Most of the driving I do in my new 300CD is two miles drives to work grocery store etc. I just bought this car 3 weeks ago and I love it. But, I'm wondering what effect on the engine these short trips and very few freeway miles could have in the long term.
gregp1962
i would consider getting out on the highway or freeway at least once every couple weeks so that you can get it nice and warmed up. in my opinion your concern is a valid one, diesel engines really do need to get nice and hot every so often so that you can burn out some of that crap that builds up. of course you run a very high risk of finding all kinds of new leaks in gaskets that you didn't know about from never getting your fluids hot...
but you will thank yourself once you start replacing these parts and working on your new vehicle =D
but you will thank yourself once you start replacing these parts and working on your new vehicle =D
I might want to add water injection as well. It would only work when the engine is hot. But, that could be a few times a day.
Only driving your car on short trips will destroy the engine quickly. Ok, maybe not quickly, but it will last half as long or worse compared with an engine that gets good and used. The engine needs to get hot and stay hot. In the 'old country' when these were used as taxis, often they'd run until it was time to shut them off to change the oil. Those engines lasted, and lasted.... and lasted.
And you'll find cars in the US with 400K+ miles on them that have run highway trips for years, and they still run like new.
And then you'll find the low mileage ones. They tend to always need the most work and never run quite right.
I work for a school bus distributor and see the same thing. The same engines are used in many over the road trucks. They'll go half a million miles or more in a truck, and require major work with less than 100K miles in a school bus- which is basically a short trip pickup and delivery vehicle.
Take your car on trips! Increasing the reading on the odometer won't hurt the value. It wants to cruise at 75 mph all day long. These cars love to run. Diesel engines are like your body. Use them or lose them.
And you'll find cars in the US with 400K+ miles on them that have run highway trips for years, and they still run like new.
And then you'll find the low mileage ones. They tend to always need the most work and never run quite right.
I work for a school bus distributor and see the same thing. The same engines are used in many over the road trucks. They'll go half a million miles or more in a truck, and require major work with less than 100K miles in a school bus- which is basically a short trip pickup and delivery vehicle.
Take your car on trips! Increasing the reading on the odometer won't hurt the value. It wants to cruise at 75 mph all day long. These cars love to run. Diesel engines are like your body. Use them or lose them.
My Mercedes is most often driven by my Wife who also works about 2 miles away.
We always try to give the Engine some time to warm up before it hits the Road; that reduces the upper cylinder wear.
The other thing you can do to reduce wear is to Change the Oil and Oil Filter earlier than you would normally. Short trip use falls in the sever use category on a maintenance schedule.
On short trips where the Engine is not fully warmed up more Carbon Deposits are created and it is not as easy for the Engine to get rid of moisture in the Crankcase.
Although there is no kit for it I installed a bypass Oil Filter on mine that filters down to 0.5 nominal microns. I figure that also helps to get rid of Carbon suspended in the Oil.
People claim the Synthetic Oil helps keep the Piston Rings free from sticky Carbon; so that might be another alternative.
I do not know if using Synthetic Oil otherwise reduces wear as I am not in to that.
We always try to give the Engine some time to warm up before it hits the Road; that reduces the upper cylinder wear.
The other thing you can do to reduce wear is to Change the Oil and Oil Filter earlier than you would normally. Short trip use falls in the sever use category on a maintenance schedule.
On short trips where the Engine is not fully warmed up more Carbon Deposits are created and it is not as easy for the Engine to get rid of moisture in the Crankcase.
Although there is no kit for it I installed a bypass Oil Filter on mine that filters down to 0.5 nominal microns. I figure that also helps to get rid of Carbon suspended in the Oil.
People claim the Synthetic Oil helps keep the Piston Rings free from sticky Carbon; so that might be another alternative.
I do not know if using Synthetic Oil otherwise reduces wear as I am not in to that.
Short trips are considered to be severe duty driving.
Maintenance intervals are shortened in half when this happens (oil change at 1500 miles instead of 3000, etc).
My wife bikes to work if she can, it's probably the same distance. Saves on fuel, vehicle wear and tear, and she gets to exercise too. My commute is 20 miles one way, so any car I take will be driven outside of severe duty driving.
Maintenance intervals are shortened in half when this happens (oil change at 1500 miles instead of 3000, etc).
My wife bikes to work if she can, it's probably the same distance. Saves on fuel, vehicle wear and tear, and she gets to exercise too. My commute is 20 miles one way, so any car I take will be driven outside of severe duty driving.
Take a detour? I live about a mile from my work and in the rare case that I take my car to work (because I have to somewhere after work) I take a detour to get the engine warm.
Thanks. you have all confirmed my suspicion. What do you all think about water injection to mitigate some of the short trip driving dangers?
I really wouldn't make too much of a fuss about the whole short trip thing - I most certainly wouldn't be doing some sort of water injection / special magic additive solution.
Remember it isn't just the engine that suffers from short trips! What are you going to do about the other parts that don't reach the proper ideal operating temperature? Panic!
The only thing that I would do is change the engine oil more frequently than prescribed. I change my engine oil at least twice a year with a filter change(!); automatic transmission fluid gets changed once a year too as does the power steering; differential fluid probably about once every two years... To some this might seem over the top - and I'd agree in a way it is - I'm just happy to do what I think is the best for my car that has to suffer short runs and little use. For me that is all that really matters => do something that you are happy with (even if you think water injection and magic beans do help!).
This problem can quickly turn into an emotional nightmare rather than a practical solution.
Remember it isn't just the engine that suffers from short trips! What are you going to do about the other parts that don't reach the proper ideal operating temperature? Panic!
The only thing that I would do is change the engine oil more frequently than prescribed. I change my engine oil at least twice a year with a filter change(!); automatic transmission fluid gets changed once a year too as does the power steering; differential fluid probably about once every two years... To some this might seem over the top - and I'd agree in a way it is - I'm just happy to do what I think is the best for my car that has to suffer short runs and little use. For me that is all that really matters => do something that you are happy with (even if you think water injection and magic beans do help!).
This problem can quickly turn into an emotional nightmare rather than a practical solution.
my father is a diesel tech in the farm industry and i recall him telling me a story about a guy who brought in one of his machines and was so confused why this newer tractor was having so many issues. after a quick conversation it was determined that because this tractor never left the yard and only did minimal work there was a good chance that the engine was not getting hot enough and was probably building soot.
so he hooked it up to the dyno and just let it run for a couple hours under load. he said that after about 45 mins or so it was just bellowing out red hot ash into the shop.
now just think, these engines are basically just glorified tractor engines. i'm not trying to draw a direct parallel between your mercedes and a farm tractor. but its something to think about.
so he hooked it up to the dyno and just let it run for a couple hours under load. he said that after about 45 mins or so it was just bellowing out red hot ash into the shop.
now just think, these engines are basically just glorified tractor engines. i'm not trying to draw a direct parallel between your mercedes and a farm tractor. but its something to think about.
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