Engine malfunction message

[Tdci-Peter]

6 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

As it all seems okay now but i dont want anything happening again in a few days time my main worry is the filter im hoping its fine and the car just made the assumption that it was full and the regen sorted it.

I am hoping the problem is a bit of soot build up due to running out of Eolys, that will clear over a few regens as the Eolys gets through. The purpose of this fluid is to lower the ignition point of the soot in the filter, so it can burn off at the temperatures attainable on the car.

Perhaps the P242F DTC was because the new fluid had not got through into the tank, before it did an active regen, which consequently did not work.

Your DPs sound a bit high. If it is soot loading, they may get better. If it is ash (ie any non-burnable stuff n the exhaust), then they will not.

Two parameters to check on a regular basis (ok to do it while stopped), are DIS_ASHFUL (or similar, for distance to ash full), and DIST_REGEN (or similar, distance from last regen cycle). This will inform you of when the car does an active regen, and what it thought of the results.

Note that high DPs could also be the result of leaking hoses between the DPF & the DP sensor. It is always worth checking these.

 

[TomsFocus]

1 minute ago, Tdci-Peter said:

Perhaps the P242F DTC was because the new fluid had not got through into the tank, before it did an active regen, which consequently did not work.

Your DPs sound a bit high. If it is soot loading, they may get better. If it is ash (ie any non-burnable stuff n the exhaust), then they will not.

 

After filling the tank, he should've primed the system with Forscan so that shouldn't be the issue hopefully.

20kPa is indicating a significant blockage to me though unfortunately.   Definitely check the sensor and pipes, but be prepared to replace, or clean the DPF within the next year or so.

[Vinnybhamra]

22 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

After filling the tank, he should've primed the system with Forscan so that shouldn't be the issue hopefully.

20kPa is indicating a significant blockage to me though unfortunately.   Definitely check the sensor and pipes, but be prepared to replace, or clean the DPF within the next year or so.

I thought it was quite high, admittedly this was the highest it got to it usually stayed between 12-15 but at some point it did hit 20 but i may have been going a bit fast. unfortunately i hadnt planned on taking this run so my laptop wasnt fully charged and i had to end the live data and save it before it shut off but i recorded the full journey on the motorway. I will try to have a look at the readings regularly and see if i notice any change. i went through the procedure of refilling the fuel additive tank with forscan if that is what primes the system. how difficult and time consuming is cleaning the pipes? also is there a specific cleaner to use that is safe and is there anything i need to be careful of? my best guess is that the filter is getting blocked up as i think the owner before me didn't do many long journeys judging by the low mileage in the time periods between MOT and services etc

[TomsFocus]

Yes that's the priming procedure so all good there.

12-15kPa is still too high for motorway cruising tbh, it's the load on the engine rather than the road speed that causes more pressure in the DPF.

The pressure pipes are the rubber ones between the DPF can and pressure sensor by the battery.  The best method to clean them would be to remove them and blow air through with an air compressor or even air duster.  I used a can of carb cleaner to blow mine through as that's all I had to hand at the time.  Be aware that the pipes are probably perished and may split on removal if not already split.

When I bought my car (same as yours) it'd been owned by an elderly lady who had only driven it 2-3k miles a year for a few years...needless to say the DPF was blocked when I bought it but I didn't know much about DPFs back then.  

[Vinnybhamra]

1 minute ago, TomsFocus said:

Yes that's the priming procedure so all good there.

12-15kPa is still too high for motorway cruising tbh, it's the load on the engine rather than the road speed that causes more pressure in the DPF.

The pressure pipes are the rubber ones between the DPF can and pressure sensor by the battery.  The best method to clean them would be to remove them and blow air through with an air compressor or even air duster.  I used a can of carb cleaner to blow mine through as that's all I had to hand at the time.  Be aware that the pipes are probably perished and may split on removal if not already split.

