question How often to run a diesel engine

Having had a "gentleman" hit me in the rear, my land rover is off the road till the insurance decide to sort it out. The vehicle is drivable.

Prior to the incident all filters were changed, oil, fuel and air it also drove 600 miles round trip.

It is now parked up, battery disconnected.

The engine is a 2.5 diesel

The questions are what time frame should I start the engine and for how long should I let it run.

I do not intend to take it on the road until insurance sorted.

Yup a mechanical idiot asking.

I run my Land Rover up every two weeks; either in the garage or take it for a run (which I know is not an option for you now).

I have a Dorman 4cyl diesel in a WW2 excavator which gets a run up every 16 years or so :blush:

I have a Dorman 4cyl diesel in a WW2 excavator which gets a run up every 16 years or so :blush:

Now that made me laugh!:-D

If its only standing for a few months rather than years a diesel engine is probably just best left alone, unlike a petrol engine, running it up stationary for a short time will probably do more harm than good. Put the battery on charge occasionally

If its only standing for a few months rather than years a diesel engine is probably just best left alone, unlike a petrol engine, running it up stationary for a short time will probably do more harm than good. Put the battery on charge occasionally

any thanks, strangely the insurance company admitted liability this morning so hopefully the question is now not relevant

I have a Dorman 4cyl diesel in a WW2 excavator which gets a run up every 16 years or so :blush:

:wow: As often as that!!!:shocked:

I have a Dorman 4cyl diesel in a WW2 excavator which gets a run up every 16 years or so :blush:

Interesting, can we some pics of it please?

I run my Land Rover up every two weeks; either in the garage or take it for a run (which I know is not an option for you now).

Many thanks, roughly how long would you leave it running on the drive?

I have always believed that it is better not to run an engine in a car, bike etc unless you drive it and get it hot at least up to normal running temp. A warm engine will develop condensation and do more harm than good. A diesel will not get hot enough just running not under power. I would just leave it!

Good luck with getting things sorted.

Iain

More to the point , has anyone removed the cyliner head of a diesel engine that they have laid up outside subject to elements (damp air past exhaust / air filter) - and found rust on bores , corroded piston rings etc. ? If so - how many years had it been laid up for ?

Laid up diesel - I change the sump oil , start up1 pa in a dry summer month , increase the revs steadily over 30 min. then give it a good thrash with a heavy brick on pedal for another 1/2 hour. I have now done this with a Ford 2L Duratorq TDCi for the last 3 years , starts on the key but is a bit hesitant for abt. 20 min. - then I sit with the radio on and a book varying the revs with periods of red lined. If I had not followed my normal procedure for a natural aspirated diesel - then I am quite certain there would be injector problems - that on a Mondeo can be very nasty..

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Laid up petrol long-term , again change the sump oil - I choke it down with outboard motor winterizing , twice I have used RedeX until backfires split the silencer box LoL , cork the exhaust and don't start it until required..

More to the point , has anyone removed the cyliner head of a diesel engine that they have laid up outside subject to elements (damp air past exhaust / air filter) - and found rust on bores , corroded piston rings etc. ? If so - how many years had it been laid up for ?

 

I bought a CVR(T) Sturgeon that came from Withams that was completely seized. Of course the exhaust on these put them at great risk. I Lots of rust in the turbo, some stuck valves, and a pair of the cylinders had the pistons rusted in. I pulled the head and a mix of scraping and oil with some gentle but persistent manipulation of the crank got it turning again. I'm sure it would run fine but the pitting is such that I may pull the motor down and have those bores opened up.

Sad to see the neglect. :-(

On the other hand, I just started a petrol motor (Buick V6 in Jeep) that had been sitting for 30 years, no preservative action had been taken but it was in a garage and I feel the oil-bath oil filter really worked well keeping the engine in good order. I was able to turn the motor over with just the cooling fan.

More to the point , has anyone removed the cyliner head of a diesel engine that they have laid up outside subject to elements (damp air past exhaust / air filter) - and found rust on bores , corroded piston rings etc. ? If so - how many years had it been laid up for ?

Some of the milstds talk about preservation by spraying the cylinders with a special oil if left idle

(Buick V6 in Jeep)

what model Jeep?

Crated spare engine cartridges were lanced with Shell Ensis fluid 30 grade (one of the few grades still available from Shell) or similar product by others). Easy down plug holes , quite easy on conventional diesel injectors , not so easy on modern diesel injection that has been test-bed passed off , then to be crated.

