When we say we’re a full-service auto shop here at Reiff Diesel Services, we really mean it. We work on primarily diesel engines, and our experienced technicians know how to fix the most common problems diesel engines face. If you drive a diesel, let us maintain it to help you avoid the following.
Your diesel engine might release a little bit of black exhaust but it shouldn’t be too much. Excess black exhaust or smoke is a sign you’ve got a fuel problem of some sort or another issue. Over-fueling the diesel engine will cause it to burn off the excess fuel, which creates the black smoke. You might also have a problem with the air filter or the engine’s valves or cylinders that is causing the black exhaust.
Diesel fuel is more viscous than gasoline is, and this means it can get contaminated easier. Fuel contamination can cause serious engine problems. Things that contaminate your vehicle’s diesel fuel include dirt, glycol, micro-organisms, soot, and water that will dilute the diesel fuel. Oftentimes, the contaminants make their way into the diesel fuel through broken caps, gaskets, lines, or seals.
Diesel engines use fuel injectors just as gasoline engines do, and they can get clogged or wear down easily. If you drive a newer diesel vehicle, you’re at greater risk of the injectors wearing down than if you drive an older diesel engine. New diesel engines have “rail” fuel injectors in them, and these injectors fire more often, which means they are prone to cracking or wearing down quicker.
The glow plugs set the air/fuel mixture on fire to get your diesel engine going. As with spark plugs in a gasoline engine, if the glow plugs are defective, your engine will sputter, stall, or you may not be able to get it started. Even if one glow plug is faulty, you’ll have a difficult time starting your diesel engine and keeping it running. If you install cheap glow plugs in the engine, they can break and cause damage.
As you can imagine, any one of these things will cause your diesel engine to lose power. Diesel engines are designed to start quickly from a stop and respond better to acceleration commands. If you notice a sluggishness in your vehicle’s response when you step on the gas, there is something going on under the hood, and the problem is likely being caused by one of the other four issues listed above.
Give Reiff Diesel Services in Newburg, PA, a call so we can take a look.
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