Diesel particulate filter DPF (1 Viewer)

[jezport]

I have heard lots of people with DPF problems on cars. Dealers say that DPFs are not happy if used for lots of short trips or only slow driving.
Our motorhomes mainly do longer and faster trips than the sort of trips that dealers say clogs DPFs. So if they are correct our vans should never have DPF problems.
so as a matter of interest please answer the questions in this poll.

Please only vote if your van has a DPF

 

[DuxDeluxe]

No poll, but you are right........ Only the Euro 5 ones have a DPF as far as I know

 

[jezport]

Poll should be there now

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[ROB1CHELSEA1]

We had one fitted to our first motorhome for £3000 and it failed the emissions test every time sold the van in the end and the filter now sits in my shed.

 

[sdc77]

Our last van was a vw crafter.. Lots of horror stories about their DPF filters... But it's almost always when they are used for multi drop work as couriers.. The filter never gets the chance to regenerate. We never had a problem with it.

 

[jezport]

We had one fitted to our first motorhome for £3000 and it failed the emissions test every time sold the van in the end and the filter now sits in my shed.

Was your DPF a manufacturers original, or an aftermarket one for LEZ

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[pappajohn]

DPF should auto-regenerate when required at motorway speeds.

You know when its regenerating.....much hotter exhaust (up to maybe 700c at the filter from normal 230c/250c), clicks and cracks at standstill and burning smell.

Constantly running at low speeds and stop start driving will cause it to clog..

 

[ROB1CHELSEA1]

Was your DPF a manufacturers original, or an aftermarket one for LEZ

it was an after market one for LEZ, but the old engine just didn't like the new piece of kit.

 

[daveandsan]

Ive got a 2010 Hobby on a 2.4 Ford Transit which i bought private last July.
No sooner had got it home and the warning light came on. Had to take it for service and mot and they reset the warning light, told me it was the DPF and if i had any more problems to take it to the Main Ford Dealer.
2 weeks later warning light back on again, took it to main dealer in Wolverhampton and when i went to collect it they said there was nothing wrong with the DPF and that it was a software problem that they are looking into. I was told that when i turn the ignition on i should wait for the warning lights to go out before i crank the engine. Touch wood i havn't had the warning light come back on since.
I did have a print out off Ford with all this on but i am afraid it is in the Motorhome in storage or i would have put a copy of it on this thread.

Dave.

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[buttons]

My last VW T5 had a DPF it only brought the warning light up on two occasions in 4 years. Never a problem just an indication that it needs a run to regenerate the filter. Five mins on the motorway and it is back to normal.:thumb:

 

[Phill D]

DPF should not be a problem if the correct oils are used and changed at the correct intervals and as Pappajohn says you drive at motorway speeds for a reasonable distance. this link is useful info

http://www.hypermiler.co.uk/technical/the-diesel-particulate-filter-dpf-faq

 

[Phill D]

this is also useful info. the AA suggest that 10 minutes at constant speed over 40 mph should initiate a regeneration.

extract from AA web site


Regeneration is either passive or active
Passive regeneration
Passive regeneration takes place automatically on motorway-type runs when the exhaust temperature is high. Because many cars don't get this sort of use car manufacturers have to design-in 'active' regeneration where the engine management computer (ECU) takes control of the process.

Active regeneration
When the soot loading in the filter reaches a set limit (about 45%) the ECU will initiate post combustion fuel injection to increase the exhaust temperature and trigger regeneration. If the journey is a bit stop/start or you take your foot off the accelerator while the regeneration is in progress, it may not complete and the warning light will come on to show that the filter is partially blocked.

It should be possible to start a complete regeneration and clear the warning light by driving for 10 minutes or so at speeds greater than 40mph.

If the regeneration is unsuccessful the extra fuel injected will not burn and will drain into the sump. Oil quality will deteriorate as a result of this and the level will rise. It is important that you check that the oil level does not increase above the maximum level on the dipstick as diesel engines can run on excess engine oil – often to the point of destruction.

If you ignore the warning light and keep driving in a relatively slow, stop/start pattern, soot loading will continue to build up until around 75% when you can expect to see other dashboard warning lights come on too. At this point driving at speed alone will not be enough and you will have to take the car to a dealer for regeneration.

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[RandallC]

MH doesn't have a DPF hence no poll. However had a DPF on cars for last 2 years done lots of 5mile journeys interspersed with longer runs. Touch wood, no DPF problems to date.

