Focus DPF dilemma

MayoForSam

Surprise, surprise, the DPF on my 2008 1.6 TDCi Ford Focus is acting up :rolleyes:.

Last October, I got a red engine warning light on my dash, when I got it checked out, it appeared that the DPF fluid level was low, so I got that topped up at the local Ford garage.

Last week, an orange warning light came on and a local independent Ford servicing agent told me it's apparently my DPF filter that's got clogged up.

The car has 88K miles on the clock so even though I am doing 100 miles a day, it looks like the DPF has maxed out on regeneration cycles.

So I have 3 choices:

a) Remove the DPF filter and try to clean it out using a power washer, but this might only work for a few months if at all

b) Buy in a replacement DPF from the UK (€300) and get it fitted - I might still have the same problem later on though

c) The controversial option - remove the DPF altogether and get the ECU re-mapped to remove all references to the DPF, preventing sensor faults and regeneration cycles (which can improve fuel economy and increase engine power) and which apparently will still allow me to pass the NCT (due shortly)

Options (b) and (c) will probably end up costing around the same amount.

Anyone got any thoughts or recommendations?

listermint

MayoForSam wrote: »

Surprise, surprise, the DPF on my 2008 1.6 TDCi Ford Focus is acting up :rolleyes:.

Last October, I got a red engine warning light on my dash, when I got it checked out, it appeared that the DPF fluid level was low, so I got that topped up at the local Ford garage.

Last week, an orange warning light came on and a local independent Ford servicing agent told me it's apparently my DPF filter that's got clogged up.

The car has 88K miles on the clock so even though I am doing 100 miles a day, it looks like the DPF has maxed out on regeneration cycles.

So I have 3 choices:

a) Remove the DPF filter and try to clean it out using a power washer, but this might only work for a few months if at all

b) Buy in a replacement DPF from the UK (€300) and get it fitted - I might still have the same problem later on though

c) The controversial option - remove the DPF altogether and get the ECU re-mapped to remove all references to the DPF, preventing sensor faults and regeneration cycles (which can improve fuel economy and increase engine power) and which apparently will still allow me to pass the NCT (due shortly)

Options (b) and (c) will probably end up costing around the same amount.

Anyone got any thoughts or recommendations?

No idea, but surely option 1 is the first step to see if makes any difference. Costs you nothing too.

rhonin

MayoForSam wrote: »

Surprise, surprise, the DPF on my 2008 1.6 TDCi Ford Focus is acting up :rolleyes:.

Last October, I got a red engine warning light on my dash, when I got it checked out, it appeared that the DPF fluid level was low, so I got that topped up at the local Ford garage.

Last week, an orange warning light came on and a local independent Ford servicing agent told me it's apparently my DPF filter that's got clogged up.

The car has 88K miles on the clock so even though I am doing 100 miles a day, it looks like the DPF has maxed out on regeneration cycles.

So I have 3 choices:

a) Remove the DPF filter and try to clean it out using a power washer, but this might only work for a few months if at all

b) Buy in a replacement DPF from the UK (€300) and get it fitted - I might still have the same problem later on though

c) The controversial option - remove the DPF altogether and get the ECU re-mapped to remove all references to the DPF, preventing sensor faults and regeneration cycles (which can improve fuel economy and increase engine power) and which apparently will still allow me to pass the NCT (due shortly)

Options (b) and (c) will probably end up costing around the same amount.

Anyone got any thoughts or recommendations?

Similar thing happened to my car recently. 07 Focus 1.6 TDCI 90K miles.
Fuel additive had to be refilled followed a few weeks later with engine light. I brought it to an independent mechanic.The fault code was "P2002 DPF Efficiency below threshold". Recommendation was to replace the DPF.
I got a second opinion from a Ford dealer and they discovered that a pipe leading into the DPF had split. They replaced the pipe and it fixed the problem.
Might be worth asking to check yours first before you go spending money on a new DPF.

Max Power1

Id tend towards option C.
No one actually needs a DPF anyway, they have no functional use in day to day motoring

MuppetCheck

Max Power1 wrote: »

Id tend towards option C.
No one actually needs a DPF anyway, they have no functional use in day to day motoring

I would be weary of removal. With emission regulations becomming stricter it's only a matter of time before the NCT comes up to speed on diesel emmissions. I'm not saying a lack of a dpf will make the car fail (it might not) but you need to go into the removal with your eyes open and weigh up any future consequences carefully.

Max Power1

MuppetCheck wrote: »

I would be weary of removal. With emission regulations becomming stricter it's only a matter of time before the NCT comes up to speed on diesel emmissions. I'm not saying a lack of a dpf will make the car fail (it might not) but you need to go into the removal with your eyes open and weigh up any future consequences carefully.