When I bought my car (same as yours) it'd been owned by an elderly lady who had only driven it 2-3k miles a year for a few years...needless to say the DPF was blocked when I bought it but I didn't know much about DPFs back then.  

I think thats the case with mine, also an elderly person doing about 6k a year since new. i think I've done 4k so far and only had the car for a couple months but perhaps its too late. I will try have a look at the pipes tonight but i wont remove any just incase they do split as i dont have the funds to replace them if they do I wish i knew this before i bought the car i had seen they were common problems but just thought nothing of it at the time as i dont do a lot of short journeys. 

[mrmetallica]

On 06/09/2016 at 0:40 AM, Vinnybhamra said:

Hi everyone,

Was looking for some help with an issue ive been having with my 2008 focus 1.6 tdci, this morning i had went to go fill up with fuel and as soon as i did i started the engine and got a "engine malfunction" message on the trip computer bit of the dashboard. I double checked and i definitely put the correct fuel in. I moved my car to the main car park and started looking round. Under the bonnet all seemed to be looking and soudning fine and all fluids were how they should be. I tried self diagnostic using the test menu  and there were no codes found. At this point i rang my breakdown company cause i wasnt sure if driving was okay or not and he came and had a look and he removed my direct line drive plus box to plug in his diagnsotic machine and when he did so the error didnt come up. So i took it for a test run without the OBD black box and it was fine... I rang my insurance to claim that the device may be causing issues with my vehicle so they acceptet it to be unplugged for a while. Two hours later after about driving 4 miles and leaving the car for some time i came back to it and the warning came on again. This warning shows no lights on dashboard and no error codes on the ecu but every time i start the engine i now get a audible warning and a message on the trip computer with a warning triangle and engine malfunction written underneath. I called my breakdown again and they came out and had another look and the guy just said that everything seems to be fine and to take it to ford which i was hoping i wouldnt have to do. I saw online that it could be the dpf as my car is on 60k but i do a lot of motorway mileage and i drove 160 miles on the motorway home with clear traffic the whole way and had a little while with higher revs than normal too but the error is still coming up. Anyone have any ideas what this could be? All help greatly appreciated, thanks

i had a night mare with this .when i was doing heated seats i remember i hadn't connected the passenger connectors properly and it came up with this message .

well when i started getting it for no reason going into limp mode i immediately thought it was the connector in foot well .

so i took each wire out and connected the together and all seamed ok .ive had a few warnings but pushed the wires into each other and every thing has been ok since . have a look in the passenger foot well behind the plastic trim and make sure they are connected properly. im still trying to get new connectors from breakers . hth

[mrmetallica]

when i said passenger connector i meant the one behind the passenger foot well not the seat plug

[Vinnybhamra]

Yes that's the priming procedure so all good there.

12-15kPa is still too high for motorway cruising tbh, it's the load on the engine rather than the road speed that causes more pressure in the DPF.

The pressure pipes are the rubber ones between the DPF can and pressure sensor by the battery.  The best method to clean them would be to remove them and blow air through with an air compressor or even air duster.  I used a can of carb cleaner to blow mine through as that's all I had to hand at the time.  Be aware that the pipes are probably perished and may split on removal if not already split.

When I bought my car (same as yours) it'd been owned by an elderly lady who had only driven it 2-3k miles a year for a few years...needless to say the DPF was blocked when I bought it but I didn't know much about DPFs back then.  

Ive had a visual inspection of the pipes and hoses around the DPF and cant see any thing alarming just took the car on another motorway blast and i recorded the whole journey and it seemed to go quite well one thing i am unsure about is on average how far would you normally travel before the dpf would regen, or can this just be anytime because my first regen happened at 19km i also noticed the pressure load on the engine from the dpf has gone down slightly not sure why but today when i measured my at around 70mph it stayed inbetween 7-9kPa when i was going a bit faster however and reached around 3k-3.5k rpm it did go to around 12-15kPa like before. On the journey back it was around 40km until the next regen. Ive noticed that the DIS_ASHFULL has also gone up 100k since i first tested 2 days ago not sure how accurate that is though

[TomsFocus]

Regens can happen at any time really, there are a few conditions that need to be met (engine up to temperature, enough fuel in the tank etc) and also certain triggers like the differential pressure as you know. 

