Tag: truck engines

difference between long and short block engine

Difference Between Long and Short Block Engine Trucks

Do you know the difference between long and short block engine? There is that truck you love very much, and it has been loyal to you for a long-time. But, age is making its engine less effective. You will have to replace the engine to bring it to life. When you shop for a new engine for the first time, you will hear some terms that might confuse you. After walking to the nearest dealer and explaining the model and make of your truck, they will ask you if you need a long block or short block engine. Hearing these terms will escalate your confusion.

Difference Between Long and Short Block Engine

Below, we will outline everything that you need on the difference between long and short block engine among other things surrounding the use of these types of engines.

A Short Block Engine

A short block engine comprises a block, crankshaft, rods, and pistons. All these parts are balanced, machined, and assembled with the gapped rings ready to rock. Sometimes, the short block can have a camshaft and timing gear, but this depends on the manufacturer.

A Long Block Engine

The long engine block varies depending on where you source it. Such an engine block has fundamental parts like crankshaft, rods, pistons, heads, and usually the camshaft and valvetrain. Sometimes the long block engine has a timing cover, valve covers, balancer, and oil pans. If you understand engines, a long block can be your best option. With this engine, all the hard work is done for you. You will only have to choose the right accessories to install the engine in your truck.

Differences Between Long Block and Short Block Engine

Both short and long blocks are perfect engines for your truck. The most significant difference is the number of parts that you get when you buy either of them. The long block will the cylinder and a good number of the internal components. On the other hand, the short block has only the lower part and the motor. Here are some of the differences between the two.

Number of Parts

The critical difference between the long and short block engines is the manufacturers’ number of parts. The short block has only the block, pistons, rods and crank. You might find some details like the timing chain, covers and camshaft.

The long block has the essential parts but added parts like the valvetrain and heads. 

Cost

The short block is relatively cheap and ranges depending on your truck’s model. You will have to purchase other parts as soon as you buy them, which will still make you spend the cash you were saving.

Installation Time

The long block comes with all you need and is ready to work. Sometimes you will have to add a few parts, which will not be challenging. Its design makes it easy to install and does not consume much time.

Customizing the short-block engine takes a lot of time, making it cumbersome to install.

Conclusion

The difference between long and short block engine is that they vary in the features that each comes with as well as the cost. But all of them, if well installed, will give you commendable service. Shared above are some of the crucial things to note about them.

Engine Coolant

Why Engine Coolant is Crucial for Truck Health

Many people, especially first-time truck owners, do not know what an engine coolant is and its role in your engine. Ignorance makes new truck owners not develop an interest in this vital engine fluid. Coolant is one of the fluids necessary for your engine’s good health.

What is An Engine Coolant?

The internal combustion engine burns a mixture of air and fuel in the cylinders. As combustion takes place, a lot of heat is generated. Heat is also generated when the engine’s metallic parts are in motion and constantly rub against each other. 

The coolant plays the primary role of transferring the heat from the engine to ensure that the engine does not overheat. The coolant runs through the engine, similar to engine oil. It is necessary to ensure that your coolant does not boil or freeze because heat can only be transferred by liquid. When the coolant evaporates or freezes, it will not be able to reach all the parts of the engine, which might make some metallic parts of the engine start melting.

Why Engine Coolant is Crucial for your Truck

The engine coolant is in the form of a mixture of antifreeze and water in the radiator and acts as the air conditioner of your engine. It regulates your engine’s temperature in severe weather conditions, when it is too hot or cold, which prevents your engine from breaking down due to overheating or freezing.

Your truck’s cooling system has water and antifreeze in a ratio of 50/50. This rule may vary depending on the weather condition in which you regularly use your truck. Different weather conditions might lead to variation in the water and coolant mixture ratio. Such a variation aims to optimize the amount of heat from the engine. For example, the ambient temperature will force the engine coolant to adjust the mixing ratio by either reducing the freezing point or increasing the boiling point to harmonize the mixture, depending on the weather. 

When to Change Engine Coolant

Most coolants will serve you for a very long time before requiring a replacement. Even if you own an old truck, you only need to worry about the coolant after 12 months of service. In modern trucks, the same coolant will serve you for 5 to 10 years. 

It would help if you considered flushing your coolant based on the manufacturer’s timing. It is necessary to read the manufacturer’s guide to know when to do this. Sometimes the cooling system might develop leakages, or the engine might malfunction. You will need to repair your engine and the cooling system in such scenarios. When performing such repairs, you will need to check the condition of your coolant. Always check the manufacturer’s guide to know when and which type of coolant is fit for your truck. 

Conclusion

The engine produces a lot of heat as it functions. The heat can damage vital parts of the engine by melting them or breaking. The coolant plays the role of cooling the engine just like a radiator by absorbing the excess heat.

