Diesel Engine Maintenance

Better fuel economy, durability, and power are a few of the reasons some people prefer to buy diesel engine vehicles.

 

Why Diesel Engine Maintenance is Important?:

 

Without regular maintenance, your fuel injection system will clog up over time.

Servicing your vehicle plays an important part in maintaining that ‘new’ condition. It’s one of your biggest investments and maintenance ensures a healthy life for your vehicle.

Giving your engine a little extra TLC can extend its life and ensures a smooth journey.

Since it’s one of the most important factors in vehicle care we’ve provided you with the why and how on keeping your Isuzu bakkie in tip-top shape:

Because a diesel engine requires higher pressure for combustion, it needs a lot more maintenance. Since there aren’t any spark plugs, the engine gets really hot. This can cause problems in the long run, if not properly maintained.

 

Diesel Engine Maintenance Isuzu Botswana

 

Symptoms of a Problematic Diesel Engine:

 

Seeing excessive smoke, increased fuel consumption and lagging performance are signs of a faulty or worn-out engine.

It can be timely and costly to replace large parts due to lack of maintenance. Servicing regularly will decrease the chances of needing to do this. This will also cost a lot less in the long-run.

However, a lot of these problems can be a result of a contaminant in your diesel engine. This is why services at regular intervals help because these things will be checked.

 

What You Should Do?:

 

To address these symptoms you’ll need to take your Isuzu bakkie to your nearest Isuzu workshop. Here an Isuzu mechanic will run diagnostics to identify the fault that needs to be addressed.

Running the diagnostic will allow him to find and repair the fault with the correct Isuzu parts.

 

Diesel Engine Repair Includes:

 

*Engine light scanning
*Diagnosis
*Engine leaks
*Tune-ups
*Troubleshooting
*Engine overhauls
*Fuel Injector repair (find more info on bad fuel injector symptoms)

Regular maintenance is the only way to keep your diesel engine healthy. You’ll save the engine and cost yourself a lot less over time.

If your engine light has been on for a while and it feels as if something’s wrong, contact us for a service booking.

 

What’s Complete Care?:

 

Isuzu Complete Care comes with all Isuzu vehicle purchases. It safeguards you and your vehicle. We know that true partnership is one that is with you for the long run.

The Complete Care program for bakkies comes with a 5-year/200 000 km bumper to bumper warranty. Consisting of regular, scheduled maintenance and Roadside Assistance for complete peace of mind. No matter where you are, Isuzu Botswana is here to help.

All Isuzu trucks purchased, offer a purchase warranty as well as Roadside Assistance.

Our trained and certified technicians know your vehicle best. We only fit genuine Isuzu parts to ensure your vehicle and safety are never compromised.

Our pricing is always fair and transparent. Helpful Customer Care Consultants are always on standby to answer any questions and assist in breakdowns, wherever you are.

Whatever you need, whenever you need it, we always do our best to meet your needs and exceed your expectations.

 

Isuzu In The Mines

Isuzu In The Mines

Isuzu finds itself in the Peak Gold Mines in Cobar, New South Wales, moving miners and equipment underground.

The mine owns seven Isuzu trucks, 4 being used to transport miners, equipment & explosives. The copper & gold mine has a 24-hour operation system so they are definitely putting Isuzu’s promise of reliability & toughness to the test!

*Known as a famous mining town, Cobar is a town 700 km north-west of Sydney

To keep up with their 24-hour schedule, Peak Gold Mines relies on reliable equipment that will get the job done right. So far their fleet is made up of a total of 55 trucks & utility support vehicles.

According to Mobile Maintenance Planner, Ben Trudgett, their Isuzus easily cope with the rock-based roads & 1:6 gradient in the decline mine.

Part of their fleet is an Isuzu NLS 200 crew cab which is used underground & sometimes used to transport team members to other workshops.

Isuzu in the mines: Peak Gold Mines

4 FTS 750 trucks are in use as store trucks. One goes into town for store runs. Along with the FTS 750, they own 2 FTS 800 4×4. One is a fuel truck while the other is an explosives truck.

 

“The explosives truck has a reinforced headboard for additional safety of operators.”

The trucks are in use every day due to Peak Gold Mines operating constantly.

Their stores truck does 2 town runs from Monday to Friday. The other truck is in use 24/7 to transport logistics underground.

 

“The explosives truck is also in use every day by the charge-up crews.”

Stores truck aside, all other Isuzu trucks go down into the mine. Harsh conditions with rock-based roads at a 1:6 decline are an everyday challenge. However, the Isuzu trucks exceed expectations, handling tough conditions easily

*Do you need trucks to add to your fleet? How about these trucks

 

“Apart from the stores truck, all other Isuzu trucks go into the mine. The conditions are harsh, the roads are rock base with a 1:6 decline. However the Isuzu trucks have no issues with the conditions – they do everything that we ask of them, and sometimes more.”

