1.6 Tdci 05 Plate - Dpf Replaced 6 Months Ago - Advice Needed

[daveyboy123]

hi all,

i've had a bit of trouble with my car, i bought it last January and was fine up until November/December time, then i kept getting a warning light and engine light and was told it was DPF related so garages tried regeneration and was ok for a few days then same problem.

eventually i got a new DPF fitted (not Ford genuine part) as was told the DPF was completly clogged as the regeneration's would not work any more.

i do mainly town driving but do tend to try and go further a field at least once a month. as i heard it needs a bit of motorway driving every so often to keep it clear.

i am a little concerned as car has started leaving fan on for a few mins when i turn off and engine sounds louder etc- i have read that this is usually car trying to regen, but i have been turning car off whilst regen is happening i think but the day before i did drive for 25 mins or so at 60+ mph, would this have cleared it if it was getting blocked?

im petrified that i'm going to see the dreaded light again and the limp home mode again.

is fan staying on etc an indication that dpf is getting blocked again and if so what can i do as like i say i have taken it out a couple of times this month for longer motorway style runs?

thanks everyone

[jeebowhite]

you need high revs to create high heat to regen the DPF, so if you were ticking over at 60 at 1500 revs, that wont suffice.

You also need to look at engine coolant and make sure that the car is cooling properly, the two issues may be unrelated.

as one member said "drive it like you stole it" keep the revs as high as possible at a fast pace for about 20 minutes and that should be a good regen.

[daveyboy123]

Yeah it was 60 mph in 5th.

So are you saying I need to not be using 5th gear and sticking to 4th to keep revs a little higher? Surely my fuel economy will go down loads.

What about motorway driving at 70, is it fine to stay in 5th then?

If it keeps trying to regen at the mo, how long do I have until I start getting bigger problems if regen can't complete?

Sorry for all the questions just don't want this filter playing up again.

[jeebowhite]

Dont worry about the questions, thats what were here for!

You need to keep the revs high as you can, borderline red line, and fuel economy will be reduced for as long as you keep your foot planted, but if you keep the revs high and your foot light on the gas, it wont be that drastic. Besides, whats worse, fuel economy for a quick motorway trip, or your hand in your wallet at the dealer for another fix?

keep the revs close to redline for about 20 minutes and you should help to clear it. If it doesnt clear, the car will lose readings from sensors, and throttle the car back to limp home mode (worst case scenario) so you would be driving at 40 on a motorway, otherwise you might just get a warning light on the dash that somethings not right with the regen.

The best answer though these days is to get rid, and get remapped!

[daveyboy123]

Surely though you shouldn't have to drive a car up to red line. Most things I've read say anything above 40 and it should regen normally.

I had a new dpf fitted by someone my Dad new and I asked him about potential problems with new filter and he reckoned as long as I took it out for a motorway drive once a month or so then it would clear the filter and I didn't really have to do any morethan tthat. But as you say you feel I should be driving it high revs for 20 mins etc.

When u say high revs what's best to do, are you saying even 4th wouldn't be good enough on a motorway?

Thanks again

[jg321]

Mine's never been anywhere near the redline. Coming upto 40K on original DPF. No issues so far. Usually do around 70-80 on the motorway in 5th. Not much town driving at the min granted, but for the first 18 months of me owning it I did the same as you - town driving with motorway once a month.

[artscot79]

the fan running with the car off means its in the middle of a regen even when you switch it off it may keep going nothing to worry about

[Mr Singh]

all you need to do it take it for a nice steady run for about 25 miles (30-40 minuets) keeping the speed above 40MPH (ideally 70) and drive normally, there is no need to 'thrash the nuts off it'!

you DONT need the revs to be 'high' for the soot to be burned off in the DPF. the engine management will sort everything out by itself.

as i have said before in another thread if you have cruise control set it to 70 and let the car do the rest

dont 'thrash it' down the motorway. cruise at 70mph, keeping a steady throttle for about 30-40 min. if you have cruise control then set it to 70 and let the car do the rest

as said by myself in this thread http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/topic/41660-dpf-regen/

[daveyboy123]

Thanks again for all your replies.

Fan stays on occasionally after stopping? If it's regenerating then would this stop the regen once engine is off or would it/could it finish

I took it for a trip down motorway, only 1 junction in fourth so about 3k revs for 10 mins so hopefully thatwill help too

So wwhat's everyone's general feeling then, if motorway driving stick to 5th gear and it will still regenerate ok?

Town driving if going 40mph I usually put it into 5th gear. What do others do 4th or 5th?

As I say the new dpf has been fine so far, no errors or lights and it's been on car for just over 6 months and have been driving same in this time so hopefully I won't get too many problems. The addictive level is also full so the whole system should be as new.

Thanks again for the help

Ps off topic but for a while now when you release brake, the rear brakes make a sort of whistling noise and it's quite loud. Any ideas?

[jeebowhite]

The advice to 'thrash' it is normally if you feel the car misbehaving (generally underpowered, slow to respond, or if you see any warning lights) otherwise for "maintenance" the run at 70 is good to keep it clear, if your ever unsure, giving it high revs is a good place to start.

As for your brake query, are you running disks or drums? Whistling noises can indicate low brake pad / shoe grip.

