Perhaps you are wondering how many engine hours is a lot.
If you are looking to find out the answer to this question – then you are in the right place! Today’s post is all about knowing how many engine hours is considered to be a lot. This will help you determine if your engine is likely to have issues due to age – helping you to be prepared.
Let’s jump right into it.
How Many Engine Hours Is A Lot
When it comes to the number of engine hours that is considered to be a lot, it really depends on your truck’s make and model. Moreover, the maintenance history and usage frequency impacts the answer to this question.
But for the most part, the average engine hours for well-maintained trucks range from 15,000 to as much as 30,000. However, this is impacted by several other factors.
When you use your truck heavily, or you do not provide it with adequate maintenance, your engine’s lifespan may be shorter. In fact, engine hours that go up to over 40,000 puts your vehicle at a greater risk for potential issues. Thus, you need to consult your mechanic or check your manufacturer’s recommendations to achieve a more definitive assessment.
Many truck owners are keen to know more about the engine hours to determine their engine’s performance and lifespan. This is why you need to pay close attention to the engine hours and make sure you are doing certain techniques to promote its life and performance.
Now, let us take a closer look at the different factors that impact engine hours and some measures helpful for its maintenance.
Engine Hours Factors To Consider
When you use your truck for average hauls for short distances, and you give it regular maintenance required, then the engine hours should not seem like a lot compared with another truck that is much less maintained and used for heavy duty hauls on long distances.
Therefore, you cannot simply consider the hours – you also need to put into consideration the weight of the hauls and the frequency of trips – and how many miles it travels each day.
A vehicle’s engine hours affect its resale value. When the engine hours are quite high, then the resale value is reduced. Thus, if you are looking to sell your truck one day, you need to make it a priority to maintain your vehicle well. In addition, you should monitor the engine hours. But even if you are not planning on selling it, you need to do these to ensure ample performance level. The less problems your vehicle has, the less chances of downtimes and lower impact on your bottom line.
As we have mentioned above, there are many things to look into when calculating engine hours. If you are using your truck more often, the engine is likely to suffer from more wear and tear issues. The shorter the distance, the lower the engine hour. The longer the distance for daily hauls, the higher engine hours there are.
If you conduct regular inspections and change the oil as required by the manufacturer, these all help in prolonging the engine’s lifespan. Therefore, the engine hours of a well-maintained vehicle is lower than one that barely gets the maintenance it needs.
It is also worth noting that the terrain that your vehicle drives on, as well as the weather conditions, can impact the engine hours. When the usual terrain is rough and the typical weather condition is extreme, this also impacts the engine. On the other hand, if you usually drive in milder weather and the roads are often smooth and well-paved, the engine hours are lower.
With all that being said, you may be wondering how you can check the engine hours on your vehicle. It is actually quite simple. All you need to do is to either check your computer system onboard or the dashboard.
These units should display the engine hours. It is in a gauge or a digital readout format. Then, record your present engine hours. This way, you can have a starting point when it comes to monitoring the hours later on.
Make it a habit to check your engine hours as often as possible. Whenever there are new readings available, be sure to record these. From there, you have a point of comparison for the old vs. new reading. Hence, you should be able to easily track any spike in the engine hours.
But if your vehicle has a different means of checking the engine hours, you can simply consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions. It all depends on the model and make of your vehicle.
Your Next Step
After knowing more about the engine hours, you can then perform certain techniques to help prolong the engine’s lifespan.
For instance, you need to conduct regular inspections. Check any critical components that may need repair or replacement.
You also need to perform regular oil changes. The oil lubricates your vehicle’s moving parts while eliminating contaminants. When you keep old oil, it tends to accumulate dirt and can be quite thick, which can cause damage to your engine.
It is also important to replace fuel and air filters. These components are prone to obstructions from debris and dirt. When the filters are dirty, this limits fuel and air flow, which negatively impacts your engine.
A regular inspection will allow you to keep every crucial component in your vehicle in check. You can perform the right things to be done that will prevent further issues or damage. In the end, it will save you time and money by making sure everything is in proper order.
Read More: Understanding the Issue With Diesel Engine Oil Shortage
Summary
Overall, the engine hours are impacted by numerous factors – usage, type of terrain and weather condition, and frequency of maintenance work done to the vehicle. Therefore, it is best to take these into consideration when determining how many engine hours is a lot and perform necessary methods to prolong your engine’s lifespan and improve its performance.