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.
An active regen cycle is a normal process that takes place as the truck is going down the road. A computer sensor monitors the DPF and a dashboard indicator light notifies the driver that the regen is taking place, or the DPF is now cleaning. “You'll notice a reduction in power during a regen,” notes Nace.
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.
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.
Monitor the Exhaust temperature and RPM. When the idle comes back down it means that the regen has finished. If the regen starts and stops then you may have a problem that prevents the regen from taking place.
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.
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.
Blocked DPFs wreak havoc with the delicate balance of your engine by preventing the normal venting of gases, which causes a variety of engine issues, as described above. In addition to reduced power and fuel efficiency, a blocked filter may eventually cause a dangerous mechanical malfunction and break your engine.
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.
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.
In a Diesel engine with a Diesel particulate filter (DPF) system, high-sulfur fuel causes white smoke containing odorous and harmful pollutants during DPF regeneration.
A forced regen occurs when soot builds up inside the diesel particulate filter (DPF) to the point that the vehicle is no longer operable. When this happens, a driver has to pull over and initiate a self-cleaning process that can take up to 40 minutes — valuable time that could have been spent on the road.
The fuel mileage can drop as much as 3 to 4 miles per gallon during regeneration.
Depending on your driving, active regeneration may happen as often as once a day. If you do a lot of stop and go, it can happen even more often. Frequency depends on duty cycle and how much soot collects – as often as once a day or every other day An active regeneration could take up to one-half hour or more.
Engine Low on power. Engine cannot rev to high RPMS. Black smoke from exhaust upon acceleration. Odour of diesel fuel into the cabin.
A blocked DPF or obstructed exhaust will force your engine to work harder to expel exhaust gases, reducing available power and increasing fuel consumption.
One final consideration, it takes time for a DPF to block, sometimes years. Once blocked though, turbo failure can occur very quickly.
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.
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).
Pour in 250 ml of Diesel DPF ReGen Plus for every 50 litres of fuel.
A typical regeneration cycle will take about an hour and a half to complete. During this time, the unwanted dissolved minerals will be removed from your water. The backwashing process to remove sediment lasts about 10 minutes before the next step in regeneration begins.