Owners of diesel-powered cars, utes and 4×4’s are likely to see a dramatic increase in the need for DPF filter cleaning. This is directly related to travel restrictions enforced by the Coronavirus epidemic, which has seen many vehicles restricted to short drives only… Restricted driving and short trips are just two of the many reasons that DPF filters start to block and need cleaning.
The DPF works by filtering exhaust soot particles and retaining them. There are three ways the DPF then cleans itself (regeneration cycle):
- When the engine reaches operating temperature and starts to work strongly, it has sufficient exhaust temperature to burn the accumulated soot out of the DPF filter.
- While driving normally, at regular intervals the computer increases the fuel usage to raise the temperature in the DPF to enhance soot burning.
- If this doesn’t do the job (and it won’t during short runs), a “forced regen” will be demanded where the vehicle must be parked to allow the computer to do a big fuel burn (it might take up to 40 mins) to burn off the DPF soot load.
Don’t replace the DPF filter unnecessarily.
If your vehicle is falling into the category of only being driven for short trips, with very little highway driving it is more than likely that your DPF filter will start to suffer.
Once the DPF warning light starts to flash the vehicle needs to go to the dealer or mechanic. Which is a nuisance, but it’s likely to be just the first of many visits, as they try and burn out all the soot that’s blocking up the filter.
Why DPF filter cleaning is so important…
If you’re out of warranty, this is where it gets expensive!
The DPF may need to be removed and physically cleaned, or in many cases, even replaced at $3000-$5000!! The real solution is to address the root cause of the problem, by minimizing the amount of soot produced. DPF cleaning can be a cost-effective fix, when using FTC Decarbonizer fuel treatment.
This is a well-established, easy to use fuel treatment, which prevents DPF problems entirely, fixing existing regeneration problems. So long as your affected vehicle is drivable, FTC Decarbonizer will almost always fix it.
For more information on DPF filter cleaning contact the Cost Effective Maintenance team using the form provided on this page.
