DPF REPAIRS

Modern engines are fitted with a Diesel Particulate filter to trap any particulates passing through your exhaust, the engine then burns off these particulates at a very high temperature thereby cleaning itself.

problems can arise which stop the engine from carrying out the cleaning process known as Regeneration.

WHAT'S A REGENERATION

This is the process where the engine Diesel Particulate Filter or DPF is cleaned, It normally happens without the drivers knowledge in the background whilst driving along. The engine stores the soot generated by Diesel engines in the DPF and then burns it off when the correct conditions are met. keeping pollution to a minimum

WHAT'S A FAILED REGENERATION

This is where the cars attempts to regenerate the DPF and cannot do so on it's own.

There are normally Four reasons for failure to regenerate......

1) Vehicle stops or slows down stopping the regeneration process.

2) Mechanical failure

3) Electrical failure

4) Your driving style

We'll take them one by one.....

1) Vehicle stops or slows down stopping the regeneration process 

    This is not normally a problem when driving along and the car or van will regenerate at the next opportunity

2) Mechanical failure

    This is where a mechanical issue stops the regeneration from starting,  Anything from simple air leaks, turbo system leaks, failure to keep additive levels up, inoperative glow plugs etc can stop the engine from carrying out a regeneration process, only repair of the fault will allow regeneration to take place.

3) Electrical failure

     This is where an electrical fault stops the regeneration from starting, Failed sensors, Temperature readings and other information that the engine control unit or ECU needs to decide a regeneration is required is not available.

4) Your driving style

    Don't get us wrong WE ARE NOT CALLING YOU A BAD DRIVER, Many Diesel Cars & Vans fitted with DPF's were simply sold to the wrong people.

     A Diesel car or van fitted with a DPF needs to be driven at a constant and consistent motorway speed for 20 minutes or more to be able to carry out a Regeneration if at any time the vehicle is not driven to allow this to be done over time the DPF will clog up and your vehicle will slow down and if not repaired may even stop running.

     So if you bought your car or van to run a few miles to the shop each week or go to work via urban roads with lots of stop start you were sold the wrong vehicle. You will need to regularly do motorway miles as above

      to ensure your DPF regenerates and does not clog up.

So if you have number 2,3 or your DPF is excessively clogged due to 4 WE CAN HELP !! without fitting a new DPF at a cost of thousands of pounds on some vehicles.

This photo shows the extent of the blockage of the DPF filter that can occur if left too long.

And this image shows what it should be like IE: with holes for the gasses to pass through.(although this filter is showing some signs of damage)

On vehicle cleaning is the best option, avoiding damage caused by trying to remove a part that can be heavily corroded on.

The DPF doctor's techniques have a proven success rate and we also rectify the cause not just clean it and send you on your way only 

for you to return with the DPF blocked again a short time later, It is very important to clean the DPF correctly as damage to the very thin

layer that is the active part of the filter can be easily done if you use the wrong chemicals.

DIY CLEANING !!!!

Extreme caution is advised if you are considering trying to clean your own DPF using incorrect chemicals we have heard of people using oven cleaner, bleach, drain cleaner, Brick acid, battery acid etc infact just about anything they can find. We have also heard of problems caused when using the off the shelf DPF cleaners you can get for less than £10 in some supermarkets and Diy stores. Now we are are not saying they don't work because, BUT we do know of many many vehicles that have had to have very expensive new DPF filters fitted following it's incorrect use.

One other very important issue to remember is that DPF regeneration requires your exhaust to become very warm, this has been known to melt tarmac and shatter concrete (it can explode with the heat and shoots little bits around like bullets) when done with a stationary forced regeneration. (which is also not recommended)

Cleaning DPF's is a serious business and should only be carried out by trained professionals

The use of a combination of chemicals can also cause over temperature issues which have been know to cause vehicle fires or destroy DPF's

 (so it is very important that you need to be completely honest with your vehicle repairer when requiring their help)

Some car manufacturers have been forced to recall cars with this over temperature issue caused by a software glitch, the first the driver knew was the gear stick catching fire quickly followed by the whole car bursting into flames!!

Luckily this over temperature issue can be avoided, 

The DPF cleaning system we use is effective at a much lower temperature whilst still being very effective and as good 

as if not better than other chemicals on the market thus avoiding many of the risks we have just highlighted.

A Few Points to be aware of.......

1) A Static or forced regeneration is NOT recommended, This process put a lot of strain on the engine and runs a high risk of fire, it should only be done under very strict conditions and This is not a fix.

2) If you use a chemical from the supermarket etc READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS, this is extremely important. This is not a fix

3) Don't use anything that is not designed for DPF cleaning. This can damage an otherwise good DPF that is simply clogged.  This is not a fix

4) We have heard many times that the owner is told to "drive it like you stole it" This is definitely not a fix

5) A lack of regular servicing can stop your car from regenerating, although a service on its own Is not a fix

For a quality repair always consult  us......THIS IS A FIX

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE

Permanently Deleting or Removing a DPF from a vehicle and subsequently using that vehicle on the public highway is a criminal offence punishable by fines of thousands of pounds.

In addition new MOT rules in April / May 2018 will make it harder to use a vehicle with a faulty or missing DPF, also any warning light related to emissions will be an MOT fail. in addition to this the systems used and rules followed are constantly being changed and updated to counter removal of these systems

The Technical bit ..........Any modification that changes the homologation of a vehicle makes that vehicle illegal to use anywhere in Britain or Europe on public road

Homologation is the standard set that each new vehicle produced must abide to and continue to abide to throughout its whole life.

CALL US to arrange a appointment for us to check out your problem on      07799108594 or 07718113158    email us at info@apautodiagnostics.com