Do You Drive a Diesel?

Do you drive a diesel? Not every repair shop or automotive technician is trained and equipped to handle their service and repair needs. With the cost of Diesel engines being well above the $10,000 mark, you
probably want to take it to someone who is well versed in their unique service needs.

Items unique to diesel engines are plenty enough, but the items that are shared with gas engines, are the ones that will confuse the average technician or mechanic the most. Diesels have many common items with uncommon service needs and knowing the how and the why is very important to extend your engine’s life and efficiency.

Proper training and tooling has never been more critical than now. The modern diesel has many new devices and one sure fire way to tell if your repair shop is up to speed, is to discuss their needs. Mechanics who want to disconnect or delete components on your engine, are most likely not fully understanding of their needs or how they work. This is not to say that some engine emission control component designs have not been poorly thought out, but many common problems can be corrected by updating the engine control modules software. This leads to the next discussion; tooling and software, if the repair shop you patronize is not capable of applying software updates to your vehicle in house, they are probably not equipped properly to service your engine.

Certification: Diesel engine repair certification for general repair mechanics has traditionally been only a few days of formal training, with the rest learned on the job. ASE has the A9 Diesel certification most other training will be specific to one brand of vehicle, so ask your mechanic about their specialties before leaving the keys. Bosch, Allaint Power, Delphi and Stanadyne are also some of the major forces in diesel service. Look for a shop that is certified by one or more of these major brands. Bosch builds the fuel systems for most modern Diesel engines regardless of whose name is on the truck. The other brands have been all suppliers of engine fuel systems over the last 10 years.

Experience: Many repair shops have jumped on the diesel bandwagon recently as the number of trucks coming off warranty has climbed dramatically. Find a shop that has been working on Diesels for more than a few years and has built up some experience with their unique service needs. Although the repair shop does not need to specialize in Diesels, having a technician in their employment that does, is a good starting point.

As always, a little research before you have a problem with your vehicle, will pay off in the long run.

Whatever model of truck you drive, Precision Auto Service can handle ALL of its needs. Our Diesel truck experts, located at #101 – 22575 Fraser Highway, are trained to service your Diesel specific needs.
Call 604.530.9394 to schedule a consultation today.