Mr Trudgett said he believes the most favourable features of the Isuzu trucks are their reliability and operator comfort.

 

“The Isuzus offer more than enough power. Theres no trouble driving up steep declines at 20km/h when loaded,” he says.

“We chose to purchase Isuzu trucks because they offer a fleet of standard service trucks that meet our specification and the product’s reliability is fantastic. We also can’t go past the back-up parts and service from the Isuzu Dealership, Tracserv in Dubbo – we have had very good experiences with them.”

Peak Gold Mines replaces trucks on an “as-needed basis”, based on their condition, age and life hours.

Isuzu in the mines: Peak Gold Mines Gold Mines Australia

 

“We select the best truck that suits the application required. The explosives truck, fuel truck and NLS 200 crew cab were all added to our fleet in 2011,” Mr Trudgett said.

“We would definitely consider purchasing more Isuzu trucks when we require replacement vehicles. Reliability and performance remain unsurpassed in the mine.”

Peak Gold Mines runs two mining fields, one hosting a processing plant and administration buildings.

The 1 MILLION KM Bakkie; Reliability Is Everything

Isuzu Botswana, reliability is everything; The 1 MILLION KM Bakkie

A name known by many across all trades. From farmers, police, firefighters and miners, Isuzu often finds itself in the toughest situations. For many in these fields, reliability is truly everything. Tackling robust work like a horse galloping on a sandy beach.

Isuzu has stood the test of time over and over again. One such story comes all the way from Mossel Bay on the Western Coast of Southern Africa.

David Manley, a retired Ship Surveyor demonstrated how reliable Isuzu is when his 18-year-old Isuzu 25 Diesel LE, hit the 1-million km mark on the clock. Wow! A million kilometres is a lot for a car that’s 18-years-old. If that isn’t impressive enough, it’s still going.

Back in 2000, he bought his resilient Isuzu bakkie. Bought brand new, she’s been proving her worth ever since. The Bakkie saw a lot of South Africa. Being used to travel all over carrying David’s sons’ boat to different sailing competitions during his High School years…

A month after it hit the 1 Million Kilometer mark in 2017 David and his wife took a trip to the Kalahari and back. Further showcasing just how strong their Isuzu bakkie is. When they got back they decided the bakkie was old enough to retire.

Living a more simple life of daily errand running and farm work transport is how she spends her days now. She earned the relaxed life of a retiree, of course. After all, she did pile up over a million kilometres.

david-manley-and-his-dog-bonny-with-his-old-faithful-isuzu-25-diesel-le

 

She may be 18, but is still strong and wasn’t ready to completely retire. Another trip for 2019 was organised to go through to Namibia and back.

Mossel Bay to Namibia is approximately 1741.5 km there and back. Adding a whopping 3,483 km to the already impressively large number on the clock. That doesn’t even include the driving around they would be doing in Namibia itself.

Over the 18 years, David only had minor services done on his bakkie. Taking over the routine servicing himself after the bakkie hit the 200 000 km mark.

The bakkie still has its original engine and turbo. He had the timing gears replaced at 500 000 km’s and an exchange gearbox installed at 540 000 km’s.

He has nothing but confidence that his old Isuzu workhorse will still see many more days on the farm. Further strengthening the trust in the reliability and power of the Isuzu brand. We believe this Isuzu proved its worth over those 18 years.

A few rust marks only display the natural ageing cycle this bakkie is going through. 18 is pretty old in car years, you could almost consider it a classic!

When you think of reliability, what comes to mind? Something that you know won’t let you down in desperate situations? Getting to work on time is granted a desperate situation.

Our definition of reliability at Isuzu Botswana is more than that. We aim to be as reliable as the vehicles themselves. If you’re looking for reliability, we can help you. Leave your details and a team member will get in touch.

*Have a look at the original article by Wheels24.

 

Isuzu Botswana Tips On Saving Fuel

Isuzu Botswana Tips On Saving Fuel

 

It’s no secret that the price of fuel rises like a rocket and falls like a feather. The cost for a litre of Diesel at the time of writing is P13.90.

Since petrol and diesel prices fluctuate and tend to increase rather than decrease. It’s difficult to know when prices will come down. You’ll need to be smart about saving fuel and how to save on fuel costs before you reach the pump. Fortunately for you, there are many ways to significantly save on fuel and fuel costs – without much effort, we might add.

Here are Isuzu Botswana’s tips on saving fuel;

 

 

Your Driving Habits:

 

  1. Try Driving Less:

With rising fuel costs, there are several reasons why people are choosing to walk or bicycle to their destinations. It’s not so hard to do either.

A good tip on saving fuel is to combine your errand runs into one trip, meaning fewer trips into town. Use your bicycle to ride to work, of course, that’s if you have one. Get your cardio in by walking to shops if they are nearby. Forming a carpool system is another fantastic way you can save on fuel.

