If you manage a fleet of diesel vehicles that spend significant time idling, like school buses, trash trucks, utility trucks, or municipal vehicles, you could be facing a hidden engine killer: soot buildup in your after-treatment system (ATS).

While idling may seem harmless, over time it creates conditions that accelerate soot and carbon accumulation in your EGR valve, cooler, turbocharger, and diesel particulate filter (DPF) — leading to reduced performance, more downtime, and higher maintenance costs.

Here’s why idling increases risk and what you can do about it.

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Why Idling Causes More Soot Buildup

Diesel engines are designed to operate at high temperatures under load. But when an engine idles:

• Combustion temperatures stay lower
• Incomplete combustion occurs
• Soot particles build up faster in the exhaust system
• Regeneration cycles may not complete effectively

This results in accelerated soot deposits inside the ATS components — even if your fleet follows standard service intervals.

Simply put: the more your vehicles idle, the faster your ATS clogs.

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Vehicles Most at Risk

Some types of fleets are especially prone to this problem due to operational patterns:

• School Buses – frequent stops, waiting in loading zones, long idles
• Trash Trucks – stop-and-go routes, idle during pickups
• Municipal Vehicles – public works trucks, street sweepers, maintenance vehicles
• Utility Trucks – extended idling while operating hydraulic lifts, booms, or tools

For these vehicles, regular after-treatment system cleaning is critical to avoid excessive regen cycles, costly repairs, and early part failures.

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The Cost of Ignoring Soot Buildup

Left unchecked, soot buildup can cause:

• Loss of engine power and torque
• Reduced fuel economy
• More frequent DPF regeneration cycles
• Premature failure of the DPF, EGR valve, or turbocharger
• Emissions compliance issues
• Unplanned downtime and expensive repairs

Replacing these parts can cost thousands of dollars per component — and multiple failures can sideline your entire fleet.

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How ATS Cleaning Protects High-Idle Fleets

At South Atlantic Diesel, we specialize in cleaning the full after-treatment system using professional TerraClean products and ATS cleaning tools.

Our process removes soot and carbon from your:

• EGR valve
• EGR cooler
• Turbocharger
• Diesel particulate filter (DPF)

By cleaning the entire system, we help:

• Restore lost power
• Reduce regen frequency
• Extend component life
• Lower fuel costs
• Maintain emissions compliance
• Minimize costly downtime

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Preventive Maintenance Saves Money

If your fleet includes high-idle vehicles like school buses or trash trucks, regular after-treatment system cleaning isn’t just maintenance — it’s a smart investment that protects your bottom line.

Don’t wait for warning lights or costly part failures.

Contact South Atlantic Diesel today to schedule your fleet’s ATS cleaning and keep your vehicles running cleaner, stronger, and longer.

Contact us today!