Maximizing Diesel Engine Life: The AirDog® System Advantage
Diesel engines are built to last, but just because they keep operating does not mean they are operating efficiently. Components can wear out, expensive fixes can be necessary, and an engine can keep pushing along for years while using more fuel than it needs to. If you want to know how to prolong the life of a diesel engine—and equally important, maintain its performance—you need to understand the fundamentals of how they work and prioritize maintenance. It’s also a good idea to invest in high-quality components, like AirDog® Heavy Duty Diesel Fuel Systems. AirDog® works to keep diesel engines in good condition by removing moisture, particulates, and entrained air and vapor. By ensuring only pure, clean diesel enters your fuel injectors and therefore your engine, you can make significant strides towards prolonging the life of your engine. The Basics of Diesel Fuel Systems The life expectancy of a heavy-duty diesel engine can be greater than 1,000,000 miles. Part of what makes these engines last so long is their simplicity. The fuel system only has five major components: fuel tank, fuel transfer pump, filters, injection pump, and fuel injectors. The fuel transfer pump pulls fuel from the tank and through the filters, which remove particulates and separates water from fuel. The injection pump pushes the cleaned fuel through the injectors and into the engine for combustion. Stock systems do a serviceable job of getting fuel to the engine without too many contaminants. However, there are drawbacks to these standard systems. The gear-driven pumps can introduce air into the fuel, adding the air that already occurs through fuel slosh. Over time, this can lead to wear and tear on the fuel injectors, reduce fuel economy, and even prevent the engine from starting. The Role of AirDog® Systems AirDog® was designed by our engineers to solve the common problems that come with basic diesel fuel systems. Our systems accomplish this goal in several ways, including: Removing Entrained Air A diesel fuel system that is operating perfectly never lets air reach the fuel injectors. One of the main purposes of AirDog® fuel systems is to remove entrained air from diesel fuel before pushing that fuel to the fuel injectors. Along with removing solids from the fuel, it also sends the fuel through the AirDog® Fuel Preporator, the world’s first patented system for removing air from fuel. When the air is removed, it is sent back to the fuel tank. Optimizing Fuel Pressure Removing existing air is not enough to protect your engine. It’s also necessary to minimize air and vapor in the fuel lines and to ensure that the air-free fuel makes it from the Preporator without the reintroduction of air. Our systems accomplish these goals in a few different ways. Fuel pressure is maintained by integrated fuel pumps included in the AirDog® system along with the filtration components. These pumps maintain appropriate pressure to minimize vapor creation in the fuel lines and reduce strain on the existing transfer pump, which extends its life. [...]