HOW TO Avoid DPF Problems - Diesel Particulate Filter

[@dnsdfs]

The whole video idea, concept and conclusions about DPF are right and can be called as a BASE for long lasting DPF. I've been working with DPF's alot and in advance of this video i want to point out some things: 1. Don't listen to those who say that DPF cleaning or 'washing' (call it whatever you want) is pointless, because it is not! If you're doing it in, as i say, basement workshops, they will surely ruin it with agressive chemicals and other stuff. Find a nice, approved workshops who specialize in DPF cleaning procedures, and do it, i would say, every 150k on clock. 2. Don't use any of DPF cleaning chemicals which is supposed to be added to the engine fuel, because it will ruin your DPF's ceramic and you will be in a big PAIN as the ash will stick pretty hard on it. 3. Keep in mind to once in a while check your sensors and keep an eye on active regen cycles, if they are getting often or not. 4. Never, never tune your car with history of bad DPF. 5. Use quality fuel. Besides that thumbs up, information is great. Suggestion for the next video is EGR valve, as it can be a culprit for a DPF related issues.

[@BestCarMods]

The info that you have highlighted is "Golden" ... in doing the research for this video I have seen how the DPF system is cleaned for heavy vehicles and same concepts can be used for the our small vehicle DPFs ...

[@KD-kf4zm]

Do you have an example of the chemicals added to fuel that should be avoided (point #2) ?

[@at0micsheep]

​@KD-kf4zm I'm not convinced that's true regards the additives. Some additives simply reduce the temperature at which the Ash burns away. Therefore they can help with shorter journeys

[@elbuggo]

@@at0micsheep If you need those chemicals, something else is wrong. If you ONLY have shorter journeys, you should probably not have a diesel.

[@Semaj.18272]

Spot on ! Then use bad chemicals will burn the filters

[@jamesward5721]

We clean DPF's - we weld & repair them too. The DPF on my own vehicle is the original & has 374,000 miles service done. Still works perfectly. Get yours cleaned when it needs it, follow the advice of this video & it will be all G. If it ain't... well there's people like us who can help.

[@connectlogic]

if there is a problem with the car even a brand new dpf will be full in a few days so cleaning it is not always the answer.if something is wrong elsewhere it will not regen , and even a brand new dpf will be ruined in a few days

[@AdamDitheridge]

There are loads of reasons a DPF won't regen: faulty thermostat, broken sensors, fuel tank below 25%, faulty differential pressure sensor, bloked sensor pipework, faulty glowplugs (they are used for more than just cold starts), broken or missing outside ambient temp sensor (the one usually found in a wing mirror). The list goes on.... But the main points are to keep your engine well serviced: at least every 10,000 miles. Correct oil spec for your diesel, usually C3 or C4 low SAPS. And use premium diesel.

[@LesleyStoddard]

Fuel tank below 25%. WTF . What a joke.

[@rustydusty2992]

@@LesleyStoddard I thought so too as all this means is the more likely you going to have condensation build up in the tank in cold/wet conditions so it's entirely a fuel filter issue not a ptf issue, just means you have to drain/replace the fuel filter more often nothing to do with ptf.

[@RealJeep]

In 4 years my DPF light has only come on once. The rest of the time I'm on the open road running a diesel like it's supposed to be run. What damages these diesel systems is driving them around town at slow speeds and low RPM's. If you're an urban dweller, trade into an EV or gasser.

[@ericzirk8422]

Agree, BUT, the market is overwhelmingly diesel. I couldn’t find the car I wanted for the price I could afford so I ended up getting a diesel.

[@MrLeslloyd]

I bought diesel because i needed the torque for towing,DPF has been major flaw in the system as there is no light or anything to inform that a regen is in operation,so you can pull into the garage for the night and regen is still active,next morning,without actually knowing it.

[@tednoone3414]

Deleting is the best option. You don’t have to deal with that stuff.

[@ctrldelete1763]

Some Regens are only triggered by distance they don't all kick in when you go on a drive if dpf is not clogged or over accumulated. If the soot accumulation is bad 30 minutes drive with Regen activated won't be enough. If soot accumulation is high you will find the set distance the Regen should kick in (600km ) is ignored and will Regen more frequently even after completing a full Regen. This means more diesel fuel is being sprayed into the dpf over a longer period of time. Not only is diesel used to move your car but at the same time it's pupmping diesel into the dpf to clean it meaning fuel is being used at a higher rate making you fill up more frequently. Then there is the difference between soot and ash. When soots burned off it leaves ash when this builds up it's worse than soot.

