There are a lot of different kinds of smoke and mirrors when it comes to ‘DPF-fitted’ diesel. A DPF is an exhaust filter for most modern diesel-powered automobiles.
It is used for removing harmful gases, such as hydrocarbons, from fuel or lubricants and water and sulfurates that attach to soot and create dangerous particles.
These dangerous gases can develop from several factors such as improper or inadequate servicing, poor quality fuel, bad driving habits, and poor combustion. The DPF filter is designed to capture these particles and then be cleaned, or regenerated, via high-temperature burns.
If this process is unsuccessful and the filter becomes blocked, issues can be the result. Diesel particulate filter has been portrayed as a sophisticated and costly component that needs to be replaced but in my experience is not the case.
Replacement can be avoided if it is properly controlled, diagnosed, and properly maintained. A DPF error in the engine’s computer doesn’t necessarily indicate that the DPF is blocked.
What are the signs of DPF blockage?
The following symptoms may be observed in the event that your DPF becomes blocked or needs servicing.
- Surging/poor performance.
- Excessive fuel consumption.
- Smoke Excessive such as blue, white, and black
- Engine or DPF emissions lights are displayed.
- It is difficult to start the engine.
- The engine is running rough.
- Regeneration attempts that fail
What is Regeneration?
The vehicle’s computer-embedded algorithms run periodic regenerates (burns), which raise the temperature of the exhaust in order to “burn” away” any particles or soot. A component that isn’t functioning properly can lead to an increase in the number of regenerations or even stop them entirely until the issue is fixed.
Regenerations cause the emission of large quantities of black smoke out of the exhaust. This isn’t harmful. Only if smoke blows continuously is it a sign that an underlying problem needs immediate attention.
How do I prevent DPF failure/blockage be prevented?
- Make sure that the mechanic you hire has experience working with diesel.
- Beware of missing services and using incorrect oils
- Avoid driving when you have an issue with your vehicle (dash alert lights).
- Avoid diesel with poor quality fuel.
- Modify your car with care DPF habits of driving – I reduce idle time and increase the rpm when under loads (dropping the speed), especially in crawling.
- Talk to your mechanic about any changes that you observe in your vehicle’s driveability like louder whistles, hissing sounds, or jerking sensations. This could result in your DPF not being replenished. Even if your mechanic suggests that you do them, don’t use “on-vehicle intake/induction cleansings”. They could cause damage to DPF’s and other components that are important.
- Failures of component components that cause DPF problems do not always indicate that the DPF needs to be replaced.
- Maintained DPFs are capable of covering 200,000+ km before being taken away for replacement or cleaning.
What is the cost to clean or replace a DPF?
A warning first: DPF repair MUST be performed by a skilled mechanic with the right tools to reset and replace DPF. Once the fault has been confirmed after which the DPF should either be cleaned or removed by a DPF cleaning service.
The best DPF cleaning firms must have at least five years of success in cleaning, and they have to own only the best dpf cleaning equipment. It is also possible to determine if the DPF has been damaged internally. To find out whether the DPF is blocked, a mechanic can examine the car. They can’t confirm whether the DPF is melting or collapsing, causing the blockage.
The average clean cost for an automobile for a person is $600. There’s a wide selection of cars that are equipped with DPF’s. Manufacturers frequently change their designs, making it difficult to determine what DPF brand is best for a specific vehicle.
The DPF is considered to be the most tightly regulated part of motor vehicles. They do not disclose the name of the DPF manufacturer.