Egr / Dpf

[DJ_Andy_M]

Following on from my previous thread relating to my turbo not working, I've had the car go into limp mode several times now.

I've done the whole drive at 2500rpm for 20 minutes shenanigans and it has helped until last night when I get out onto the motorway, and all of a sudden my car just stalls (this happened twice last night) thus forcing me to the hard shoulder.

Just had my codes read for a second time and these were listed:

P0087 - Fuel Rail/System Pressure too low

P042F - Undocumented (Google suggests EGR Valve Stuck Closed)

P0490 - EGR Control Circuit

P1412 - EGR Valve Frozen

P2458 - DPF Regeneration Duration

P2459 - DPF Regeneration Frequency (This one wasn't present until the rest were cleared, and it won't clear at all. Car in limp mode as a result)

My mechanic reckons it could be all related to the EGR being full of junk, and is going to give that a clean (which could make a lot of sense, been driving a lot in the last couple of months, and had a fight a couple of times with a gritter!)

Any other suggestions I can recommend to him?

Also, what is the life expectancy of the DPF? I've done 64,000 miles.

[Mike77]

Life expectancy depends on driving history, weather its been on short runs a lot etc etc, but it should be due a replacement by now really. Read somewhere between 65 and 70k miles.

[martyntdci]

get it removed, more trouble than its worth........ blank your egr valve off also.....

i know cars with dpf need to be driven hard, and are no good for round town driving....... my dad citroen can up with a dpf warning on dash, its a 12 plate, not cover 1k..... took it down our local motor way 3rd gear 70 for 1 junction, turn round came back the same agin. warning light goes off. has regenerated..... my dad knows nothing about these as he's 66

[DJ_Andy_M]

I don't get any warning lights or anything on the dash. Its only had one previous owner to me and that was as a lease car that was leased to Network Rail.

I have done almost 20,000 miles since owning the car (started on 47,000, now on 64,000), of which most trips were long distance/motorway miles. I drive to Guildford every Friday night from Fareham for example, and to Portsmouth every Thursday and Saturday.

My car was recently serviced by my mechanic, however my car doesn't notify me on the dash board that it needs servicing, and he did not perform any resets on the ECU when he did the service.

[martyntdci]

when it comes to servicing it just common sence...... i just do it more than the book says. like every 4-5k. book says 12k. i reset the service light on a 206 yesterday, a garage would charge about 20 quid, and claim they had to do this n that.... all i did was hold the trip reset in for 15 seconds, turn on ignition and was reset..... came up on screen next service 12k..... nope within the next 1,5k or so....

[DJ_Andy_M]

when it comes to servicing it just common sence...... i just do it more than the book says. like every 4-5k. book says 12k. i reset the service light on a 206 yesterday, a garage would charge about 20 quid, and claim they had to do this n that.... all i did was hold the trip reset in for 15 seconds, turn on ignition and was reset..... came up on screen next service 12k..... nope within the next 1,5k or so....

Some of us aren't made of money unfortunately, so 12K is perfectly fine.

As regards service lights and messages, I don't have one on my focus! Its MK2.5 Zetec 1.6 TDCi DPF!

[martyntdci]

Some of us aren't made of money unfortunately, so 12K is perfectly fine

engine etc.... will benifit from more regular service, and only cost like 40 for a service.....

sounds like your dpf could be blocked? have a read of this http://www.epa.gov/cleandiesel/documents/420f10027.pdf

[FOCA]

get it removed, more trouble than its worth........ blank your egr valve off also.....

Agreed! - there are 3 good types of EGR valves ,

1 - a disabled one 2 a blanked one 3 one that has beem completely removed/ deleted

Best with a solid (no holes to let gases through - those are no use) stainless steel blanking plate, about a fiver online

A good "italian tune up" helps clean out a DPF - warm it up then drive it hard, redline it through every gear - if you do this frequently your engine will run better - Access to your own race track or autobann helps, if you get pulled on UK roads you could just say FOCA from ford owners club said it was nessesary/ ok (just kidding!)

"cruising" on the motorway is not enough - a twisty back road is probably better (driven hard of course)

Better still, ditch the DPF

[nigwith]

QUOTE

"i know cars with dpf need to be driven hard, and are no good for round town driving....... my dad citroen can up with a dpf warning on dash, its a 12 plate, not cover 1k..... took it down our local motor way 3rd gear 70 for 1 junction, turn round came back the same agin. warning light goes off. has regenerated..... my dad knows nothing about these as he's 66"

Oi Martyntdci - steady on mate! Just cos your Dad is in his mid-60's, it doesn't necessarily follow that he knows nothing about car mechanics! I'm of a similar age and like to think that I've got a pretty good grip on what's going on under the bonnet!

[martyntdci]

since when is a dpf car mechanics? a spanner knows how to do brakes, head gasket, coolant changes etc...... he doesnt know about dpf's as his last car never had one..... he doesnt read the manual, just gets in and drives it, either me or garage sort out problems that occour..... same as he rang me last year, to come and chuck him a tyre on as he had a punchure, from all the work he's done in the past his body is totally fooked...... i know your sticking up for the older folk but trust me, when he was in his hay day he was very knowledgable and has show me some of what i know today.......

[nigwith]

I entirely appreciate what you are saying martyn tdci, I expect he'd be very at home and comfortable with my old Ford Consul Mk1 as shown to the left here, complete with valve radio.

Call me over-sensitive if you like but I get rather pigged off with the almost natural assumption in this country that if you somehow manage to reach an er, advanced age, (eg survived the 60's with brain vaguely in tact) you 'know nothing'!

[martyntdci]

my mum has just recently came out of hospital after her body filling up with fluid, due to liver beeing fooked. anyway doesed up on morphine and what ever else they were pumping in her, she was very level headed. we went visit her in hospital in a general convo she was coming out with words ive not heard before... i had to get google out on my phone..... my mum is really old school and was bought up as a catholic reading/speaking latin... my dad on the other hand is 68 in feb (i was wrong)..... left school at 12 and started work, was known as the local strong man......

tbh yeah i do think ur over sensitive, it only from the older folk what we learn today....... id do anything to be bought up in my mum/dads era, and to be classed as a man. us my age (30) aint got a clue, had it too easy (well i have) so to speak....... and the majority of people i went school with, are either on the dole or drugs... yet again non of this (very very litttle) was around back then...... oh and you also knew the value of money un like today..... (i can go on and on lol)

[nigwith]

Hey martintdci, I'm really sorry to hear about your Mum; I know exactly where you're coming from as precisely the same thing happened to my Mum, born in 1916, last year.

Unlike a lot of my generation, I do NOT regard the younger people of today as largely being idle layabouts; I am fortunate enough to have two terrific sons, now in their 30's who are thoughtful and respectful and to be honest, that's the way you come across as well! I know from personal experience that it's sometimes tricky to 'do the right thing' when your under pressure from your mates to do otherwise! My Dad used to say that that the best way to learn a lesson was the hard way - there's nothing like your own past experiences to make the best of your future!

[DJ_Andy_M]

Just an update for you guys on this one.

Car went in for MOT about a month ago now....

Got the car back, got to the end of the road, she stalled, and then didn't start again.

2 weeks later, and £509 lighter, the car now runs and what was the problem? The EGR valve, and I have been told you can't remove them permanently apparently.