Driving with a low fuel tank. Regeneration will not take place with less than a 1⁄4 of a tank of fuel.
The fuel mileage can drop as much as 3 to 4 miles per gallon during regeneration.
Pour in 250 ml of Diesel DPF ReGen Plus for every 50 litres of fuel.
During active regeneration, fuel is introduced which can raise temperatures in the exhaust stream to help regeneration. This can take 20-60 minutes and may consume ½ gallon of fuel.
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.
In these cases, a forced regen is required and a driver has to pull over and wait while the DPF completes a more rigorous self-cleaning process. Failure to perform a forced regen when notified by your vehicle's indicator system can cause severe engine damage.
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.
Step-by-step instructions are included with the EEC DPF diagnostic tool, but in basic terms, to carry out a forced DPF regeneration you need to: a) Ensure the vehicle is parked outside in park/neutral, the hand brake is on, engine warm, with at least a quarter tank of fuel, and check there are no fault codes stored.
An automatic regen does not require any action by the driver, other than making sure the truck stays ON. It is safe to continue driving as normal. A regeneration cycle typically takes between 10 and 30 minutes to complete.
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.
Driving for over 10 minutes at speeds in excess of 40mph will often be sufficient to clear the blockage and regenerate the DPF.
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.
DPF additive problems
The additives work by promoting higher temperatures within the DPF. This makes it easier for the soot to burn. However, the supplied instructions tend to state that the additive should be added to a full tank of fuel.
DPF BENEFITS
Better fuel economy: Fuel economy is a big winner after deleting the DPF. Not only will a vehicle conserve the fuel that is utilized by the filter for regenerative purposes, but a cleaner running engine is also an engine that runs more efficiently.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Things to consider about Diesel Particulate Filters
It is illegal to drive a diesel vehicle without a DPF or remove the DPF from your car. Driving with a malfunctioning DPF filter may damage your car engine.
Active regeneration takes around 5 to 10 minutes to complete, and normally happens every 300 miles or so depending on how you drive and how often you use your car.
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.
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.