[@BestCarMods]

thanks for taking the time to share some knowledge

[@johnkennedy7779]

Good explanation

[@kjellsundin5486]

Good info, but one of the most important things to check is how much engine oil is being used, if a lot of oil is being used >1 liter per 1000km, then the cause needs to be investigated, wear, bad oil trap for the crankcase ventilation, leaking turbo lubrication etc. This quickly leads to increased amount of soot and ash amount in the particle filter. So be sure to fix this first before cleaning or regenerating the particulate filter regularly.

[@BestCarMods]

verry good observations

[@zzapu09]

I prewashed it twice so far, at 250000 km and 320000 km , 350000 km now with no issues 😁 . Seat Exeo 2009 2.0 tdi 143hp.

[@L.Lyubomirov]

Delete hardware+software,no smoke,no smell nothing...car runs super good !

[@NattyKing1]

exactly

[@Robs.channel]

The manufactuars should put lights on. So you know when its regenerating. so the driver can finish the regen instead of turning it off. I am sure my short drives kils my dpfs. I have had 3 vans of wich one was new who had the check airinlet system and engine light on 95% of ownership.

[@BestCarMods]

sadly, the more complex a system is, the more problems it generates.

[@jackthornton3496]

sooo true

[@Rabchog]

I've driven a few trucks that tell you when they are doing a regen and one that can do a regen while parked, because it's work involves very little of the type of driving needed for an automatic regen.

[@Mickytdi]

Recently sold my Passat BiTDi 240 remapped since new. It had 325,000km (200,000 miles). The original DPF was still ok.

[@BestCarMods]

what was your maintenance like?

[@Mickytdi]

@ Oil changes every 16,000 km(10,000 miles). Fuel and air filters every 60,000km(40,000 miles). Car was doing 1000km a week. Not many short runs and mostly driven spirited.

[@BestCarMods]

@@Mickytdi thanks for sharing

[@PadraicODonell]

😮

[@BestCarMods]

@@PadraicODonell 🌅

[@nashh02]

What do you think about the DPF additive that needs to be poured into the fuel tank? I read on many forums that some people use it. Do you think this could help with a longer life DPF?

[@100pyatt]

Yes increased Cetane reduces soot 50%

[@aritshah2220]

‘Tunning’ boxes are brilliant, they weigh a ton. Try a tuning box and you may get your desired effect.

[@BestCarMods]

what do you define as a tunning box ?

[@shaziman1]

Haha! Check your spelling!

[@BestCarMods]

@@shaziman1 could you be more specific?

[@2ndjim]

Drive a 2014 Honda Civic 1.6 diesel from new. 70/30 short/long driving. I change oil & filter twice a year and any other maintenance as required eg fuel filter (a bitch), glow plugs, coolant, brakes. 177000Km no problems. I think it has a lot to do with the location of the DPF in the Honda, close to the engine.

[@BestCarMods]

I think it has to do with maintenance and good oil. If you ever have the chance also clean your EGR.

[@2ndjim]

@@BestCarMods Clean as a whistle 😁

[@SteveN-pw4dj]

I am looking at a car with a known issue right now, lifters have failed in the engine after 100000 miles and expected timing chain failure shortly after... The cause, numerous failed DPF regenerations as a result of driving a diesel car short distances, as diesel ends up in the oil diluting it and causing crank bearing wear, lifter bearing wear, timing chain wear and oil pump/chain wear, and probably anything else lubricated by the oil... The fix is £2500-£5000 depending on damage caused, and will occur again in another 100000 miles or so... All because of DPF technology in some newer cars being flawed.

[@BestCarMods]

well said. for this type of situation I am looking at affordable ways of monitoring the DPF condition/regen cycles not completed and load to avoid this ... also would be interesting to evaluate the service intervals and how these could have been improved. how many oil changes has that car had in the 100.k miles?

[@SteveN-pw4dj]

@@BestCarMods well one way i am aware of it to find something that goes live in Regen mode, apparently on some Mercedes reason unknown the rear window heater comes on during Regen so you can just connect an LED into this and stick it in your dash somewhere, or as one person did inside and existing light that you will see.