Did you reset the DPF learned values in FORScan after changing the DPF?  It sounds like your ECU is just getting used to the new DPF at the moment.  Regens should only happen about once a week, but may be more often while it's learning.

Is that 15kPa on the new DPF?  Still sounds quite high, I don't remember seeing more than about 6 or 7kPa on mine when I replaced it but it was a while ago so I may be wrong.

I wouldn't take the ashful thing too seriously, I don't see how it could be at all accurate tbh.

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Did you reset the DPF learned values in FORScan after changing the DPF? 

Hang on a sec. I don't think Vinny has changed the DPF here. Isn't it just that the Eolys had run out, and been re-filled? If it is just soot, rather than ash, then it might take a few cycles to clear it. Hope so anyway.

 

10 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

the DIS_ASHFULL has also gone up 100k since i first tested 2 days ago

Like Tom says, that DIS_ASHFUL seems to dodge about wildly. The important thing it does indicate is that the car seems happy with the DPF at the moment. Let's just hope it stays that way.

[TomsFocus]

Oh, there's 2 similar DPF threads going on! 

It was the guy from Norway that changed the DPF.  Just ignore me.  

[Vinnybhamra]

Did you reset the DPF learned values in FORScan after changing the DPF? 

Hang on a sec. I don't think Vinny has changed the DPF here. Isn't it just that the Eolys had run out, and been re-filled? If it is just soot, rather than ash, then it might take a few cycles to clear it. Hope so anyway.

 

the DIS_ASHFULL has also gone up 100k since i first tested 2 days ago

Like Tom says, that DIS_ASHFUL seems to dodge about wildly. The important thing it does indicate is that the car seems happy with the DPF at the moment. Let's just hope it stays that way.

Yeah im hoping so too, but thats correct its just the eolys being re-filled so i hadnt reset the dpf learned values. Forgot to mention i am still getting an error code P2458 ive tried clearing but this still comes back although i have no message or lights on dashboard according to the diagnostic it did regenerate last night is this likely to be an issue?

[Tdci-Peter]

57 minutes ago, Vinnybhamra said:

i am still getting an error code P2458 ive tried clearing but this still comes back

This means the regeneration is not completing properly according to the car's needs.

When you clear it, how long does it take to come back? Is it after the next regen?

I think the reasons for this code are either the exhaust temperature does not get high enough, or the DP is staying too high during or after the regen. If you have done so yet, locate & monitor the exhaust gas temperature(s). I think the PIDs are called EGT. May be two, or one.  100C is the lowest reading it gives. 200C to 300C is normal driving. I forget the regen temperature, I think it is 550C, or was it 650C ? Tom would know, or it will be in another thread somewhere.

You could try a can of DPF cleaner in the tank. Some of these claim to assist the Eolys in burning soot. I have not heard of them being much help, but you never know. The car is fairly low mileage, and the internal DIS_ASHFUL is high, so I am hoping it is not clogged with unburnable ash. But something is still a bit wrong.

A good step would be to get Forscan to monitor an active regen, but this would not be easy, as you never know when they will happen! I do not advise resetting learned values at this stage, it can make matters worse unless the DPF has been changed, or some major fault has been fixed.

BTW: Ignore Tom's request to Ignore him! 99% of his advice is good. I had to scan back through the thread to check the story. And I often make errors, or overlook the obvious!

[Vinnybhamra]

i am still getting an error code P2458 ive tried clearing but this still comes back

This means the regeneration is not completing properly according to the car's needs.

When you clear it, how long does it take to come back? Is it after the next regen?

