Diesel filter maintenance for heavy vehicles
The diesel filter plays a crucial role in the fuel system of every heavy vehicle. Their main purpose is to capture any impurities present in the fuel that could damage the engine. Anything affecting the fuel filter’s efficiency could mean significant extra costs are incurred, which spells bad news for HGV owners and operators, not to mention disruption to essential services. Correct maintenance of the fuel filtration system is therefore vital, confirms UFI Filters, especially in winter.
In particular, low temperatures can lead to crystalline wax particles forming in diesel fuel. If such particles develop, they can block the filter and cause engine problems. The first key preventative measure when the weather turns cold is therefore for the tank to be filled with either winter diesel, which is able to remain fluid at low temperatures, or arctic diesel for use in extremely low temperatures. In addition, the vehicle should be fitted with a high quality, regularly maintained filtration system, equivalent to the one installed as original equipment.
Symptoms of a clogged diesel filter
A clogged diesel fuel filter can cause a range of symptoms, including:
Loss of engine power
Lack of acceleration
Difficulty starting
Unusual noises and black smoke from the exhaust
Higher fuel consumption
Choosing a basic, lower quality filter can be a false economy – especially factoring in the potential cost of a vehicle stoppage.
To avoid the pitfalls, there is no substitute for putting your trust in a spare parts specialist that works directly with the main vehicle manufacturers.
The quality of original UFI filters
UFI Filters filtration and thermal management systems are chosen by original equipment manufacturers representing 50% of all global truck and industrial vehicle production. What’s more, the filters UFI supplies to the Aftermarket are of identical quality to its original equipment.
Heavy goods vehicles are often fitted with both a pre-filter and a main filter. The pre-filter separates the water and protecting the low-pressure pump, while the main filter performs the fine filtration as well as protecting the high-pressure pump and injectors. Choosing the right filter is therefore fundamentally important, to guarantee effective water separation and filtration efficiency all year round.
The range of parts available from UFI Filters covers both the primary and secondary filtration phases. Thanks to its experience in producing filtration media, UFI offers a particularly high-quality medium for heavy vehicles – FormulaUFI.H2O. Composed of cellulose fibre coupled with synthetic or glass fibres, this material maximises the filter’s efficiency, achieving up to 99.5% for 4 micron particles – improving the ability to retain dirt and separate water.
An example of FormulaUFI.H2O in action are the highly efficient filters and pre-filters chosen by Ford Trucks for the Ford F-Max Euro 6. The UFI 24.166.00 filter offers filtration efficiency of greater than 99% for particles down to 4 microns, while the UFI 24.028.00 pre-filter plays a key role in separating water from the fuel, with 99% efficiency for particles down to 25 microns.
Another is the UFI 26.044.00 fuel filter for FPT Iveco Stralis Euro 6, which optimises filtration for biodiesel too. The aluminium housing and the plastic body ensure strength as well as weight savings.
UFI’s advice is that proactive fuel filter maintenance is a must for all commercial vehicles, especially during winter. Regular changes will help to protect the engine, improve vehicle efficiency and aid fuel economy, minimising the chance of unscheduled stoppages and costly repairs. Paying attention to any clogged filter signals and putting your trust in original quality spare parts will help keep your customers’ vehicles in perfect condition.