Testing Condition of Engine Head Gasket For Efficiency

Testing Condition of Engine Head Gasket For Efficiency

A blown engine head gasket is among the problems that one is likely to experience while using their truck. But there are a few more serious problems. Such issues are costly and take time to diagnose. So how will you be if there is a problem with your engine head gasket? This guide equips you with all the requirements to test for a blown head gasket.

Roles of Engine Head Gasket

The head gasket is located between your engine and the combustion chamber, and its primary role is to keep all the engine fluids in their correct channels. The head gasket’s job might sound simple but wait until it malfunctions. The head gasket near the combustion chamber is exposed to server forces and movements.

If its seals start to malfunction, your truck will run into various problems which can seriously damage your engine. 

Testing Your Head Gasket

The two most straightforward ways of testing your gasket are checking your oil and your truck’s exhaust. But, you can do a lot to try for your gasket. Here are some practical ways of testing for a blown head gasket 

Checking the Engine Oil

Looking at your engine is the simplest way of testing if your head gasket is blown. You will do this by pulling the dipstick and observing it. If your engine oil is low, you must drain it on a pan and watch it.

If it is milky instead of its original color, know it is mixed with coolant.

Checking Your Exhaust

If you realize your truck emits more smoke than usual, it might mean your head gasket is blown. When diagnosing excess exhaust smoke, you should know a few things.

First, your truck will produce more smoke when it is cold than when it is warmer, which is very typical.

Second, a blown engine head gasket produces a lot of white smoke, the color your coolant will produce if it burns in the combustion chamber.

Finally, the smoke should be excessive to determine if the problem is related to the head gasket.

Checking Spark Plugs

You will know you have a blown head gasket when you check your spark plug and notice its oil. Oil will get into the combustion as soon as your head gasket blows, and some will be on your spark plugs.

To know this, pull out your spark plug and keenly look at it.

Checking the Radiator

Checking your radiator will let you look for a few various things.

First, a blown engine head gasket will enable air into the cooling system, and your radiator will have a foamy mixture.

Sometimes, oil and fuel might mix in the system, and if this happens, you will notice a milky color in your radiator.

Conclusion

The head gasket gives a crucial function in your truck. If it blows off or gets damaged, your truck will not be able to serve you. Immediately when it gets damaged, you notice be keenly observing your engine. This guide has given you the most basic and common ways of testing if your head gasket is faulty.

Is Revving Truck Engine Good or Bad?

Is Revving Truck Engine Good or Bad?

Is revving truck engine good or bad? Sometimes it can be tempting to drive your truck in the red. Over-revving can cause serious damage to the components of your engine and the entire truck. Every truck engine has a maximum RPM, which you can increase by tuning and modifying other engine components. There will be a point the engine will not be able to turn faster without damaging itself. Let us delve deeper in this guide and find out the effects of revving a truck engine.

Is Revving Truck Engine Good or Bad?

A well-tuned truck engine can go up to more than 6,000 RPM. As much as you tune your engine, it will always have the maximum RPM. Factors such as the airflow, engine displacement, and bore and stroke of the pistons can affect your truck’s RPM. 

Air Flow

For an engine to generate power to propel your truck, it relies on the explosions in the cylinder. There must be ignition, fuel, and air for the explosions to occur. Some truck owners will add a hood scoop or cold air intake to increase the airflow or reduce the temperature of the air which goes to the engine. Doing this increases propulsion per every explosion. When airflow is increased, the available air in the engine will lead to a limitation in airflow.

Engine Displacement

Various auto-makers refer to the engine displacement in terms of liters, the total volume of the engine’s cylinders. The engine displacement can limit your maximum RPM, although more engine displacement creates more power and torque. 

Piston Stroke

Stroke refers to the up and downward motion of the piston to generate power in the cylinder. In most trucks, the pistons make four distinct motions, intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. These four strokes require minimal time, but time can be a limiting factor.

Results of Revving Truck Engine

Over-revving your engine can lead to serious consequences. Even if you do it for a second, you will experience some of these results.

Damaged Valve Train

When you rev your truck engine more, the valve train will not be able to close, leading to valve float. Valve float is a condition where your valve is stuck between close and open. In such a scenario, your truck will lose power. Valve float is a quiet problem but can escalate to major issues in the future. You can tell a floating valve when your engine misfires or loses power at high speed.

Throwing a Connecting Rod

A catastrophic sign of engine failure is throwing a connecting rod. Connecting rods are metals similar to wrench that connects the piston to the crankshaft. The connecting rods are between the pistons and the crankshaft. It is an important component that ensures that the power from the engine reaches the transmission system—throwing connecting rod results from over-revving your engine.

Clutch Damage

The clutch connects the wheels of your truck to the engine. The clutch takes the direct damage when the RPM of your truck is high. 

