Some people feel like driving a commercial truck puts them in a special club. They might immediately feel a kinship to someone if they find they drive a truck too. It instantly gives them something to talk about if a new neighbor moves in or if they meet a fellow truck driver at a party.
If you drive a commercial truck, then you will certainly want to keep it in the best condition possible. That involves a long checklist of maintenance tasks. However, keeping the engine running smoothly probably belongs at the top of the list of things that you always want to do.
You should definitely have a source for commercial truck parts that match the kind of vehicle you drive. Other than that, you can keep the following truck engine maintenance essentials in mind.
Doing these things should keep the engine running smoothly so you don’t break down on a deserted stretch of highway somewhere while you’re in the middle of making a run.
Drive Responsibly
This tip reflects your behavior as a driver more than it does actively maintaining your truck’s engine. However, the two things are still directly connected.
You need to drive responsibly so that all the maintenance you do for your truck is not in vain. Even if you take great care of it when it’s in the garage, if you drive it roughly, then all that good work will be quickly undone.
For instance, you should avoid excessive idling. It wears out the various components of your truck’s engine. You should also not drive aggressively. Shifting gears in a fashion that is less than smooth will cause engine problems as well.
If you carry a load that is too heavy for the size truck you have, that can also strain the engine. Every part of your engine will have a reduced lifespan if you do the activities we’ve mentioned. Costly repairs will then be necessary, and you don’t want that, whether you own your truck or the company that you work for does.
Service the Truck Regularly
You should keep your truck’s engine in top-notch condition by having a set maintenance routine. There is a certain length of time or number of miles that you can let elapse before you check on each part of it, not just the engine.
Change your timing belt, air filter, and spark plugs regularly. If you’re not sure about the frequency of when you should do those things, consult the truck’s manual. If someone else does that for you, make sure they have not neglected any of these parts.
If you don’t switch out these components regularly, that can damage your engine. If you want to do the maintenance yourself, but you don’t know how, watch some helpful YouTube videos on these subjects.
You can also watch the mechanic who works on your truck if they will let you. By doing so, you should be able to learn how to handle these tasks yourself. Then, you can switch over to trying it on your own once you feel sufficiently comfortable.
Keep Your Engine as Clean as You Can
Keeping a commercial truck’s engine clean is vital. You can do that by keeping all the dirt, oil, grease, and grime off of it.
You can wipe down the engine after every long haul. If you neglect this, then your engine parts will wear out a lot quicker. You might even have a breakdown at an inconvenient time.
Make sure your engine has cooled down before you clean it, since you don’t want to burn yourself. Use a clean towel to cover the sensitive parts, such as the alternator and the distributor. You can also use a plastic bag if you do not have a towel handy.
A degreaser can break down any built-on grime. You can purchase them pretty cheaply on Amazon or at certain brick-and-mortar auto parts stores.
You can also use a high-pressure washer, assuming you have securely covered the more delicate parts. You should then let the engine dry off completely before you try to start it again.
Check Your Fluid Levels Before You Get Out on the Road
You should look at the truck’s manual to see where each of your fluid levels should be. These include your brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, and your coolant as well.
If you have low levels, then top them off. You should have all the fluids we mentioned standing by in your garage, or the garage of the company you work for, if you happen to not own the truck you use for long-hauling.
The manual will tell you where the fluid levels should be, but again, if you have never done this before, talk to a mechanic or watch some videos. Doing so should reveal the technique to use, though replacing any of these fluids in their reservoirs should not be too difficult for someone who is at least a little truck-savvy.
Change Your Truck’s Oil Regularly
Finally, be sure that you are changing your truck’s oil regularly to keep the engine operating at peak efficiency. The oil in your engine lubes all of the most crucial parts. The oil also helps to deflect the damage that dirt and debris would otherwise cause.
Depending on what kind of truck you have, you will probably want to change the oil every 3,000-5,000 miles, give or take. The kind of oil that is available now does not have to be changed as frequently as older varieties, which is good news for all avid truck drivers.
You will also want to use only the highest quality of oil and filters to get the best results. Protecting your engine is not the sort of thing that you ever want to skimp on.
If you do all of these things, then you should get plenty of use out of your truck’s engine. You can feel confident you are protecting your truck in all of the recommended ways.
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