Ceramic heating element broken

Cause:

• Incorrect injection timing
• incorrect injector spray pattern
• Supply voltage too high (incorrect application)

Effect:

• Ceramic heating element becomes too hot and breaks.

Corrective Action:

• Check engine for oil consumption
• Check control unit function
• Check/reset injection timing
• Replace with Bosch quality glow plugs

A Garrett Turbo for your vehicle?

Engine power is proportional to the amount of air and fuel that can get into the cylinders. If we want our engine to produce more power the ultimate objective is to draw more air into the cylinder. Installing a Garrett turbocharger will increase the power and performance dramatically.

How does a turbocharger get more air into the engine?

• Ambient air passes through the air filter before entering the compressor.
• The air is then compressed which raises the air’s density.
• Many turbocharged engines have a charge air cooler(inter-cooler) that cools the compressed air to further increase its density and to increase resistance to detonation.
• After passing through the intake manifold, the air enters the engine’s cylinders, which contain a fixed maximum volume.  Since the air is at an elevated density, each cylinder can contain an increased mass of air.  Higher air mass flow allows a higher fuel flow rate.
• After the fuel is burned in the cylinder, it is expelled during the cylinder’s exhaust stroke into the exhaust manifold.
• The high temperature gas then continues on to the turbine. The turbine creates back-pressure on the engine  which means engine exhaust pressure is higher than atmospheric pressure.
• A pressure and temperature drop occurs across the turbine, which harnesses the energy of the exhaust gas to provide the power necessary to drive the compressor.

And that is how a turbo system works.  Thanks for reading, if you need to purchase a turbo please click here or call us at 800-658-5806 we are happy to answer all your questions.

Diesel Diva

http://dieseldig.com/2011/11/11/jaguar-xf-diesel-crossing-usa/

The first diesel Jaguar to enter the US.  The Jaguar XF 2.2L diesel’s journey is being driven by two independent UK test drivers who will be tracking the trip through facebook and twitter; including posts and pictures from the trip.

Despite being the most fuel efficient Jaguar ever created, the XF 2.2 produces 190 HP and 332 lbs ft of torque, to allow the XF to accelerate from rest to 60mph in just 8.0-seconds before reaching a top speed of 140mph. The XF 2.2 emits just 149 g/km of CO2.

It will feature a water-cooled turbocharger with low-friction pistons, new injectors, and a new crankshaft. The new configuration allowed Jaguar engineers to add a new oil pan and new electronic systems which affect the crankshaft to allow the new intelligent Stop-Start system to operate more efficiently. The new engine will be mated to an advanced eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, with the seventh and eight ratios effectively acting as overdrive gears.

Watching the diesel engine transition from heavy duty trucks and light -medium trucks that were for “work and the rugged”, to the everyday vehicle is exciting.  The diesel vehicle is growing and changing, to fit the needs of the everyday customer,  now if we could just grow the acceptance and lose the bad 70′s image of the diesel here in the USA the diesel could grow.

Diesel is taking on the look of luxury in the recent years; BMW, AUDI, Mercedes and now Jaguar.

Tip 3…

Water in Fuel

The greatest enemy of diesel fuel injection components is water.  Once the water enters the system, it will rapidly wear and oxidize steel components and lead to:

• Rusting and corrosion of components
• Governor/metering component failure
• sticky metering components (both pump and nozzle)
• Injection component wear and seizure.

Water contamination can exists in diesel fuel in three forms:

1. Emulsified water, where the water is suspended in the fuel like oil and vinegar.
2. Free water, where the water is separated from the fuel and usually found on the bottom of the fuel/storage tanks.
3. Dissolved water, where the water has been chemically dissolved in the fuel, like sugar in liquid. *The warmer the fuel, the more water will be dissolved, but as temperatures drop, the water will come out of the solution in the form of free water.

Free or emulsified water must be removed from the fuel to prevent corrosion and damage to the fuel system.  The best way to do this is with a Stanadyne Fuel Manager filter incorporating a water separator.  Be wary of certain additives which claim to “remove water.”  In fact, they dissolve the water, which eventually will pass through the filter and attack the injection components. Stanadyne additives demulsify the water, pulling it out of solution so the filter/water separator can more effectively remove it.

What Is A Diesel Vehicle?

A diesel vehicle uses an engine that has a different combustion cycle than a gasoline engine. In a gasoline engine, fuel is mixed with air, drawn into the cylinder, and ignited by a spark plug. In a diesel, air is drawn into the cylinder and compressed first without fuel present. This compression heats the air to such a high temperature that when fuel is then injected into the cylinder, it combusts. By using higher compression ratios and higher combustion temperatures, diesels operate more efficiently. As a result, diesel vehicles attain better fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. In addition, a gallon of diesel fuel contains about 10 percent more energy than a gallon of gasoline. These two factors help modern diesels achieve roughly 50 percent higher fuel economy than their gasoline counterparts. Diesel vehicles now account for nearly half of all new vehicle sales in Europe, and a small but growing market share in the US.

