DPF regeneration

FrankC21

Hi,

My mechanic informed me today that he got a new computer for dpf regen.

*I am wondering should I include it as part of regular maintenance?

*How do I know if I need it done?

*Do I wait for some sort of warning of the dash or intervals?

*Benefits of it?

*i dont really know if my car is doing a regen, I have read the signs of dpf actively regenerating by itself but I have not noticed it?

GustavoFring

If it ain’t broken don’t fix it.

Henry Ford III

If you are doing the miles you claim to be the DPF shouldn't be an issue.

p.s. Are you going to start another thread on your car entitled "Fluence - when to empty the ashtray?"

FrankC21

GustavoFring wrote: »

If it ain’t broken don’t fix it.

I know that, the reason I got into topic of regen cause I told my mechanic that the car really is poor at accelerating of 1st and 2nd gear, he suggested it is a 6 year old second hand car and dont really know the driving style of the previous owner it might be that dpf is holding the car back from accelerating.

He suggested to just go at it on the motorway 2nd 3rd gear above 3000rpm for 10 mins to see will it do the any good. And cant really feel any difference after doing that.

FrankC21

Henry Ford III wrote: »

If you are doing the miles you claim to be the DPF shouldn't be an issue.

p.s. Are you going to start another thread on your car entitled "Fluence - when to empty the ashtray?"

I am just curious if dpf regeneration improve the cars acceleration.

Truckermal

FrankC21 wrote: »

I am just curious if dpf regeneration improve the cars acceleration.

I regenerate mine every evening...

After my dinner obviously....

colm_mcm

Surely his software can tell how full the DPF is to start with.

Have you driven any other Fluences to compare?

Sounds like he’s just trying to pay off his new machine.

vectra

Give it an Italian tune up every week for a while.

Truckermal

vectra wrote: »

Give it an Italian tune up every week for a while.

I'd say from Frank's previous posts he could teach the Italians.....:P

corks finest

Truckermal wrote: »

I regenerate mine every evening...

After my dinner obviously....

VG

zg3409

The real test of a dpf is how many km it is between regenerations. A cheap ODB dongle that can read exhaust gas temperature will tell you that.

Poor acceleration might be a sign of a broken fully blocked DPF and some cars don't turn on warning lights.

A good mechanic should be able to tell during the test drive.

As for paying a mechanic to do a 'static regeneration' these are only useful if the owner of the car does lots of short trips, and the mechanic is not willing to do a 30 minute test drive.

The software gives warnings before starting one, things like engine must be warmed up in advance (to prevent breaking engine) car must be outdoors on non flammable surface (exhaust gets to 600 degrees Celsius) and if anything is about to go it will go then as engine is under strain and you don't have the normal cooling of the car moving during a regeneration.

Assuming DPF is quite full, it will bring the soot down to empty levels. But it should only be done if needed and often an oil change is needed as oil overheats during DPF regeneration and oil can become contaminated with petrol.

I have performed this on my driveway with free software but I would not recommend it unless you know the status of the engine and what if any faults are in the DPF system.

punisher5112

Sell it and get a bus pass.....

It's just not worth the hassle.....


Service the car with correct grade oil, service it sooner if doing mainly short runs....


Buy a festa

Toyotafanboi

zg3409 wrote: »

Assuming DPF is quite full, it will bring the soot down to empty levels. But it should only be done if needed and often an oil change is needed as oil overheats during DPF regeneration and oil can become contaminated with petrol.

Indeed.

Drive her on Frank lad.

If the DPF is giving trouble, you'd know about it. It's not an item that needs preventative maintenance and it's designed to keep itself in check once the car is being driven as intended.

Nobody buys forced regens as a maintenance item and if it's not broken, don't fix it.

vectra

zg3409 wrote: »

Assuming DPF is quite full, it will bring the soot down to empty levels. But it should only be done if needed and often an oil change is needed as oil overheats during DPF regeneration and oil can become contaminated with petrol.

Excuse me boss.

Dravokivich

vectra wrote: »

Give it an Italian tune up every week for a while.

Why do people regularly say this about DPFs?

FrankC21

Well now I know what to do. Cheers.

vectra

Dravokivich wrote: »

Why do people regularly say this about DPFs?

Because it helps keep them clean if the car is used for short stop/start trips a lot.

colm_mcm

vectra wrote: »

Because it helps keep them clean if the car is used for short stop/start trips a lot.

It doesn’t really help though, as in driving the stones out of it.

Toyotafanboi

vectra wrote: »

Because it helps keep them clean if the car is used for short stop/start trips a lot.

It doesn't.

vectra

colm_mcm wrote: »

It doesn’t really help though, as in driving the stones out of it.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

It doesn't.

It worked for me.

corks finest

vectra wrote: »

It worked for me.