I think the reasons for this code are either the exhaust temperature does not get high enough, or the DP is staying too high during or after the regen. If you have done so yet, locate & monitor the exhaust gas temperature(s). I think the PIDs are called EGT. May be two, or one.  100C is the lowest reading it gives. 200C to 300C is normal driving. I forget the regen temperature, I think it is 550C, or was it 650C ? Tom would know, or it will be in another thread somewhere.

You could try a can of DPF cleaner in the tank. Some of these claim to assist the Eolys in burning soot. I have not heard of them being much help, but you never know. The car is fairly low mileage, and the internal DIS_ASHFUL is high, so I am hoping it is not clogged with unburnable ash. But something is still a bit wrong.

A good step would be to get Forscan to monitor an active regen, but this would not be easy, as you never know when they will happen! I do not advise resetting learned values at this stage, it can make matters worse unless the DPF has been changed, or some major fault has been fixed.

BTW: Ignore Tom's request to Ignore him! 99% of his advice is good. I had to scan back through the thread to check the story. And I often make errors, or overlook the obvious!

Its after a drive that ive noticed it, how long however im not too sure. I havent yet monitored the EGT so i shall do that next. If the cleaners won't do any worse then i might as well give it a go i had seen these but didnt know how affective they were or if it would make matters worse. 😂 thanks mate will keep this updated with anything else i get

[Tdci-Peter]

3 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

If the cleaners won't do any worse then i might as well give it a go i had seen these but didnt know how affective they were or if it would make matters worse

Wynns DPF cleaner is claimed to "assist" the normal re-generation process. By some accounts, it just contains the same stuff as is in the Eolys tank (Cerium Oxide). So just gives an extra dose. It won't do any harm, but rarely helps.

The cleaner would help if: Your Eolys additive was not getting through, or not correct, for some reason; or if the DPF was not quite getting a high enough temperature, and the extra dose just gave it a helping hand.

So if it did work, it would suggest one of those problems. But check that the EGT sensor(s) is ok first. If that was fauly, it could cause the P2458 DTC.

[Vinnybhamra]

If the cleaners won't do any worse then i might as well give it a go i had seen these but didnt know how affective they were or if it would make matters worse

Wynns DPF cleaner is claimed to "assist" the normal re-generation process. By some accounts, it just contains the same stuff as is in the Eolys tank (Cerium Oxide). So just gives an extra dose. It won't do any harm, but rarely helps.

The cleaner would help if: Your Eolys additive was not getting through, or not correct, for some reason; or if the DPF was not quite getting a high enough temperature, and the extra dose just gave it a helping hand.

So if it did work, it would suggest one of those problems. But check that the EGT sensor(s) is ok first. If that was fauly, it could cause the P2458 DTC.

Looks like ive got another problem now these just dont seem to end. I plugged my laptop in for a quick check of my DPF levels and came across P0299 turbo underboost code but there was no problems with the turbo as i could tell and no obvious signs. Although come today ive now noticed that it is making a high pitched whistle noise like a police siren when i accelerate not sure if this is the turbo but it sounds like something similar. I also noticed that the turbo still seemed to function normally. I really dont want to have to replace the turbo, ive had a visual inspection of the hoses when i had the DPF problem but not recently, any idea what my best options are? I can take it to a garage for a mechanic to have a look which isn't a problem but wanted to get a better idea of possible causes so i dont get ripped off.

[Tdci-Peter]

5 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

plugged my laptop in for a quick check of my DPF levels and came across P0299 turbo underboost code

I guess the EML (MIL) was not on, and this was a single, possibly pending, DTC. Such errors can occur sometimes without real cause. Only if it keeps re-appearing should there be cause for concern.

It is just possible that high backpressure from the DPF is causing the turbo to underperform a bit. More likely causes are leaks in the pipes & hoses from turbo to intercooler, in the intercooler, or pipes & hoses up to the inlet manifold. These leaks might also cause a whistling noise.

