Your car is a very complicated bit of engineering, with hundreds or even thousands of individual parts that are supposed to work together in harmony for efficient motoring. Long-term operation does require regular maintenance, however, not only to deal with the damaging effect of friction or wear and tear, but also to ensure that external contaminants that could damage the machine are taken care of. In order for your diesel-engine vehicle to operate successfully, a number of different filters are included to help remove some of these contaminants, and it's very important that they are cleaned periodically. What filters should you be looking at and how are they serviced?
Replace or Clean
In most, if not all cases, the filters that are fitted to your vehicle are designed to be replaceable. In some cases, they can simply be cleaned and then refitted, but often they are relatively inexpensive and the old ones should simply be thrown out.
Air Filter
Begin by having a look at the air filter, which helps to catch any large airborne contaminants such as insects, leaves and other debris. Your car may have more than one filter, but they're typically found within the inlet ducting and quite readily accessible. They vary according to the car manufacturer, but you may be able to clean them using a compressed air hose, or they will need to be replaced and the container cleaned out. If you don't do this from time to time, then it will lead to sharply decreased performance and increased fuel consumption.
Fuel Filter
Next you should have a look at the filter that helps to screen out contaminants found within the diesel fuel. Unlike petrol-engine cars, these have to be serviced regularly due to the additional impurities found in diesel fuel. If not, particles can get into the injection system and cause damage to the pumps. If you've noticed that your vehicle is somewhat sluggish recently, this could be the cause, and it could be sucking up some debris from the bottom of the tank.
Oil Filter
Your vehicle does rely on high quality lubricant in order to protect moving parts under considerable pressure. Over time, contaminants can build up within the oil as minute particles of metal come away during normal operation. If the oil filter is not checked periodically it will become clogged, and these metal particles could come into contact with sensitive bearings and other components, leading to a costly failure. Usually, you should completely replace the engine oil at the same time, being sure to drain the sump at the bottom of the motor carefully.
When you take your car in to a mechanic for a full diesel service, they will automatically replace these filters for you.
Share17 April 2018
Hello, my name is Brian and if there is one thing I like to do, it is to go driving in my car. There is no better way to relax and unwind than heading out on the open road. I am not an auto mechanic or a car dealer, but over the years I have spent many years working with people such people and they have been kind enough to teach me a thing or two about buying and maintain automobiles. I have decided to start this blog so I can share everything I have learnt with the rest of the world.