Actually - for Shell North Sea rotating equipment during the 1980's - the lancing was repeated every 6 months and IIRC this was a "witnessed HOLD point" QC was a bit OTT but it originated with the state owned BritOil where it was deemed the extra costs could be recouped in comparison to if it were to be shipped offshore unserviceable.

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Yes - I think a cyclone oil bath air filter must give better protection to damp air entry than such as a paper element if left outside , but I am uncertain of the risk from damp air up the exhaust - hence best to cork the pipe.

The example of a turbo on induction side - good example - proof. However - I would still like to hear of corrosion on a long shelved natural aspirated diesel ,,

Crated spare engine cartridges were lanced with Shell Ensis fluid 30 grade (one of the few grades still available from Shell) or similar product by others). Easy down plug holes , quite easy on conventional diesel injectors , not so easy on modern diesel injection that has been test-bed passed off , then to be crated.

 

Actually - for Shell North Sea rotating equipment during the 1980's - the lancing was repeated every 6 months and IIRC this was a "witnessed HOLD point" QC was a bit OTT but it originated with the state owned BritOil where it was deemed the extra costs could be recouped in comparison to if it were to be shipped offshore unserviceable.

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Yes - I think a cyclone oil bath air filter must give better protection to damp air entry than such as a paper element if left outside , but I am uncertain of the risk from damp air up the exhaust - hence best to cork the pipe.

 

The example of a turbo on induction side - good example - proof. However - I would still like to hear of corrosion on a long shelved natural aspirated diesel ,,

Back in the late 80s I worked for Stothert & Pitt the crane makers in Bath, we had a Detroit Diesel V8 in stock that had come from another crane maker that Stothert & Pitt had taken over, after a total of 5 years sitting in the warehouse, an order came in for a crane with a Detroit Diesel engine. As the engine we had in store was over 5 years old the company called in an engineer from Detroit Diesel, who checked it over, found nothing wrong and issued a 12 month garantee. When installed in the crane the engine started straight away and ran fine. The engine had not been preserved in any way it just had tape over the air intakes and exhaust outlets.

When I was an apprentice with a Massey Ferguson distributor, we winterised combine harvesters at the end of the harvest and they guy I worked with used Shell Fusus A (my memory going back 49 years here) and drew that into the fuel system and ran it up on that. Seem to think we may have sprayed another preserving oil in the intake. Then the intake and exhaust were sealed. Fusus A was in fact the fluid used to test F.I. pumps and injectors.

While working for the MoD we rebuilt engines in one department and they were all test run and preserved. A lanolin based oil was sprayed in all orifices and engine sealed and pulley taped to warn not to rotate the engine. If an engine was kept in stock over a certain time, the engines had to be inspected and re-preserved, I recollect this happening on a brand new Cummins NTA engine for a Michigan, it had been in stock over the period, injectors were taken out and an endoscope used to inspect the bores.

what model Jeep?

Nothing remarkable really, a 1967 CJ-5. Interesting to me personally in that there are fond memories as it's the family Jeep, bought by my great-grandfather and then given to my uncle when he went away to college... no new cars just for graduating high school in those days.

When I was an apprentice with a Massey Ferguson distributor, we winterised combine harvesters at the end of the harvest and they guy I worked with used Shell Fusus A (my memory going back 49 years here) and drew that into the fuel system and ran it up on that. Seem to think we may have sprayed another preserving oil in the intake. Then the intake and exhaust were sealed. Fusus A was in fact the fluid used to test F.I. pumps and injectors.

 

While working for the MoD we rebuilt engines in one department and they were all test run and preserved. A lanolin based oil was sprayed in all orifices and engine sealed and pulley taped to warn not to rotate the engine. If an engine was kept in stock over a certain time, the engines had to be inspected and re-preserved, I recollect this happening on a brand new Cummins NTA engine for a Michigan, it had been in stock over the period, injectors were taken out and an endoscope used to inspect the bores.

I suppose this then asks the question what recommendations for storing a diesel engine over the winter when no intention to run it till spring

Gents

Thanks to all the advice, about to try and start the "tank" as my son calls it, then off to the garage for fixing under the insurance

For everyone who has responded, after 3 months with no action I have started the "tank" as my son describes it with a little bit of delay but have got it going, of the garage tomorrow for fixing under insurance