Diesel Engine Services in Calgary, AB

Our Mechanics Repair Diesel Engines

If you need repair services for your diesel engine, Tire Pirates has you covered. We offer diesel engine repair services in Calgary, AB. You can’t trust a diesel engine to just any mechanic because they call for highly experienced professionals with technical training. Our professionally certified diesel mechanics have all the training and experience necessary to perform small diesel engine repairs and more. Our certified mechanics and auto repair specialists work on cars and truck diesel engines. Learn more about common engine problems we can repair and check out the answers to some of the questions we often receive. Get in touch with us today to schedule diesel engine repair services.

Common Diesel Engine Repairs

Diesel engines are complicated pieces of machinery. You depend on them to get you where you need to go, but a lot can go wrong with them. There’s no need to worry, though, because you can rest easy knowing the mechanics at Tire Pirates have you covered. Check out these common diesel engine repairs that our team performs:

• Lack of Power – This common fuel-related problem can show up if you have trouble starting or accelerating your vehicle. These issues may be caused by dirty fuel filters, loose throttle linkage, problems with the fuel injectors, or excessive lubrication.
• Fuel Contamination – Diesel engine oil is more viscous than regular gasoline, making it easier to contaminate. The most common and dangerous contaminants are soot, water, glycol, and dilution. Anny of those contaminants can penetrate the fuel system and cause significant diesel engine problems.
• Difficult Time Starting – If you have trouble starting up your truck, you might have low compression or a fuel delivery problem. It’s not uncommon for a diesel engine to crank at startup, but a hard time starting your vehicle or a truck that won’t start at all means you need a diesel technician to get under the hood.
• Oil Oxidation – If you own or operate a diesel truck that sits for long periods of time or is not driven on a regular basis, you might experience an oil oxidation problem. Oil oxidation occurs when air gets into the oil and creates bubbles that prevent appropriate lubrication. This process can damage the vehicle’s engine.
• Malfunctioning Lead or Acid Storage Batteries – Storage battery malfunctions can create an imbalanced compression ratio and negatively affect the starter system of the vehicle.
• Black Exhaust Problems – Diesel vehicles that have black exhaust are typically from an imbalance in air to fuel proportions. This problem is often caused by an excess of fuel paired with insufficient air. Other causes may include a malfunctioning injector, injector pump, air filter, EGR valve, or turbocharger.
• Incorrect Weight Viscosity – Having the wrong weight viscosity of engine lubrication can lead to hard starting. Since diesel lubricants have a much higher viscosity than gasoline, doing DIY diesel maintenance can result in the wrong weight viscosity.
• Increased Compression Ratio – The majority of diesel engines have a 20:1 compression ratio compared to gas-powered engines, which have an average ratio of 8:1. While the high compression ratio ensures your diesel engine runs smoothly, it can also cause problems such as engine knocking from bad burn patterns or fuel injection complications.
• Excess Noise – Anyone who drives a diesel vehicle knows how much noise can come from the engines, but sometimes too much noise is a sign of something being wrong. Unfamiliar knocking or other unusual noises could indicate that something is wrong with the fuel injectors. These problems will impact the compression balance while reducing performance.
• Humidity Problems – Water can pollute your diesel engine’s lubricant, which can lead to interference with the lubrication process and cause severe engine damage. If your truck or diesel vehicle sits for too long in humid or rainy weather, moisture will increase oxidation. This process attacks additives and causes the engine to knock.

Frequently Asked Questions About Diesel Engine Services

If you’re new to driving a vehicle with a diesel engine, or you have experience but want to learn more, we’re happy to help. Our team receives a lot of questions about our diesel engine services in Calgary. We have compiled a list of the questions we most often receive and the answers to them so you can become somewhat of an expert on diesel engines. Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions we didn’t get around to.

What is a diesel engine?

A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine. In a diesel engine, fuel ignition is caused by an elevated air temperature in the cylinder from mechanical compression. Diesel engines take in air and compress it before injecting fuel into that compressed air.

What types of vehicles have diesel engines?

Commercial trucks are not the only types of vehicles with diesel engines. Some examples of cars and trucks with diesel engine options include the Chevrolet Colorado, Tahoe, Suburban, and Silverado, Ford F-150, Ram 1500, Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, and more. Automakers that sell diesel vehicles include Alfa Romeo, Audi, Buick, BMW, Cadillac, Chrysler, Citroen, Covini, Smart, Dacia, Dodge, Fiat, GMC, Holden, Honda, Hummer, Hyundai, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, Lancia, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Maserati, Mahindra, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Renault, Rover, Saab, Skoda, Suzuki, Talbot, Tata, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo, and more.

What happens when you put gas in a diesel engine?

Engine damage is likely to occur if you put regular gasoline into a diesel engine. When gas mixes with diesel, the flash point is changed. Putting the wrong type of fuel in a diesel vehicle can result in the diesel fuel prematurely igniting and causing engine damage. You may also cause damage to your fuel pump and diesel injectors by contaminating your vehicle with regular gasoline.

How are diesel and gasoline engines different?

The main difference between diesel and traditional gasoline engines is the type of fuel the vehicles use. The next biggest difference is that diesel engines do not use spark plugs like gasoline engines do. Diesel engines utilize a compression system to ignite fuel. Diesel is better than regular gasoline in fuel economy because it burns at a slower rate.

Are diesel engines better than gas engines?

The debate on whether diesel engines are better than gasoline engines depends on your personal preferences. If you’re purchasing a new car or truck, it’s worth considering going with a diesel engine. In general, diesel engines last longer and offer better fuel economy. However, diesel engines typically cost more upfront, and repairing them can be more expensive. Diesel engines are a good investment if you want a vehicle that will last for several years.

Schedule Diesel Engine Services Today

The experienced mechanics and technicians at Tire Pirates are happy to service your vehicle, whether it has a diesel or gasoline engine. We carry and install all-season tires, all-weather tires, snow and winter tires, summer tires, and rims. Our team offers seasonal tire changes, flat tire repair, wheel balancing, tire storage, wheel alignments, brake replacement, steering and suspension, heating and air conditioning, oil changes, wiper blade replacement, vehicle batteries and inspections, auto tune-ups, and more. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.