Diesel Benefits

1. Higher fuel economy (20-40 percent more than gasoline)
2. Diesel engines last longer, and fetch higher resale values
3. Diesel engines can be run on biofuel (biodiesel)
4. Diesels provide greater torque; great for rapid acceleration and towing
5. Driving range on a tank is longer

Diesel Drawbacks

1. Diesel fuel is more expensive in the US (In Europe, it’s taxed less heavily.)
2. Few models are available with a diesel engine
3. Diesel fuel is available at about half of all service stations
4. Diesel vehicles are usually more expensive
5. Particulate matter and NOx tailpipe emissions are usually higher

From: http://www.hybridcars.com/diesel-efficient-cars

Tip 2

Basics of Fuel Filtration

Every diesel engine should come with a factory installed “secondary” or final fuel filter.  Often, this is the only fuel filter on the vehicle.  However, for complete protection, and especially for applications where water, dirt and other contaminants are possible, a primary or pre-filter separator should be installed. It should be located upstream of the existing fule filter, between the fuel tank and the fuel lift pump. 

Leading OEM’s such as General Motors, Caterpillar, John Deere and Perkins specify Stanadyne’s Fuel Manager to protect their engines.  Follow thier lead and fit a Fuel Manager filter/separator to your vehicle for additional protection.  An added benefit of the Fuel Manager is its modular design with see-thru water collection bowl, fuel heater, electronic water-in-fuel sensor and other options.

The particles that a secondary or final fuel filter must remove, for example, are in the range of 5-10 microns(.0002-.0004). To illustrate how small these tolerances are, consider that:

• The naked eye cannot see particles smaller than 40 microns.
• A grain of sand is approximately 100 microns.
• A human hair is approximately 70 microns.
• A single grain of talcum powder is 10 microns.

Tip 1:

Fuel quality issues can be addressed by using a quality fuel additive, such as Standyne’s Performance Formula, which helps protect against excessive wear and corrosion while increasing both power and fuel economy.  Performance Formula also has ingredients to help prevent the fuel from gelling in cold weather.

Stanadyne Lubricity Formula is specifically designed to restore optimum lubricating properties to “winter blend” and other “dry” fuels such as kerosene and Jet A.

Check back tomorrow for tip 2; when I dissect fuel filtration.

Diva….Out!

Tire rotation and balance helps protect tires against uneven wear by moving the tire location on the vehicle. Most tires will exhibit some form of wear based on numerous factors including: wheel alignment, miles driven, driving style and habits, and tire location on the vehicle. By moving or “rotating” the tires as recommended by the vehicle manufacturers, tires may wear more evenly; helping extend the life of the tires.

Alignment:

Alignment generally refers to the adjustment of a vehicle’s front and rear suspension parts. Proper alignment ensures that your vehicle handles correctly and will help increase the life and performance of your tires.

The alignment of your vehicle can be knocked out of adjustment from daily impacts such as potholes and railroad crossings, or by more severe accidents. You should have the alignment checked if:

• You know you have hit something.
• You see a wear pattern developing on the shoulders of the tires.
• You notice a difference in your vehicle’s handling.

Happy and Safe Driving Everyone!

Taking a small break from the Association of Diesel Specialists (ADS) convention. There are o many great products coming out for your diesels. The turbochargers look amazing. Look for them soon on our website. The reason I am here is to take pictures of the new test bench from Bosch. The new test bench will give us the ability to test common rail injectors. We will have the ability to rebuild them in the near future. After our rennovations are completed.

Passing on more great info from The Car Care Council.

Emission System

-What is it?

Your car’s emission system keeps the engine running cleanly and efficiently in all sorts of operating conditions.  If your car’s engine isn’t performing up to par or the “Check Engine” light goes on, have it inspected immediately.  Failure to do so can reduce your mileage per gallon of fuel or cause your vehicle to pollute.

-What does it do?

Your car’s emission system controls the emissions, exhaust and pollutants using an array sensors, computerized engine controls and the exhaust components.  The emission system substantially reduces harmful gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen(NOx), and prevents harmful gasoline vapors from escaping at the fuel tank.

-Typical Wear and Tear…

Some factors affecting the emission system include:

• Driving and atmospheric conditions
• Mileage
• Vehicle age
• Type of spark plug electrode material
• Maintenance history
• Poor spark
• Bad fuel
• Damaged or worn sensors

-Emission system consists of…

• Catalytic converter and exhaust components
• EGR valve and related components
• PCV Valve
• Evaporative System
• Oxygen Sensors
• Sensors
• Gas Cap

Bring your vehicle to Southwest Diesel & Electrical to get your emission system tested.  We will get you ready for ADOT testing.