708-467-7181     16425 Van Dam Rd., South Holland, IL 60473

 

Regardless of your experience driving your truck cross-country, you might not be able to maneuver your vehicle through a natural disaster or severe storm. And breakdowns can pose their own slew of problems when you’re trying to make a deadline on your delivery. Fortunately, you don’t have to embark on your next route unprepared.
Before you put the pedal to the metal, read our emergency preparedness guide below. Here, we discuss which items you should keep stocked in your truck in case you experience or encounter any kind of emergency on the road.
Emergencies to Plan For
First, you should know exactly what kinds of emergencies you should plan for during each specific journey. Generally, though, you should prepare for the following scenarios

    Severe weather like heavy rain or snowstorms
    Flooding
    Traffic jams
    Truck breakdowns
    Wildfires
    Landslides
    Rockslides
    Tornadoes
    Road closures
    Accidents
    High winds

Many hazards will vary based on your location and the time of year. Before you hit the road, you can also check the National Weather Service or use an app to track specific weather conditions along your route.

 

Why Should You Have Your DPF/DOC Cleaned?

When left uncleaned, soot and ash will collect and could damage or destroy you filter. While soot and ash burn off as quickly as it accumulates when driving under load, it tends to accumulate and stay when idling or driving through slow-moving traffic.
A few key indicators that it is time for a professional cleaning are a loss in engine performance or an increase in frequency in regeneration cycles. With regular DPF cleanings you could see:

    Increased fuel efficiency
    Extended filter life
    Higher resale value if you decide to sell your truck at some point

A dirty filter may not sound like it could cause a lot of damage if left unattended, you’d be surprised by how costly it could be. This makes cleaning a necessary part of maintenance. When you factor in that replacements cost about $3,000, if not more, plus the cost of unexpected downtime, neglecting this relatively simple process could greatly affect your bottom line.
If you think your diesel is in need of DPF maintenance, visit our service department now. Our body shop and mobile truck service technicians are available to help you in Illinois.

 

The Importance Of Cleaning Diesel Filters

When was the last time you had your diesel particulate filter (DPF) or diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) cleaned? If the answer is, “I don’t know” and your truck is newer than a 2007 model, it is time to visit a repair shop. If your diesel engine is newer than 2007, here are a few things you should know to extend your filter life and increase your fuel efficiency.
What Does a Diesel Particulate Filter or Diesel Oxidation Catalyst Do Exactly?
Before we go into detail on why you need to clean your DPF and DOC, we need to discuss how these engine components work together. The DOC protects the DPF. Vapor can interfere with the DPF’s ability to trap and remove particulate matter, so manufacturers route the exhaust through the DOC first, then into the DPF. The DOC forces the exhaust over a honeycomb ceramic structure coated with catalyst which chemically changes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons to carbon dioxide and water. Then the exhaust gases go through the DPF where it is forced through porous channel walls, trapping and holding the remaining ash and soot.
When Is It Time To have Your DPF or DOC Cleaned? A good rule of thumb is to go in for a cleaning about every 200,000 miles or less depending on your duty style. It is possible to burn off this excess ash and soot on your own using either passive or active regeneration. Passive generation uses the normal exhaust temperatures and nitrogen dioxide to oxidize the build up and active regeneration requires much higher temperatures. Even with these different cleaning cycles, it is still important to take your truck to get serviced.