Final Thoughts

So, is revving truck engine good or bad? After going through the guide above, we have seen that revving the engine of your truck has several advantages. Increasing horsepower is the dominant one. Overrevving your truck’s engine can cause serious problems that can be costly to fix. It is fun to rev your truck, but do it while bearing the consequences.

Benefits of a High Revving Truck Engine

Benefits of a High Revving Truck Engine

What are the benefits of a high revving truck engine? Revving is an unfamiliar term to most amateur truck owners, but it is something that happens to your truck every time you are driving. As your truck’s engine is revving or as you rev it, its speed will increase the more you press the acceleration pedal. Revving is the measure of the speed of the engine. An engine is a rotating machine whose speed is measured in revolutions per minute, which is the number of turns an engine can make within one minute. 

A faster engine will make more revolutions per minute and generate more power. It is not easy to hear the engine’s speed, but it will produce different sounds at different speeds. You can never determine the engine’s speed from the noise it makes, but you can determine the changes in the speed of the engine from the sound it produces. When your truck’s engine is running at a constant speed, it will produce a specific sound, and the frequency of the sound will increase or reduce whenever you accelerate or reduce speed.

Revving is necessary for a truck to move smoothly. It will determine the horsepower and torque that your engine will produce. 

Benefits of a high Revving Truck Engine

A higher revving motor can go close to 9000 rpm or more. The sole purpose of making an engine rev higher is to generate more power. 

In trucks, the torque remains fairly constant, but the rise in rev will greatly increase the engine’s horsepower. The engine makes more power when it is free to rev higher. Mostly, an engine will rev more when it is of a square design. Such a design provides a shorter distance for the pistons to travel from the top dead center to the bottom dead center. 

Power is the greatest benefit of a high-revving engine. The horsepower is a function of torque and the engine’s revolutions per minute. When the RPM increases, the power will go up. If your truck has a 2.0-liter engine, it will have to acquire a huge boost to make higher power. To have higher revs, you have to change the design of your engine. 

Torque is not that important when your truck is making enough power. You will be able to gear the truck appropriately for the wheel torque to be competitive. To increase the displacement, you will have to increase the power. The downside of doing this is that the efficiency of your truck might reduce. 

How An Engine Breathes at High RPM

The valvetrain plays a vital role in engine breathing at high RPM. When the bore is larger, the valve will be larger and more air will flow into the engine at high RPM. Larger valves are very heavy, and at some point, they might lead to valve float, where the valve stem does not synch well with the camshaft. 

Conclusion

Having looked at the benefits of a high revving truck engine, we hope you now understand why it is crucial. High revving will increase the horsepower of your truck. This guide has focused on the benefits of having a high engine rev. To increase your engine rev, you have to perform some engine modifications that only professional mechanics can manage. 

How Does A 4-Stroke Combustion Engine Work

How Does A 4-Stroke Combustion Engine Work in Trucks?

How does a 4-stroke combustion engine work in your truck? The 4-stroke engine is a legend in the internal combustion family, and it powers various machines, from motorbikes to trucks. For this type of engine to function, the piston has to make four movements in the cylinder, two up and two downward motions. Knowing how a 4-stroke engine works in your truck is essential, especially for technicians who handle various truck engines regularly. If it is your first time hearing the term four-stroke engine, you might wonder what it is and how it works. This guide will explain what a 4-stroke engine is and how it works.

What is a 4-Stoke Engine? 

There are various internal combustion engines, the 4-stroke and 2-stroke engines, and most diesel and gasoline-powered trucks use a 4-stroke engine system. 

When a 4-stroke engine is functioning, the pistons make four motions for power to be produced. After completing 4-motions, the cycle is complete, and a fresh one starts. 

In terms of power, the 4-stroke engine is the best. They balance power, efficiency, and reliability. The separation of events in the cylinders makes the 4-stroke engine reduce the emissions of unburnt fuel. The separation of oil from fuel helps reduce the emission of carbon monoxide. 

How Does A 4-Stroke Combustion Engine Work

How does a 4-stroke combustion engine work in your truck? The power generated by your truck relies on the motion of the pistons. Air, fuel, compression, and spark allow the internal combustion engine to work. It is easy to understand how a 4-stroke engine works, looking at what happens in each of the four steps. 

The Intake Stroke

The intake stroke is the first motion in the cylinder. During intake, the exhaust valve closes as the intake valve opens. The piston will move to the lower part of the cylinder. The downward motion creates a vacuum that allows the mixture of air and fuel to get in through the intake valve. 

The Compression Stage

The intake and exhaust valves are closed at this stage. The closure of the two valves ensures that the air and fuel mixture do not escape.

The previous downward motion of the piston had allowed the cylinder to be filled with air and fuel. The piston moves upward, compressing the air and fuel between the cylinder head and the piston. 

