The Common Rail Diesel (CRD) injection system is the most recent development to achieve ever more stringent diesel exhaust emission standards, but it is currently associated with widespread problems, including engine rattles, expensive injector and fuel pump failures, injector sticking, stalling problems and rapid piston and liner wear. Problems have been documented across a wide range of engine suppliers, including Toyota, BMW, Volkswagen, Nissan and many more.

Cost Effective Maintenance have specifically developed the CRD Fuel Enhancer, to address rattles, and provide smooth operation of fuel pumps and injectors. Used routinely, it will increase the service life of fuel systems and minimize the potential for the above problems.

The CRD system requires a significant increase in operating pressure compared to earlier systems. Fuel system pressures of up to (and above) 29,000 psi are required, and combined with ultrafine tolerances of diesel pumps and injectors, achieve superior fuel atomization for cleaner combustion. There are several factors that place significant additional stress on this system, compared to earlier diesel injection systems…

Common Rail Diesel Problems

1. The increased operating pressure causes higher loadings on equipment, and this places a bigger demand on the fuel’s lubricating ability.
2. The higher pressure causes much higher fuel temperatures, which can actually degrade the fuel, forming fouling deposits within pumps and injectors.  Such deposits interfere with the fine tolerances, to cause sticking, malfunction and injector wear. This risk increases if using biodiesel blends, since biodiesel by nature, degrades faster.
3. Diesel sulphur levels have been reduced, to reduce smoke emissions. However, sulphur provides lubrication, so lowering sulphur levels can result in greater wear to very expensive fuel pumps and injectors.
4. CRD engines are designed with much finer tolerances within pumps and injectors, as well as piston to liner clearances, making them much more susceptible to deposits, and also the presence of any water contamination in the fuel.

CRD injectors can be called on to inject diesel into the cylinder up to 5 or more times per firing cycle, so must respond instantaneously!! Any delay caused by contamination or poor fuel lubricity commonly results in excess fuel pumped in. This is one cause of poor fuel economy, but also means more soot out the exhaust, and through the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve, and this is a major cause of choking inlet manifold build up. Mitsubishi Pajero and Triton CRD’s have had severe inlet coking problems, but can be controlled using the CRD Fuel Enhancer/Flushing Oil Concentrate value pack. Naturally coking can extend into the combustion chamber, exhaust and turbo areas as well. For this, the FTC Decarbonizer needs to be run in the diesel, and during combustion, it will burn off deposits from these places.

CRD Fuel Enhancer provides strongly enhanced fuel lubricity, superior deposit control for fuel pumps and injectors, and exceptional anti-rust/anti-corrosion protection. While it’s recommended as a routine preventative step for CRD engines, it has been shown to eliminate severe injector rattle, restore operating performance and economy. It is designed specifically for Common Rail Diesels, but is suitable for all diesel engines. It is not recommended for petrol engines.

Many Common Rail Diesels are also prone to building high levels of soot in the oil.

For more information about common rail engines give the team a call on +61 7 3376 6188