Special diesel oils (CD) are widely available today and, according to reviews, are quite effective. Diesel engine oils are not suitable for spark ignition engines. There are oils that are suitable for both gasoline and diesel engines. In this case, two classifications SF/CD (SF-spark ignition engine) are indicated on the can.
Engines with an overhead camshaft should have their timing belt replaced at the specified intervals. Otherwise, the piston may collide with the valves when the belt suddenly breaks. Eliminating the consequences of this will require considerable financial costs from you. In practice, there have already been cases of belt breakage with a mileage of up to 48 thousand km, but this happened as a result of oil or water getting on them due to depressurization of the lubrication and cooling systems, respectively. However, if you decide to drive without changing the belt after a mileage of 100 thousand km, then your unwillingness to spend time on timely belt replacement may result in significantly greater time and money costs for you in the future.
To replace the fuel filter, buy the best one available to you. Some filters may look good on the outside, but "do their job poorly." Don't forget to also replace the sealing ring on the filter housing. It is also important to note that on a diesel engine, it is equally difficult to prevent both fuel leaks and air leaks into the fuel system, which greatly disrupt engine operation.
If air gets into the fuel lines, it may be necessary to remove it from there through a special valve using a small hand pump mounted for these circuits on the high-pressure fuel pump. These diesels have a fuel system that automatically removes air. You just need to turn the engine with the starter, and the air will be removed.
It is difficult to avoid moisture condensation in the fuel filter, so a warning light is provided on the instrument panel to indicate the presence of water in the fuel system.
Usually, when changing the oil, you only need to check the filter condition. However, if the car is used in difficult conditions, such as high humidity and large differences between day and night temperatures, you should check the condition of the filters more often.
All diesels smoke when cold, but it should not be excessive. One of the most common causes of this is a failure in the fuel injection timing of the high-pressure pump, which is easily eliminated by re-adjusting the injection timing using the marks on the crankshaft and pump. This work is very similar to adjusting the initial ignition timing on a gasoline engine. The operation can be done with the engine off, but it is better to purchase a special pump for these circuits for setting the injection timing on diesels, which is attached with a clamp to the fuel supply pipe of the injector and flashes under the action of the impact of the fuel passing through the pipe.
Another reason is fuel leakage through injectors with a loosely closed fuel supply channel, which can lead to overfilling of the cylinder with fuel and, as a result, to excessive smoking during start-up. Apart from general cleaning of the injectors and replacement of worn ones at a mileage of about 110 thousand km, there is little that can be done at home to check their operation. They must be removed and given for testing on some kind of control equipment.
New injectors are not cheap, but you can save a lot of money by going to a diesel repair shop and having your injectors calibrated.
However, you can extend the life of your injectors by keeping the air sucked into your diesel engine and the fuel filters clean, thereby preventing injector contamination. For these circuits, a small amount of special cleaner should be added to the fuel tank periodically.
If you take care of the high-pressure fuel pump, it will work well for a long time. However, we would like to warn you that replacing it is quite an expensive undertaking.
Poor starting and low throttle response of a diesel engine can be caused by many things: poor quality spark plugs, clogged fuel line channels leading to a drop in fuel supply pressure, faulty fuel lines and even incorrect installation of injectors. It is easy to determine poorly functioning spark plugs by how long the pre-heating indicator light does not go out.
Like petrol engines, diesel exhaust should be smokeless. In addition, there should be no smoke coming out of the open neck of the oil filler tube on a warm engine. Since diesel engines are noisier than petrol engines, you should distinguish between operating noise and the knocking of worn pistons, connecting rods, camshafts, etc. If you have any doubts about the condition of the engine, seek help from professionals.
Turbodiesels are very popular because turbocharging fits well with the characteristics of a diesel engine. Turbodiesels operate with low boost pressure and at low engine speeds, which gives them a longer service life than gasoline engines.
With the exception of the engine, these diesel cars are identical in design to petrol cars, the same applies to suspensions, brakes, but keep in mind the difference in spare parts. For example, exhaust systems last a long time, but differ from similar petrol engines. Keep in mind that petrol engine parts may be similar in appearance and fit in size, but the diesel cylinder block differs from a similar block of a petrol engine and in most cases cannot be selected as a replacement. The gear ratios of gearboxes and clutches also differ.