Think it needs a bit of common sense applied, if you have done a few short trips then think about going for a run. Either a decent distance/high speed run.

Maybe I've been fortunate in needing to do a longer journey now and again. ah well.

 

[pappajohn]

extract from AA web site


Regeneration is either passive or active


the AA often get things wrong but on this occasion they seem to have it correct :thumb:

 

[jezport]

The problems become worse when forced regeneration is interrupted a few times. Forced regeneration causes diesel to end up in the engine oil. Sensors and the ecu should detect oil thinned by diesel and light the service warning message. If ignored when you get the oil and diesel to a high enough level in the sump the engine can start running on the sump contents and runs on until it destroys itself. It is known as diesel engine runaway.
So always watch your oil level isn't rising too high due to dilution from diesel
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine_runaway

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[aba]

at work we are getting dpf problems in every couple of weeks
we only use full synthetic low ash oils in services of vehicles with dpf's but it seems around here the choice fuel is cheap supermarket diesel which may contain slightly more bio diesel in than most manufacturers 5% tolerance level.
modern diesel engines are pumping out far more power than the equivalent of 10 years ago and are cleaner than ever but need clean fuel to work correctly.

 

[pappajohn]

at work we are getting dpf problems in every couple of weeks
we only use full synthetic low ash oils in services of vehicles with dpf's but it seems around here the choice fuel is cheap supermarket diesel which[HI] may contain slightly more bio diesel in than most manufacturers 5% tolerance level.[/HI]
modern diesel engines are pumping out far more power than the equivalent of 10 years ago and are cleaner than ever but need clean fuel to work correctly.

5% is the legal, and obligatory, maximum (B5) unless it is B30 which is a specialist fuel.


Biodiesel blends

Biodiesel is being produced in three main blends: B5, the five per cent mix with diesel, B30, the 30 per cent mix, and B100, which is pure biodiesel, containing no 'fossil fuel' diesel. B5 is already being retailed on many UK filling station forecourts, but B30 is a more specialist fuel and is not as widely available. Whichever blend, the biodiesel should meet the standards of BS14214

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Hi, it has changed slightly. 7% max in the current EN590 spec....

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[lou020]

We cut and chisel out the DPF on all our trucks due to loss of turbo boost, makes no difference to emissions at mot time,
Even vosa man says they are a waste of time.
aftermarket truck exhaust costs £3600. volvo truck exhaust in excess of £5000

 

[Allanm]

I think these are now going to checked at MOT time. If your vehicle was originally fitted with one to gain its emissions status, then it will fail if it's missing.
And, as Pappajohn says, you can tell when they have regenerated. Mrs A has one on her car, and just after regeneration it smells like something has died in the engine bay!
Allan

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I think these are now going to checked at MOT time. If your vehicle was originally fitted with one to gain its emissions status, then it will fail if it's missing.
And, as Pappajohn says, you can tell when they have regenerated. Mrs A has one on her car, and just after regeneration it smells like something has died in the engine bay!
Allan

Correct. If a DPF was fitted and has been removed, then it WILL fail the MOT next time around. Causes a lot of concern in the car clubs..........

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[Sundowners]

The Dodge diesel truck that carries our camper has DPF-----because the truck engine never has to work it builds up soot inside the DPF-------so every now then I 'have' to give it some work to do, usually on a slip-road joining a motorway------it cleans out by chucking out a massive black cloud for a few seconds------whats the point in having it

Our diesel car is just the same-----the trouble is that we drive mostly in 30/40 speed limits and don't accelerate fast to clear it :Sad:

Nigel & Pamala

 

[jezport]

The stupid thing is DPFs are environmentally very bad.

They make oil changes more often
They reduce MPG
They produce more CO when in use
They cause more pollution being manufactured
They need replacing


I compared 2 cars same engine one was a year older and didn't have a DPF. The non DPF model had an extra 10bhp used less fuel and the oil was less than half the price, and finally it was a lower CO Road tax band.

 

[lou020]

Correct. If a DPF was fitted and has been removed, then it WILL fail the MOT next time around. Causes a lot of concern in the car clubs..........

unless mot tester is going to cut open the exhaust, he can't ever find out.
We have a 54 plate Volvo,with no DPF. which when tested is cleaner than a brand new euro 5 MAN truck,,
Also on truck mot, emissions are no longer tested.

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