Passive regeneration So it is advised that drivers regularly give their diesel vehicle a good 30 to 50 minute run at sustained speed on a motorway or A-road to help clear the filter.
A warning light letting you know your DPF is blocked should not be ignored, but can in many instances be remedied by driving in a way which initiates passive/active regeneration of the DPF. Driving for over 10 minutes at speeds in excess of 40mph will often be sufficient to clear the blockage and regenerate the DPF.
Here's how to look after your particulate filter
All you have to do is get your car on an A road or motorway on a regular basis, such as every 300 miles. You then need to run it for 10-20 minutes at speeds in excess of 40mph. This will heat up your exhaust and burn off any soot in the filter.
The easiest and cheapest method of DPF filter cleaning is by driving the vehicle for a long-distance at high revs per minute. Doing this increases the heat of the exhaust and burns the soot blocking the DPF filter. It's best to drive on a motorway or A road where you can keep the vehicle at a consistent speed.
In order to carry out a forced DPF regeneration, the correct diagnostic or reset tool must be used. This operation could take up to 30 minutes.
Drive over 40 mph (64 kph) to begin active regeneration.
Begin driving and pay attention to both the engine and vehicle speed. Try to keep the engine speed around 2500 rpm. Active regeneration increases the temperature in the DPF to turn the particles into gas which can be expelled. These speeds are general guidelines.
How long does the regeneration take? The DPF regeneration cycle takes approximately an hour and a half (1 1/2 hours) to complete and can be completed as part of a routine service.
On average, it takes between thirty and sixty minutes to complete a forced regeneration. The substantial heat required for the regen renders the engine and aftertreatment system untouchable until it has time to cool down.
While your vehicle won't stop running the moment the light turns on, continuous driving can lead to more severe issues like decreased fuel efficiency, reduced performance, and in the worst case, engine damage. An illuminated DPF light will cause an MOT failure.
If the journey is too short or the vehicle does not have enough fuel the DPF regeneration process might not work. To allow the DPF to regularly regenerate it's advised the fuel tank is more than a quarter full, otherwise, the vehicle will opt to save fuel instead of redirecting it for DPF regeneration.
When the accumulating soot reaches about 45%, the DPF switches to active regeneration. The car forces higher exhaust temperatures, burning the soot in the process.
Regeneration. Some say driving at speeds of over 40mph for 10 minutes using at least 2500 RPM and sticking in 3rd/4th gear can turn off your DPF light from your dash.
If this happens, just carry on driving, keeping your engine speed above 2,000 revolutions per minute and shifting down if necessary. The filter-cleaning process will start - and we recommend you don't stop the journey or switch off the engine until it's finished.
This indicates the exhaust filter is full or something wrong with your diesel particulate filter. Performance of your Land Rover is likely to be reduced, loss of power, limp mode, failed regeneration and requires attention. It is best not to keep driving and call DPF Specialist for assistances.
Thermal regeneration of diesel particulate filters requires temperatures of around 600°C (Figure 1). Such exhaust temperatures are rarely encountered in practical applications of the diesel engine. Most heavy-duty diesel engines produce exhaust temperatures in the range of 300-450°C.
When properly installed and maintained, DPFs should remain effective for the life of the vehicle, generally five to ten years or 10,000 or more hours of operation. Engine problems with fuel control or oil consumption may quickly deteriorate the performance of a DPF.
DPF System
PM continues to accumulate and manual regeneration is required to ensure normal operation of DPF. By driving continuously (for example, at around 60 km/h. for 20 to 30 minutes. By avoiding short trips, or by driving continuously (leaving the engine running for long periods of time).
How Long Should A Diesel Particulate Filter Last? A DPF can last up to around 100,000 miles if maintained properly. After the car has exceeded that mileage, you could be looking at paying a large amount of money for a replacement – so always properly check MoT and service records when buying a used car.
The ash can't be removed – unless the DPF is removed from the vehicle and sent away for specialist cleaning – but a DPF in a car used correctly should be good for well over 100,000 miles.
Regeneration, or regen, of the DPF filter, is the process that burns the soot accumulation that is inside the DPF filter. If you can no longer start a regen then you will eventually get stuck in a derate which will then lead to an engine shut down.
How to clean a DPF while driving ? To properly clean the Diesel Particulate Filter while driving, you will need to ride. The highway represents an ideal ground for this exercise, but simple roads will do the business. Maintain an engine speed of at least 3,000 rpm.
The DPF regeneration process creates very high exhaust gas temperatures and the exhaust will radiate a considerable amount of heat during and after DPF regeneration, and after you have switched the engine off. This is a potential fire hazard.
When you take your car to a professional garage for a DPF clean, the whole process can take up to 2 hours to complete. An expert mechanic can put your DPF through a process called forced regeneration. During this process, a mechanic will be able to burn away the soot particles in your diesel particulate filter.