The Power Stroke

In this stage, air and fuel are completely compressed, and the spark plug ignites the compressed mixture. The ignition makes the piston move downward, rotating the crankshaft and propelling your truck.

As the piston moves downward, the intake and exhaust valves are closed. 

The Exhaust Stroke

During the exhaust stroke, the air-fuel mixture has been completely burnt—the piston moves to the upper part of the cylinder. 

The intake valve remains closed, and the exhaust valve opens to allow the exhaust fumes to move out of the cylinder. After the exhaust stroke, the cylinder is ready for another intake stroke. 

Conclusion

 A truck’s internal combustion relies on the four motions to generate energy. Each motion made by the pistons rotates the crankshaft, which transmits power to the wheels. 

cvt vs automatic transmission

CVT VS Automatic Transmission Truck

Do you want to know the difference between CVT vs Automatic transmission? CVT is an abbreviation for continuously variable transmission, and it is a form of automatic transmission with an uncountable number of gears/speeds. The automatic transmission has a countable number of gears/speeds, which usually range from 6 to 10. When driving, the CVT and the automatic transmission gearbox drive and handle almost similarly but you will notice very big differences.

CVT VS Automatic Transmission Truck

When buying a new truck, you have to decide whether to choose a CVT or automatic transmission. The CVT and the automatic transmission have pros and cons. This guide will compare CVT vs Automatic transmission to aid you in making good decisions on the one to choose when buying a truck.

Advantages of a CVT

Fuel Economy

Most trucks fitted with the CVT transmission get better fuel mileage than those with manual or automatic transmissions. The CVT is not limited or fixed to several gear ratios, and they operate at the peak of a truck and the driving conditions. The CVT will attain its peak fuel economy and waste less energy than the other transmissions.

It is lighter

The CVT is very light because they do not have many moving parts compared to the conventional automatic transmission. It will save you some money at the gas station, and the lightweight makes it faster.

Smoother Operation

The CVT trucks are very smooth and offer a comfortable ride. They do not have any hard gears to change when driving. On rare occasions, will you experience CVT jerking while in motion. 

Disadvantages of CVT

Poor Driving Experience

The CVT is the worst choice for drivers who love experiencing how the gears change and how the engine sounds.

Loud

The CVT is louder as compared to the normal automatic transmission. You can quickly notice the sound of the belt as it changes the gear ratio. 

Expensive

The cost of repairing a CVT is relatively high compared to an automatic or manual transmission. They need calibration in case of service, which makes them challenging to repair or service. 

Advantages of Automatic Transmission

Better Engagement

Driving an automatic transmission gives a better feel and is more engaging than CVT. 

Relatively Cheap to Repair

The cost of repairing an automatic transmission is lower than CVT, and they never need intense calibration during servicing.

Disadvantages of Automatic Transmission

Less Fuel Economical

The automatic transmission depends on gears, the dependence on gears makes it at a less than optimal gear ratio, and it will consume more fuel than the CVT.

More Emissions

On most occasions, the automatic transmission never runs at an ideal RPM, producing more emissions. In case you need that truck with fewer exhaust emissions but are not ready to buy an electric truck. You should opt for a CVT. 

Conclusion

Automatic transmission is widespread in both new and used trucks, and the popularity of the CVT is growing. The growing popularity of the CVT is because they perform better than and are fuel-economical compared to an automatic transmission. The CVT is better for the environment, even though some people like to have the feel of driving an automatic transmission truck. 

5 Causes of Engine Rough Idle In Trucks

5 Causes of Engine Rough Idle In Trucks

Do you have an idea about the causes of engine rough idle? A healthy engine runs smoothly without any noise. Your engine will have a rough idle when something goes wrong. It is easy to solve rough idling if your truck experiences it. This guide will elaborate on some common causes of rough idle, which you should know and therefore fix as part of your engine maintenance.

Causes of Engine Rough Idle

Vacuum leaks or failed PCV valves are some of the most common causes of rough idle. Here are some other common causes of rough idle you should know.

Bad PCV Valve

The engine’s positive crankcase ventilation does the role of taking the unburned gases that escape from the cylinders. It moves these gases from the crankcase back to the combustion chamber so that they can be burnt completely. The PCV works within the engine and experiences pressure after being filled with the contaminants like dirt particles.

The dirt accumulation blocks it, which creates leakages and forces the air-fuel mixture to be lean, leading to rough idle.

Bad EGR Valve

The exhaust gas recirculation valve is an integral emission control device. It reduces the emission from the motor by allowing the exhaust gas to enter the intake manifold. 

The EGR should not function when your engine is idling. If it does, it will interfere with the performance of your engine. A bad EGR will stick open and lead to rough idle. At some point, it may worsen and lead to an engine stall.

