation with the student but if that was me, i would be walking! i used to bike 20km each way to get to school
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: chicago northwest suburbs
I am in a similar situation. my 02 has 79k miles. it gets driven to and from work 3 miles round trip! I do take it on some weekends to heat up the engine a bit. I put approx. 2k miles on it in 6 months over the winter Oct.-Mar. and around 5k in the summer. with the diesel it is even worse, because a diesel doesn`t get nearly as hot on a short drive. I would take it on a drive once in a while just to get some heat in the engine.
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[QUOTE=
i dont know the situation with the student but if that was me, i would be walking! i used to bike 20km each way to get to school[/QUOTE]
I do agree with you that a healthy 18 year old can and should walk and we have had students who did walk or ride a bike. Our city has bike racks on every bus so the bike rides along on the front of the bus. We host international students and our present student comes from a middle eastern desert. This winter has been brutal with daily sub-zero temps and piles of snow which has not melted since November. I am a bike rider and generally ride all winter long but have not been able to get out once this winter.
i dont know the situation with the student but if that was me, i would be walking! i used to bike 20km each way to get to school
[/QUOTE]I do agree with you that a healthy 18 year old can and should walk and we have had students who did walk or ride a bike. Our city has bike racks on every bus so the bike rides along on the front of the bus. We host international students and our present student comes from a middle eastern desert. This winter has been brutal with daily sub-zero temps and piles of snow which has not melted since November. I am a bike rider and generally ride all winter long but have not been able to get out once this winter.
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Curts05
Great idea, so simple and yet so good for my situation. How did you make yours? With the amount of snow we have and then the salt water which splashes on the truck it would have to be strong enough to withstand those elements.
Great idea, so simple and yet so good for my situation. How did you make yours? With the amount of snow we have and then the salt water which splashes on the truck it would have to be strong enough to withstand those elements.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Mt. Shasta California
Your main problem is getting condensation which turns to sludge. In your case change your oil earlier and get out there and drive it hard down the freeway for a few miles once a week.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Plover, WI
DO NOT drive it HARD down the interstate like mentioned earlier. Simply taking a decent drive will warm it up good at highway speeds. I suggest synthetic oil. And possibly a 203° thermostat, to help it run warmer and more efficient.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Mt. Shasta California
Do drive it hard like I mentioned (get up to speed limit at least) but no need to beat it. Don't get an overly hot thermostat to compensate like mentioned above.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Mt. Shasta California
No need for synth oil especially since you should change it more often.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2006
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1) use the engine heater
2) Use Rotella synthetic
3) Once a week someone else drive it
My 2000 7.3 doesn't get driven but about twice a week but each time it is driven about 30 miles or more. I use the Rotella synthetic. Mine ALWAYS gets warmed up.
You are asking for carbon build, sludge and other bad things not to mention water in the separator and fuel alga
2) Use Rotella synthetic
3) Once a week someone else drive it
My 2000 7.3 doesn't get driven but about twice a week but each time it is driven about 30 miles or more. I use the Rotella synthetic. Mine ALWAYS gets warmed up.
You are asking for carbon build, sludge and other bad things not to mention water in the separator and fuel alga
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Plover, WI
Its been proven for over a decade that the 7.3 runs more efficient with the hotter thermostat, but I guess getting an engine hot to avoid fuel dilution doesn't mean anything. Also, synthetic helps fight against sludge and breakdown when the engine doesn't reach operating temperature and has condensation present most of the time.
For longevity sake, make it more efficient as well. It's easier on the engine in every way.
For longevity sake, make it more efficient as well. It's easier on the engine in every way.