The engine is like the heart of a car, its importance is self-evident. Construction vehicles, mainly used in construction sites, often operate in harsh environments with heavy loads. What happens when the engine overheats?
There are generally two reasons for diesel engine overheating: first, an inadequate cooling system; second, a malfunction in the engine itself. So how do you determine the problem? Truck drivers can start troubleshooting from the following points.
1.Check the coolant
The most common cause of excessively high operating temperatures in diesel engines is insufficient coolant. When a diesel engine is running, it generates a significant amount of unused heat, which accumulates on the engine components. If the coolant is insufficient, even if everything else is functioning normally, the cooling effect will be inadequate.
2.Check the thermostat
Under normal circumstances, the thermostat valve gradually opens as the diesel engine temperature rises between 78-88 degrees Celsius, allowing more and more coolant to participate in the engine’s main cooling cycle. Thermostat malfunctions mainly include the main valve not opening fully or getting stuck between the main and auxiliary circulation loops, aging, and poor sealing causing leakage from the expansion element. These malfunctions can all lead to poor coolant circulation and engine overheating.
3.Check engine oil level
Because diesel engines operate at high temperatures, they require higher levels of cooling and lubrication from the engine oil. Adding too much oil will increase resistance during engine operation. Conversely, adding too little oil will negatively impact lubrication and cooling. Therefore, it is crucial to follow the recommended oil changes; more is not always better.
4.Check the fan
The silicone oil clutch fans commonly used in heavy-duty trucks regulate their speed based on temperature changes. A key control component is the spiral bimetallic strip temperature sensor on the fan’s front cover. If this sensor breaks or fails due to fatigue, the cooling fan will stop or operate at low speed, affecting engine cooling. Similarly, for other belt-driven cooling fans, the belt tension should be checked and adjusted to ensure the fan speed is maintained.
5.Check the oil filter.
During diesel engine operation, some metal shavings are inevitably produced. Combined with the entry of airborne debris and the generation of oil oxides, the amount of impurities in the engine oil gradually increases. Many people, in an effort to save a few dollars, use inferior oil filters, which not only easily become clogged and lose their ability to filter impurities in the engine oil, but also accelerate the wear and tear on other engine parts such as the cylinder block, ultimately resulting in more harm than good.
6.Check your own workload
This is self-evident. Engines operating under heavy loads generate more heat, especially heavy-duty dump trucks climbing hills, where overheating is very common. If this happens frequently, truck drivers should be aware that prolonged operation under such conditions will significantly shorten the engine’s lifespan. Therefore, it’s crucial to operate within reasonable limits and avoid overloading!
In fact, engine overheating is often caused by a variety of factors, many of which can be prevented through routine checks. Proper vehicle maintenance is definitely not a trivial matter.If you encounter any problems, be sure to get it checked at your local service station as soon as possible!