Bad Spark Plugs or Wires

The spark plugs and wires are parts of the ignition system. These parts wear out as they perform their roles. The existence of the contaminants in the cylinder accelerates the rate at which they wear out. You will experience a rough idle if there is a problem with any of these parts of the ignition system. 

Blocked Air Filter

The air filter blocks dirt and other harmful particles from getting into the engine. As the air filter works, the particles accumulate on its surface and block it. A blocked air filter will not feed adequate air into the engine, leading to a rough idle. 

Replacing air filters is another maintenance task you should regularly perform to keep your engine running. You should use a high-quality air filter that does not easily clog for prolonged service.

Vacuum Leaks

The engine has several vacuum hoses. These hoses become brittle and develop cracks with time. If any of the hoses cracks, the fuel-air mixture will be lean, resulting in a rough idle. Apart from rough idle, your engine will misfire due to fault combustion in the cylinders.

The leaking vacuum supply tanks, vacuum brake booster, and intake manifold gasket can also cause vacuum leaks. When your truck has vacuum leaks, everything will run perfectly, including the RPMs, but your idle will be rough.

Conclusion

Engine rough idle is a problem you should not take for granted once you experience it in your truck. Shared in this guide are some of the causes of engine rough idle. If you are unfamiliar with how your engine idles, you must regularly take your truck for a mechanical check-up. Your mechanic will be able to identify various issues with your engine. 

symptoms of a Seized Engine

3 Symptoms of a Seized Engine & What To Do

What are some of the symptoms of a seized engine in a truck? Engines experience different issues. Some are minor, while others are major. One of the worst experiences that one can ever have is a seized engine. If this happens to your engine, it might never turn on, and you might spend a lot to repair such an engine. Some people would end up considering swapping the engine. This guide will focus on what a seized engine is, its symptoms, and what to do if your engine seizes. 

What is a Seized Engine? 

An engine is a sophisticated part of your truck. It is the brain of your truck where all the activities take place. When your engine is seized, it will not be able to rotate the moment you ignite. Other parts of your truck, like the electronic system, will work perfectly, but the engine will not turn on when you try to ignite it. If your engine fails to ignite, it might have suffered from serious damages which are costly to repair.

Symptoms of a Seized Engine

The Engine Do Not Start

The very first symptom of a seized engine is when your engine fails to start. How will you know that your engine is not starting? Whenever you turn on the engine, you will see other electrical parts of your truck working perfectly, like the radio, lights, and heater fan. But the engine will not be able to start.

You will crank your engine, but nothing will happen. Instead, you will hear a clunking sound because the starter will impact the flywheel.

Engine Noises

Your engine will produce weird sounds before it seizes. Such noises might be loud, or others might be faint to the extent of not noticing them.

Whether you hear the noise from the engine or not, it indicates that your engine is soon seizing. The sound usually comes from the pistons connecting the rod hitting the crankshaft.

Physical Defect

Sometimes, the internal parts of your engine might be loose and become lodged in other parts of the engine. In such a scenario, your engine will seize. If your piston connecting rod is loose, the piston might penetrate the engine block. Compression will not occur in such a scenario, and your engine will seize.

Inspecting the entire engine block is necessary to determine the problem in such a situation. 

Fixing a Seized Engine

The above is some of the symptoms your truck will exhibit before its engine seizes. To fix a seized engine, you must inspect your engine to determine the cause because the starter problems are similar to engine seize issues.

To rule out that it is not the starter, manually rotate your crankshaft. If it is not rotating, consider removing the starter and trying again. If you note that your engine is seized, you will never spend time repairing it. Instead, you will have to replace the engine.

Conclusion,

Several issues can make your engine fail to start. A seized engine can be one of them. Knowing the signs of a seized engine will help you determine that it is not the problem with the spark plug or the ignition system. Shared in this guide are some of the symptoms of a seized engine which you should know.

get better fuel mileage

5 Ways To Get Better Fuel Mileage

Have you ever asked yourself how you can get better fuel mileage? The prices of gas continue to soar high as the income is constant. You need to save some cash on every purchase you make. Buying gas is inevitable as long as you own a truck. But you can evade the frequency of your visit to the gas station. If your engine is well serviced and maintained, your truck’s fuel efficiency will increase. You can also make minor modifications to boost your trucks’ gas economy. You will be increasing your mileage whenever you make any step to improve gas efficiency. After reading this guide, you will understand 5 easy ways to get better fuel mileage.

5 Ways To Get Better Fuel Mileage

Slowing down and leaving the gas pedal to relax is the best way to get better fuel mileage. However, there are other ways to ensure that your truck does not frequent the filling station.

Reduce Your Speed

High speed increases fuel consumption. At the same time, you do not need to be slow on the highway to save fuel. Cutting your speed by 5mp saves up to 7% of your gas. Instead of driving at 75mph, consider driving at 70mph. 

