Ever wonder how diesel soot, also called Particulate Matter or PM, affects your engine’s performance? Ever wonder what components are most vulnerable to soot contamination? Let’s take a look.
Diesel PM output to the atmosphere is now tightly controlled by EPA regulation. As a result of the gradual tightening of the restrictions on PM, the percentage escaping to the atmosphere has been reduced about 90% on diesel trucks since the time the first regulations were instituted. We are now in what is called “Tier 4” of those regulations. There will be more to come, especially in regulating the fine particles that still get through the Diesel Particulate Filter, called DPF, in the exhaust emission controls known as “After treatment”.
As the word “after” is used to describe the newer emission controls, we can see that the soot which is being filtered is still contaminating all of the “before” components upstream of the DPF. These include the Exhaust Gas Regulation (EGR) valve, EGR cooler, the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), the exhaust tubing and exhaust manifold connecting to the DPF and the combustion chamber itself. When the soot in the combustion chamber also contaminates the engine oil, the result becomes further damage to the turbocharger bearings. Among the results of all of these are serious and often catastrophic failures of the components, which cause failures in the emission controls and sometimes cause engine shutdown.
Here’s a view of some examples of soot-related failures:
So, what can we do about the effects of diesel soot to prevent engine failures? There are some measures we can take to protect ourselves to at least reduce the impacts, but we can’t stop them altogether. Here are some suggestions:
- Match the engine oil change frequency to the engine hours and to the engine drive cycle. Those will be subjects of a forthcoming blog. Revert to oil change frequency based on engine hours, not on mileage. This is one of the most critical measures we can take. Contaminated engine oil will cause turbo bearing seizure and a host of other problems, such as clogged oil coolers and stuck or slow hydraulic fuel injectors.
- Use EGR coolers that are designed for high exhaust temperatures and hot/cold extremes in the cooler interior. That means converting to welded stainless steel tubing exhaust channeling, such as now being offered in the Aftermarket. Earlier designs cracked internally and leaked coolant into the entire exhaust system. That results in huge repair bills.
- Maintain constant vigilance over the sensors of DPF differential pressure which senses DPF plugging, EGR valve differential pressures which sense EGR valve sticking, and DPF dosing valve condition, which controls the automatic self-cleaning of the DPF. Also watch for high backpressure codes from contaminated exhaust passages and components. Get after them early because the engine is telling us that it’s getting sick and might die if we don’t take remedial action!
Understanding diesel soot and its effects can lead to actions by which we can help ourselves. Without the above preventive actions, we become the victims of PM contamination and can pay enormous bills on a repetitive basis for as long as we’re operating the vehicle.
Diesel engine spare parts in the aftermarket is a growing need in today’s market place. In some instances, OEM suppliers do not have the needed parts available, with no expected time frame as to when they will be available. In these circumstances you have alternative choices – Used Parts, Remanufactured or New Aftermarket. Each option has their benefits and drawbacks.
Used Diesel Engine Parts
These are parts that are salvaged from used engines and are usually OEM in nature. Most of the time, the truck itself was damaged in such a way the only thing that can be salvaged is the diesel engine and the used spare parts. As these parts are from OEM engines, mounting issues are not generally a problem. Used parts though do not have as long of a life cycle as other parts since they are “used parts”, and there is no guarantee how long they will last and usually do not come with any warranty.
Remanufactured Diesel Engine Parts
These are parts that have a main housing (core) that is still in good shape, but the rest of the parts may not be. In this case, the part is dismantled and the core of the part is rebuilt using newer parts. There is no guarantee that the internal parts are from OEM suppliers, which can lead to problems with parts “meshing” properly and working the way they should. This option usually requires a core exchange when purchasing a remanufactured part, otherwise the part will cost more. Also, the part being purchased could have a core from an Aftermarket part, which could cause problems on the rebuild. Remanufactured parts are less expensive than OEM counterparts and should last longer then used parts. Most remanufacturers offer limited warranties, whereas used parts have no warranties.
New Aftermarket
These are parts that are meant to replace OEM parts. Aftermarket parts are brand new items, unlike used parts and have not been used then rebuilt. These parts are generally less expensive than the previous options, and would not require a core exchange like remanufactured parts. The term aftermarket generally has the consumer thinking the quality is not as good as the OEM, and in some cases this can be true. There are Aftermarket suppliers though work hard to provide best quality possible for the prices the market demands. Some of the products offered can be comparable in quality with its OEM counterpart. Unless your budget is really tight, used parts generally are used as a temporary fix until the truck is due for a major overhaul. Remanufactured parts and New Aftermarket parts can be just as equal to one another, but be diligent in researching potential new suppliers in either field. New Aftermarket parts commonly have a longer warranty along with being “new” parts. No matter your diesel engine or spare parts needs, there can be a right time for all three options.
