06/02/2023
DPF diagnostics and cleaning
Here at SCM performance we don’t just tune cars, we also offer a variety of services one of them being solving DPF problems and cleaning them or recycling them, give us a call on 01269 842030 or message our face book page 😊
Symptoms of a blocked DPF
• Loss of performance in your car
A well maintained DPF is vital for a fully functioning, healthy vehicle, blockages can have a knock-on effect that can cause your engine to perform poorly. If your engine cannot easily breathe because of a blocked DPF, then it will struggle to perform, reducing the mpg, power output and acceleration of your vehicle plus can lead to long term damage to other engine components.
• Strange engine smell
Because blocked DPFs can block your whole exhaust, the fumes may build up and start to seep into the car, causing unpleasant odours and increased risk of illness over time. In addition to being unpleasant for everyone in the vehicle, the smell of exhaust fumes in your car is a serious cause for concern and a major sign that your DPF is malfunctioning.
• Your engine performance decreases
Blocked DPFs cause increased pressure within your engine and exhaust system, which means that your engine performance will decrease. In extreme cases, you may be unable to start your engine and permanent damages.
• Issues with your turbo
Any blockages in your system can cause severe damage to the turbo. If you have a turbo and a blocked DPF, then your engine may be pressurised to dangerous levels, putting your vehicle components at risk of damage such as gas and oil leaks.
• Engine oil contamination
Using a vehicle with a blocked DPF can lead to engine oil contamination with excessive soot, ash and fuel getting into the sump, if ignored this can lead to severe engine damage and extremely costly repairs.
• What causes a diesel particulate filter blockage?
Short journeys at low speeds are the prime cause of blocked diesel particulate filters. This is why car makers often go as far as recommending city-bound, short distance drivers choose a petrol car, instead of diesel, it’s also important you use the right type of oil – some oils contain additives that can actually block filters.
Engine management issues, for example boost leaks, wiring issues, broken pressure pipes, exhaust leaks etc can also lead to the vehicle not being able to perform a successful regeneration and end with a blocked DPF, another reason the make sure your vehicle is regularly maintained.
Roughly At 100,000 miles to 130,000 miles the dpf becomes full of ash, ash is left over after a regeneration it remains in the casing, DPFs are replaced by the manufacturer when mileage is around 100,000 miles to 130,000 miles instead we offer a recycling service where we remove it and clean it on our specialist equipment to remove the ash we then refit and reset the DPF we then test it to make sure its functioning correctly this operation works out to be way more cost effective than replacing with a brand new one.