As you reduce your speed, check the frequency at which you accelerate. Struggling to beat 0-60mph time will waste your fuel and make you look arrogant on the road.

Let Your Foot Off the Brake

Letting your foot rest on the brake leads to premature brake wear and improves fuel economy. To save fuel, let your foot rest on the floor and embark on one-foot driving. Doing this increases fuel economy.

Avoid Unnecessary Idling

You will get 0mpg when your truck is running but not moving, and this dramatically reduces fuel economy. Your truck will consume fuel as much as it makes zero progress in motion.

In case you are waiting for someone, it is necessary to roll down your windows and turn off the engine. Besides saving fuel, this will enable you to catch some fresh air.

Do A Regular Wheel Alignment

The wheels of your truck become misaligned as you drive over potholes and on a rough road interferes with the alignment of your wheels. When your wheels are not correctly aligned, keeping your truck on a straight highway becomes problematic as it will pull either on the left or right side. Poor alignment also leads to poor fuel economy. To improve your gas mileage, consider aligning your wheels whenever you repair a puncture or fix new tires.

Check Your Tire Pressure

Driving your truck with the wrong amount of tire pressure interferes with your fuel mileage and causes premature tire wear. When your tires are underinflated by only 7.5 pounds, your fuel economy will go down by 2.8%. The tire gauge will let you know the right amount of pressure your tire requires.

Conclusion

The current economic inflation is pushing the prices of everything up, and gas is not left behind. Shared above are some habits that will help you increase your gas mileage and save your pockets from regular fueling. 

5 Reasons Why Truck Engine Overheats

5 Reasons Why Truck Engine Overheats

Why truck engine overheats is still something that many truck owners have never understood. The engine generates heat when functioning. It has metallic moving parts that rub against each other, and the combustion chamber creates heat as compression occurs. Friction and compression are sources of heat within the engine. Sometimes the temperature of your engine can be more than optimum. In such a situation, your engine will overheat. 

The engine has got cooling system whose primary responsibility is to cool down the engine. There are various reasons which might lead to an increase in the engine temperatures.

Reasons Why Truck Engine Overheats

Stuck Thermostat

The thermostat within the engine plays the role of regulating the temperature. The thermostat closes and opens. During cold weather, the thermostat remains closed and opens when the engine starts to warm up. When the thermostat opens, the coolant will flow into the radiator. 

The radiator plays the role of conducting the heat from the coolant to the air outside, which regulates the engine’s temperature.

If the thermostat fails to open, the coolant will not be able to travel to the radiator, and the truck engine will overheat.

Faulty Water Pump

It is the power from the engine that drives the water pump. Engine accessories like the timing belt or the timing chain propel the water pump. The water pump has an impeller that looks like the blades of a fan.

The impeller spins whenever your engine is running, and its rotation is what pushes the coolant through the cooling system. If the belts that drive it are faulty, the coolant will not be able to move correctly within the system, leading to engine overheating. 

Coolant Leaks

The coolant can leak inside your engine, and a cracked cylinder head, engine block, and damaged head gasket are some of the causes of coolant leaks within the engine. When the coolant leaks and gets into contact with the oil can lead to contamination. Sometimes, the coolant might get into the combustion chamber and be consumed. All this will reduce the level of the coolant. 

When the coolant hose leaks out coolant, the engine will overheat the gasket head will blow out.

Faulty Radiator Fan

The radiator fan is a crucial part of the cooling system, located between the engine and the radiator. The radiator fan has blades and is part of your truck’s electrical system. Its primary role is to blow off hot air in the coolant from the engine to cool it down. 

When the fan is faulty, it will not be able to cool down the coolant from the engine, and the hot coolant will be pumped back into the engine, which will make your engine overheat. 

Failed Temperature Sensors

The role of the temperature sensors is to determine when to turn on the radiator fan. When the temperature sensor malfunctions, the fan will not be able to turn on, and your engine will overheat.

Conclusion

When your truck’s engine is overheating, it is a severe condition you should not ignore. Consider visiting your mechanic to determine the exact cause of such a situation. In this guide, you have seen some of the reasons why truck engine overheats.

Truck Engine Swap

Truck Engine Swap – Top Considerations Before Before Doug It

Your truck is an extension of your personality, so you will not mind making some critical changes to it including having an engine swap. An engine swap is the most extreme change you can do to your truck. Doing this is a faster but not the easiest way to get more horsepower. Before looking at what you have to consider before making an engine swap for your truck, it is necessary to know what an engine swap is.

What is Engine Swap?

Engine swap refers to changing the original engine of your truck to another which might be of the same brand or completely different.

