THE DIESEL BRIEFING

The Intercooler and its Enemies

By Dan Filice – July 06, 2012

As we all know, diesel engines have very unique qualities and desirable features that continue to make them popular amongst consumers. Someone who is familiar with the parts and pieces of a gasoline powered engine might be slightly confused with the makeup of a diesel power plant. The Intercooler, its uses and downfalls will be discussed here.

The Intercooler is an integral part of a modern diesel engine. You will find few diesel vehicles built in the 21^st Century that do not include an Intercooler. The basic function of it is to cool the air entering the engine, once it has passed through the turbocharger. Diesel engines require a turbocharger to get a sufficient amount of air inside, and mix with the fuel. The turbocharger is driven by hot expanding exhaust gases, and heat is the main rival to making power. The way today’s engines remove the heat from the charged intake, is by using an air to air Intercooler or CAC (charge air cooler).

As you can see in photo A, (above photo) the Intercooler appears to look similar to a radiator found in all vehicles. It is located in the front end, behind the bumper to catch cool air and still be protected from road hazards. An Intercooler can come in all shapes and sizes, and some diesel sedans have two of them for more efficiency. Hot air moves through the inside of the unit, while cool air passes by the fins, cooling the hot intake air. This process occurs the entire time you are driving, with no moving parts needed.

The downfalls of the Intercooler are excessive heat, vibration and turbo boost pressure. The Intercooler in trucks today is designed to last for more than 100,000 miles. Very rarely does the part actually fail, but a failure can be seen in photo B, (below photo). In this case high mileage and heavy towing caused the right tank to separate and leave the vehicle with no power. A very loud “bang” noise was observed, and the driver was forced to pull the vehicle over. Although alarming, the loud noise was created from pressurized air escaping the failed Intercooler and no further damage occurred.

There is not an obvious method of prevention, but periodic inspections could detect a complete failure at an earlier time. Using a flashlight one can inspect the seals of the side tanks, and the boots that attach to the Intercooler. Each side tank is sealed with one large O-ring, seen in photo B of the damaged tank. Any traces of oil or debris accumulating along these seals can be a sign of a future issue. Vehicles that have performance modifications leading to higher boost pressures should keep a closer eye on the turbo boots and Intercooler, due to increased stress on these parts.

Of all the intricate parts on a diesel engine, the Intercooler might be the least exciting and the most important. It serves a definite purpose and it will remain in use for trucks, equipment and generators for a long time to come. For more information on this part or any other on your vehicle, feel free to call or email Deer Valley Diesel Repair.

Copyright © 2012 Deer Valley Diesel Repair

Hub FAILURE

So what happens when you don't do your service and maintenance on a trailer?

Have a look!

A complete service includes a complete inspection of the unit to avoid problems like this.

Thumping tires and adding some air is not a complete service.

Deer Valley Diesel's complete trailer service includes;

●  Inspection of all Tires, Wheels, and Checking Pressures.

●  Inspection and Lube of the Trailer Chassis.

●  Inspection of Gear Oil and hubs.

●  Inspection of All Air Lines.

●  Inspection of All Lights.

●  Complete Frame Inspection.

        Including Bushings, Leaf Springs, Air Bags, and Frame Rails.

●  Inspection of All Brakes.

        Includes Drums, Shoes, Hardware, and ABS system.

Mystery #1. Where are the tires and rims?

Our best guess. Somewhere in southern Arizona, maybe New Mexico, the driver had no clue.

Mystery #2. This is the big one.

How did these wheels come off without tearing up the ends of the threads?

Please feel free to post your answer here if you wish.

Service Your Vehicle On Time

This fuel filter is a very graphic example of why you should service your vehicle on time.

As you can see it has been restricted for some time causing it to collapse.

This kind of neglect can completely damage a fuel system.

The truck this particular filter came out of had to have the following replaced; 

• High Pressure Pump
• Transfer/Base Pressure Pump
•  Fuel Pressure Regulator

It could have been much worse.

Compare a new filter to the abused one.

Note the concaveness of the filter, the fuel system was literally starving.

Your Fuel System Includes and Generally Cost Approx.;

• High Pressure Pump ~ $2000. - $3500
• Base Pressure Pump ~  $200. - $500.
• Fuel Pressure Regulator ~ $180. - $300.
• Fuel Injectors ~  $2000. - $6000.
• Check Valves ~  $20. - $50.
• Fuel Lines ~  $100. - $1500.

These components are expensive parts that your fuel system needs to function.

Those prices are just the cost of the parts, they Do Not Reflect any Labor Costs yet.

This filter came out of a tow truck, a service for it cost's approx. $300.

Had this owner maintained his truck with his scheduled services, can you imagine how much this fella could have saved? You do the math.

Avoid expensive repairs.

Don't put off servicing your vehicles when they are scheduled.

Free DOT's through January 1st !

Hey folks, hope your Thanksgiving was good and filling!

We have a new promo for December, Free DOT's through January 1^st ! 

One per customer and by appointment only.

If you need your DOT inspection done soon, give us a call to set up an appointment for your free DOT inspection.

Happy Holidays!

Power Stroke Diesel Tech Tip

Symptoms:

Hard Starts in the Mornings

White Smoke in the Mornings

Cranks, but No Starts in the Mornings

Possibilities:

Glow Plug System

Injector Damage

Damaged Fuel Injector Control Module

Damaged FICM Relay

EGR System Plugged

Plugged Fuel System

Vehicle Not Maintained Properly or on Time

Solutions:

Glow Plug System Diagnosis

Power Balance Test with Compression Test

FICM Load Test

Oil Cooler Test

Fuel Pressure Test

EGR Valve Cleanup

EGR System Decarbed includes removal of Intake Manifold and Decarbed

Decarb EGR Cooler On/Off Vehicle Test; If cooler tests bad replace.

Deer Valley Diesel can diagnose and fix all of these problems including the replacement of the EGR and oil coolers with a Lifetime Warranted Bullet Proof Cooler kit.

We Fix it Right the First Time.
Your Only One Call Away.
http://www.deervalleydiesel.com/
623.780.2728

EGR Coolers for 2003 / 2004 and After

From the Diesel Desk

Did you know?

Coolant leaks will create pockets of air that cause cylinder heads to over heat, causing block and head warping.

Worst case scenario; Need a new engine. 
Average Cost; $3,000.00 - $8,000.00

Did you know? 
Water causes rust that cause internal engine damage such as pitted cylinder walls and heads, it will clog radiators causing restriction in coolant flow.

Worst case scenario; Need a new engine and the replacement of cooling system, which includes radiator, thermostat, water pump, and cooling hoses.
Average Cost; $4,000.00 - $10,000.00

Example of pitted Piston and Cylinder Wall.

DVD Advice #1: Promptly repair coolant leaks with proper components.

DVD Advice #2: When coolant level is low, DON'T just add water, use proper coolants at a 50/50 ratio.

Remember; Fix it right the first time. You will prevent big expensive repairs later.

Your only one call away from hitting the road again with Deer Valley Diesel.

Winter Advice / Tips

Get ready for cold weather and hard starts.

~ Prevent engine damage
~ Get injectors checked out
~ Get your glow plug system checked out
~ Don't spend extra money in additives, fix it right the first time

If you have any questions leave a message here and we will answer it.