February 2021

S ometimes even the most confident and accomplished mechanic can turn diesel business away thinking it will be more hassle than it is worth. “However,” observed Mike chlup, MD of Kalimex, the UK Distributors for JLM Lubricants, “a little understanding can go a long way when it comes to identifying and solving diesel problems, and ultimately benefiting financially.” A case in point can be found from Stuart Dawson, The DPF Doctor at Autotech Cumbria: “I recently had my most heavily blocked DPF to date from a trade customer. The Nissan Qashqai had been recovered by a breakdown service. The garage had rectified the most obvious issue, yet the DPF was so badly blocked it could not sort itself. Somebody attempting a forced regeneration on this would very easily get through a whole bag of marshmallows. The garage took the right option and called us in to clean the DPF.” “Due to the severity of the blockage, we had to work in reverse order. First step was the JLM three-stage ‘on car’ DPF clean so we could bring the exhaust system back pressure down. We then completed the assessment and found another issue which would have caused problems if left undetected. The garage asked me to make the repair. So, with the DPF cleaned, the assessment complete and repairs made, the final step was the extended road test. This meant that the car could go back to the owner and look after itself once again. Incidentally after the road test we took further measurements which revealed the DPF pressure had gone from ‘off the Richter scale’ to ‘as new’ condition. “We saved the customer unnecessary work which would have been well into four figures, and getting the vehicle back so quickly meant downtime and alternative arrangements for the customer were minimal.” Mike reflected: “This vehicle could have easily ended up 34 AFTERMARKET FEBRUARY 2021 DIESEL www.aftermarketonline.net DIRTY PRETTY THINGS? Diesel continues to be a major profit centre for garages, despite the rise of rival drivetrains, but garages need to stay on top of the tech Above: Diesel vehicles are still a profit opportunity at a dealer with the independent missing out on the business, and the owner facing a hefty bill. Instead, the referring garage and Autotech Cumbria had a very happy customer who will recommend them and return for future servicing and repairs.” Sensitive Diesel engine technology has come a long way over the last 30 years: “Technology that was once so robust has become a lot more sensitive," says Harry Hartkorn, Head of Application Technology at LIQUI MOLY. “Modern diesel vehicles react much more sensitively if the overall conditions fail to comply with the standard; when below-average fuel quality is used for example, or in the case of frequent short journeys; or the incorrect engine oil. For garages this means they have to proceed with particular care, but on the other hand it allows them to tap into new sources of revenue too. “LIQUI MOLY offers a wide range of chemical tools to solve any problems. The Pro-Line Diesel System Cleaner cleans the injection system so that the fuel can be finely atomised and cleanly combusted. It also removes deposits from the combustion chamber, thereby restoring combustion efficiency. It is also useful in vehicles where a MOT pass is questionable.” Glow Working on diesels is not just about DPFs and general clogging. Winter is the key selling period for glow plugs, as Mark Hallam, Marketing Manager, NGK Spark Plugs (UK), observed: “UK factors, distributors and garages are fully aware that their glow plugs sales spike in the winter months as temperatures fall and NGK is there to help them cope with the increased demand. Many part numbers are brought into the aftermarket from the OE side of our business. The range comprises metal glow plugs as well as