FordExcursions.com Forums
Texas4x4
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• Tyler, TX, USA |
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• Registered on 7/25/2003 |
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• 289 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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 Posted:1/15/2004 14:56 |
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... to drive a diesel a short distance, thus disallowing it to warm up all the way? Is it bad? I have a friend who is thinking about buying a new truck but only drives 10 miles to get to work. That's about how far I drove to work and my diesel wasn't warm by the time I got there - especially on cold days. I told him he doesn't really need a diesel but there are those attempting to tell him otherwise.
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Kevin Curry
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Don Murray
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• Bridgewater, NJ, USA |
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• Registered on 1/5/2004 |
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• 128 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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 Posted:1/16/2004 07:30 |
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It dose not matter if it is gas or diesel. Vehicles need to get to operating temp to burn off impurities in the engine. Short trips under 10 minutes are not down right damaging in the short term but will require a more frequent oil change, diesel or gas.
I recommend to use a high quality synthetic motor oil where the impurities don't have a damaging effect and break down the viscosity of a standard oil. If a diesel, get that truck a 203 degree thermostat so when the truck does get hot it is hot enough to burn off the impurities better.
I use a "bypass" filter by Amzoil that filters the oil so clean (-5 micron) I can travel 20,000 between oil changes. I however travel 60 miles to and from work so my truck gets hot.
Don
aKa The TRACTOR
Smokem' if you can!!!! |
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monsta
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• The Big Island, HI, USA |
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• Registered on 1/5/2002 |
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• 1,056 posts |
• 2 Vehicles
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Posted:1/17/2004 14:15 |
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| Quote: | It dose not matter if it is gas or diesel. Vehicles need to get to operating temp to burn off impurities in the engine. Short trips under 10 minutes are not down right damaging in the short term but will require a more frequent oil change, diesel or gas.
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It kinda does matter if it is a gas or diesel. Although both suffer from the oil not reaching operating temps, the diesel suffers more.
When you shut down your engine, everything starts to cool. This causes condensation to form inside the engine. The water and the blowby and other nasty products from the combustion process mix to form basically ACID in the oil. This acid etches the cylinder walls and other engine parts.
Cool thing about engines is that this stuff can be "burnt off", if you will, when the oil reaches operating temps. Problem with diesels in this regard is that they have 13-15 quarts of oil that needs to get hot versus 5-6 in a gas engine.
Now, although true that most synthetic oils will absorb and neutralize acid better than conventional oils, they still don't like water mixed with them. Plus, the excessive acid built up by short hops require more frequent changes (as stated above) that no amount filtering will not solve.
Driving a diesel short distances really defeats the purpose of owning one. Although they have improved over decades, they are [i]still[/i] meant to get turned on, get hot and run a long time! (like a woman) 
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