[@petermandel2552]

Clean your dpf Injector spray nozzle. DPF Crystals build up on the nozzle and disrupts the spray pattern.

[@downy8586]

I drive my cars hard and due to this I have never had any problems with DPF, EGR or Turbo vaines sticking, my main comute is only 11 miles/ 25km, and I have never had any problems... potting around will defiitely cause you problems...

[@Marc1979nufc]

I’ve got an Audi TT tdi only do 3000 miles per year only comes out on a weekend, also never had any problems as it’s driven with a heavy right foot

[@sheffcitys2forgedinsteel255]

Hi , I have a question, how do I keep an eye out for active regen cycles? My car doesn't let me know when it's in a regen cycles

[@BestCarMods]

I would get a diagnostic scanner and check it ... something like kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4nEcoCQiqqmg7s or the D7 line of scanners. I might make a video showing how to do that ...

[@nitro993]

@@BestCarMods I know Mercs and Vauxhalls turn on rear heated screen and heated door mirrors (if fitted) when doing regens other manufactures probably do as well, Connect an LED light to one of those circuits and if it comes on when the rear screen is not manually turned on you know its doing a regen, there are youtube videos showing some ways of rigging up the LED, I have one fitted to my Merc C220d and its works really well

[@mariuscociuba]

Hello. I’ve bought an used car, and now, at over 280k km, the dpf needs to be cleaned. What solution do you recommend ? Burning (extreme heat) or wet cleaning (water with a bunch of chemicals). Thank you

[@BestCarMods]

the companies that recondition DPFs do both methods ... they heat up the dpf first in an oven (they burn the soot)... and after that use the chemicals to remove ash. It depends on many factors.

[@gabrielc5642]

@mariuscociuba Spălare

[@sen5908]

Got rid of my diesel, DPF is the devil, cars regen and you don't know about it, so switching the car of mid regen is really bad

[@Robs.channel]

Ye, why is there no dash light on when it's on regen. This always puzzels me

[@MrLeslloyd]

@@Robs.channel the GM equivalent to my SUV did have a light and it drove people crazy,imagine driving home for the night and light comes on,and you have no real chance of getting out and doing a regen.People are being stretched just to survive and don't have time to divert to a highway just anytime.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

Good presentation; I worry that my Range Rover 4.4D doesn't get a good blast because even at motorway speeds the engine is barely doing 1500 rpm.

[@AdamDitheridge]

Drop it down a gear or two then. 20 mins @2500 - 3000rpm should get things moving, so long as all other Regen parameters are met.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

@@AdamDitheridge Thanks.

[@tichwykes]

I think you need to make sure your glow plugs are in good condition so the vehicle can cold start ok without running on 2 or 3 cylinders as that can cause issues, interesting point about oil consumption so I'd definitely check the inlet to make sure no oil is getting dumped into it, if it is get it checked out & fixed if it's a breather issue. Check engine temp as if it doesn't get hot enough it won't regen so may need a new thermostat, also make sure the exterior temperature sensor is working as if its blank you will get DPF issues.

[@AdamDitheridge]

Also, glow plugs take part in a Regen. As I understand it, diesel is injected on the exhaust stroke and the glowplugs are energised. This is what heats up the DPF to approx 600degrees.

[@Coombsly]

You’ve got some good knowledge on dpf systems. (I’ve spoken to my boss who’s said you’d like to do a video on our cleaning process) but I’d like to help you with some of the technical back ground if your interested?

[@BestCarMods]

Thank you! Your insight will be of great help. I will follow-up with a email and we can sort-out the details. Is this email "ash________es@h____ail.com" good to get in touch ?

[@Coombsly]

@@BestCarMods yeh, that’s fine. Think I’ll be having a discussion with my boss this week about doing something with you.

[@connectlogic]

too many things can cause this to not regen ,,even an outside temep senor fail will stop the dpf from regen .its a constant battle.

[@MrLeslloyd]

yes correct,and if my latest effort fails i will be forced to do a removal,I don't necessarily want to but will do as my vehicle is still near showroom cond at 12 years,I'm not going to allow it to go to the wreckers to be scrapped just because of a failed flawed system.

