When you own a diesel truck, you’d like to believe it will last forever. After all, many diesel engine manufacturers claim their engines will last well over 350,000 miles. Some trucks even turn over a million miles in their lifetime.
The longevity of your diesel truck depends heavily on how much the owner pays attention to diesel engine maintenance. If you regularly service your truck, you’ll find yourself avoiding a diesel truck repair every couple of months.
So how do you know when you need a diesel truck repair? What are the telltale signs that your engine is about to come apart? Keep reading to learn the major symptoms of a sick diesel engine and what diesel engine parts you should pay close attention to as you care for your truck.
Overheating
When you push an engine too hard, it will overheat. Overheating happens commonly with diesel engines because of the nature of a diesel engine’s job. Diesel engines have a big job, often hauling tens of thousands of pounds.
Thus, it only makes sense that your diesel engine will overheat when you go over its power limit. When your diesel engine overheats, you’ll see damage to the bearings and crankshaft as well as the pistons, cylinder heads, and head gasket.
If your vehicle tends to overheat, take it to a diesel engine technician. You can put your engine on a regular diesel engine maintenance schedule while you’re there. The technician will diagnose your overheating problems as well.
Black or Blue Exhaust Smoke
Diesel trucks naturally put out more smoke than gas vehicles. If you begin to notice more black and blue smoke than normal, though, you’re burning oil. You most likely have a problem with your fuel-to-air ratio in that you do not have enough air and most likely have too much fuel.
Your diesel technician will find the problem in one of the following parts:
- Air filter
- Injector pump
- Injector
- Turbocharger
When these parts malfunction, you have an imbalance of fuel-to-air, and you will ultimately have bigger problems. Basic diesel maintenance will catch this problem as well with custom diesel trucks.
Poor Fuel Efficiency
When you buy a diesel truck, you expect a more fuel-efficient vehicle than when you drive a petrol truck. If you begin to notice your fuel gauge dipping more frequently than usual, though have your fuel injectors checked.
Poor fuel efficiency indicates a problem with the fuel system. A diesel technician will know immediately if you have damaged or worn fuel injectors.
Engine Knocking
Your love for your diesel trucks most likely lies in the big growl it lets out whenever you start it. It has that powerful sound that drowns out petrol engines nearby.
But if you hear knocking in the engine when you’re driving, you need to seek a diesel mechanic immediately. Keep tabs on how your engine sounds. If you know what a healthy engine sounds like, then you’ll know what a compromised engine sounds like.
Knocking means you have a problem with any one of a host of engine parts. You could have issues with your fuel injectors, piston skirts, main bearings, or lining seals.
Diesel engines lend themselves to problems with fuel injection because of the compression ratio. Typical diesel engines have a 20:1 compression ratio. In contrast, gas-powered engines rest at 8:1.
When you bring your truck in for a diesel maintenance inspection, the diesel technician will look carefully at fuel injections. They have seen hundreds of engines and will know which parts to check first.
Fuel Contamination
Diesel has a different composition than gasoline. It is thicker, making it more susceptible to contamination than petrol. For example, you may find water or soot in your diesel.
When delusion, glycol, water, soot, or other contaminants infiltrate your engine and fuel system, your engine will malfunction. If your vehicle sputters, loses power, or changes speed involuntarily, you may have a problem with your fuel. Take your vehicle to a diesel specialist as soon as you can before your fuel causes more problems.
Loss of Power
We love diesel trucks because of their power. They just sound like beasts, and the torque of a petrol engine doesn’t come close to what a diesel engine can do.
So when you begin to lose power with your diesel truck, you could have any one of several problems. You may have dirty fuel filters, a loose throttle link, or a problem with your fuel injector. Bring your truck to a diesel maintenance specialist if you notice it failing to accelerate or a total lack of power.
Check Engine Light
When your check engine light comes on, you have a problem. Most often the flashing check engine light means your engine is misfiring. Seek out a repairman immediately since the misfire can cause problems with your catalytic converter.
Your check engine light will also come on when you have dirty oil or leaking oil. Dirty oil will cause your engine to misfire and lead to bigger problems if you do not care for it.
Seek Diesel Truck Repair
When you own a diesel truck, you understand its necessity. You need the power and torque to haul big things and do big jobs. So when something goes wrong, you should seek a diesel repair technician immediately.
If you notice the check engine light flashing, a general loss of power, a knocking sound, poor fuel efficiency, or excessive exhaust smoke, seek out a professional. Do not delay.
When you wait to seek a diesel truck repairman, you risk the health of your diesel engine. You also may end up spending more on a repair. Plus, you’ll your truck will be out of service for a long time because of a bigger repair need.
Is your diesel truck causing you problems? If so, contact us. We run a full range of services for all diesel engines.
Let our experienced technicians take care of your truck and get you back on the road, driving with confidence.
