Diesel Truck Mobile Diagnostics
State-of-the-Art Engine and CEL Diagnostics Capabilities
Modern commercial trucks, equipment and buses are sophisticated, with up to seven computer modules and over 100 sensors. Our highly qualified mobile diesel mechanics and technicians use mobile computer scanners and laptops to quickly diagnose a Check Engine Light (CEL), troubleshoot error codes, and perform system resets to clear codes.
In addition, we can diagnose many common problems with your truck, equipment, or bus performance to help maximize your vehicles’ performance and extend their lifespans. At Mobile Wrench, we can come to you where you are, whether you limp your derated truck back to your yard or it’s stopped along the highway.
Common Engine Problems We Can Diagnose
When your diesel equipment isn’t performing as it should, it’s costing you money. You may be consuming excess fuel, not able to operate equipment such as booms, or may be damaging your engine. The end result is you are losing money by not making your delivery or keeping on schedules. Here are some of the common conditions that Mobile Wrench can help diagnose on your diesel equipment.
No Starts or Hard to Start
Of course, low temperatures in the winter can make it hard for your diesel engine to start, but the problem could be more than that. It could be a glow plug problem, for example, or damaged injectors, or a malfunction in the high-pressure pump.
Warning Lights & CELs
System sensor warnings are invaluable, but they can’t tell the whole story about what may be wrong with your diesel truck. Our mobile diesel mechanics and technicians provide expert diagnoses using computer scanners to determine the root cause. A CEL, for example, can be triggered by any of 20+ conditions – from a malfunctioning light to a serious safety issue that requires immediate attention. We’ll get to the bottom of things and make the necessary repairs so your equipment can safely get back on the road.
Power Loss or Derated Trucks
There is nothing worse than a derated truck limited to 10 mph or stopped when you have a load and a waiting customer. At Mobile Wrench we respond to these situations and determine how to get the load delivered and the truck back to the yard.
In addition, the full power of your truck is essential when carrying big loads, operating in the mountains or driving at high speeds to maintain your schedule. Other times, your vehicle has important equipment it needs to operate, including hydraulics that it might not be able to operate if the engine doesn’t have enough power.
Overheating Engine
If your engine is overheating frequently, we can evaluate potential causes to repair the problem, whether it’s related to reduced engine performance, faulty cooling system, or other problems.
Water or Other Contaminant in Fuel
Contaminated diesel fuel can cause numerous problems. You might experience sudden loss in power or surges in power, causing the vehicle to jerk at high speeds. Contaminated fuel might cause problems with fuel filters, pumps, fuel injectors, and can damage other engine components as well.
Water is a common contaminant in diesel fuel, and it might come from condensation in the tank, either in the vehicle or at the station. Many diesels will warn you if there is water in your fuel system. Failure to remove water can lead to either immediate or slow damage to the diesel truck.
Stalling Engine
Strange Engine Noises
Loss of Fuel Efficiency
Burning Oil
Smoke from the Engine
You expect some amount of smoke from your diesel engine, but excessive smoke can be a sign of problems with the engine, including the fuel injectors, air filters, valves, turbocharger, or more. White smoke could also be a sign that your engine isn’t burning fuel properly, causing much of it to pass through the engine unused.
On rare occasions, diesel engines might also produce blue smoke related to worn or damaged engine components.
Why Diagnostic Services Are Important
If you looked through the list of engine symptoms above, you probably noticed two things. First, that each of the symptoms has numerous potential causes. Second, that the same cause could be related to numerous potential problems in the engine.
For this reason, tracking down the right cause for any given engine problem takes a combination of technology, knowledge, and experience. Failure to track down the true cause of your engine problem can result in unnecessary repairs or a serious – and expensive – engine failure. Sometimes it’s both: you pay for a repair that doesn’t fix the problem, then have an engine failure due to the unaddressed true cause.
Diagnostic services help ensure that your truck, bus, or other equipment gets the right repair for its problem
Benefits of Mobile Diagnostics
Mobile diagnostic services are useful for helping to get your truck back on the road. With mobile diagnostics, you can:
- Avoid a tow: If your truck, bus, or equipment has stalled or won’t start, you don’t need to tow it to a shop to get it fixed. Instead, the diagnostics can come to your truck, diagnose the problem, and potentially perform repairs to get your truck on the road.
