Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) issues and comments

gilbert_and_sullivan

Roysterer was that the 1.3 engine in the Meriva please?

I ask because against my advice a good friend has bought a Corsa with this engine, 90% of his considerable mileage is local town stop/start, i forsee grave probs.

Like you, he and i have run Diesels for well over 25 years and virtually trouble free.

roysterer

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Roysterer was that the 1.3 engine in the Meriva please?

I ask because against my advice a good friend has bought a Corsa with this engine, 90% of his considerable mileage is local town stop/start, i forsee grave probs.

Like you, he and i have run Diesels for well over 25 years and virtually trouble free.

Yes it was the 1.3 cdti. I am lead to believe it is based on the Fiat engine. The DPF on this car is a long way from the manifold, thus no where near the higher exhaust temperature. I have since found out that manufactures are now placing these DPFs closer to the manifold where the temperatures are far higher and will passively burn off the soot particles that collect on the filter.
My father in law has a Renault Modus diesel 3 yrs old, similar driving patern as myself with no problems.
I will not take the chance on another diesel now because this problem seems to happen with numerous vehicles from various manufacturers. I am no car expert (far from it) but hope this helps.

roysterer

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

Kia Ceed 1.6 Diesel....apparently no DPF and no DMF either....7 year warranty too.

Further to my previous reply to you.
Funnily enough I replaced the Meriva with a Petrol Kia Ceed.
The handbook for the Ceed makes reference to DPF on Diesel Version of the Ceed, so I dont no if you are correct in saying the Ceed does not have a DPF?
Mine is 2008 Model (not the NEW Ceed). I am delighted with the car to date fingers crossed, only had it a few weeks so early days.

gilbert_and_sullivan

roysterer wrote: »

Further to my previous reply to you.
Funnily enough I replaced the Meriva with a Petrol Kia Ceed.
The handbook for the Ceed makes reference to DPF on Diesel Version of the Ceed, so I dont no if you are correct in saying the Ceed does not have a DPF?
Mine is 2008 Model (not the NEW Ceed). I am delighted with the car to date fingers crossed, only had it a few weeks so early days.

Might be the 2 litre that has the DPF, the 1.6 i am (almost) certain is free from the dreadful things.
PS, nice car, i like them a lot and very well put together underneath.

flyingscotno1

roysterer wrote: »

Yes it was the 1.3 cdti. I am lead to believe it is based on the Fiat engine. The DPF on this car is a long way from the manifold, thus no where near the higher exhaust temperature. I have since found out that manufactures are now placing these DPFs closer to the manifold where the temperatures are far higher and will passively burn off the soot particles that collect on the filter.
My father in law has a Renault Modus diesel 3 yrs old, similar driving patern as myself with no problems.
I will not take the chance on another diesel now because this problem seems to happen with numerous vehicles from various manufacturers. I am no car expert (far from it) but hope this helps.

Fiat as far as I know, did not fit DPF on the 1.3 engine in the 500 or Panda. Strange that Vauxhall did!

I've driven a Fiat diesel that did have one for 10K miles with no particular <cough> issues either.

finallycruising

Ranger8 wrote: »

No it doesn`t drain from the DPF.
During regeneration extra diesel is injected into the cylinders and ends up in the DPF where it ignites during the hot regeneration process during which the `soot` is burnt off.
If the regeneration is interrupted or halted that excess diesel can get past the rings and end up in the sump.

Oh good, someone who knows how they work!

Daveyjp says the Mazda system is "one of the worst out there", so what systems do others marques have in place stop this happening?

P

cepheus

Ranger8 wrote: »

No it doesn`t drain from the DPF.
During regeneration extra diesel is injected into the cylinders and ends up in the DPF where it ignites during the hot regeneration process during which the `soot` is burnt off.
If the regeneration is interrupted or halted that excess diesel can get past the rings and end up in the sump.

I recall some of the original DPF systems injected Diesel into the hot exhaust rather than the cylinders. However the DPF will still clog up unless it gets hot enough. I guess an electrical heater could be used as a back-up, this principle is used on one of the hybrid vehicles to heat the catalyst.

chrisw

There has been a lot of discussion on this on one of the BMW forums. A good diesel tuner can remove the DPF and remap and reprogram the engine for a lot cheaper than the cost of a replacement DPF. Doesn't seem to affect the MOT either.

cepheus

chrisw wrote: »

There has been a lot of discussion on this on one of the BMW forums. A good diesel tuner can remove the DPF and remap and reprogram the engine for a lot cheaper than the cost of a replacement DPF. Doesn't seem to affect the MOT either.

The whole point of a DPF is to reduce particulate emissions, if it is removed then the car is technically illegal since it doesn't meet type approval exhaust regulations proven by the manufacturer in its standard set-up. This is the case with all re-chipping backyards. The manufacturer has to trade off a delicate balance of Particulate, NOx, fuel consumption/CO2 and power/drivability. Obviously if you couldn't car about the emissions the others can be 'improved', this is not very responsible though!

The MOT probably doesn't check this, their Diesel emission monitors are crude smokemeters, largely useless for particulate and NOx.

hethmar

We have our first diesel car - courtesy of the scrappage deal. I do mostly short journeys and found that one day after about 4 months ownership I had a crunching type noise from the underneath of the car and the smell of diesel from the exhaust - I couldnt see anything but when I got back in and started up, the DPF warning light came on. I read my manual which said basically, drive 15 miles at least in a low gear. Did that, sorted