Then comes MAP sensor & Turbo actuator. The turbo itself is less likely to be the problem, unless engine oil level is dropping, or there is a lot of oil in the turbo outlet pipes. (A bit of oil here is normal, though.)

 

[Vinnybhamra]

plugged my laptop in for a quick check of my DPF levels and came across P0299 turbo underboost code

I guess the EML (MIL) was not on, and this was a single, possibly pending, DTC. Such errors can occur sometimes without real cause. Only if it keeps re-appearing should there be cause for concern.

It is just possible that high backpressure from the DPF is causing the turbo to underperform a bit. More likely causes are leaks in the pipes & hoses from turbo to intercooler, in the intercooler, or pipes & hoses up to the inlet manifold. These leaks might also cause a whistling noise.

Then comes MAP sensor & Turbo actuator. The turbo itself is less likely to be the problem, unless engine oil level is dropping, or there is a lot of oil in the turbo outlet pipes. (A bit of oil here is normal, though.)

 

Sorry! Forgot to mention that there was no MIL thats what confused me about the DTC. i think ill try have a look at the pipes and hoses again and see if i can see anything, if not ill ask a friend at a garage to see if he can spot anything and then hopefully it won't cost a bomb to fix! Cheers for you help

[Vinnybhamra]

Also ive checked the oil levels and they seem to be fine and it was last changed about 4000 miles ago

[Vinnybhamra]

Seem to be having more and more problems now and im starting to think that it might be the DPF had the car looked at and they didnt notice much of the whistling but it has quietened down a lot by that point and at the moment its not noticeable. I also noticed the turbo underboost code hasnt come back since it was last cleared. The only problem im having now is the dpf wont regenerate automatically, either that or the journeys im doing isnt enough but ive done plenty of long journeys. I had the issue where it put itself in Limp mode and then i gave it a manual regen and its just happened again a couple weeks later, forscan shows the last regen as 102km which must have been on sunday which would make sense and i have done 3 short journeys since but ive also done long ones inbetween so i really dont know what to do... Im getting the ash accumulation code again so my only guess is the DPF is full or close to be.. My fuel economy has dropped by a lot too.. I really don't know what to do and dont have the money for a new dpf this close to the end of the year

[Tdci-Peter]

16 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

Im getting the ash accumulation code again so my only guess is the DPF is full or close to be.. My fuel economy has dropped by a lot too..

If that P242F code keeps coming back, then it does look like the DPF is blocked. I take it the forced (Forscan) regens are completing ok without errors?

If you can not afford the £700 to £900 for a proper DPF, there are a few shorter term options:

Take the DPF off, and reverse flush it with water. Several people have done this with some success, and it does remove a lot of ash. But I have no info as to how long it lasts after.

Buy a cheap one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Focus-Volvo-C30-S40-V50Exhaust-Diesel-Particulate-Filter-DPF-Cat-Combined-/201678541750

(I think I have the car data correct).

It may be a bit of a false economy in the longer run, reports suggest these ones only last a year or so. They are probably mostly used by people wanting to sell a car! But if it gets you out of trouble, it may be worth looking at.

Get it professionally cleaned. This can be expensive, and I have heard conflicting reports of its success.

Disabling the DPF (DPF delete) is not a very cheap or easy option. And can lead to further problems. But it has been done. It is not really legal, so I do not recommend it.

For examples of the water wash:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/83885-2006-focus-16-tdci-weird-idle-hesitation-moment/?page=2#comment-605011

And: http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=247

 

 

[Vinnybhamra]

Im getting the ash accumulation code again so my only guess is the DPF is full or close to be.. My fuel economy has dropped by a lot too..

If that P242F code keeps coming back, then it does look like the DPF is blocked. I take it the forced (Forscan) regens are completing ok without errors?

If you can not afford the £700 to £900 for a proper DPF, there are a few shorter term options:

Take the DPF off, and reverse flush it with water. Several people have done this with some success, and it does remove a lot of ash. But I have no info as to how long it lasts after.

