Air cooled diesel engine use forced airflow instead of conventional water circulation for heat dissipation. Their core features include a compact structure and excellent environmental adaptability, making them highly advantageous for mobile equipment and harsh working conditions.
1.Simple Structure and High Reliability They completely eliminate the entire water cooling system including water tank, water pump, water pipes and antifreeze. There is no risk of coolant leakage or pipeline cracking due to freezing. The overall weight is over 30% lighter than water-cooled models of the same power rating. The protection class reaches IP23, which can block ingress of large solid particles.
2.Strong Adaptability to Extreme Environments Freezing damage is not a concern. No anti-freezing measures are required even in frigid regions down to -40°C. The engines can operate stably at high altitudes where water is scarce, making them the preferred power solution for field operations without water sources.
3.Easy Start-up and Maintenance Warm-up speed at low temperatures is 2–3 times faster than that of water-cooled engines, greatly shortening start waiting time. There is no need for regular coolant replacement or water tank scale removal. Only periodic cleaning of cooling fins and fan belt adjustment are required, and each maintenance task is far less complicated compared with water-cooled units.
4.Wide Range of Working Condition Compatibility With a compact design in the 75–130 kW power range, they are well suited for intermittent operation scenarios such as mobile construction machinery, emergency generator sets and agricultural machinery. No complicated water drainage procedures are needed when restarting after long idle periods.
For daily operation of air cooled diesel engine, cooling fins on the surfaces of cylinder liners and cylinder heads must be cleaned regularly. Use compressed air for reverse blowing to remove accumulated dust and oil sludge trapped in gaps, preventing blocked air ducts that would sharply reduce heat dissipation performance.
Tension of the fan belt must be properly controlled: press the belt with a force of 20~50 N, and the deflection should stay within 10~15 mm. Excessively tight belts accelerate bearing wear, while loose belts cause insufficient air flow and overheating.
Do not shut down an air-cooled diesel engine abruptly. It must run at medium or low idle speed for 3–5 minutes to allow gradual temperature reduction of the engine block. This prevents thermal stress damage to components caused by rapid cooling from localized high temperatures.