To make sure that the regeneration takes place, most manufacturers suggest that every few hundred miles, the car is driven for a period of more than 15 minutes at a consistent speed of more than 40mph. Doing this should kick-start regeneration and clear the filter.
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. However, not all drivers do this type of driving regularly – which is why manufacturers have designed an alternative form of regeneration.
The filter regeneration is automatically triggered by the engine control unit after a driving distance between 300 and 1000 km.
You should take your car on a run to allow the regeneration process to take place. Most engine management systems will actively regenerate the DPF when the car is driven at speeds above 40mph for around 10 to 15 minutes.
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.
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 Often Does DPF Regeneration Occur? Active regeneration happens roughly every 300 miles and is triggered by your car's electronic control unit (ECU) once your soot level is approaching 40 to 45%. Passive regeneration should occur when you take your car on longer journeys at higher speeds.
To make sure that the regeneration takes place, most manufacturers suggest that every few hundred miles, the car is driven for a period of more than 15 minutes at a consistent speed of more than 40mph. Doing this should kick-start regeneration and clear 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.
Your DPF regenerates because of excessive exhaust soot overwhelming the DPF. Exhaust soot is the product of incomplete combustion, the soot is actually partially burned fuel. Soot creates back pressure and the regeneration is triggered and your headaches begin.
Technically yes, but we would not recommend it. If you ignore the DPF light and continue driving, the build-up of soot will soon reach a point whereby your car has to enter 'limp-home' mode in order to prevent any damage to the engine.
How long does a parked DPF regen take? It takes approximately 20-60+ minutes. It will continue to regen until the soot level has reached 'low' or '0%. ' Some trucks will let you monitor your soot level gauge on the dashboard.
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.
Active DPF regenerations need to burn extra fuel to achieve the high exhaust temperature for soot oxidation, which results in the increased fuel consumption rates.
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.
If your forced DPF regen lasts closer to an hour or continues beyond that, it likely suggests that your exhaust temperatures are not building up high enough to successfully burn off the soot collected in the DPF and that the truck is still trying to bring down those soot levels.
Most DPFs will automatically clear as they're used but on rare occasions, in specific circumstances, they may get blocked and require manual cleaning. In normal use, a DPF cleans or regenerates itself by reaching a sufficient temperature to burn off the excess soot.
The vehicle needs to run at operating temperature during the regeneration, so highway driving is best. Just drive as you normally would. During active regeneration, the exhaust outlet temperature is extremely high. So watch your location if regeneration is about to begin.
If your car has an automatic transmission, shift your gears in a manual mode by moving the gear shift gently. No need to use the speed limiter, it is with no seeming value added. Ride like this for a minimum of 30 minutes. This will initiate a regeneration cycle, and your DPF will be cleaned.
The DPF needs to be cleaned regularly, through a process called regeneration, either active, passive or forced regeneration, the accumulated soot is burnt off at high temperature (around 600°c) to leave only a residue of ash, effectively renewing or regenerating the filter, ready to take on more pollution from the ...
REDUCE IDLING
Even at low engine speeds particulates are emitted by your engine, so keeping your engine ticking over when you're parked or not moving can clog your filter quicker, because DPF regeneration cannot occur at idle.