The summer weather is here, which means your fleet vehicles are already being subjected to the hot sun, humid air, and more miles. Make sure they stay in great shape and run well with these SEVEN SUMMER MAINTENANCE TIPS that will help to keep your truck(s) running at maximum efficiency this summer:
1. Clean out the fuel system and use a premium diesel additive. Carbon deposits rob your fleet of horsepower and fuel economy. Make sure your truck is running with clean injectors. Keep your fuel injection system clean. Injector fouling leads to blocked filters, loss of power and increased downtime, and ultimately money spent on maintenance and upkeep costs.
2. Pick the right engine oil. A longer-lasting synthetic and premium engine oil will give you better performance and extended oil drains, also saving route time, which means more productivity.
3. Regularly replace all fuel and air filters and closely follow recommendations in the owner’s manual. Clogged fuel and air filters can greatly reduce fuel economy.
4. Avoid excessive idling. Unnecessary truck idling is like burning money. Fleet owners should consider investing in driver education programs and training to inform and instruct all of their drivers about new technologies and techniques that can be used to improve fuel economy. This small investment can equal a large amount of savings per driver, per vehicle each year.
5. Use premium fuel when storing trucks over extended periods of time. Premium fuel additives will prevent fuel oxidation and help you avoid fuel tank corrosion, bacteria and gumming.
6. Maintain proper inflation on tires. If tires are inflated below recommended air pressure, they increase rolling resistance. Increased heat, wear and load weight can lead to tires losing pressure and air quickly, so it is important that fleet owners or drivers monitor their truck tire inflation each week, if not more.
7. Have your storage tanks routinely maintained. Quarterly check your tanks for bacteria and moisture. Bacteria build-up and dirty tanks will reduce fuel efficiency and even perhaps damage engines.
Proper truck maintenance is a variable in your business you can and must control. One of the most important things that a truck driver or maintenance professional can do to conserve fuel, both before they hit the road and while out driving, is to keep the engine’s fuel injectors clean. Clean fuel injectors and proper maintenance, overall, can make the difference between a profitable run and a losing one.
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