- Prevent additional damage: If your vehicle is starting to have problems, you might be tempted to push on to your yard or the shop. However, with serious issues, this can lead to further damage to the engine and other components.
- Get diagnostics on your schedule: If you take your vehicle to a shop, they will schedule diagnostics according to their capabilities and priorities. You may be waiting a long time while they handle all their big fleet accounts, letting your truck – and driver – sit idle with no information. Not even information on when they will perform diagnostics. Mobile diagnostics will show up and perform tests immediately to help get your truck back in working order ASAP.
- Save on costly diagnostic equipment: If you have a small fleet, buying, maintaining, and updating diagnostic equipment and software can be a significant additional expense. Let mobile diagnostics show up with their equipment to figure out the problem and save yourself the investment in additional expensive equipment.
Industries We Serve
At Mobile Wrench, we are highly skilled with the types of trucks, buses, and equipment used in many industries. This means we not only deal with the major truck types, but also with all the specialized equipment used in industries like:
- Trucking & Logistics
- Distribution
- Moving & Storage
- Building Materials Supply
- Manufacturing
- Construction & Contracting
- Commercial Plumbing & HVAC
- Schools, Daycares, & Senior Homes
- Parking & Tourism
- Lighting & Sign
- Tree & Arbor services
These are just a few of the industries we have worked with. If you are in a different industry, feel free to call and ask if we can handle your truck or equipment.
Why Choose Mobile Wrench
When you choose Mobile Wrench, you will get to work with highly qualified mechanics who are familiar with their equipment. They have training in, experience with, and equipment for servicing your equipment.
We’ve been serving Colorado fleets since 2000, and it’s not just our mechanics, but also our office staff that knows the business. They know what matters to you and understand your priorities, so they won’t waste your time.
We will come to you to limit downtime for your fleet. When we’re on your site, we are working – your trucks are being serviced, not waiting for a bay in the garage.
We know the importance of regular fleet maintenance and can use our diagnostic skills to help you detect other issues before they bring your truck to a stop – again.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment. Mobile Wrench serves customers in the Denver metro area, Northern Colorado and Colorado Springs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diesel Diagnostics
How should I check a diesel truck before I buy it?
First consider getting a full pre-purchase inspection from a qualified diesel mechanic like Mobile Wrench. For $400 or $500, you can get the entire vehicle inspected.
If you choose to do it yourself, there are several items you should consider, including looking at the truck’s maintenance records. A well-maintained truck will last longer than poorly maintained ones and is worth paying extra for. Be suspicious of gaps in the record.
Check the truck’s frame for rust. Rust can be hard to deal with, and once it starts weakening the components, you might end up with a total loss.
Check the health of the emissions system. Bad emissions systems can not only get you cited, but they can also impact the function of the engine.
Do some research into the specific model and year you’re buying. Also check on the engine – it might not match the typical build. Specific makes, models, and years can come with their own problems that you need to be aware of.
Get a professional to look over the truck, as well – Mobile Wrench offers pre-purchase inspections for trucks.
What is the average life of a diesel truck?
Diesel trucks are designed to last longer than gas engine trucks, which means that they can last 500,000 miles or more of driving. However, it depends on maintenance, and idle time can be as hard on a vehicle as driving miles.
What warning signs mean I should get diesel truck diagnostics?
You should get diagnostics performed on your truck if you experience:
- Check engine light (CEL), malfunction indicator lamp, stop engine light, or others
- A loss of power or efficiency
- An engine that overheats
- Excess or different color smoke coming from the engine
- Odd noises coming from the engine
What common issues cause the check engine light to come on?
The CEL can come on for many reasons. Some are trivial, while others may be serious. Some of the common issues for the light to come on include:
- Fuel system problems
- Air intake system problems
- Exhaust gas recirculation system malfunction
- Turbocharger wear or damage
- Oxygen sensor failures
- Glow plug problems
These problems can sometimes be easy to track down and fix with the proper diesel truck diagnostic equipment.
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