Heard another remedy that I wouldn't use back the car up against a wall as close as can be keep car revs at a steady high for 20 plus minutes i mean in all fairness ?
Crazy suggestions but ppl obviously try them,I wouldn't drive any car like a loon at mad revs,glad I've a hybrid ,cheap and cheerful

vectra

corks finest wrote: »

Heard another remedy that I wouldn't use back the car up against a wall as close as can be keep car revs at a steady high for 20 plus minutes i mean in all fairness ?
Crazy suggestions but ppl obviously try them,I wouldn't drive any car like a loon at mad revs,glad I've a hybrid ,cheap and cheerful

I didn't suggest that.

colm_mcm

That’s what an Italian tune up is!

punisher5112

What's needed is a decent run where the regen can take place and finish it's cycle, what does happen a lot is people's journey ends before they let it finish....

For emissions test a good hard drive can do wonders.

CoBo55

24 posts and no mention of dipetane, two stroke oil or the latest one, give her an aul drop of petrol, you're slippin lads slippin....

punisher5112

CoBo55 wrote: »

24 posts and no mention of dipetane, two stroke oil or the latest one, give her an aul drop of petrol, you're slippin lads slippin....

Kerosine

CoBo55

punisher5112 wrote: »

Kerosine

Nah Kerosene is so 2009:pac:

punisher5112

CoBo55 wrote: »

Nah Kerosene is so 2009:pac:

Jaysus I even spelt it wrong.....
I sincerely apologize

CoBo55

punisher5112 wrote: »

Jaysus I even spelt it wrong.....
I sincerely apologize

That's the fumes... They'd feckin kill ya...

vectra

colm_mcm wrote: »

That’s what an Italian tune up is!

Well if that's it then,
I drove the nuts off the 3 vRS Octavia's I had whenever possible.
I have no idea how the red one is coping but it has been seen quite regularly around Dublin,
My white hatch and my silver combi are still in the locality, and both of them have been trouble free except for regular maintanence.
On the other hand I used to drive the Passat and mondeo leisurely.
The Passat threw up the warning twice, Both occasaions I ragged it and and both times it sorted it.

The Mondeo was a different kettle of fish, As fas as I am aware that had a timed regen system, I ended up having to use additive in each tank of diesel.
I sold it with 16k on it, 3 months later the guy that bought it had 28k on it,
so 4 k a month,
16 months x 4 = 64 + 16 = 80k on it.
Car is in the local as well and now only gets regular servicing, He does not drive easy either, so the Italian tune up must mount to something based on that experience.

corks finest

vectra wrote: »

I didn't suggest that.

I wasn't aiming this at anyone

testarossa40

Posted this elsewhere before:
https://motoringmatters.ie/dpf-regeneration-during-covid-19-lockdown/

CoBo55

testarossa40 wrote: »

Posted this elsewhere before:
https://motoringmatters.ie/dpf-regeneration-during-covid-19-lockdown/

Absolute rubbish, I've done two regens in the Superb since March and was never more 10km from home.

colm_mcm

The 2500rpm thing is rubbish too.

Abcryan123

The way I notice my DPF regen is:

1) The current fuel economy drops significantly
2) When stopped, the exhaust crackles and sounds as if there’s a (tiny) muffler on it
3) There’s a strong smell from the exhaust
4) You can feel the heat from the exhaust
5) revs slightly higher at idle
From tracking it, mine regents every 200-250 miles, so I make sure to have a longer trip in there towards the 250 mile mark. A 20km trip should be enough to sort it out if the regeneration has started.

A few years back the car was only being driven 12k miles a year and had to get the dpf regenerated manually at the mechanics approx. every 10k.
Since I started driving it more on longer trips due to work, there hasn’t been a problem with the DPF for over 20,000 miles!

For the record, I don’t own a Renault.

CoBo55

colm_mcm wrote: »

The 2500rpm thing is rubbish too.

Exactly, I just follow the gear changes on the display, I did notice it tells me to change down much earlier than normal.

vectra

Abcryan123 wrote: »

From tracking it, mine regents every 200-250 miles, so I make sure to have a longer trip in there towards the 250 mile mark. A 20km trip should be enough to sort it out if the regeneration has started.

A few years back the car was only being driven 12k miles a year and had to get the dpf regenerated manually at the mechanics approx. every 10k.
Since I started driving it more on longer trips due to work, there hasn’t been a problem with the DPF for over 20,000 miles!

For the record, I don’t own a Renault.

I'm guessing Ford or Mazda?

Abcryan123

vectra wrote: »

I'm guessing Ford or Mazda?

100% correct. It’s the 2.2 MZR-cd on the Mazdas. It’s a nice engine once the DPF isn’t giving bother.