Diesel engine maintenance - make it run better

At present, single-cylinder diesel engines occupy a considerable share in Asia and are also the main supporting power for agricultural machinery. Correct use and maintenance of diesel engines are of great significance to extending their service life and reducing operating costs.

Running-in of new diesel engines

New or overhauled diesel engines must be run-in before use.

Because the mating surfaces of the parts assembled in the diesel engine are still uneven even after fine processing.

If the diesel engine is not run-in, the friction surfaces of the moving parts will be damaged due to roughening.

In addition, because the lubricating oil squeezes each other on the rough surface, it is difficult to form a lubricating oil film on the contact surface, and it may even melt and stick, resulting in early wear and damage of the moving parts, greatly shortening the service life of the diesel engine.

The running-in of the diesel engine refers to the process of slowly increasing the speed and gradually increasing the load under human control, under good lubrication conditions, and under careful inspection, so that the mating surfaces of the parts are gradually smooth.

(1) Remove dust and debris from the external parts of the diesel engine.

Carefully check the integrity of each component and the tightness of the external bolts. If there is leakage or looseness, install and tighten them.

Fill diesel, engine oil and water (water-cooled) as required.

Reduce the pressure of the diesel engine, rotate the crankshaft, and check whether the moving parts are flexible and whether there is any abnormal noise.

(2) No-load (idle) running-in of diesel engine.

The idle running-in time is generally about 1 hour. The first 0.5 hour is from low speed to medium speed (600~

800 r/min), and the next 0.5 hour is from medium speed to the rated speed.

During the running-in process, it is necessary to observe whether the exhaust smoke color, temperature and 

lubrication condition of the diesel engine are normal.

(3) Load running-in.

The load running-in time is generally 40 hours, of which 1/4 load operation is 3~4 hours, 1/2 load operation is 

15~16 hours, and the remaining time is 3/4 load operation.

(4) Check and clean after running-in.

Drain the lubricating oil from the crankcase, clean the crankcase and oil filter, and add lubricating oil to the 

specified oil level.

Check whether the contact ring between the valve and the valve seat is burned or worn, and check the valve 

clearance.

Tighten the connecting rod and cylinder head bolts according to the specified torque and conduct a 

comprehensive inspection.

It must be noted that after the diesel engine is run-in, the lubricating oil contains a large amount of metal chips 

produced by the friction of the running parts. If you do not clean it carefully and add new oil, it will also cause 

early wear of the diesel engine.

• Prev: Advantages of single cylinder diesel engine
• Next: What is single cylinder engine?