Drivers

I have a few questions about Diesel Theory

I have heard that a Diesel Engine likes to work, it is even hard on it to drive empty?

I have heard to Idle all you can, you burn more fuel starting it than Idling for 15 minutes?

A Diesel will last almost forever, take care of it and be nice to it and it will last a long time, I had 178,000 miles on my GAS pickup before this one and it is stil going strong, I hope I get atleast that.

The big "C" issue, if I use regular GAS engine antifreeze, then my engine will not last past 200,000 miles?

http://www.fleetguard.com/fleet/en/p...g_cool_sca.jsp

Any help would be greatly appreciated
Clint

 

I have heard that a Diesel Engine likes to work, it is even hard on it to drive empty?-

- false these motors get worked one way or the other. my pickup wieghted 6500lb alone pushing it up to 70mph gives it a little bit of a work out. just don't let it lug if your driving a stick that would be bad for it.

I have heard to Idle all you can, you burn more fuel starting it than Idling for 15 minutes?

- true if it cold enough that may be pushed to an hour or more(reason being you should alway let it warm up before working it)

A Diesel will last almost forever, take care of it and be nice to it and it will last a long time, I had 178,000 miles on my GAS pickup before this one and it is stil going strong, I hope I get atleast that.

-well this is hard to say but general yes, true

The big "C" issue, if I use regular GAS engine antifreeze, then my engine will not last past 200,000 miles?

-true unless you add ethier sca or dca to the antifreeze (although putting 200,000 miles as the point of no return is very hard to say many varibables. mine didn't cavitate it just cracked but it could have been helped along by cavitation (157,000 miles).

good luck
Brandon M.

 

Allowing a diesel to idle can be as hard on the engine as a cold start. At low idle, what little oil is getting to the cylinder walls is being washed away by the fuel. If you are planning on idling for extended periods of time, wire a switch that will energize the fast idle solenoid (with a diode to keep the timing advance from working).

As for the coolant issue. As Brandon said, coolant additives are very important. But there is no difference between gas and diesel antifreeze. As long as you use quality coolant (no extended life, IMO), and keep the additive up to date, you should have very few problems.

Jason

 

Thanks so much for the Info.

I plan on keeping my pickup till it just falls apart.

Clint