[Mr Singh]

if your ever unsure, giving it high revs is a good place to start.

why and how is it a good place to start? enlighten me please because at work when i have had the DPF warning come on, iv driven it normally until the light has gone out at a steady speed of 70 in top gear, be it 5th or 6th

[jeebowhite]

Passive regeneration only does so much . by y getting high revs your increasing the temperature in the exhaust and also fuel is not burned efficiently which then enters the exhaust. Due to the pressure and heat of running the engine hard, the fuel catalyses the reaction in the filter and helps to clear the soot. This is why garages rev the ghoolies off the car in the garage and force it and don't just take your car for a leisurely cruise on a motorway.

[daveyboy123]

As for the brakes jeebo, they would be drums. The noise is only releasing brakes and not applying.

What sort of gear should you be driving these cars on 40mph roads, I used to use 5th but would it be better for filter to go into 4th?

Another potential problem now, just when to check coolant etc and moat of it had vanished, only a small amount left at bottom. Have filled it up now with water for now, any idea if coolant can disappear suddenly as the water I topped up 5 hours ago is still there now?

[jeebowhite]

The coolant disappearing can be the coolant expansion cap needs replacing, with the high pressure and heat in there, the coolant evaporates and escapes through the cap.

[Mr Singh]

Passive regeneration only does so much . by y getting high revs your increasing the temperature in the exhaust and also fuel is not burned efficiently which then enters the exhaust. Due to the pressure and heat of running the engine hard, the fuel catalyses the reaction in the filter and helps to clear the soot. This is why garages rev the ghoolies off the car in the garage and force it and don't just take your car for a leisurely cruise on a motorway.

that's a forced regen where they 'rev the nuts off it' and its usually controlled by the diagnostic computer that is plugged in to the car. its the computer that is controlling the regen process not the mechanic.

for us 'normal' people a steady speed of 70 for 30-45 min will clear everything. the ECU knows when the DPF wants clearing and will control the EGR valve, fuelling and air intake to reach the desired 600C+ temp

[daveyboy123]

regarding the coolant again - i checked today and drove around and water level has not dropped again.

around the gearbox housing on top looks like a couple of pools of water, could the cooling system have a leak and if so where would it be coming from. it seems ok at the moment just driving around town but i will keep my eye on it over next couple of weeks to see if it drops any more again

[Druberry]

I to, am always concerned when my car doesn't finish its regen, I wish a warning of some sort would alert me that the car is doing a regen then I could prolong my journey until it finished if practical.

[daveyboy123]

Yes surely with a system like this they should have added a timer when it starts regenerating that counts down and says that's it finished. Otherwise I'm sure a lot of people will have failed regens.

Around town if going 40, would it be better for dpf to have it in 4th gear or is 5th fine for this speed?

[Mr Singh]

Yes surely with a system like this they should have added a timer when it starts regenerating that counts down and says that's it finished. Otherwise I'm sure a lot of people will have failed regens.

Around town if going 40, would it be better for dpf to have it in 4th gear or is 5th fine for this speed?

whats the point in having a counter to let you know its carrying out a regen? new diesels are meant for motorway use and are no good round town. which driver wants to know when its carrying out a regen. on most cars there is an amber warning relating to a DPF wanting a regen and it goes out when its finished

a regen is difficult to achieve in town driving as you are in a stop/start situation. you need to be on a continuous run e.g. a motorway to keep your speed up.

haven't you noticed that some newer smaller cars are coming without a diesel engine option?!

all i can say is you have bought or been sold the wrong car for your driving style.

[jg321]

whats the point in having a counter to let you know its carrying out a regen? new diesels are meant for motorway use and are no good round town.

My thoughts exactly!

[daveyboy123]

When I was sold the car I wasn't told that these cars were no good for town driving, if I'd know they would be so troublesome I wouldn't have bought it.

When I had the dpf replaced I asksd the mechanic in his opinion would it now be best to sell on or keep as I do mainly town driving, he told me that now the filter has been replaced I shouldn't have any more problems, he said town driving is fine just once a month take it down the motorway to let it clear the filter

[jg321]

When I was sold the car I wasn't told that these cars were no good for town driving, if I'd know they would be so troublesome I wouldn't have bought it.

When I had the dpf replaced I asksd the mechanic in his opinion would it now be best to sell on or keep as I do mainly town driving, he told me that now the filter has been replaced I shouldn't have any more problems, he said town driving is fine just once a month take it down the motorway to let it clear the filter

My personal experience ties in with this. Once a month on the motorway, driving normally, never caused me an issue.

[jeebowhite]

Its everyone's choice how they handle it to be honest. I did thrash mine when the car started misbehaving (my old Focus) and I had no problems after that, I don't even recall feeling it do any passive regens.

[Mr Singh]

I don't even recall feeling it do any passive regens.

thats because the driver will feel no difference in how the engine is running when it is carrying out a regen.

[jeebowhite]

Agree entirely, but I didnt notice any further extended fan activity, drop in MPG, or the previous drops in 'oomph' when I put my foot down on its prior attempts to passive regen before I gave it a thrashing. Whilst the process is discreet, its not invisible, but again this is nothing more than my personal experiences.