basic diesel mechanics for dummies?

With the newer computer driven engines lights are very bad as in general they can and will derate if left unchecked.

Other stuff like brakess, tires, outside light's you'll get a feel for what you can get home and what is fix now. If in doubt fix now is the option.


As for books most of those things unless a technical manual make good paperweights..

 

Best bet would be to find a shop near a truckstop - NOT A truckstop shop - and pay a guy his hourly fee to give you a personal primer on it. Ask what to look for, what warnings are important and which can wait, symptoms of failure, etc.

Unfortunately, experience is the best teacher, which is to say that breaking down will teach you what not to do...

 

Was gonna make a wise-guy answer for funnys but no. At least you're trying to do proper and learn. That's rare these days. So maybe I can help with a basic.

Diesel engines burn a mixture of diesel fuel and air to produce power. They ignite this mix by using the heat built by compressing it in the veddy small space above the piston rather than with a sparkplug like a gas engine. Things to check; oil leaks, coolant leaks, belts and hoses, loose accessories.

Turbo chargers supply the air part of the mixture. They are basically a 2 sided fan. The exhaust spins one side and the other side draws in air and pushes it into the engine through the intercooler which is mounted ahead of the rad ( cool air produces more power). Things to check; oil leaks, loose or broken mounting bolts, broken/torn flexible sleeves on the tubes connecting the turbo and the intercooler, loose or broken connectors between turbo and exhaust (look for black soot stains).

Fuel is supplied by a fuel pump through the fuel injectors. These days both are computer controlled by the "black box" mounted on the side of the engine. Not much you can check other than fuel leaks, loose electrical connectors and chafed/broken wires.

Radiator/fan/water pump. Pretty obvious function. Check for coolant leaks,coolant level, condition of rad (wet spots, crumbling/missing fins). Check fan (with engine off natch) by grasping a blade and trying to wiggle the fan hub. Looseness here means big troubles and immediate attention from mechanic.


Only other "accessories" under the hood are the alternator (check loose/broken wires, drive belts and loose mounting bolts) and the air compressor which supplies air to your braking/suspension system (oil and air leaks, loose mounting bolts)

That about covers the underhood basics and what you can do. Hope it helps.

 

IIRC...Most company drivers can't turn a wrench to even change a headlamp.....

Not because they're stupid...But because most carriers want it that way....

 

With the engine, the computer is smart enough to shut the engine down during a critical event like loss of coolant or oil pressure to prevent further damage. You will get a warning light and chance to pull over quick.

Like many in cars that have a coolant problem, most will push the car to the next exit or get home. That's the biggest mistake you can make as that's when all the damage occurs. Coolant problems require immediate shutdown and tow. Don't fight to get anywhere.

The only non-fuel/turbo problem that will shut an engine down with out a warning light is loss of power to the trucks computer (ECM). The power wire will usually break at the batteries or the fuse blows.

A check engine light and the truck appears to run normal is most likely a sensor or wire/connection problem. You need to get it checked soon, but it can wait until you are empty. An event like that, the computer will try to compensate by adding more fuel or less fuel. The worst that will happen is your fuel mileage will drop.

ABS warning lights are usually a dirty wheel sensor or wire problem. When you see a ABS light, the ABS system is disabled and you are back on normal brakes. Not a huge problem, but get it fixed the next free time you have. One thing to keep in mind is trailer ABS failure in the winter on slick roads. In that scenario, your tractor ABS are working and the wheels won't lock up. But your trailer ABS brakes are disabled and will lock up and can put you in a jack knife with hard braking. Always make sure ALL ABS are working on all equipment in snow and slick roads.

You are taught to scan your gauges. Know what each one does and what the normal range is. Batteries hold 12-12.5 Volts, engine off. Running, the alternator produces 13.5-14 Volts to recharge them. Any lower numbers and you have problems.

Oil pressure is normally around 40 psi. The older engines you might see pressure drop to 20 psi at idle. You don't want to see any lower than that.

Always scan your air gauges, though you get an alarm, it's best to monitor them and catch the problem earlier. You don't want to see them dropping below 100psi. I have seen drivers lose air backing because they ride the brakes. Losing air in that situation is not mechanical.

Your job as a driver is to identify problems, not fix them. As a driver, regardless of what anybody says, you have the power to shut that truck down if you think it's unsafe. If they fire you over that, then you can sue the crap out of them. An inspection report is a legal DOT document. If you declare the truck unsafe to drive, then the company has no choice but to have a mechanic sign off that repairs were made.
Them dispatchers aren't in your truck and most don't have a clue to mechanics either. Their main goal is to get that load delivered on time. If you want to have a better decision, talk with your shop manager.

You'll learn with experience. The main thing in the meantime is when you think you have a problem, safely get off the road ASAP and analyze the situation. If you have questions, get on the phone.

Your main problems are tire problems. Make sure they are in good shape and aired up properly.

 

i have a very good book recommendation---let me find it.

 

Hmmmm.....
The op did learn to "pre-trip" being a company driver...

So that being said....what they learned there and scanning the gauges; paying attention to smells and sounds should catch most minor problems before they become major problems.....


I do quite a bit of reading industry mags.....listening to lectures etc......

The rigs of the future.....Within 5-10 years will have monitoring of all systems for the driver/company/DOT as the rig is rolling down the road.....

Like it or not....Trucking is becoming "Rocket Science"....