With a tsunami of used military vehicles returning to the U.S., diesel-powered motors are riding on a new wave of popularity and opportunity. So, if you work in law enforcement, public safety, disaster management, or any number of related fields, it’s a good bet that you’ll find yourself being called on to perform some basic maintenance procedures on a diesel engine in the near future. (Happily, this will not include electrical system tune-ups, because diesels don’t have parts like spark plugs.) Here are a few basics to remember.

Checking on Gaskets. You’ll have to keep an eye on the status of diesel engine gaskets, because they are subject to a lot of vibrational stress. To prevent leaks, tighten the mounting bolts on a regular basis. And when dealing with a leaky gasket, try to replace the gaskets as a set. If one is leaking, the others won’t be far behind.
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