Caring for You Car: An Auto Service Website

Nobody wants their car to break down. To keep your vehicle running well, you need to provide it with regular service. Have the oil changed a few times per year, rotate the tires, and check and replace the brakes as needed. A good auto care service will take care of all these maintenance tasks for you. However, you may still want to know more about the processes they follow, when service is needed, and what other types of services may help your car last longer. We've build this website for people like you — responsible car owners who just want to learn more. Enjoy!

3 Reasons Your Truck May Be Difficult To Start

Blog

Driving an older commercial truck comes with its fair share of problems, and one of the more common issues faced by many truckers is the hard-start situation. A rig that's difficult to start may run fine once the engine fires up, but that's cold comfort if you waste precious time every time you shut your engine down. It can also be stressful always to wonder if you'll be stuck for good this time.

If your commercial diesel engine seems to be taking too long to start, one of these three issues may be to blame.

1. Water Contamination Issues

Commercial drivers of all types must commonly deal with fuel line condensation issues. Your truck's water/fuel separator helps to filter condensation that forms in the fuel line, but it can become clogged or dirty over time. When this happens, it will starve your fuel pump and create a hard starting situation. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may notice driveability issues, as well.

If excess amounts of water have entered into your fuel tank, then it may be necessary to have the system drained and pumped to repair the problem. Water that remains in the fuel system for too long can corrode metal lines or result in damage to your pump or injectors. Keeping your tank full overnight can help to ward off future water contamination issues.

2. Air Contamination Issues

Like water, air can enter your truck's fuel lines and make it difficult to start the vehicle. When air bubbles are present, they displace the diesel and starve your injectors of the fuel they need to operate. Air can accumulate in the fuel lines for a variety of reasons, ranging from improper parking habits to leaking seals.

Parking on an incline with low fuel can allow some air to enter into the lines, leading to hard-start situations. Bleeding the system can help, but if the problem continually occurs (especially with a full fuel tank), then it's likely that a leak exists somewhere in the system. As with water contamination problems, you can help to avert future issues by keeping your tank topped up.

3. Injector Issues

The injectors are another crucial part of the fuel system. If your injectors are failing (either due to age or contaminated fuel), then difficulty starting the engine may be one of the earliest symptoms that you experience. Over time, bad injectors will also sap power and fuel efficiency from your engine, cause misfires, and create rough idle issues.

You should never ignore a hard-start condition on your rig. Diagnosing and repairing the problem can help to ensure that you don't lose time or money because your truck refuses to start.

For more tips, reach out to a company like C L Enterprises.

Share  

18 June 2020