Diesel engines provide the power behind most of the rigs you see at the racetrack. Diesels create a superior amount of torque, which is ideal for towing. Photo by John Gibson
Myths and traditions are passed down through each generation, even with car and truck maintenance. That's especially true with diesel trucks because of the seeming complexity of the engines. While these engines can be complex, what was true for diesel engines in the past may not be true with the diesel engines of today.
A myth is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone." Each concept displayed here more than likely stemmed from some realm of truth that has been tweaked over the years to morph into a myth. The following myths are in no particular order of importance, although the last one on the list is by far the greatest.
For much of the information contained in this article, i give credit to banks Power for the tech articles available on the company's Web site. These very informative articles were written by C.J. baker, the original editor of CirCle TraCk magazine, a sister publication to SCR.
Myth No. 1
With A Diesel I Can Go Over 5,000 Miles Before I Change My Oil.
While this may hold some truth, the fact is, if you are pulling a trailer, the truck is working at least twice as hard as it would without towing a trailer. This is especially true if you are hauling over steep grades with a loaded trailer. if this is your only way of conveyance to and from the track, then why even risk it?
it is wiser to change the oil and filter every 3,000 miles. This will give you time to check all the other fluid levels as well. Doing this will save you some pain in the wallet in the long term. if you stay up on your oil changes, the truck's engine will be in better running condition when it has 100,000 miles on it.
Myth No. 2
I Don't Need To Pay Attention To My EGT.
First, let's define EgT, which stands for exhaust gas temperature. An aftermarket gauge is required to measure it, even with the newest vehicles. so why do you need to pay attention to the EgT if the manufacture isn't concerned enough to put the gauge on the truck's dashboard? Most manufactures won't install them for fear of the pyrometer breaking and being sucked into the turbo. but if you use a stainless steel pyrometer, you more or less don't have to worry about this situation.
According to C.J. baker: "Aside from running a diesel without oil, or filling the fuel tank with gasoline instead of diesel fuel, few things will damage or kill a diesel engine faster than excessive exhaust gas temperature...EgT is an indication of how hot the combustion process is in the cylinders, and the amount of 'afterburning' that is occurring in the exhaust manifold. EgT is also directly related to the air/fuel ratio. The richer the air/fuel ratio in a diesel, the higher the EgT will be."
The modern diesel engine can be very complex, but proper maintenance leads to a durable power source. Photo by John Gibson
So choosing to ignore these temperatures is unacceptable. The gauge will offer a glimpse of what is happening inside the engine while it's happening. so at what temperature should a diesel truck operate? A safe operating temperature is anywhere between 1,000-1,300 degrees. Anything over 1,400 degrees spells disaster.
Myth No. 3
Diesels Are Strictly For Towing Because Of The High Torque And Low Horsepower.
While there is some truth to this statement, more and more manufacturers are switching over to a diesel burning engine even for passenger vehicles. Audi was apparently one of the first to actually run diesel under racing conditions with decent results. Banks Power actually has a diesel truck that will run a mid-seven-second quarter mile at over 180 mph. The turbo diesels do create a great amount of low-end torque, and this is why they are perfect for towing conditions. but it is not their only use. We have already seen manufacturers reach out to different fuels other than the typical gasoline in efforts to find a reliable and affordable fuel source, and one of these might be diesel.