Fuel Filters and Water in Diesel: The Cheapest Protection You Have
by The fuel filter is the cheapest component protecting the most expensive one. Why water is so damaging, how to drain a separator, and what the warning light means.
Author: Bilal | Vans Guru
Writer & Editor at Vans Guru.
Bilal writes and edits Vans Guru. He researches and develops the technical guides published on this site, drawing on manufacturer and workshop technical literature, established repair references, and patterns reported by people who actually work on these vans. Vans Guru is a research-led information website, not a garage: Bilal doesn't carry out repairs or inspect readers' vehicles, and these guides aren't a substitute for a qualified technician diagnosing the van in front of them. Spotted something that needs correcting? Get in touch through the Contact Us page.
Fitting Electrical Accessories to a Van Without Causing Problems
Most parasitic drains and a good share of vehicle fires start with an accessory someone wired in badly. Where to take a feed, how to fuse it, and what not to do.
Diesel Fuel Pump Failure on a Van: Low Pressure and High Pressure
Two very different pumps, two very different repair bills. How to tell them apart, and why finding metal debris turns a pump job into a fuel system job.
Van Lighting Faults and Bulbs That Keep Failing
Lighting is the most common MOT failure category and the cheapest to prevent. Why bulbs keep going, and what repeated failure in one position is telling you.
Van Central Locking and Sliding Door Lock Faults
Central locking that works on some doors but not others is telling you something specific. Actuators, sliding door looms and the security implications of ignoring it.
Van Immobiliser and Key Problems
An immobiliser fault is one of the few things that will stop a mechanically perfect van dead. How to tell a failing key from a system fault, cheaply.
Van Starter Motor Faults: Click, Silence or Slow Crank
The noise the van makes when you turn the key narrows the fault immediately. How to read it, and why the starter itself is often innocent.
Van Alternator Faults: Testing Before You Replace
Alternators get replaced on a single voltmeter reading more often than they actually fail. Why smart charging changes what normal looks like, and how to test properly.
Reading Uneven Tyre Wear on a Van
A tyre records what the van has been doing to it. How to read each wear pattern back to its cause, and why van load ratings matter more than most owners realise.
Van Steering Problems: Play, Pulling and Knocking
Steering complaints on a van are usually one of a handful of worn joints, but tyres and alignment mimic them. How to tell them apart before spending money.