Is your Diesel engine stalling out? Making weird noises? Are you worried that you might be making the problem worse, or that you could damage your engine attempting to figure out what’s wrong? Well, let us help you – look for these 3 simple signs that you need to contact Diesel Repair service.
1. Engine is Overheating
Engine overheat can have a number of causes, but no matter the cause letting your diesel engine overheat consistently is going to do damage to the components of said engine. Let’s talk about a few of the reasons an engine might overheat:
- Cooling Fan Break – this is often caused by an electrical issue, and while it can sometimes be fixed with a repair rather than a replacement, it is important to address the issue quickly.
- Coolant leak – if your engine has sprung a coolant leak, get it to the shop ASAP. This is common around the hotter months, as expanding engine parts due to heat can cause damage to coolant components.
- Faulty or Broken parts such as damage to the radiator hose, or even to the heat gauges on your engine can be a cause of overheating and have disastrous results if allowed to compound through the use of the engine despite the damage.
If you are uncertain as to how you might know when your engine is overheating, look for these simple signs:
- Temperature gauge – the easiest way to tell if your engine is running hot is to keep an eye on the temp gauge.
- Steam – it might seem like classic Hollywood cliche to have a smoking, steaming engine, but those cliches exist for a reason. if your engine is giving off steam, somethings wrong!
- Strange smell – Look out for chemical odors from your engine – a “hot” odor can mean overheating the oil, whereas a “sweet” odor can mean a coolant leak.
Engine overheating issues are almost always severely damaging to an engine – the longer you wait to get it fixed the more it will cost you. These issues can be finicky, and often need replacement parts or an expert eye to identify the exact nature of the issue. If you experience overheating, contact a professional immediately.
2. Using More Fuel Than Usual
There is a lot that can go wrong with a fuel injector. The fuel injector, conversely, is an important part of your vehicle that has a lot of impact on how well your car drives and starts, and on fuel economy. While there are a number of steps you can take for ensuring fuel injector health and maintenance, fuel injectors do not last forever.
There are several indicators that your fuel injector has an issue, all of which can be an important sign that you need to service your vehicle. These include:
- Rough Idles and stalls
- Bad Fuel economy
- Fuel Leaks and Odors
- Check engine light
- Engine “surging” or “Misfires”
- Failed Emissions test.
Any one of these issues, by itself, can indicate a need for service. However, these issues often come bundled together, and if you experience them on a regular basis can indicate a need for service. While it is possible to do some DIY maintenance for fuel injectors, a professional Diesel Repair Service will almost always be a better choice for long-term solutions.
One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes cheap and easy fixes will actually cause more long-term problems down the road. It is highly recommended to get a second opinion when anything is going consistently wrong with your diesel engine. Diesel Repair Technicians are trained to identify both common and uncommon issues with your engine, and will often have a better array of tools and a greater knowledge base on hand than can be easily accessed by a non-professional consumer.
3. Funky Smells and Colors
Diesel fuel is different than regular fuel in a number of ways – one of which is that it is an ideal environment for several forms of bacteria. These microscopic pests can cause a number of issues for your fuel service, even gumming up the whole enchilada. They are especially prevalent in warmer climates, and can often grow and thrive in your engine relatively unseen for long periods of time.
To identify this issue, look for a black or greenish coating in your fuel tank, as well as a sulphuric odor. repairing this requires a full and thorough flushing and cleaning of the fuel tank, as well as other parts of the system such as the fuel lines or the injection pump. You will also need to run a Biocide through the contaminated areas in order to prevent return.
Fuel contamination issues can also be related to the filter on the fuel tank; these generally need to be changed every 20000-40000 miles and can cause all kinds of issues with fuel delivery.
Why you Should go to a Diesel Repair Service
Engine repair is a tricky and complicated work; made even more complex by the unique difficulties of working with diesel engines. Diesel engines are incredibly powerful machines with a complex system of moving parts, all of which are interconnected in ways that can often be overlooked. Leaving your car out in the sun can be enough to damage the coolant system!
With that in mind, it is important to keep an eye out for the signs. DIY Diesel owners may be able to fix most issues, but due to the complexity of these systems one can often misidentify the issue and end up causing more harm than good Steaming engines, Strange odors, even a temp gauge that doesn’t indicate properly can be indicative of much more serious issues that should not be ignored, lest you increase your repair costs drastically down the line.
As such, it is always the right thing to do to contact a Diesel Repair Service, even if the issue with your engine doesn’t seem that bad. If nothing else, a second opinion can make a huge difference.
For more information about your Diesel engine, check out our other articles here
