If you have a relatively recent diesel engined vehicle, it will be fitted with a DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) which is designed to remove the particulate matter found in diesel emissions allowing them to meet Euro emissions regulations.
Unfortunately the DPF can cause more problems than it solves at times, however we can provide you with a few options to rectify your vehicle's issues.
The Problem
As with any filter, a DPF needs to be clear in order to work efficiently. The cleanliness of the filter should be maintained by a process called regeneration. This should naturally take place in diesel vehicles spending a good amount of time running at their optimum engine temperature allowing the DPF to periodically clear itself.
In situations where the engine is running at less than its optimum temperature, such as during frequent stop/start driving or a series of short trips, the filter cannot perform its regeneration. As a result it eventually gets clogged with soot that affects performance, economy and emissions.
This can be prevented by periodic (at least monthly) higher speed maintained runs on an open road or motorway. However once symptoms of a blocked DPF occur such as a reduction in performance or the DPF warning or anti-pollution light illuminating, then it’s usually too late.
The DPF would require replacement at usually considerable cost - possibly well into four figures.
Even the DPF in a vehicle spending more time at its maximum engine temperature will eventually lose its regeneration capabilities so will require replacement. Manufacturers class the DPF as a normal ‘wear and tear’ item similar to brake pads and clutches, so it isn’t covered by the vehicle warranty.
Our Solutions
If your DPF is blocked we can provide you with four options.
Replacement –
We could replace your DPF with a brand new one from your manufacturer - but this could well cost over £1,000.
We could save you some money by replacing it with a generic after market DPF but this is a gamble as they don’t always last that long and can, because they’re not an original manufacturer produced item, be difficult to fit.
Cleaning –
We could utilise our DPF cleaning equipment to perform an in situ DPF cleanse by adding a cleaning solution to your DPF whilst it is still fitted to your vehicle.
This would then be followed by what is called a forced regeneration of the DPF which consists of the use of diagnostic software which will command the engine ECU (Electronic Control Module) to perform an emmergency regeneration.
This method, however, is not always ideal as there is no guarantee that once the particulate filter has been cleaned it will continue to stay clean and perform regenerations as it should. The other issue with this method is the simple fact that once the DPF exceeds the maximum mass of soot allowed for forced regeneration it is not possible to perform this action due to risk of fire. The soot mass of your DPF & the limit can be established by connecting our diagnostic equipment to your vehicle.
Our Solution –
This would be a fraction of the price of replacement, and there’s no need to worry about emissions; our DPF solutions are MOT friendly so your vehicle will pass the emissions test. We include a free ECU remap with our DPF solutions enabling your engine to adapt correctly. Contact us for more info on our DPF solution.