Could just get a 2nd hand dpf fitted and removed before and after the NCT!

I hate the whole DPF idea. My next car will be a newer diesel with a DPF(current car is a diesel golf, pre dpf) and I am toying with the idea of reomving the DPF from the car and remapping the ECU

Plug

First I'd try remove and clean it, it can be done. One of the lads done it in work the other day and worked a treat. It was very bad though and the car would not rev beyond 3000rpm. The same engine as yours. It took a while though.

If you don't do that I'd go for option C and get rid of the thing. They cause problems and also they cause higher levels of turbo lag. This removal will not make a difference on emissions at all.

ltdslipdiff

Aren't there a couple of DPF fuel additives that can be thrown in with the fuel? Could be an inexpensive first step? Try flea-bay. I'm sure there are a few Irish oil distributors (I think Agip and Mobil do one) that could supply you with same.

Row

Tbh 88k mls is alittle soon for a dpf to block up on the 1.6 tdci (hdi's)
As said above it could be a failed dpf related sensor thats not allowing it to
regenerate correctly...I'd get a second option before forking out for a
new dpf.

Plug

Row wrote: »

Tbh 88k mls is alittle soon for a dpf to block up on the 1.6 tdci (hdi's)
As said above it could be a failed dpf related sensor thats not allowing it to
regenerate correctly...I'd get a second option before forking out for a
new dpf.

Good post cause they can give trouble them sensors.

Floro

Mayoforsam, I have the same car with the same problem with even less miles; 65k. If you decide to remove the DPF be careful... here is a section of the NCT manual I have copied.

(Vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1980 up to 1st July 2008) reason for failure:

Where the average smoke meter reading is not in accordance with

the manufacturer’s standard for exhaust smoke emissions or is higher

than 2.5m

-1 in the case of naturally aspirated diesel engines and

3.0m-1 in the case of turbocharged or supercharged diesel engines.

Vehicles first registered after 1st July 2008 reason for failure

Where the average smoke meter reading is not in accordance with

the manufacturer’s standard for exhaust smoke emissions or is higher
than 1.5m-1.

As my car was registered in March 2008, I decided to remove the DPF and it was well clogged. I had the car NCTed today and it passed, but with a smoke reading of 2.01m-1. Obviously if it was a post July'08 car it would have failed. I didn't use any additives in the fuel.

Good luck with it.

Plug

Floro wrote: »

Mayoforsam, I have the same car with the same problem with even less miles; 65k. If you decide to remove the DPF be careful... here is a section of the NCT manual I have copied.

(Vehicles registered on or after 1st January 1980 up to 1st July 2008) reason for failure:

Where the average smoke meter reading is not in accordance with

the manufacturer’s standard for exhaust smoke emissions or is higher

than 2.5m

-1 in the case of naturally aspirated diesel engines and

3.0m-1 in the case of turbocharged or supercharged diesel engines.

Vehicles first registered after 1st July 2008 reason for failure

Where the average smoke meter reading is not in accordance with

the manufacturer’s standard for exhaust smoke emissions or is higher
than 1.5m-1.

As my car was registered in March 2008, I decided to remove the DPF and it was well clogged. I had the car NCTed today and it passed, but with a smoke reading of 2.01m-1. Obviously if it was a post July'08 car it would have failed. I didn't use any additives in the fuel.

Good luck with it.

DPF have no effect on a smoke test, its diesel particle they filter not smoke.

shamwari

As above, The DPF has a pressure sensor which measures the pressure fore and aft of the DPF, and the differential in pressure is used to evaluate how blocked or otherwise the DPF is.

The two hose pipes connecting the DPF to the pressure sensor (which is up beside the battery) are known to fail, and before condemning the DPF, it would be a good idea to check those pipes aren't damaged or detached. I have first hand experience of a damaged hose and a P2002 fault code. And its one that a previous mechanic missed.....

As for the DPF, a forced regeneration or removal and clean out are options before replacement. I think though that in times ahead, DPF replacement will become cheaper in the same way Catalytic converters were once so frighteningly expensive to begin with all those years ago....

Anan1

MuppetCheck wrote: »

I would be weary of removal. With emission regulations becomming stricter it's only a matter of time before the NCT comes up to speed on diesel emmissions. I'm not saying a lack of a dpf will make the car fail (it might not) but you need to go into the removal with your eyes open and weigh up any future consequences carefully.

This. If you're getting 90k miles out of it and it only costs €300 then why risk headaches? Plus, I presume the thing prevents you from pumping a lot of sh1t out into the air.