Many four wheel drive enthusiast pages are filled with memes implying that owners of various makes and models have a sexual tendency that is considered humours. Who it comes to the Hilux the D4D system is often used as leverage to imply that he Hilux owner has questionable sexuality. Lines such as “I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems but D4D ain’t one” regularly find their way into these minding humours enthusiast forums.
The truth falls to the fact that whilst the D4D system does commonly present with injector problems the fault is not actually specific to Hilux and all common rail diesels suffer the same fault.
The issue stems from the strict emission laws that are taking over the world. Believe what you want about climate change and feel free to get into heated debates online with adolescents who haven’t left their dorm for three weeks, badly need a shower and still receive the Lynx Africa value pack every Christmas from Grandma.
You can’t really do anything about the laws various governments are placing on the tolerable emission levels vehicles can produce. To make diesel fuels comply, fuel companies are forced to add sulphur and other additives to reduce the emissions. These additives cause gummy deposits in the fuel system and reduce the levels of lubrication that pure diesel fuels have.
Almost every injector fault comes from fuel issues, either poor fuel quality, Bio diesel (which is as effective as running cordial through your fuel tank) and or Fuel pressure issues. The massive fuel pressures cause heat in the fuel system, lower quality diesel fuel will burn off at lower temperatures. This causes deposits and gum to build up inside the fuel system. If these deposits find their way into the Injector you’re in for trouble. The Injectors have such fine tolerances that even a miniature amount of carbon can cause issues.
The faults arise with a rattle which can be anything from a mild knock on start up, to the sounds of a Semi automatic weapon being fired inside a public toilet. Once you’re at this stage there isn’t much you can do apart from replace the injectors causing the issues. If you fail to do so, it can cause big internal engine damage and in some cases cause “running on”, which traditionally destroys diesel motors.
Genuine injectors can set you back around the $2K mark, each. However various aftermarket options are suitable for around half the price, even still it can be an expensive exercise.
How can you avoid this? There isn’t a great deal you can do, unfortunately the additives being added to fuels is causing an the issue but there are some preventative steps you can take. First up, don’t touch Bio Diesel. Its as bad as ethanol which we have covered in previous posts. Secondly, you’re filling up at reputable, well maintained petrol stations.
Finally, there are some additives that can be used to stop this problem but be careful as there is a lot of self proclaimed rubbish on the market that can contribute to the problem rather then hinder it.
Homemade concoctions, in spray and wipe bottles with a self laminated label printed from Microsoft Word, is not likely to be a good product. Our experience is there are only two additives worth looking at. The Diesel injector cleaners made by Wynns and Nulon. In most cases the Wynns product is not available for retail sale and you will have to hunt around for a mechanic who stocks it. The Nulon range is available from almost all automotive repair retailers.
Feel free to share your experiences with this fault or any solutions you may have come across. Give your input in the comments box below.
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