"Unclogging" DPF

[Inego]

I posted earlier in the Skoda forum, and one of the responses suggested you guys might be able to help. Please.....

103PD engine in my Octavia Scout, just on 1 month old, and the DPF check light came on this PM. It's been suggested it could just be a clogged filter.

Is this likely in this time period and, if yes, what are the procedures for unclogging.

Cheers in advance.

Kent

[gldgti]

The DPF works like a catalytic converter, but traps soot then burns it off gradually.

DPF is not a "service item" but at 1 month old, if i were you, i would:

1) take the car on a good long drive, preferably on the freeway, go fast up hills and accellerate a lot. this gets the EGT's up high and will aid burn off soot.

2) if check light still on, go to dealer.

key thing with a new diesel is to get it warm and then run it in well - lots of load to bed rings in, and to keep the DPF clean you really need to make sure you work the engine hard. lots of low throttle, driving under the torque band or off boost will clog up the dpf.

HTH

[Greg Roles]

Baically unless something is drastically wrong with your car, the DPF couldn't clog in that time. The DPF is like a Cat converter, in that whilst it does filter out soot particles, it also burn them off. The car should go into automatic regeneration ( burnoff ) mode when it senses clogging across the DPF, or another way is to drive it at highway speeds for a good 15 plus minutes, DPF's tend to fill with soot in start stop city driving, and are much less likely to regenerate if used for longer, highway style trips. It's ALL about getting the DPF hot whilslt not producing much soot. Higher sppeds generally achieve this.

I'd suggest a visit to the dealer asap, or in the meantime a local buddy with Vag Com who can plug their laptop into your car and check the error code. Most likely a failing sensor rather than a clogged DPF, but that light will come on for a variety of reasons.

[Guest0608]

If the light it staying on go to the dealer and have it checked, you may have a faulty sensor or something, if you keep driving with the DPF light on and it cant regenerate it will cut the power of the car so you have to crawl to the dealer to get it fixed..................VW.................

[Inego]

Thanks guys - will try a longer drive today and, if that doesn't work, call the dealer on Monday!

Kent

[Transporter]

Thanks guys - will try a longer drive today and, if that doesn't work, call the dealer on Monday!

Kent

Call the dealer regardless and make the time for check up, as Cogdoc and others said, you most likely have a problem with the one of the sensors on the DPF. Also it is easy to check the particle loading in the DPF with the diagnostic tool like VCDS (vag-com). But, if you've run 1/2 of that 1000km driving normaly, the DPF should not be filled up.

When it comes to driving the car with the DPF, remember in the city driving more you accelerate more sooth particles go in the DPF and more often it has to regenerate.

[silvershadow]

Something else to consider - have you used bio-diesel in your car?

If so, drain the tank, flush it and refill it with mineral diesel before taking it to the dealer. Using bio-diesel automatically voids you warranty and I am aware of one instance from Port Macquarie where VWA refused warranty on a DPF replacement when the owner admitted using bio-diesel. The engine management system is not set up for bio-diesel which results in greater soot content in the exhaust gas.

Whilst VW says fuel with up to 5% max bio-diesel can be used, I would not trust any servo claiming to sell bio-diesel complying with this maximum given the greater profit potential of blends with higher amounts of bio-diesel.

[benough]

My DPF did the same thing when my car was a week old.

Took it to the dealer, they regenerated it manually and then told me to thrash it!

[poyta]

I've had nothing but issues with mine too - I do a lot of city driving and unfortunately the constant sitting at traffic lights prevents the DPF getting hot enough to regenerate. I would often get the warning light come on and if I didn't clear it quickly( by going for a 10-15min cruise with revs around 2000rpm ) it would go into limp mode and I was forced to take it to the dealer to get regenerated. This would happen about once a month and I was getting really sick of it. Changing my driving style to a more aggressive style and keeping higher revs improved it slightly but still it would clog. Local city dealer only cleared the codes and regenerated and sent me on my way. No real solution. I finally spit the dummy and took the care to a rural dealership who seem to be more concerned about their customers. They took the car for a few days , properly investigated it and ended up updated the ECU with a new version - don't know exactly what they did but I've driven the car for about 3 months now and not had a single problem - I think the new ECU simply regenerates the DPF at a much earlier stage now.

[Greg Roles]

It almost PAYS to have a boost guage in the TDI, as off boost, you're low on air, and it's smoking like crazy ( soot is too much fuel / too little air ), and it ends up in the DPF rather than out the back so in a DPF equipped car it's not obvious. In city traffic you almost have to get used to driving in third at 60kph, slipping the clutch and launching at 1500rpm plus and keeping it above the 1800-2000rpm mark at all times. It makes for a failry aggressive driving style!

All too easy to lug along in 4th or 5th at sub 2000rpm given the torque, and this off boost condition fills the DPF rapidly.

I won't miss mine!

[Umai Naa!!]

Any issues regarding the DPF should be taken seriously. Neither VW or yourself would want to pay for a $2500 part unnecessarily.

[silvershadow]

Any issues regarding the DPF should be taken seriously. Neither VW or yourself would want to pay for a $2500 part unnecessarily.

Is this price correct?

Other posts in this forum have mentioned prices around $5K for a replacement DPF.

[gldgti]

maybe referring to actual part cost, not including labour? There have bee na few number thrown around, but lets face it, anything with platinum in it is going to cost you bigtime.

[Inego]

Thanks guys - I have it booked in for tomorrow, so it'll be checked out and have a forced regen. run. Might mention the altered settings as well, as (at least during the week) it mainly does 5-10 min runs in traffic.

And look for excuses to flog it at the weekend.....

Kent

[gregozedobe]

..... as (at least during the week) it mainly does 5-10 min runs in traffic.

That is the absolute worst case scenario for a DPF equipped VAG TDI engine

You will probably get told to take it for a good 20 minute run (over 2,000 rpm) once or twice a week.

Did your salesperson advise you that a DPF equipped TDI was OK for those sort of driving conditions ? If they did - they lied to you !