The modern diesel engine

From the outside this looks relatively simple or dare I say elegant, but under the cover lies a complex mix of cutting edge engineering, precision components and electronics all working in harmony to deliver a smooth and reliable power. Now this is a topic I can say I am well versed in, I spent the better part of the past 20 years analysing each and every intricate detail on the inner workings of hundreds of types of engines. I needed to know what each component was, why it was there, what function it performed and what were the effects on the engine should the component not function as it was intended. I witnessed engines going from fairly simple contraptions with no electronics, to engines which are fully computerised with sensors and actuators monitoring and controlling every aspect of the combustion cycles. I loved the technological advances and how they brought about more powerful, cleaner burning engines, however this presented its own challenges. With the amount of sensitive equipment on the latest engines there are very few, if any people, that can reliably and successfully repair them. Even if you find the best technician out there, the cost of the components render the engines uneconomical to repair. My advice to anyone who enjoys driving these engineering masterpieces, once they get past 250000km its time to sell or run the risk of having a vehicle you cannot afford to repair. If you are in the second hand market, buy a petrol powered vehicle as they are far less sophisticated and you have a better chance of repairing should the time come.