Buy a cheap one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Focus-Volvo-C30-S40-V50Exhaust-Diesel-Particulate-Filter-DPF-Cat-Combined-/201678541750

(I think I have the car data correct).

It may be a bit of a false economy in the longer run, reports suggest these ones only last a year or so. They are probably mostly used by people wanting to sell a car! But if it gets you out of trouble, it may be worth looking at.

Get is professionally cleaned. This can be expensive, and I have heard conflicting reports of it success.

Disabling the DPF (DPF delete) is not a very cheap or easy option. And can lead to further problems. But it has been done. It is not really legal, so I do not recommend it.

For examples of the water wash:

http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/83885-2006-focus-16-tdci-weird-idle-hesitation-moment/?page=2#comment-605011

And: http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=247

 

 

Cheers for that info, i have a general regen problem thats recurrent but this doesnt flash up any messages but this is the second time the ash accumulation one has come up which is weird because the distance till ash full is still over 30k but im guessing this is guessed by the engine pressure... The forscan regens work absolutely fine and gets rid of the code, and the problems it lasted a couple months before but this time only two weeks... I want to go for the proper dpf change etc but i really havent got the cash atm its just a shame it isnt a couple months down the line when i would be a bit better off. I guess the cheap ones do look like a temporary option my only issue with it is if it doesnt last long im going to be in the same position again. Any idea why my dpf regens fine on forscan but rarely by passive regen?

[Tdci-Peter]

2 hours ago, Vinnybhamra said:

Any idea why my dpf regens fine on forscan but rarely by passive regen?

Mainly to avoid confusing anyone else mad enough to be reading this, can I just clarify the types of Regen:

1) Passive: Just occurs in normal (motorway) driving, with no additional measures apart from the Eolys, which is always present. If the DPF gets hot enough, it will burn off some soot. I suspect this rarely happens to any great extent.

2) Active: Occurs while driving, when the pcm injects additional fuel, and takes other actions to artificially raise the DPF temperature enough to burn soot. Any car speed above about 40mph is supposed to be good enough. This is the type of regen that generates the P2458 (Duration) code if the pcm thinks it is not working.

3) Forced or Static: Is initiated, and possibly controlled, by a diagnostic system via the diagnostic connector.

So the termination & control of a forced regen is different to an active one. I am not sure how much is done by the diagnostic system. But I am pretty sure that is why the P2458 only happens with the active regen.

---

The actual relationships between DP signals from the DPF, and Dist_ASHFUL, and the P242F ash full code remain a mystery. It would not surprise me if it was a mystery even to the various software bods who wrote it in the first place! It all seems rather random & arbitrary. But there is no doubt that a DPF with low DPs will not give these problems, and a clogged DPF will at some stage.

I would double check the hoses from DPF to the sensor. Your DPs sound reasonable (for an aging DPF), but a small leak could be raising them a bit. I would monitor the exhaust gas temperature(s). Ideally this would be over an active regen cycle, but this may be hard to catch. A decent motorway run (up a long hill, or against a good headwind would help) would be the next best thing, to show the temperature(s) do rise as expected. If you have not done so, I would chuck a strong dose of DPF cleaner into the tank, just in case it made a difference (I do not hold much hope there!, but see below).

If P242F still comes up after this, then the next step will be one of the options in my previous post, I would say.

----------

One thing I have heard quite recently is that the Eolys does its job in the cylinder, while the fuel is burning. It modifies the soot particles as they form, binding the cerium metal into the particle. These modified particles have a lower ignition temperature. This means that if an engine is run for any appreciable time without Eolys dosing, then unmodified soot will be present in the DPF, and may not ignite or burn during a regen.

It is just possible that a DPF cleaner containing platinum will allow this unmodified soot to burn. Google: "dpf cleaner platinum" for a list of such cleaners. Platinum is a very powerful oxidation catalyst, used in cDPFs (Coated DPFs).

