You rely on your diesel truck every day to help you get your work done. The odds are that your truck is a reliable workhorse, but even the most reliable trucks will have problems sometimes. Here are some of the most common diesel truck issues, and what might be causing them.
No Starts and Trouble Starting
Diesel engines need three things to start: fuel, fire and electricity. If your engine isn’t starting, the problem is one of these. Figuring out which it is, though, can be harder. At low temperatures, your truck may have a hard time pumping thickened diesel fuel to allow ignition. Low temperatures can also impact your batteries, which can mean not enough power to run the high-pressure fuel system or supply power to the glow plugs.
If you have hard starting problems at normal temperatures, it could still be a power problem, as well as a malfunction in the high-pressure pump or injectors (more on them later).
DPF & Emission Systems Problems
Diesel exhaust can be toxic, causing numerous health and environmental problems, so modern diesels are equipped with complicated diesel emissions control systems. These systems need careful maintenance or else they can lead to problems. Your engine may be derated or it may cease to function altogether if the emissions systems are not functioning properly.
Water in Fuel
Water often gets into fuel because it condenses in your truck’s fuel tank or in the tank at the gas station or in your yard. Contaminated fuel can affect the performance of your truck and lead to engine damage over the long-term.
If your truck’s water in fuel sensor is warning you about the presence of water, it’s a good idea to get it removed and prevent its return. Regular diesel engine maintenance, including changing the fuel filter and changing and/or draining the water separator can help you avoid this problem.
In subzero weather, using diesel fuel anti-gel additives prevent no starts and power loss issues.
Sensor Failures
Modern diesel trucks have dozens of sensors monitoring and controlling several systems. Virtually every system has sensors that interface with multiple Computer Modules. Sensors help the truck’s computers regulate the truck’s high-performance diesel engine, fuel systems, air brakes, emissions systems, transmission and more. When these sensors fail, your truck’s performance can suffer. Unfortunately, most sensor failures will trigger the CEL (check engine light) to come on. The problem is determining which system and what sensor. Modern computer scanners need to be used to determine which system and sensor is causing the problem. A certified diesel mechanic can help to determine the root cause using a computer scanner.
Overheating and Cooling System Problems
Engine overheating can reduce efficiency and damage many engine parts over the long-term, including cylinder heads, head gasket, crankshaft, bearings, oil pump, fuel injectors, and more. An overheated engine or exhaust system can melt other nearby parts, such as wire insulation.
Modern engines rely on numerous cooling components, including the traditional radiator, but also oil coolers, air coolers, and more to keep the engine functioning at an optimal temperature. When one or more of these fails, it can lead to a runaway heating problem.
Electrical Problems
Connecting the computer to all the engine components requires extensive wiring for the typical diesel engine. These wires are vulnerable to many types of damage over the length of the engine’s life. Extensive vibration can cause the wires to rub off, leading to shorts or accidental grounding. Heat can melt insulation and cause a similar problem. A hooked wire might even be disconnected or loosened from its connection, causing intermittent failures.
Leaking Oil
The same vibrations that can loosen wires can loosen the gaskets and clamps in your truck’s oil system. This can lead to oil leaks that are messy, expensive, and keep your engine from getting the oil it needs to continue functioning for its entire lifespan.
Tracking down an oil leak can be hard because the entire engine might look as if it’s the source of the leak. Even though the search for the source of a leak can be time-consuming, it’s worth it.
Diluted Oil
Another problem with oil is that it can become diluted with other substances, which can reduce the oil’s ability to protect your engine parts. The most common contaminant of engine oil is diesel fuel. This gets forced out of the engine during normal operation, and the problem can be worsened by short-trip operation as well as engine overheating.
Figuring out why your diesel truck’s oil has so much fuel in it can help improve the function of your truck and help it last longer.
Injector Failure
Fuel injectors force diesel fuel into the ignition chambers so it can be ignited. These parts work constantly when your engine is running, and they work under high pressure, which makes them prone to breaking down. Contaminated fuel can also contribute to ignition failure.
Most often, injector failure requires repairing or replacing the injectors, though in some cases, the injection pump might be the problem, which is a more involved fix.
Choose Mobile Wrench for Your Diesel Truck Problems
When your diesel truck is experiencing these or other common problems, don’t take it to a shop. Call Mobile Wrench, and we’ll send a highly trained and experienced diesel technician to your site. They can diagnose common diesel truck issues on site – no need to tow it to a shop.
Our technician will work on your truck right away – it won’t be sitting in the shop bay, waiting for someone to get around to it. This means that you won’t just save the cost of a tow, you can get your diesel truck up and running faster.
Since 2000, Mobile Wrench has been servicing diesel trucks across Colorado. We’re ready to repair any of the issues that can keep your truck from functioning as it should or keep it from functioning at all. In addition, we can set up a maintenance schedule to avoid future problems, whether you have just one truck or an entire fleet in need of service.
When your truck is giving you problems, don’t spend the time and money it takes to get it to the shop. Let Mobile Wrench come to you and get the problem fixed quickly. Please contact us today.