Before changing the engine for your truck, there are several considerations that you should put into place. After reading this guide, you will know what is necessary before performing an engine swap for your truck.

Considerations Before Making an Engine Swap for Your Truck

If you are thinking about changing your truck’s engine, you have to know the following.

Choose a Compatible Engine

Before performing an engine swap, consider choosing the right engine. Do some research to help you determine whether the engine you are about to fix will fit in or not. You can achieve this by measuring your truck’s overall dimension and transmission before settling for the right option.

Mounting it Up

The most challenging task is to mount an Engine. If you have the right engine, this process will be straightforward. Performing an engine swap with the like-to-like engine is simpler than a non-factory option. 

If you decide to swap the non-factory option, you have to perform a lot of fabrications so that the engine can fit your truck components. Before performing an engine swap, check the condition of your engine mount.

The Cooling System

When swapping your engine, a lot of work goes to the cooling system. The mechanical fans work perfectly well with the old engines, but the modern engine becomes very hot and thus requires more cooling. Many people performing engine swaps fail to think of the specific functionality of modern engines and end up installing a mechanical fan or even using cheap electric fans with the inadequate flow.

The Steering

It becomes challenging to figure out how the steering navigates past the headers and around everything. For this reason, many prefer upgrading the entire suspension and the steering system as they swap their engines. You can buy various after-market parts that require an odd steering linkage combination.

The Air Conditioning

Modern engines have mounting brackets or bosses for air conditioning compressors, which makes them convenient, but the compressors are usually mounted at the lower part of the engine. Such mounting makes it challenging when getting the engine between the frame rails. You will have to mount the compressor in a completely different location. 

Conclusion

Performing an engine swap is a complex process. You can never manage it alone. You have to involve your mechanic from planning to buying the engine with accessories and finally mounting it. This will ensure that the entire process is smooth.

What Does Ticking Noise From Engine of Truck Mean?

What Does Ticking Noise From Engine of Truck Mean?

The production of ticking sound from your engine can be normal or can result from other parts of your truck which are faulty. Your engine will produce a clicking noise when the truck is in motion, when you press the acceleration pedal or when the engine is idling. This guide will focus on the causes of ticking noise from engine and how you can fix it.

What Does Ticking Noise From Engine of Truck Mean?

Causes of Engine ticking Sound

There are parts of the engine which are in constant rotation and reciprocation, and such movement is likely to cause a ticking sound that should not worry you. When you hear a ticking sound, this is what it means.

Operating Noise and Normal Engine Wear

The design of your truck’s engine can make it produce the ticking sound when functioning. When your engine starts to wear, it will likely have a ticking sound. Such should not bother you, but some ticking noises should concern you.

Your engine will produce ticks when the fuel injectors fire. The fuel injectors are parts of your truck’s electric system, and their primary function is to open and close to allow the right amount of fuel inside the combustion chamber. When the injectors open and idle, you will hear sounds like someone tapping a pencil on the table. Such a ticking sound should not worry you.

The exhaust manifold leak will produce a ticking sound when the engine is idling or on a low RMP which should not worry you as it ensures that the exhaust fumes are at their correct position.

When Your Valves are Poorly Adjusted

Your engine has two valves, the intake, and the exhaust valves. When these valves are poorly adjusted, you will hear the ticking sound.

The rocker arms help in the valves’ opening-closing and depend on pushrods to function. The pushrods must be far from the valves to work effectively.

The valve opens and closes twice as your engine functions. You will hear the ticking sound when the valves open and close correctly.

Bad Lifters

The cylinder depends on various lifters for its valves to open and close. The lifers wear out with time. Bad lifters will produce a ticking sound in the engine. 

Filter Spacing Problems

The filters are in between the pushrods and the camshaft. When the space between the filter, pushrods and the camshaft is loose or tight, it will be problematic for your truck. When the space is too loose, the three components will have adequate contact, and you will hear a ticking sound.

Bad/Contaminated engine oil

As you drive your truck on various terrain, its oil will come into contact with dirt contaminating it. For this reason, every manufacturer will advise you to replace your oil after a specific mileage. If you fail to service your oil, the dirt will accumulate and block the oil filters making your engine produce a clicking sound. 

Conclusion

It would help if you did not worry when your engine is producing a ticking sound. Sometimes the ticking sound might signal an issue or the regular engine operation.

Let us now focus on the common differences between these two truck engines: diesel vs petrol engine trucks.

Diesel vs Petrol Engine Trucks

The light duty trucks such as pick-up and mini trucks have two versions of engines to choose from. The diesel-powered and the Petrol powered engines. The diesel-powered engines use pistons to compress air, generating high temperatures for fuel ignition in the combustion chamber. On the other hand, the Petrol powered engines use a spark plug to ignite the mixture of fuel and oxygen in the combustion chamber. Let us now focus on the common differences between these two truck engines: diesel vs petrol engine trucks. It is necessary to choose from the two options because there are more significant differences between the diesel and the Petrol driven trucks. When shopping for one, consider knowing each by their working principle and what you intend to do with your mini truck.

