Common Diesel Engine Issues: When You Need an Automotive Service Technician
Diesel power products are gaining popularity for a reason
Diesel power products are becoming more popular with consumers, due to advertising by car manufacturers like Volkswagen and the fact that diesel powered cars give better fuel mileage. However, they do come with a unique set of problems, just as petrol fuelled engines do. If you own a diesel powered vehicle, you need to know about the challenges you could face with the type of vehicle you have, as well as what you can fix yourself and when you will need the help of a qualified automotive service technician. Here is a list of the more common issues with diesel engines:
Problems with starting
If you live in a colder climate, you could have issues starting your diesel engine on colder mornings. This is because diesel car’s high compression engine relies on a higher temperature to detonate, or give the engine the power it needs to start. One solution for this is to park your car in a garage instead of the driveway. If the temperature drops really far below zero, you may need to keep a heater in the garage as well, but this should only be required for more extreme temperatures.
Another reason diesel engines sometimes have problems starting is because there is a problem with compression. Diesel is denser and less volatile than regular fuel and needs to be compressed and heated before it can start the vehicle. If there is a breakdown with the compression mechanism, you will need a licensed automotive service technician to diagnose the problem and fix it.
Black, White and Blue – What these smoke colours mean
No one likes to see smoke billowing out from under the hood or coming from the tailpipe of their vehicle. Smoke is always a good sign that something is wrong! Diesel power products can produce black, white or even blue smoke, and they all lead to a different issue:
1. Black smoke – This smoke colour is the most common, and can sometimes be easily fixed. Basically, black smoke means your car’s fuel/air ratio is off. The most common culprits are faulty injector pumps or bad air filters. If you are able to change the air filter yourself, and the problem still persists, you’ll need the help of a technician to fix the problem.
2. White smoke – If you see white smoke coming from your vehicle, this mean that something has gone wrong somewhere between the fuel injector and the combustion chamber. White smoke means your fuel is not burning properly. The solution could be simple or more complicated, so you should take your car into a licensed mechanic right away.
3. Blue smoke – Blue smoke means you are burning engine oil. If you have put too much oil in your car, this is not such a serious issue. However, if oil is somehow infiltrating parts of your car that it shouldn’t be, the problem gets more serious. If you are sure you haven’t overloaded the oil, visit your automotive diesel service technician.
