Renault 1.5 DCi, is the DPF/FAP an issue

BrianD3

Someone I know has a 2010 Scenic 1.5 DCi (no DPF) which has been extremely reliable for the 8 years she has owned it except now she wants to "move up the years" to a 2015 or 2016 Scenic. That means a DPF. As she has bought Renaults on my recommendation before and had very good experiences with them, I'm being asked again. But problem is, I have no personal experience of the DPF equipped 1.5. I do have with the 2.0 DCi (in a Nissan) and it wasn't good.

There don't seem to be that many DPF horror stories online about the 1.5. Is this one of the least troublesome DPF equipped engine? Anyone here own a 2011-2016 1.5 DCi i.e. DPF but no Adblue.

mk7r

They are one of the engines that give the least trouble especially if they get any sort of driving

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123696722#Comment_123696722

Why is that, is it because of the 5th injector?

mk7r

They just have a better strategy for dealing with the dpf than most engines, the 2.0 is a different matter however

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123696799#Comment_123696799

that tallies with my experience, the 2.0 litre that I had use of was only ever used for long journeys and was very well maintained with the correct oil - yet still gave DPF trouble.

PukkaStukka

Agree with mk7r, that Renault engine is quite good generally and from a DPF point of view. Some do have a appetite for Continental diesel injectors though. Likewise avoiding adblue Euro 6 is also wise as it's one less thing to go expensively wrong.

I'm intrigued that the 2010 Scenic has no DPF! I thought it would definitely have one given it's Euro 4 or 5.

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123696861#Comment_123696861

A 2010 may have had a DPF in some markets but not in Ireland. The Irish ones were Euro 4. This was also the time of the great scrappage giveaway. A Clio petrol was 9 grand and Megane diesels were about 15 grand. They have proven to be very reliable and long lasting with great rust protection. 600k kms on my one, original injectors.

It's a relief if the DPF cars that followed seem to be decent too so people can buy newer ones and I don't seem like a weirdo telling them to "stick to your 2010".

BrianD3

I see that oil for the DPF cars (RN720 spec) is not as expensive as I thought it was, can be gotten for about 35 euro. Filter is about 10 euros and as it is on the front of the engine on Mk3 and earlier Meganes, no need to raise the car or remove an undertray to get at it. Suck the oil out of the dipstick hole and an oil service is a cheap 10 minute job. I have measured the amount of oil that comes out this way and it is about the same as comes out if draining using the sump plug.

PukkaStukka

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123696892#Comment_123696892

Earliest DPF car we had was 2005 Ford Cmax. The DPF in it never blocked, but the DPF sensor and it's hoses did fail once. The system also needed fills of EOLYS additive a few times. We replaced that CMAX with one 10 years newer and no engine or DPF issues with that at all. It was bullet proof and last of the Euro 5 engines.

BrianD3

Somewhat off topic but saw oil in LIDL again, 5w40, 16.99 for 5 litres. That's cheaper than that same oil was 15 years ago. It is suitable for a 1.5 DCi without a DPF. DPF equipped cars need a higher spec oil which wouldn't be available in LIDL.

mk7r

They take 5w30 c3 not 5w40 but with oil generally you get what you pay for quality wise

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123710896#Comment_123710896

According to the service booklet:

Non DPF cars with 20,000 km service interval - RN0700, 10w40 or 5w40.

Non DPF cars with a 30,000 km service interval - RN0710, 5w40.

DPF cars - RN0720, 5w30 or 5w40.

The later BlueDCI engines may be different.