Winter is undeniably a fun time for most people, and there is a particular yet unexplainable joy that only the winter season can bring. During this season, you would probably see kids on the streets running, having snowball fights, and enjoying the time of their lives. Winter also means the Christmas season or the time when people gather around with their loved ones to celebrate. But no matter how joyous this time of year might be, the cold weather during winter can also bring frustration, especially for drivers.


Besides the slippery roads due to snowfall and the worsened glare due to the snow and sun, the freezing temperature could also damage a vehicle. Every driver knows that proper maintenance is necessary to ensure the longevity of a truck. However, maintaining your vehicle can be troublesome during the winter season.


Thickened fuel and electrical failure are the top two of the most common difficulties most drivers encounter during the winter. This is why it is essential to have your truck’s diesel parts prepared before using them in the cold. With that being said, here are some tips on how to maintain your diesel truck during the cold winter months.


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Give time to warm up


Just like your body that needs to do some stretching before doing hardcore exercise, your vehicle will need some warm-up, too, especially on the cold winter days. Before operating your truck, it is essential to give it no less than thirty seconds to warm up. You must prepare the engine for the run, but driving could warm the engine up rather than staying idle. The 60-second warm-up is enough to allow the oil to circulate throughout the entire machine and lubricate all its moving parts. This way, your engine can run smoothly.


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Consider heating options


Warming up your engine’s lubricants is necessary to ensure a smooth run, and this is what heating options are for. Engine block heater, glow plugs, and battery tender are just a few heating options that you can use to avoid your truck from stalling. Using engine heaters during the cold weather can reduce the risk of your truck’s engine being damaged. But it would help if you remembered that engine heaters are only advisable to use when the temperature drops below -20 °F. Also, the ideal number of hours to use engine heaters is no more than four hours before driving.


Add anti-gel to your fuel


To run smoothly, your engine has to receive a sufficient amount of oil. The oil must circulate your engine and cover its moving parts. However, the cold climate is your lubrication system’s number one enemy during wintertime.


During this season, temperatures drop constantly, and your fuel will thicken when this happens. Because of this, the lubricants would not be able to do their job, making it difficult to start your truck. Thus, it is wise to add anti-gel to your fuel even before the temperature begins to drop. Anti-gel additives help in lowering the freezing point of your diesel fuel. Using this, your truck’s lubricant is less likely to thicken or freeze during the cold months.


Park your truck in a warm area


Parking your vehicle in a warm area is probably the easiest and most practical way to save your truck’s engine from the damaging effects of winter. If possible, store your diesel engine vehicle in a place where it will not be exposed to elements, such as snow or sleet. By simply doing this, it will be easier for you to maintain your truck, and at the same time, it will be quick to start and warm your vehicle when you are ready to use it.


Change engine oil and filter regularly


A diesel engine’s maintenance is not as complicated as a gasoline engine. Unlike gas engines that are more prone to wear and tear, diesel engines can withstand heavy-duty tasks without being damaged. Furthermore, diesel engine systems contain fewer components than gasoline engines. But there is one thing that you should regularly do if you own a diesel engine; change the engine oil and oil filter.


Diesel engines run at higher temperatures which means their oil works way harder than gas engines. It is advisable to switch to a lighter-weight synthetic oil during the cold season. Synthetic oil has a lower viscosity, making it easier for synthetic oil to flow through your engine, even during the wintertime. Its performance is more consistent and reliable than its conventional counterpart during freezing weather.



Driving during the winter can indeed become stressful and frustrating. But it does not always have to be that way. You can avoid being stuck on the road simply by knowing how to prepare your truck for the winter months. Understanding the correct way of maintaining your vehicle during these cold-weather months will save you a lot of time. But if you think this list is still not enough to give you all the details you need to know about the proper truck maintenance, you can always rely on Pure Diesel Power.



Pure Diesel Power is your local truck performance shop that you can trust for your truck inquiries and diesel engine performance upgrades. Started in 2006 and located in Central Wisconsin, Pure Diesel Power is a team of truck experts dedicated to assisting you with all your truck needs.


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