When was the last time that you checked your exhaust manifold? Was it when you last had an exhaust leak?
What are the Exhaust manifolds?
Exhaust manifolds are the ‘leading role’ of your engine exhaust system.
Yet when there is an exhaust leak they are not the first thing to be checked.
The exhaust system itself has many parts, some are very complex.
The manifold is simple in design and function.
They connect to the cylinder head and funnel hot exhaust fumes into one simple exhaust pipe.
An exhaust leak can be due to a blown exhaust gasket, which is a relatively inexpensive fix if caught soon enough. Leaks can also come from cracks in the manifold itself.
In either instance an exhaust leak left untreated can be harmful to the operator, because hot exhaust fumes escape through these leaks and find their way into the cabin of the vehicle slowly poisoning the driver and any passengers.
Small exposure to exhaust fumes won’t necessarily kill you but can make you sick.
If you were to smell something unusual or experience hot air in the cabin when your heater is not on, you should have your parts and system checked immediately.
Exhaust manifold crack
An exhaust manifold crack is caused by one of 2 reasons.
The first one being the heat cycles the manifold experiences.
Over a significant period of time, these cycles take their toll on the manifold and it just gets to a point where it can’t take the heat anymore.
The material starts to weaken and crack in certain 
spots.
Cracks can be spot welded depending on the severity of the crack.
Some may be able to be done yourself, while others should be taken in to be professionally done. Welding of cracks though is only temporary fixes.
The other possibility is the brackets or “hangers” that are holding the weight of the exhaust system itself, break down. When these brackets fail, then the weight of the exhaust systems becomes supported by the exhaust manifold (which they are not meant to support).
Besides leaks, cracks in the manifold can allow outside air in, which in turn can cause the engine to stall or die. If the crack isn’t fixed in a timely fashion, you can also cause major damage to the engine, such as blown head gaskets and overheated heads.
Here are some early detection signs of an exhaust manifold going bad:
Visible Cracking:
Which we have discussed already
Excess/Unusual noise
This is caused by pressure forcing air out of the crack in the manifold.
Noises may be heard easier upon a cold start of the engine.
Exhaust Odors
We have discussed the danger of exhaust fumes.
If odors are noticed, please have the exhaust system inspected as soon as possible.
Loss of Performance
Backpressure is not as prevalent and the engine loses some of the power as air leaks from either crack in the manifold or the gasket.
For such a simple design and function, exhaust manifolds are critical pieces to a smooth running engine.
Exhaust manifold temperature
The temperature can vary depending on the vehicle, in the next table you are going to know the average temperatures.
| 30 mph |
70 mph |
| Level road |
250 |
825 |
| 7% grade |
360 |
1020 |
Resource: Surface Temperatures: Underhood
Exhaust manifold cost and repair cost
The repair cost of a repair for your piece can vary.
The prices of the pieces are about 170$ and 1700$ and the repair cost 300$ or more, that depends on your city and the professional that are gonna repair or change your piece.
If you are in California we have a lot of models for this kind of piece, just visit our shop or call us, you can see our number on this page.
Have you ever tried to order a flywheel or housing without a part number? Have the salesmen asked you, “Do you know if it’s an SAE #1 or #2?” You may know the answer, you may not, but have you ever thought to yourself what is SAE standard?
SAE International, formerly known as Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
Then what is the SAE standard?
SAE International is a globally active professional association & standards organization for engineering professionals in various industries.
Their main focus is on the transport industries: automotive, commercial vehicles, and aerospace.
The Society coordinates the development of technical standards for parts like:
flywheels, flywheel housings, and such based on best practices identified and described by SAE committees and task forces.
Originally founded in 1905, the SAE was a total of 5 guys including Henry Ford as the society’s first vice president.
“free exchange of ideas” Was the concept of its creation.
As a way to overcome technical problems of the time and learn how to make advances.
Automobile companies already had a tendency to follow certain lines of construction, but technical issues would start to arise, and could only be handled with the cooperation of those within the industry.
The field of activity for this society would be the purely technical side of automobiles.
Today, SAE International has over 120,000 members globally.
SAE standards are internationally recognized for their role in helping ensure the safety, quality, and effectiveness of products and services across the mobility engineering industry.
The more than 10,000 standards in the SAE database now include historical standards and can be accessed through one of the targeted solutions below.
Aside from their standardization efforts,
SAE International also devotes resources to projects and programs in STEM education, professional certification, and collegiate design competitions.
The SAE also releases the following types of technical reports:
SAE Recommended Practices
These technical reports are documentations of practice, procedures, and technology that are intended as guides to standard engineering practice. Their content may be of a more general nature, or they may propound data that has not yet gained broad acceptance.
SAE Information Reports
These technical reports are compilations of engineering reference data or educational material useful to the technical community.
