How a Toyota Troopy V8 Avoided a $7000 Injector Bill Being quoted around the $7000 mark for a new set of injectors on a Toyota V8 can be a rude shock. In most cases it’s only 2 or 3 injectors causing all the trouble — and in actual fact, they’re usually...
In today’s modern 4WD diesel engines, there’s no shortage of expensive problems that can occur — and unfortunately this includes vehicles that have been regularly maintained. Many drivers have heard horror stories about how expensive it is to replace fuel injectors and EGR valves. Now we have DPF costs to...
Provent 200 catch cans do a remarkable job of filtering oily crankcase fumes before they enter the inlet area. One of the common mistakes people make is not replacing the filter — or not knowing when to change a Provent filter. Depending on the age and condition of the engine,...
As a boat owner, you rely on your diesel engine to get you there and back — safely and without incident. But marine life is pretty testing for diesel fuel: humidity and salt-laden air make a great breeding ground for fuel algae. CEM’s Marine Diesel Fuel Stabilizer is a...
It’s often been said: “If your engine’s oil is changed according to schedule, it should never need a flush!” In a perfect world that might be so, but there are numerous factors that cause engine sludge to build up and piston rings to become fouled. With emission control components fitted to...
Regen problems generally arise where city driving, excessive idling or light duty cycles are encountered. Or, if other engine components such as EGR valves, turbochargers, injectors are fouled or not working properly. DPF regeneration cycles then become more frequent, and more prolonged! And…more serious! DPF’s often need replacing at a cost of...
We all know that power equals acceleration — so how do you generate more power without modifications? Short answer: you don’t need engine modifications. By improving the fuel burn (with FTC Decarbonizer and CRD Fuel Enhancer) and reducing friction losses through the driveline (with AW10 Antiwear), independent DT80 testing recorded 4.6%...
<p>Over the years, many of our customers tell us that after running Cost Effective Maintenance products through their vehicles and equipment, they actually “run better than new” — including noticeably improved fuel efficiency. Well, they’re dead right. And now, here’s the proof.</p> <p style="background-color: #f4f7fa; border-left: 4px solid #003366; padding: 14px...
To assist with the ever-increasing volume of orders being dispatched to the USA and internationally, it was time for CEM to engage the help of a well-established international distributor. Finding a business that could handle all the technical requests, and was set up for large volumes of domestic and fleet-based...
With those cold morning starts serving as a persistent daily reminder, you might head into winter asking yourself how to reduce friction in your vehicles and engines for smoother starting. Short answer: reduce internal friction and you reduce heat, wear and component stress — so everything runs cooler, shifts smoother and...
Don’t allow fungi, bacteria and moulds to grow in your diesel fuel and cause serious engine damage! The safe, fast and easy way to kill diesel growth is with FTC Decarbonizer added to the fuel. FTC Decarbonizer is extremely effective in killing both the live organisms, and the highly...
Diesel smoke colours are one of the clearest warning signs that a diesel engine is not operating as it should. Whether it’s black smoke, blue smoke, or white smoke, each type of diesel exhaust smoke points to issues within the combustion chamber, fuel system, or overall engine components. Diesel smoke (such...
Engine blowby — cylinder “blow-by,” or excessive crankcase pressure — is a common and worrying problem that most truckies encounter at some stage in their career. The concern is justified, as it typically means an expensive engine rebuild, and that’s usually what mechanics and dealers recommend. But according to Brisbane-based Cost...
Time and time again, we’re contacted by customers who have overheating problems with their diesel engines that they just can’t rectify. Many have spent $3,000 to $4,000 on big-core radiators, new water pumps, thermostats, fan hubs, chemical cleaning and more — yet still haven’t fixed the problem. Short answer: if your...
We continually hear of modern low-emission, heavy-duty truck engines having to be rebuilt at only 600,000km or less, along with many stories of long periods out of service. One of the biggest issues in maintaining reliability is keeping the emission control equipment working properly. Short answer: modern low-emission diesels fail early...
According to the laws of physics, power is the rate of performing work. Applied to a diesel-powered coal mining fleet, an increase in power results in an increase in production. A production drive is more complicated than that, of course — but more power is one way of lifting production,...
The key to cutting driveline maintenance costs is minimising the operational stresses inside gearboxes, differentials, planetaries and the like — because the less stress and loading placed on each individual part, the longer everything lasts. Short answer: reduce the friction between moving parts in your driveline and you reduce wear, heat...
Keeping older engines, transmissions and machinery reliable for longer comes down to four straightforward principles. Admittedly, that’s easier said than done — but it’s genuinely not hard once you know what to do. Here’s the practical detail. Short answer: to keep older equipment in service longer, follow four principles — clean...
<p>Common rail diesel engines were introduced to meet the need for more stringent exhaust emission requirements. Fuel pumps, injectors, EGR valves, catalytic converters and diesel particulate filters are all integral parts of the emission control system.</p> <p style="background-color: #f4f7fa; border-left: 4px solid #003366; padding: 14px 18px; margin: 20px 0; font-size: 16px;"><strong>Short...
There’s always been a lot of scepticism around fuel and oil additives — much of it stemming from the “snake oil” salesmen of the past who made claims they simply couldn’t deliver on. Short answer: yes — high-quality, purpose-designed fuel and oil additives genuinely work. Modern engines suffer more deposit problems...
If you think your new vehicle’s performance is as good as it gets, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. As advanced as modern petrol and diesel engines are, there are still substantial inefficiencies that stop more power and torque from reaching the wheels. Short answer: a lot of an engine’s power...
Vegetable oil can be used as diesel fuel just as it is, without being converted to biodiesel. However, it’s around 11 times thicker than diesel, doesn’t burn as easily in the engine, and has very different chemical properties and combustion characteristics — so it can damage engines. Despite that, it...
Automatic transmission overheating problems can lead to an expensive repair situation if not address. In many cases damage to the transmission can be happening without the drivers knowledge. Many of these problems occur while towing, transmission temperature can increase quite quickly, friction reduces and transmission fluid begins to break down. <a...</a...
Cold weather starting becomes increasingly more difficult as engine deposits build up over time. Types of operation, such as excessive idling, short run time, light work and city type driving, all contribute to deposit formation which can result in poor cold start. All these operating conditions do not allow efficient...
Diesel exhaust particulate matter (DPM) is known to cause cancer, and while much of the blame has been placed on ageing truck and bus fleets, Brisbane-based firm Cost Effective Maintenance has concluded that the single biggest contributor to diesel smoke is the compounding effect of city driving cycles. Short answer: the...
4WD mechanic John Hams, from Off Road Autos (Mackay, Qld), messaged us to tell us how he’s been going since he started using Cost Effective Maintenance products in his workshop. Here’s a couple of the things he had to say. Short answer: a Mackay 4WD workshop has used Cost Effective Maintenance...
Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for a moment. You take your car, truck or boat to your local mechanic for a standard logbook service. You pick it up, and it sounds, runs and drives so much better than you expected. You wouldn’t just be satisfied — you’d be delighted....