None of these cleaning products will reduce the amount of actual ash (unburnable residue) in the DPF. But the starting point for this thread was an empty Eolys tank.

[mrmetallica]

i recon all these messages are caused by dodgy connectors .

i went through hell a few months ago .car kept coming up with engine mail function kept cutting out .

i took apart the connector in passenger footwell and just connected the wires toghether and taped them up .all has been ok .untill today when it cut out and hen started up again and its been ok ever since .ive not found any reason for any of the errors .

had mot done this year and the main beam wouldnt work and turned out to be the wires on the fuse box

[Vinnybhamra]

On 18/10/2016 at 10:55 PM, Tdci-Peter said:

Mainly to avoid confusing anyone else mad enough to be reading this, can I just clarify the types of Regen:

1) Passive: Just occurs in normal (motorway) driving, with no additional measures apart from the Eolys, which is always present. If the DPF gets hot enough, it will burn off some soot. I suspect this rarely happens to any great extent.

2) Active: Occurs while driving, when the pcm injects additional fuel, and takes other actions to artificially raise the DPF temperature enough to burn soot. Any car speed above about 40mph is supposed to be good enough. This is the type of regen that generates the P2458 (Duration) code if the pcm thinks it is not working.

3) Forced or Static: Is initiated, and possibly controlled, by a diagnostic system via the diagnostic connector.

So the termination & control of a forced regen is different to an active one. I am not sure how much is done by the diagnostic system. But I am pretty sure that is why the P2458 only happens with the active regen.

---

The actual relationships between DP signals from the DPF, and Dist_ASHFUL, and the P242F ash full code remain a mystery. It would not surprise me if it was a mystery even to the various software bods who wrote it in the first place! It all seems rather random & arbitrary. But there is no doubt that a DPF with low DPs will not give these problems, and a clogged DPF will at some stage.

I would double check the hoses from DPF to the sensor. Your DPs sound reasonable (for an aging DPF), but a small leak could be raising them a bit. I would monitor the exhaust gas temperature(s). Ideally this would be over an active regen cycle, but this may be hard to catch. A decent motorway run (up a long hill, or against a good headwind would help) would be the next best thing, to show the temperature(s) do rise as expected. If you have not done so, I would chuck a strong dose of DPF cleaner into the tank, just in case it made a difference (I do not hold much hope there!, but see below).

If P242F still comes up after this, then the next step will be one of the options in my previous post, I would say.

----------

One thing I have heard quite recently is that the Eolys does its job in the cylinder, while the fuel is burning. It modifies the soot particles as they form, binding the cerium metal into the particle. These modified particles have a lower ignition temperature. This means that if an engine is run for any appreciable time without Eolys dosing, then unmodified soot will be present in the DPF, and may not ignite or burn during a regen.

It is just possible that a DPF cleaner containing platinum will allow this unmodified soot to burn. Google: "dpf cleaner platinum" for a list of such cleaners. Platinum is a very powerful oxidation catalyst, used in cDPFs (Coated DPFs).

None of these cleaning products will reduce the amount of actual ash (unburnable residue) in the DPF. But the starting point for this thread was an empty Eolys tank.

Sorry about the constant questions but my knowledge on this stuff isn't the best. I took my car to a garage last night and their proposal was to change the DPF pressure sensor, and replace the hoses going to it. Which sounds fairly reasonable but i noticed that the sensor isn't exactly cheap. I was wondering if there was any way i could test this before going ahead or if i could just check these hoses myself at home and use something to give them a clean instead? one other thing i found interesting but no idea how reliable was a DPF deep clean from Halfords. Not quite sure what to make of it but it did sound like a good option if it is true. http://www.halfordsautocentres.com/car-care/dpf-deep-clean for the price it doesnt sound too bad at all. Do you think this would be worth considering?