Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Am I hurting my Cummins?

[CTaylor]

I daily drive during the week the 97 in my sig to work 4 miles their and 4 miles back. Being the short distance I drive this truck daily im worried it may be doing it harm as it just barely gets to temp before Im to my destination and have to shut her down. It also doesnt get any use on the weekends either, Is their any special things I should be doing to extend my life with such use cycles? I already for sure plan to change oil and filter every 4k

 

[rjrkihap]

I too have the same issue (3 miles each way for me). What I have decided to do is once a week take the truck for a longer drive (40) miles at highway speeds. My theory is that by bringing all temps up to normal operating levels, I am eliminating any condensation that may have occurred and I am assuring the fluids are circulated providing/maintaining a protective film on my moving parts (my truck has been sitting a bit more these days). I also regularly run injector cleaner in hopes of preventing carbon build up on the injectors. I also use synthetic fluids as time and not mileage is my determining factor for fluid changes.

So far so good (140,000 miles).

Ron

 

[Bill Lins]

Yes, you're hurting your Cummins and should be terribly ashamed of yourself. To atone, just drop it off at my house & I'll treat it properly to make up for the abuse you've given it. :wink:

 

[CTaylor]

Yes, you're hurting your Cummins and should be terribly ashamed of yourself. To atone, just drop it off at my house & I'll treat it properly to make up for the abuse you've given it. :wink:

:-laf ill bring it south 1st thing in the morning

 

[rluft]

You could get a little scooter to drive to work. ;-)

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I've been driving my '96 like that for years. Tons of short trips in the winter like that, and it's been plugged in less than 1% of the nights through its life. It has gotten plenty of not-so-ideal usage the 97k miles I've had it, it had 351,ooo when I bought it. It's had plenty of highway miles to offset it though. It is getting a little tired, plan to tear it down at 500k to freshen it up.

 

[Grizzly]

I daily drive during the week the 97 in my sig to work 4 miles their and 4 miles back. Being the short distance I drive this truck daily im worried it may be doing it harm as it just barely gets to temp before Im to my destination and have to shut her down. It also doesnt get any use on the weekends either, Is their any special things I should be doing to extend my life with such use cycles? I already for sure plan to change oil and filter every 4k

The fact that you're in Texas I don't believe you're hurting anything. If you were in Minnesota in the dead of winter and commuting to work only four miles, then you'd be hurting the engine and the rest of the drive train.



Not to worry.



george