Diesel vs Petrol Engine Trucks

Here are the things that differentiate the two types of truck engines.

Cost Difference

Diesel trucks are more expensive than petrol trucks because diesel-powered engines are more economical in fuel consumption than petrol-powered ones. The owners of diesel trucks will get more from their money and will have fewer stops to refuel than the Petrol powered trucks.

Diesel fuel is inexpensive and also has a higher density than Petrol. The high density makes diesel engines use less fuel to produce energy equivalent to that of Petrol powered engines.

Maintenance Differences

The diesel and petrol engines have different demands, which bring more significant differences in maintaining the two. Petrol engines require regular maintenance, while diesel engines only require occasional maintenance. The petrol engines have shorter oil change intervals, and you must regularly change the spark plugs when servicing your truck. The ignition in the diesel engine does not rely on a spark plug; therefore, you only need to replace the fuel filters and diesel exhaust fluids, popularly known as DEF, when servicing it.

Differences in the Life Span of Engines

The parts of the diesel engine, such as the cylinder head, pistons, and the entire engine blocks, are made with solid material to sustain the high temperatures resulting in high compression of air by the pistons to produce spark. The rugged materials used in building a diesel engine and the fact that diesel fuel is less corrosive compared to Petrol gives the diesel engine a longer life span. Diesel fuel is also not corrosive as compared to petrol fuel.

Performance and Towing Energy

The diesel engine has a high torque compared to the petrol engine; torque is necessary for towing; therefore, if you want to use your mini truck for towing, consider buying the diesel-powered. The petrol engine has higher horsepower than the diesel engines. The production of more torque and consumption of less fuel makes diesel engines spend more time on the road.

Conclusion

The diesel and the Petrol powered trucks have unique differences. The diesel engine has higher torque; thus, this will be the best option if you use your truck for towing. The petrol engine has a higher horsepower; it is the best option if you need a truck for light duties and faster movement. To choose between diesel and the Petrol powered trucks, you must consider what you will do with the mini trick.

How do truck engines work?

How Do Truck Engines Work?

How do truck engines work? Trucks use the internal combustion engine, either a compression or Spark ignition. Diesel engines are also called the compression engine, and this is because they use the compression mechanism to burn the mixture of diesel and oxygen in the cylinder. On the other hand, the Petrol engine is also known as the spark ignition because they rely on spark plugs to cause fire to burn the mixture of air and petrol in the cylinder.

How Do Truck Engines Work?

Internal combustion describes the engine in which the explosion occurs in the engine cylinders or the combustion chamber. An internal combustion engine converts the thermal energy from the cylinders into mechanical energy. Some refer to this engine as four-stroke because the Piston requires four strokes to complete the combustion process.

Phases of A 4 Stroke Engine

The movement of the pistons from the top to the bottom of a cylinder is known as a stroke. A 4 stroke engine must undergo four main phases to complete combustion. Let us focus on what happens in each stroke.

Phase One: The Intake

The intake valves open to allow oxygen into the cylinder. Before oxygen comes in, the pistons are at the upper part of the cylinder. As oxygen gets it, the pistons move to the bottom part of the cylinder, and the intake valve closes. The engine uses energy during the intake stroke, and the crankshaft rotates due to the force of inertia. The oxygen in the cylinder then mixes with the fuel, and the next stroke starts.

Phase Two: Compression

The Piston is at the bottom part of the cylinder, and the compression stroke begins. During compression, the intake and exhaust valves are closed, and the Piston starts moving to the cylinder’s upper part. When the Piston reaches the cylinder’s upper part, adequate pressure builds up.

During compression, as the Piston approaches the upper part of the cylinder, the petrol engine will generate a spark, and the diesel engine will inject fuel. The engine consumes more energy.

Phase Three: Power

In power stroke, the Piston is at the upper part of the cylinder, and fuel and air are burning. The combustion increases the pressure in the cylinder, which forces the Piston to move down. It is at the power stroke phase where the energy production takes place.

Phase Four: Exhaust

The Piston is at the bottom part of the cylinder as the exhaust stroke starts. The exhaust phase is the last stroke, and the exhaust gases come out at this point. The exhaust gases are the end product of the combustion in the cylinder. Initially, we talked of two valves in the cylinder, and the first functioned during intake. The second valve, known as the exhaust valve, now opens. Upon opening, the Piston moves up to force the exhaust gases through the exhaust valve.

Conclusion

The internal combustion engine of a truck is known as the 4-stroke engine because the Piston moves four times in the cylinder. This guide has made you understand how it works.