Bloomin Dpf Regeneration

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

In another topic on here a member has found a new dpf for a DV6TED4 engine for £170 on e-bay, so at that price the complete clogging of dpf's at, say 40 or 50k / 4 odd years mileage, isn't really a huge issue

They can also be cleaned to be 99% '' as new '' by specialist companies & no doubt there's a DIY cleaning fix too

[TomsFocus]

Ids does show soot loading.

Not accurately for the additive DPFs, it may do for the newer ones...well I'd kinda hope it does by now lol.

The estimated mileage is only done on the mileage you cover also, mine was replaced due to clogging despite having 20k miles to go apparently...it's not done on actual ash accumulation as far as I can tell.

It was £190 inc VAT for the aftermarket DPF, genuine one is 4 times that. But my £190 one started blocking and causing issues after just 3 months, another 6 months later I still get DPF faults every time I scan it and can feel it getting restrictive and regen'ing too often. The money would've been better spent on the removal remap in my case. I don't drive slowly either, my driving should be fine for a DPF, the additive type just weren't up to the job unfortunately. Newer ones, particularly from around 2010 on are much better at what they do as well as being less restrictive and longer lasting.

[james_60]

I know this is now not particularly a new subject on here but was the Catalytic convertor feared as much as the dpf, Owners could poison them by putting leaded petrol into the tanks

Jamie

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

No or few issues with a cat

[james_60]

I mean when they first came in, sorry my error in posting i should have been more detailed

1992 approx ?

You could poison a catalytic convertor by putting 4 star leaded fuel in,

now you can kill a dpf by driving too slowly or by doing too few miles :-(

Jamie

[MONDEO TXS 2.2]

As far as I can recall the only major issue with cats was user error with leaded fuel & that's not the cat's fault & the same is true of the dpf - most issues are attributable to user error or lack of info when buying the car & the newer cdpf's are nowhere near as bad as the early versions, however combined with the EGRV don't do diesels any favours :)

Cats were not a filter as the dpf is, & used chemical reaction to partially convert & neutralise some harmful emissions

Remember that diesel engined cars had cats too, before large scale introduction of the dpf in the U.K. in 2008 - although some vehicles had a dpf fitted earlier in order to make the engine in them euro 4 compliant

In short - no they weren't feared ! :)

[TomsFocus]

Cats are funny things really...they turn CO, a harmful gas, into CO2, another harmful gas... Yes ok CO2 isn't as bad but it still seems a but daft.

Just to prove how poor additive DPFs are, these are the faults I've been getting from about 3 months after replacing mine, doing over 1000 miles a month and using the proper oil and regular services -

[ajmitch51]

Had a 'claimed' new dpf fitted to my 2010 Focus 1.6 TDCI by Halfords after breaking down with the turbo going nuts. oil had got into the works including the DPF, everything had to be cleaned out and a new dpf fitted. I was advised to take it out and give it a long run of about 20 mins keeping the revs between 2500 and 3000 - on the motorway doing 48mph at just under 3000rpm in 3rd. Actual journey was half an hour out and half an hour back again. The engine warning light is still showing. Is this normal procedure after fitting a new dpf, as opposed to the once every couple of months regen procedure? Why should a new dpf need a regen? Replacement dpf listed on bill as £1,250.80, is this really how much they cost now? I've not seen prices anything like that in this thread.

[TomsFocus]

Umm, no, a new DPF should NOT be regen'd!!

It'd be like buying a new kettle and boiling it dry for half an hour... Will overheat and melt/break stuff.

You do need to give them a constant drive to bed them in, they need consistent heat to seal the cores to the metal can and burn off any excess from the manufacture, but you could've done that for 20 minutes at 30, it's not supposed to be mimicking a regen.

Your DPF is the newer coated version, the prices in this thread are for the aftermarket older additive version. It sounds like they have bought a genuine DPF from Ford (roughly £800 for additive version, maybe more for yours) and put a heavy mark up on top, any car garage will put a markup on parts.

Regens should be roughly every 500 miles btw, not every couple of months unless you're doing very low mileage - in which case you'd have been better off buying a petrol.

As for the engine light, it might be unrelated. Or it might be that they weren't able to reset the DPF through the ECU with their diagnostics.

[ajmitch51]

Thanks for that Tom. You've confirmed my own thoughts. I would have been far better off having the car taken to the Ford dealer in the first place. I contacted them on Saturday and they told me that the cost to me of the DPF that they would fit would be approx £675, plus about £80 for labour. They said that they do new for old - a new new unit is fitted and the old one sent back through the system. Plus, Ford would have done the correct ECU/DPF reset before handing the car back to the customer.

The car is back with Halfords at the moment as they did say that they would put it on the computer to reset the thing if the driving didn't achieve it - at no extra cost to me.

A hard lesson learned here.

[TomsFocus]

Yeah I must admit, I wouldn't mind using Halfords for simple things like tyres or MOT (that said, the local one have messed up simple things 3 times in a row for me so won't be going back there!) but I wouldn't use any chain for something more complex like a turbo and DPF change personally. Would be main dealer or a known specialist for me - but I'm tight so tend to do things myself rather than pay someone else where possible.

If Halfords did buy the DPF from Ford, they will still get the exchange as all genuine DPFs and cats are sold like that so I can't understand the price there myself, that's like a 40% mark up!! I'm impressed with Fords labour quote though, £80 isn't bad for that, having changed one myself.

As you say though lesson learnt, hope it works out for you eventually, even if you have to find another garage to sort the engine light.

[ajmitch51]

Halfords did say that if driving it at constant speed as they suggested didn't work, then I could take the car back and they would get it on the computer and get it sorted out properly. So, Saturday morning I took it back to them and left it with them to sort out.

I phoned them about 4.15 this afternoon for an update as to what was happening......

They said that they have it booked into the local Ford dealership for tomorrow (Tuesday) to get the ECU remapped.

[TomsFocus]

Remapped for free!? That'd be nice lol, I think they/you mean reset. :D

[Retired66]

I purchased my 09 plate 2 litre back in June, circa 48k on the clock. Within a couple of hours the engine management light came on so back to the dealer. Told me a couple of days for the part to arrive, eventually called to say it was ready and that the DPF had been changed. Reading these posts with interest, don't do a high weekly mileage but every Saturday SWMBO and good self always have a day out which usually requires around a good hour of swift-ish driving. Keeping fingers crossed then!