so dpf's ...... what do i need to know

[big mick 1981]

Good afternoon folks

Had various diesels but never had a dpf
What do I need to know ?

Do I regenerate it ?
Is there a special fluid for it ?
How do I keep it in good working condition ?.........

Without removing it physically or mapping it out just yet


Thanks for reading

Mick

[cont1204]

What do I need to know ?

It'll really ruin your day if it goes wrong!

Do I regenerate it ?

No it'll do it itself. Just don't keep doing short journeys where it doesn't get hot. This is what clogs it up.

Is there a special fluid for it ?

Apparently there's a few on the market to help clean them but drive it properly and it won't be needed.

How do I keep it in good working condition ?.........

Allow it to get hot and every couple of weeks give it 20 minutes or so on the motorway to regen itself. You'll see your fuel consumption go up when it's doing a regen.

[rockafella8587]

Short journeys are generally bad for it and dont let it regenerate. A long blast along the motorway is what it needs to enable it to reach a high enough temperature for it to regenerate. Never switch the car off whilst its happening. You will notice a drop in mpg and performance during a regen. Mine was clogged up and was putting the car in limp mode so its now in a skip somewhere

[big mick 1981]

Is there no light to warn you when in regen mode ? If not would there be a cable to tap into to warn you it's doing a regen ?

I do 25 mile to work and 25 back everyday sitting pretty much constantly at 50-60 mph, does this sound sufficient ?

[Penfold101]

Is there no light to warn you when in regen mode ? If not would there be a cable to tap into to warn you it's doing a regen ?

I do 25 mile to work and 25 back everyday sitting pretty much constantly at 50-60 mph, does this sound sufficient ?

When they first brought them out, the glowplug light would flash when it was regenerating. Then people would be bringing the car in to the garages because they couldn't RTFM, so VX changed the software so you didn't know it was happening...

That journey sounds fine - the engine will be up to temperature but it means it'll need to do a full regen. Usually, if you're above about 2000rpm (I think) the exhaust gasses are hot enough to regenerate the filter through normal driving, or at least stop it building up so quickly. A good thrash every now and then helps it too. It'll take care of itself generally, but when you pull up check out the instantaneous fuel consumption and if it's much higher than normal (normal is around .1/.2 gallons per hour) then it's doing a regen and you need to leave it to finish before turning the engine off. Revving it will help speed it up a bit...

[Teapot]

Mine was clogged up and was putting the car in limp mode so its now in a skip somewhere

Mine will go the same way if it ever malfunctions - but my driving seems to keep it in good order so far...