So you’re the proud new owner of a diesel truck, pretty cool huh? It’s nice being the apex predator of the road or a truckstop troubadour. There’s also the sweet aroma of diesel fuel, yea admit it, you love that smell. It’s a mix of school bus nostalgia and the tears of EV owners as you drive by. Again, congrats on joining the diesel club, we’re glad you’re here. Now that you are here we have to tell you something; taking care of a diesel vehicle during the cold winter months is a whole different animal than gasoline vehicles. Didn’t anyone tell you that on the vehicle lot? No, well that’s okay, we’re in this together and here to help!
First and foremost, please test your battery. It seems like a no-brainer, but then again you also see that person in the parking lot on a cold winter’s day asking someone else if they have jumper cables. The cold can cause your battery to drain faster than normal, and you do not want to be stranded at your wife’s beauty store parking lot in the middle of winter. Not only will you be embarrassed beyond belief, but you’ll also have an angry wife and neither is a good thing. So do your dignity and truck a favor and get your battery tested and replaced (if needed) before the winter sets in.
After you have tested your battery, test your glow plugs! Glow plugs aid with cold starts and if they fail, well you may be failing to start on a cold morning. Good luck explaining that one to the boss when you get in late. So please make sure your glow plugs are good to go, if their not stick to the OEM glow plugs for good measure.
Don’t be that guy that has to call his friend because he didn’t use Hot Shot’s Secret Diesel Winter Anti-Gel in his fuel. Because that guy didn’t use Diesel Winter Anti-Gel his fuel gelled up and he got stuck on the side of the road. Now his friend has to bring him a bottle of Hot Shot’s Diesel Winter Rescue to get him out of that spot. Moral of the story? Always treat your fuel in the winter months with an anti gel product, because your fuel will gel and plug your fuel filter up, then you’ll be out of luck. So just carry a bottle of Diesel Winter Anti-Gel in the truck and a bottle of Winter Rescue just in case.
Use your block heater, yes your truck has a heater to warm up the engine block on cold mornings. This will ease cold starts and reduce wear and tear on your truck. So make sure you use it, otherwise you could be facing excessive wear and tear on your truck and pesky cold starts. This is probably the easiest way to make sure you’re up and running. Think of it as an electric blanket for your engine.
Change your oil, preferably to a lighter weight in the winter. This will improve flow within the engine. We recommended using a full synthetic from our Blue Diamond line of motor oils. Changing your oil will decrease wear and tear on your engine, improve fuel economy and fight against stiction buildup in your engine.
Finally change your spark plugs! Kidding! If you don’t get the joke then it’s time to go back to a gasoline vehicle.