3 Reasons Your Diesel Isn't Accelerating

There's nothing better than sitting behind the wheel and feeling the power of your engine. That's why it can be so frustrating when you're stepping on the gas and you realize your engine isn't accelerating like it should. At JD Diagnostics, we've seen just about every reason for poor acceleration you can imagine. We're going to explore a few of the most common reasons your diesel engine may have lost its giddy-up.

#1 CLOGGED FUEL FILTER

Imagine a clogged fuel filter like a clogged artery. If you've got an artery that isn't letting enough blood through, you're not going to be operating at 100%. Same for your fuel filter. If your filter isn't letting enough fuel pass through, your engine isn't going to accelerate the way you need. Trouble starting your engine is another indicator that your fuel filter is clogged. If you've got a full tank of diesel and your engine won't start, there's a good chance your filter may need changing.

#2 BAD CATALYTIC CONVERTER

Your catalytic converter or "cat" is supposed to clean the emissions from your engine. Cats can occasionally malfunction because of physical damage from the road, but more often they fail because of some other issue within the engine, like bad spark plugs or a faulty O-2 sensor. If your cat isn't allowing emissions to escape, your whole exhaust system is getting thrown out of whack. Your engine needs a functioning exhaust system to work, so a lack of acceleration is often a symptom of a bad cat.

#3 TRANSMISSION FAILURE

We all know just thinking about a transmission can make your wallet hurt, but sometimes there's no avoiding it. A transmission transfers the power from your engine to the driveshaft. If it's not functioning properly, there are a few symptoms to tip you off. When you have a bad transmission your engine will start missing when you accelerate. Your gears may begin to stick or even shake. And you'll almost always notice a lack of power when you step on the gas. If you start noticing signs of a bad transmission, it's best to get it checked out right away.

There's no problem too big or small for us here at JD Diagnostics. If you're concerned about poor acceleration with your diesel engine, don't hesitate to contact us today.

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