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Did you know that over 60% of diesel
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engine failures are caused by bad
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driving habits? That's right. Bad habits
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behind the wheel can silently destroy
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your engine, leading to costly repairs
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or even complete engine failure. Diesel
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engines are built tough, but they're
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also precise machines that need to be
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treated right. If you want your diesel
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vehicle to last 300,000 mi or more,
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there are a few driving mistakes you
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simply can't afford to make. In this
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video, I'm exposing the worst diesel
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driving habits that quietly kill your
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engine over time. And trust me, most
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drivers are guilty of at least one.
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Let's get into it before your engine
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pays the price. Mistake number nine,
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skipping engine warm-ups. When you start
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your diesel engine, the oil is cold and
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thick. It hasn't yet circulated to all
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those critical engine parts like the
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turbo, pistons, and crankshaft. The cold
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oil cannot lubricate properly under
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heavy load, which shortens engine life.
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If you drive off immediately, these
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parts start grinding against each other,
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which may lead to costly repairs. Diesel
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engines especially need a bit of idle
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time because their combustion process
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relies heavily on proper heat buildup,
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and cold starts mean that fuel doesn't
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burn properly, which increases carbon
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buildup. Skipping the warm-up also
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increases emissions and reduces fuel
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efficiency. Allowing your engine to idle
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for 30 seconds to 1 minute after
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starting gives the oil time to circulate
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and begin protecting the engine. Mistake
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number eight, frequent short trips.
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Diesel engines aren't made for stop
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start 2-minute drives. They are designed
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for heavyduty long-d distanceance
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driving where they can operate at high
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temperatures. When you take short trips,
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the engine doesn't have enough time to
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reach and maintain optimal temperature,
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which leads to poor combustion and
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excessive soot formation. This soot can
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clog the diesel particulate filter and
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other emission components that may lead
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to poor engine performance and expensive
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repairs. Low operating temperatures also
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cause condensation in the oil and
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exhaust system, which can lead to
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corrosion. That's why if you have to
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take short trips regularly, at least
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make sure you give your diesel some
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proper highway time now to allow the
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system to burn off accumulated deposits.
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Mistake number seven, using poor quality
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fuel. Diesel fuel quality plays a
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critical role in engine health.
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Lowquality or contaminated diesel often
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contains water, dirt, or microbial
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growth, which can severely damage fuel
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injectors and fuel pumps. Poor fuel can
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lead to incomplete combustion, rough
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idling, power loss, and increased
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emissions. Diesel engines require clean,
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highane fuel to ensure smooth operation
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and efficiency. Using fuel from
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unreliable sources increases the risk of
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introducing contaminants into the
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system. It's also recommended to use
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quality diesel additives occasionally to
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clean injectors and improve combustion.
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Good fuel habits protect your engine
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from long-term damage. Mistake number
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six, shutting down after hard driving.
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When you push your diesel engine hard,
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especially on the highway, your turbo
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gets insanely hot. I'm talking about
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temperatures that can literally cook
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your oil. When you shut the engine off
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immediately, then the oil circulation
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stops, but the turbo is still sizzling.
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The oil trapped inside starts to burn,
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which creates carbon buildup. These
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deposits can cause turbo bearing
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failure, which is a very costly repair.
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Turbochargers need a brief period of
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low-load idling to cool down properly
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and allow fresh oil to flow through the
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turbo. This prevents the oil from
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breaking down and extends the life of
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the turbo. A good rule is to idle for
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about 30 seconds to a minute after hard
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driving or towing. Ignoring this habit
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can significantly shorten the turbo's
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lifespan. Mistake number five,
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neglecting regular oil changes. Diesel
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engines produce more soot, carbon, and
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contaminants compared to gasoline
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engines, which means the engine oil gets
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dirty faster. Dirty oil loses its
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lubricating properties, increasing
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friction, and wear on engine parts.
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Skipping or delaying oil changes can
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lead to sludge buildup, which blocks oil
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passages and reduces engine life. In
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diesel engines, soot particles get
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suspended in the oil, thickening it and
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reducing its effectiveness. Without
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timely oil changes, you risk damaging
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vital engine components like the turbo,
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bearings, and pistons. Regular oil
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changes are especially important if the
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vehicle is frequently used for towing or
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heavy loads. Always follow the
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manufacturer's service intervals to
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ensure proper lubrication and long
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Mistake number four, ignoring dashboard
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warning lights. Modern diesel engines
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are equipped with complex systems like
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EGR valves, DPF filters, and advanced
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fuel injection that all require careful
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monitoring. Dashboard warning lights
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indicate that something is wrong.
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Whether it's low oil pressure,
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overheating, or a clogged DPF, ignoring
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these warnings can quickly turn minor
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issues into serious, expensive problems.
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For example, driving with a clogged DPF
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can cause extreme back pressure,
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damaging the turbo and engine. If you
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ignore an oil pressure warning, you
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could destroy the engine within minutes.
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Timely attention to warning lights can
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prevent costly repairs and keep the
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engine running smoothly. Regular
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diagnostics and prompt responses to
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alerts are essential for diesel engine
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longevity. Mistake number three, revving
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hard when cold. When a diesel engine is
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cold, the oil is thick and hasn't fully
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circulated to all the moving parts.
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Revving the engine aggressively in this
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state can cause severe metaltometal
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contact which may increase wear on
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components like pistons, bearings, and
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the turbo. A cold engine also doesn't
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burn fuel efficiently, which leads to
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unburnt diesel and carbon buildup. Rapid
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acceleration when engine is cold puts
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sudden stress on the turbocharger and
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other pressurized systems before they
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are ready. The engine should be driven
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gently until the temperature gauge
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indicates that it has reached normal
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operating temperature. Taking this
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precaution helps ensure proper
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lubrication and protects the engine from
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early wear and damage.
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Mistake number two, riding the clutch.
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Many diesel vehicles with manual
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transmissions suffer from premature
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clutch wear due to poor driving habits
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like riding the clutch. This happens
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when drivers rest their foot on the
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clutch pedal while driving, which
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partially disengages the clutch. The
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resulting friction causes unnecessary
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wear on the clutch plate, pressure
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plate, and release bearing. Over time,
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this can lead to clutch slippage,
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reduced power delivery, and eventually
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complete clutch failure. Therefore, you
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should develop the habit of fully
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removing your foot from the clutch pedal
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when not actively shifting gears to
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prolong clutch life. Mistake number one,
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using the wrong oil type. Diesel engines
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have very different oil requirements
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compared to gasoline engines. They need
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oils with specific additives to handle
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the higher temperatures, pressures, and
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soot production. Using the wrong oil
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type can lead to poor lubrication, oil
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breakdown, and faster engine wear.
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Diesel rated oils often contain
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detergents and dispersants that help
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keep soot suspended and prevent sludge
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buildup. Without the proper oil,
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critical engine components like
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turbochargers, lifters, and bearings can
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suffer from poor protection and
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excessive wear. Therefore, always check
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your owner's manual for the correct oil
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specification and viscosity for your
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diesel engine. That's all for this
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video. These bad habits will literally
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destroy your diesel engine. So, if this
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video just saved you from a turbo
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disaster, hit that like button,
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subscribe for more driving hacks, and
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tell me in the comments, how many of
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these habits are you guilty of? See you
