Construction World August 2018

TRUCKING

ENSURE UPTIME AND PERFORMANCE For contractors to benefit fully from the fuel economy and low carbon emissions of their truck fleets’ modern diesel engines, they must recognise that this advanced technology requires specialised expertise and

trucks – face the central challenge of keep- ing vehicle downtime to a minimum, and this means staying in tune with the technol- ogy demands of their assets,” says Yorke. “When an engine goes down and the owner suspects an injection-related issue, the diagnosis is far more complex today as the system is electronic.” Most construction sites will therefore not have the capability to communicate with the vehicle’s electronic control system to make an immediate and complete diagnosis. “So, the first step that RFI offers is to get onto site and diagnose the problem. Our dedicated service vehicles and qualified technicians are equipped with the right equipment to run diagnostics quickly and efficiently,” he says. “It is usually important for us to do the first inspection as there are many variables at play that may be causing the engine failure. While the symptoms may point to an injection issue, the problem may relate to the electronic harness, for instance.” The testing stage allows RFI – with its dedicated OEM test equipment – to investigate the whole integrated network of components including the engine control unit, the range of sensors, the injectors and the harness. “If the customer sends us their injectors, we have the necessary electronic equip- ment to conduct a pre test that is OEM-spe- cific, in which the diagnosis can confirm whether or not the injectors need attention,” he says. “Without the right testing equip- ment, the customer may end up paying for work on the injectors when the actual problem was elsewhere.”

“For an operator with a truck that is stranded on the side of the road or in a quarry pit, time is of the essence and a remanufactured service exchange unit is the fastest way of getting them up and running again.”

equipment, particularly when it comes to fuel injection systems.

A ccording to Andrew Yorke, director of Reef Fuel Injection Services (RFI) in Germiston, Gauteng, the past decade has brought fastmoving technological changes in diesel fuel injection systems which have, in fact, led to considerable attrition in the local market. “These systems have become much more complex, even just over the past decade – driven by significant advance- ments in diesel engine technology globally,” says Yorke. “Where diesel injection service companies in the South African market have not made the necessary investments in technology to keep up with trends, they will struggle to survive.” He highlights the bottom line cost savings that the technology has allowed among fleet users in the construction sector but warns that the complexity of servicing the fuel injection systems should not be underestimated. “Fleet owners in the construction sector – whether dealing with on-road or off-road

Another vital part of the repair process of the modern fuel injector system involves calibration and adjustment, once again requiring the right OEM test equipment. “Whereas in the past the calibration was done on the fuel pump, today the process requires each injector to be run through a rigorous test and calibration cycle,” he says. “In calibration mode, the test equipment identifies the difference in fuelling required

Doing calibration on a CAT C-Series injector.

Bosch common rail injector calibration underway at RFI.

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD AUGUST 2018