DPF removal, my experience (fantastic!)

corglass · 30-04-2013 4:27pm #1

I thought I'd share my experience with my DPF (diesel particulate filter) and its removal.

I sent my lexus is220d in for 4new tyres in fast fit, after picking the car up I headed home to discover the car was in limp mode. I returned to fast fit and got them to run the diagnostics. DPF full /failed.
After doing some searching online, it seems I'd a couple of options:
1. Go to Lexus for a new DPF (3k +)
2. Replace the DPF with a straight pipe and reprogram the ecu (200 ish)
3. Get the DPF hollowed out and bypass the DPF via an emulator. (700 ish)

I went with option 3 as it seems that the Toyota/Lexus ecu cannot be reprogrammed to "forget" the ecu.
An emulator is used instead to trick the ecu into thinking it's still there.

After plenty more research, I decided to bring the car (in limp mode i.e. max speed of 55kph ) to Coby Autos on the nass road. They quoted 630euro for the job. They were quite surprised the car made it to 290,000km without needing this done before. Probably all the motorway driving I do?

Anyway, two days later I picked up the car. What a difference! No error lights on the dash. Much much smoother engine noise and better throttle response. Now I'm usually quite the sceptic, but the car genuinely feels much more powerful too. Best of all my mpg since I got the car back is averaging 55-58mpg. (from 43ish)

Best job I've ever got done. Highly recommended, even if your DPF is fine. Option has the added bonus of not failing an Nct if they include visual inspections for a DPF in the future.

DPF removal, my experience (fantastic!)