The diesel particulate filter (DPF) is widely misunderstood for all the wrong reasons, and we’re often asked, “can you clean my DPF?”. Well yes, but lets take a step back for now;
Here at FDR we understand the engine sub-systems and their influence on DPF performance. A DPF doesn’t simply block up on it’s own! DPF blockage is the result of failure in some other engine sub-system(s), such as the EGR system, or turbo etc…
Put simply, cleaning or replacing the DPF in isolation without proper diagnostic analysis is a pointless (and costly) endeavour, and will see your DPF quickly blocking up again – since the root cause hadn’t been identified and rectified. In a healthy running engine, the DPF by design shall ‘self clean’ itself by a process known as passive regeneration. Should driving conditions not allow passive regeneration to occur, then the vehicle ECU may trigger an ‘active’ regeneration cycle adapting engine operating parameters to increase the exhaust gas temperatures to burn off the soot accumulated in the DPF.
A fault which may seem relatively trivial to you as the driver, may however cause havoc with DPF performance, and down the line ultimately lead to an expensive repair bill. We recommend proactive maintenance and routine servicing at OEM spec – to help ensure longevity of your DPF and many trouble free miles of driving happiness.
If you are experiencing DPF related troubles, contact us to discuss the assessment & diagnosis and repairs.