 

  1. Try Keeping Your Warm-Ups To Under A Minute:

Cold mornings in Botswana are fortunately few and in the past engines would need to “warm up” before setting off. Warming your car for longer than a minute wastes fuel and emits large amounts of Greenhouse Gases. Modern engines like Isuzu’s petrol and diesel varieties don’t require an extended length of time to warm up.

 

  1. The Time Of Day To Buy Fuel

Try purchasing your fuel early in the morning or late in the day when it cools down. Fuel is cooler earlier in the day, and denser. When temperatures rise, petrol density falls and you get less out when you’re pumping. 

Diesel engines, on the other hand, are more efficient the warmer the weather gets.

 

  1. Slow Down!

Driving fast can be fun, but it also increases drag, which increases fuel consumption. Driving just below the speed limit and not accelerating quickly uses petrol more efficiently. This could help you fill up a lot less often on fuel.

 

  1. Monitor Your Braking

Excessive braking wastes gas and causes your brake pads to wear out quicker. Always maintain a safe distance from yourself and the car in front of you. Especially if there’s heavy traffic – that way, you won’t need to brake as often as if you were tailgating.

Keeping a safe distance allows you to start braking earlier, avoiding the need to slam on the brakes. Slamming your brakes decreases the efficiency of your car and wastes fuel.

 

car-refill-transportation-transport

 

  1. Turn The Engine Off

If you’re waiting around for a while, turn your engine off. Idling your car wastes a large amount of fuel and contributes to pollutants in the atmosphere.

 

  1. Eliminate Wind Resistance

Your open windows increase drag. This, in the long run, costs you fuel. So try keeping your windows closed whenever possible. Also, remove any sort of rack you may have attached to your car when not in use. Removing racks will increase the aerodynamics of your car, thus saving you fuel.

 

  1. Don’t Get Caught Without Petrol

If you wait until your tank is almost empty, you may find yourself stuck far from a petrol station. Driving on an empty tank causes damage to your fuel pump. Always make sure you’ve filled up before driving off.

 

 

Car Maintenance:

 

  1. Keep An Eye On Those Tyres

Under-inflation causes tyres to wear out faster which causes you to waste fuel. Properly inflated tyres reduce friction and offer better fuel mileage.

However, temperature changes can cause tyre pressure to fluctuate by as much as 0.908 kg- 1,36 kg, so be sure to check the psi regularly – especially during seasons when the weather shifts drastically. Contact your local garage and ask if they perform tyre checks or go to your local petrol station.

 

  1. Service Your Engine Regularly

Your engine needs to be serviced regularly. A regularly serviced engine uses less petrol. Can’t remember the last time you had your engine serviced? We think it’s time you gave us a call to book a service.

Also, keep an eye on your air filter. Air filters are changed during service but if you drive on dusty roads these filters may need changing more regularly. It is a relatively inexpensive procedure and the increase in fuel efficiency may cover the cost and more.

 

  1. Use the Correct Motor Oil For Your Engine

Be sure to use the proper motor oil for your engine. If you’re not sure which type your car requires, check the owner’s manual or Isuzu owners can contact us. Using the wrong motor oil can cause damage to the engine causing it to work harder and waste petrol.

 

  1. Time To Turn Off the A/C

As much as you may love your air conditioning, it turns your car into a petrol guzzler. Keep it turned off as much as possible. Keep your car cooler by parking in the shade and rolling down the windows a crack to circulate air.

 

 

Transmissions & Fuel Efficiency:

 

  1. Drive A Manual Transmission

Manual transmission cars are more fuel-efficient than automatic transmission. If you drive a manual, shift up early and shift down late to save on fuel. Also, shift into neutral when the car is standing still to reduce the strain on your transmission.

 

  1. Manage Your Speed

If your car is automatic, use the cruise control button to manage your speed and conserve fuel.

 

 

Planning Ahead:

 

  1. Download a Fuel App

Using a smartphone app can help save you money at the petrol station. There are multiple apps which are not only available for iPhone, but also Android, Blackberry, Windows phones, and many others.

 

  1. Choose the Quickest And Easiest Route

Whenever possible, take the route with the least stops. The shortest route isn’t always the most fuel-efficient way…

 

Finally

The cost of fuel has fluctuated wildly over the last decade, but chances are that we won’t be seeing low fuel prices again for a long while. However, instead of simply waiting for fuel prices to fall, try to focus on finding clever and simple ways to save money. Invest in an economical vehicle with a high MPG when you make your next purchase. Continue to take care of your current vehicle, and try to carpool to work. And if possible, walk or ride a bike whenever the opportunity presents itself, rather than driving. It’s good for the environment and even greater for your health.

Need some more Isuzu Botswana tips on car safety, fuel-saving and car maintenance? We have you covered with all the latest tips and tricks for your vehicle and you