Highway guardrail pile drivers often encounter difficulties starting, generally due to weather conditions and mechanical faults. Common issues include difficulty starting in winter or after the pile driver has been idle for a long time, as well as starting difficulties due to motor faults. These common starting difficulties are caused by external factors. Below are several reasons why improper operation can also cause difficulty starting or faults in highway pile drivers.

1. Do not start without coolant or by adding boiling water

Adding coolant after the engine has started can cause hot cylinder liners and heads to crack or deform due to sudden cooling; suddenly adding boiling water at 100°C to a cold engine can similarly crack the cylinder head and engine block. Coolant should be added when its temperature drops to 60-70°C.

2. Do not tow-start

Tow-starting the engine when the oil viscosity is high due to cold can exacerbate wear between moving parts, thus reducing the engine's lifespan.

3. Do not delay changing oil and fuel

In winter, if oil and fuel with lower viscosity are not used in time, it will be difficult to start the engine.

4. Do not use fire to heat the oil pan and intake manifold for starting

To prevent fires, gently heat the engine's oil pan from a distance with a mild fire or coal fire, while slowly turning the crankshaft to evenly heat the oil and lubricate all parts. Starting by igniting fuel at the engine's intake can draw ash and hard particles into the cylinder, causing intake and exhaust valves to close improperly and accelerate cylinder wear.

5. Do not use electric glow plugs or flame preheaters for extended periods

Both electric glow plugs and flame preheaters use heating elements that consume and generate a lot of electricity and heat. Prolonged use can damage the battery due to rapid discharge and also burn out the heating elements. Therefore, the continuous use of electric glow plugs should not exceed 1 minute, and flame preheaters should be used for no more than 20 seconds at a time.

6. Do not directly add oil to the cylinder

Although adding oil to the cylinder can help seal and increase pressure and temperature, facilitating cold engine starts, the oil cannot completely burn and can lead to carbon buildup, weaken piston ring elasticity, reduce cylinder sealing performance, accelerate cylinder liner wear, reduce engine power, and make starting even more difficult. Therefore, do not directly add oil to the cylinder.

7. Do not continuously attempt to start for long periods

The starter motor operates under low voltage and high current conditions; prolonged use can damage the battery. Continuous operation should not exceed 10 seconds; if the engine does not start, wait 15 seconds before trying again.

8. Do not run at high speeds immediately after starting

When the engine has just started, the oil temperature is low and its flow is poor. Immediately running at high speeds can cause rapid wear of moving parts due to lack of lubrication and, in severe cases, can lead to bearing seizure.