There’s plenty of smoke and mirrors about the issue of diesel fitted with DPF. A DPF (exhaust filter) is a fitting that can be fitted to the majority of diesel vehicles.
It is used to remove harmful gases, including hydrocarbons that are present in the lubricants and fuels, as well as water and sulfates that stick to soot, forming dangerous particles that are generated by exhaust fumes from diesel engines.
These dangerous gases can develop from several factors including poor or incorrect maintenance, low-quality fuel, bad driving habits, and poor combustion. The filter, also known as the DPF filter, is designed to trap the particles. It can then be regenerated through intense heat burning at high temperatures.
This is when problems arise due to the failure of regeneration or the filter gets clogged. It has been said that the diesel particulate filter filter is a complicated and costly component that needs to be replaced. But, I’ve found it to not be true.
When properly monitored, diagnosed and maintained correctly, replacement is not necessary. When a DPF error occurs in the computer of the engine If a DPF fault is detected, it DOES not necessarily mean that it means that the DPF has been blocked.
What are the symptoms of a blocked DPF
The following symptoms may be present in the event that your DPF is blocked or requires servicing.
- Surging/poor performance.
- Excessive fuel consumption.
- Smoking excessively – black, blue, or white.
- Display of the engine or DPF emission light.
- It is difficult to start the engine.
- Engine is running rough.
- Unfeasible attempts to regenerate
What is Regeneration?
The vehicle’s computer-embedded algorithms perform periodic regenerations (burns), which raise the temperature of the exhaust to “burn” away” any particles or soot. It could cause a malfunction in a component, causing it to cease functioning properly or increase its number until the problem is fixed. The exhaust will then emit excessive black smoke as a result of regenerations. It’s normal and is not dangerous. It is only a sign that something is wrong and that smoke is constantly blowing.
What can you do to minimize the risk of DPF blockage or failure?
- Ensure your mechanic is experienced and knowledgeable on diesel.
- Beware of oil misplaced or not used.
- Be careful not to drive if you are experiencing a problem with your car (dash alert lights).
- Avoid diesel with poor quality fuel.
- Modify your car with care.
- I have to deal with DPF driving habits: reduce idling and increase the rpm when under load (dropping down one gear), particularly in traffic that is crawling.
- Your mechanic should be able to identify any changes in your vehicle, for example, more raucous whistles or hissing sounds while driving. These changes could cause your DPF to stop regenerating.
- Avoid making use of “on car intake and induction cleaners” even the recommendation of your mechanic these products. They could damage DPF’s as well as other important components.
- DPF faults can be caused by component failures, but they don’t always require replacement.
- Maintained DPFs can cover 200,000+ km before being removed for replacement or cleaning.
How much does it cost to clean or replace a DPF?
First, a warning: DPF repair MUST be done by a qualified mechanic who uses the correct equipment to reset and refit DPF. Once the original problem has been identified, the DPF must be removed. A top DPF cleaning service must have at least 5 years of clean experience. They also can determine whether the DPF might be damaged inside. A mechanic can look at the DPF of the vehicle and determine if it is blocked.
It is not possible to determine whether the DPF is collapsed or melted internally creating the blockage. The cost of cleaning a passenger vehicle is approximately 600 dollars. There’s a wide range of vehicles equipped with DPF’s. Manufacturers change their designs frequently, making it difficult to identify which DPF model is compatible with a particular automobile model. Since the DPF is the most tightly regulated component of motor vehicles, it does not disclose who the DPF manufacturer could be.