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Diesel trucks are essential to our economy. Unfortunately, they're subject to the same wear and tear as most machines. Most diesel engines require more maintenance than standard gas-powered engines.
Diesel engines are complicated and hard to fix and suffer problems that are unique to diesel engines. Even if you think you can handle the preventive maintenance yourself, it's a huge risk to get under the hood and try to fix your own truck.
There are several diesel engine repairs you should never DIY. Instead, call a Bay Area mobile mechanic who can drive out to you and get your truck up and running again. Here are seven repairs you should never make yourself.
The best thing you can do to avoid costly repairs is regular maintenance of the engine. The most common problems occur when you forget to replace the fuel filter, wait too long to change your oil, or ignore replacing the air filter.
There are other good maintenance practices, such as:
These maintenance tasks can be difficult to keep track of and perform yourself. For help, call All Bay Diesel. Our maintenance services can prevent you from needing the more costly repairs listed below!
Oxidization occurs when air gets into the fuel and causes bubbles to form in the engine, preventing lubrication. This leads to damage, which can occur over a short time.
To prevent oxidation, start your truck and drive it a mile or two every couple of days. The oxidation occurs when the engine sits unused for days, and the vehicle doesn't move.
All Bay Diesel can fix this through a complete oil change. Has your truck been sitting for a while? Starting it up could cause damage. Call us and we'll come to you and change your oil to prevent damage.
Black exhaust fumes have consequences beyond just damaging your vehicle. Breathing them in is bad for your health. Diesel exhaust is also bad for the environment, and you face substantial fines for polluting the air.
Diagnosing the cause of black exhaust fumes can be difficult, as there are several things to consider. The problem is always with the ratio of air to fuel in your vehicle. But what's the specific cause?
Many parts can malfunction and cause black exhaust. The most common are the injection pump, the EGR valve, and the air filters. However, it could be something more complicated.
If your truck is emitting black exhaust fumes, call All Bay Diesel immediately. We'll diagnose and fix the problem quickly so you can get back on the road.
Another common problem that requires diesel engine repairs is the truck not getting enough power or not maintaining power. This means the engine isn't receiving enough diesel to stay on.
This is another problem that is hard to diagnose. Trying to do so yourself could cause more damage to the engine. It's most likely too much lubrication, a dirty filter, or a fuel injection problem.
Calling All Bay Diesel to check your engine ensures it's done safely and without further damaging your engine. We'll even come to you! Reach us at 925-522-1780.
The high compression ratio is what gives a diesel engine its power when compared to a gas-powered engine. This also means the engine is more likely to suffer problems.
Signs of a problem with your compression ratio include:
Not addressing this problem quickly can lead to bigger problems, like damaging your fuel injectors. The service technicians at All Bay Diesel are experts at identifying and repairing compression ratio issues. Call us today to avoid further damage!
One major way diesel engines differ from gas engines is their use of glow pugs. Instead of spark plugs, the glow plugs heat up and power the engine. Because they depend on heat, glow plugs can cause issues in cold weather.
Getting your plugs checked every year before winter is a great way to prevent them from suffering more serious problems. When they do break, the problem is obvious. However, changing them is harder than spark plugs and requires a professional.
Have All Bay Diesel check your glow plugs every fall. If they do break, our mobile service can come directly to you and fix the problem efficiently.
The grinding of a hard start engine is one of the most obvious signs an engine is in trouble. Routine maintenance can help prevent this, but wear and tear makes this problem more likely. But what if your engine isn't old?
The most common cause of this problem is the viscosity of the engine fluids. Diesel fuel is thicker than standard gasoline, so it is prone to contamination. Diesel engines are fickle and require very specific properties in their fluids. If you replace any of the fluids yourself, you might get the viscosity wrong, causing engine damage and hard starts.
Don't risk damaging your engine. Always have All Bay Diesel replace your fluids. If your engine is hard starting, we're happy to come to you and look at it. We'll get it back in working order.
Whether you need routine maintenance, repairs, or a complete diesel engine overhaul, never attempt to work on your engine yourself. It's not worth the risk.
With All Bay Diesel, repairs and maintenance are never a hassle for you. We come to you, have excellent customer service, and offer competitive prices. Since it's so easy, why would you risk doing the repairs yourself?
Whether you need preventative maintenance or an emergency repair to get your vehicle running again, call All Bay Diesel at 925-522-1780.