Soot Buildup in Diesel Engines

It’s known to our technicians that a ton of check engine problems can happen from soot overload. This happens when soot builds up on EGR valves, turbos, VGTs and DOC filters to name just a few. While individual soot particles don’t cause issues, clumped soot can. The heart of the problem is that fuel and air mixtures in diesel engines typically do not mix as thoroughly as they do in gasoline engines. This creates fuel dense pockets that produce soot when ignited.

Preventative maintenance actually helps in this case. You can add a fuel additive like Dee-Zol that can clean out deposits, reduce the amount of fuel burned and can even extend the life of your diesel engine.

Plus, good diesel oil will include dispersants to prevent those unwanted globs of soot from forming. Lower quality engine oil additives can easily be overwhelmed by soot which causes decreased lubrication due to impeded oil flow through the engine as well as the oil filter.

High soot conditions can lead to the formation of carbon deposits in the piston ring groove. This causes the degradation of the oil seal between the piston rings and cylinder liner. As abrasion widens the gap between the rings and the liner, increasing amounts of combustion byproducts such as gases and unburnt fuel begin to enter the crank case. The cylinder will lose compression and we all know this leads to a loss in horsepower and fuel efficiency.

This is why diesel preventative maintenance is super important. The pros at Modern Diesel understand diesel soot buildup and the implications on your engine, which is why we only use the highest quality diesel additives and oils when performing service.