NGK advises on care of diesel vehicles in winter

• According to the multinational, it is essential to examine the system
  cold start once a year and whenever there is difficulty
  on start up or white smoke from the exhaust
• System is formed by glow plugs that provide heat
  additional to facilitate fuel burning and engine starting

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São Paulo, July 2022 – With the fall of thermometers in the winter months, diesel-powered light vehicles tend to have irregularities in the start – the segment advances in the market with the popularization of the SUV, which was cited by 51% of Brazilians as the preferred car model for purchase, according to recent research by Webmotors in partnership with Anfavea. In order to help the driver avoid problems in driving, and NGK, Japanese multinational specialist in components for ignition systems, guides on the main care for vehicle maintenance.

Segundo Hiromori Mori, NGK Technical Assistance Consultant, diesel engines work by compressed air in the combustion chamber, which generates air heating to the point of burning the injected fuel. Nonetheless, part of this heat is lost in cold components and the heating is not enough to perform the burning of the diesel, especially in winter. "Right now, the vehicle's cold start system comes into play, composed of heating candles that provide additional heat to facilitate the start", account.

Mori explains that the system can work in different ways depending on the technology available in the vehicle. In modern engines, that have electronic management, a temperature sensor is responsible for signaling to the electronic center the need to drive the system, which is done automatically. "Already in the older engines, a spring-shaped light, that indicates the system drive, appears in the control panel. As soon as this light is turned off, the driver can start", guides.

Examine the cold start system

To identify system problems, drivers will observe the light on the panel indicating failure in case of more modern engines or will need to test the system components if the engines are old, where the system is triggered in all parts, which reduces its durability. "A practical way to check the deficiency of the cold start system is to observe the start of the engine. Difficulty in starting and white smoke may indicate system failure", clarifies Mori.

According to NGK Technical Assistance consultant, white smoke is the result of diesel not burned by the engine, which increases fuel consumption and harms the environment. Some systems also have the post-heating function, which consists of keeping the heating candles activated after engine start to prevent both white smoke formation and malfunctions.

Mori points out that it is essential to examine the cold start system once a year and whenever there is difficulty in cold start or white smoke in the exhaust, to ensure the proper functioning of the diesel engine. "This system consists of heating candles that provide additional heat for the purpose of facilitating the start of. Whenever it is necessary to change the heating candles, the recommendation is that the set be replaced to avoid recurring system failures", Concludes.