[@connectlogic]

@MrLeslloyd remove it and get it remapped pal. Will be OK.

[@MrLeslloyd]

@@connectlogic thanks m8!

[@emilegoguely4032]

Would driving at 2-3k rpm help with having a stronger exhaust flow?

[@BestCarMods]

theoretically yes for passive regen ... it would also help with the time needed to get the DPF up to temp, however you don't want to be always at that rpm. the temp in the dpf needs to be over 500 deg for the regen to happen but at the same time there is a limit to the max temp ... and the temp for active regen is not achieved by air flow, but by injection in the exhaust faze ... that is used in the DPF to increase temp. .... so to conclude yes and no :)

[@Jack-lo1uc]

DPF regen happens above 200c with an oxidation catalist

[@fearone9694]

Higer egt temps can be reached between 1500 - 1800rpm, therefore this is better for regen, both passive and active.

[@cristiclaudiu]

Great video. Thanks!

[@kazungugunduza2301]

Need your help to remap a Nissan Qashqai 2012 model....we removed the DPF and so need to remap it

[@BestCarMods]

that is not a service that we offer at the moment

[@froggy0162]

Don’t be a selfish idiot. Put the dpf back on the car.

[@jackthornton3496]

google a remapper

[@yosipko5282]

If its need cleaning, it should be placed in montage system, not in welded box🤷🏻

[@BestCarMods]

that is how they do it on trucks. you can open them up and put them back together.

[@solskivenrt7516]

I have drille i whole in the dpf, close off the egr and deleted dpf/egr from computer - still i get errorlight from the dpf sensor..?!! Pls bassist if Anyone can 🙂🇳🇴

[@solskivenrt7516]

.. And car is grunning, but with very little power..

[@BestCarMods]

@@solskivenrt7516 send me a email @ [e-mail]

[@zwikka1067]

Let’s develop an emission system to save the planet, but the only way it’ll work right is if you drive more for longer and burn more diesel? Let’s not mention the millions and millions of cardboard and plastic packaging for the DEF

[@BestCarMods]

interesting perspective

[@MrLeslloyd]

there are too many vehicles out there in good cond otherwise,seems it's not so easy to develop an aftermarket kit,you would think after 20 years someone would have solved this dilemma us diesel owners are going through,especially as EV's need years and years of further development before they become a viable alternative.

[@randompotatoguy9347]

use premium diesel, drive your diesel on motorways once or twice a week for 40 minutes, should be fine.

[@SeamusFoley-d4r]

Fully agree with u .buy a petrol car if u have anykind of brain.

[@lweleven3423]

How to complicate engineering should be simple . Simple means less time in workshops

[@CATANOVA]

Don't get the Adobe version.

[@BestCarMods]

?

[@morganoox3838]

The dpf looks surprised 😮

[@prembuddy]

Best way to avoid DPF is not to buy a diesel car

[@BestCarMods]

😏

[@leftmorningstar6954]

just delete it lol

[@cliffordkirk4825]

It's a scam this co2 crap 😂

[@froggy0162]

@@cliffordkirk4825idiot. DPF has nothing to do with co2…

[@tacticlol]

@@cliffordkirk4825it has nothing to do with CO2. The emissions are bad for the lungs and cause a lot of health problems, and smog. If nobody cared about CO2 these things would still be installed.

[@Semaj.18272]

If mine needs replacing that’s what the dealer said as it’s 200,000k plus atm .. shouod I delete it ? And wouldn’t this harm the engine as the computer tells the car to be in the dieeel at a certain point ? That’s why when I change oils and filter they reset computer to let it know it’s been changed ?

[@leftmorningstar6954]

@@Semaj.18272 no if u delete it it will not harm the engine , it will make the engine run easier with more fuel economy & power

[@thelonewolf666]

buy a petrol

[@BestCarMods]

yes, now just for fun, do you know that there is a GPF that does the same thing as the dpf for petrol cars ?

[@MrLeslloyd]

No good for towing,and if you do fuel consumption skyrockets.So not for everyone.

[@davidellis8141]

If you only do short trips you should be driving a petrol.

[@BestCarMods]

:) true, but some people like their diesels

[@Gripmagic]

Best way to avoid DPF problems is to not have a DPF

[@BestCarMods]

[@makantahi3731]

avoid diesels

[@BestCarMods]

😁