Ford Cmax regeneration?

knightstyle

Car is an ex-motability 2013 Cmax 2,0 diesel usually used for longer journeys and towing a caravan overseas, now 70k miles, gearbox oil just changed again, not cheap but IMO worth it.
So in lockdown we are just doing short journeys, under 3 miles to go to a quiet wood to walk our dog.
Today came home and engine cooling fan running, temp normal and smell of hot engine. No warning lights and belt looks OK, I guess the regeneration had started?
So I looked online and some sites talk about manual regeneration but I cannot see how to do this is it possible? If not it looks like I need to go for a drive, will lock in lower gear to keep revs up.
Is there any indication on when the process starts and is finished?

frayedknot

Maybe it will regenerate itself into something better than an ex-motorbility oil-burning Cmax.

Scrapit

knightstyle said:

Car is an ex-motability 2013 Cmax 2,0 diesel usually used for longer journeys and towing a caravan overseas, now 70k miles, gearbox oil just changed again, not cheap but IMO worth it.
So in lockdown we are just doing short journeys, under 3 miles to go to a quiet wood to walk our dog.
Today came home and engine cooling fan running, temp normal and smell of hot engine. No warning lights and belt looks OK, I guess the regeneration had started?
So I looked online and some sites talk about manual regeneration but I cannot see how to do this is it possible? If not it looks like I need to go for a drive, will lock in lower gear to keep revs up.
Is there any indication on when the process starts and is finished?

Not really. If you are regularly doing short trips it might begin to clog. There There is the possibility that you don't do enough miles  to clog it up but I'd go the long way round next time you go for a drive.

knightstyle

Scrapit  thank you for your constructive comment.
frayedknot  What would you buy instead?  Limited budget, local agent and must be automatic for DW to drive.

red_eye

Just give it a blast down the a roads for 30mins to an hr guarantee to complete a regen.

would be nice if there was a regen in progress light but that would make it too easy 

MinuteNoodles

It does sound like it had started one and as red_eye said it would be nice if there was a warning light on the dash. It is possible using a cheap bluetooth OBDII reader and Forscan software to see when the last one was done as well as see the input and output pressure of the DPF filter but a simple light would've made life so much simpler.

As for the gearbox oil, unless it was an automatic they're sealed for life although I'd recommend changing at 100,000 miles. There's certainly no need to change the manual transmission oil any more frequent than 100,000 miles. I did both my MK3 and MK4 Mondeo gearbox oil around 100,000 miles and in both cars it still looked quite healthy.

knightstyle

Thanks again, it is the powershift gearbox.  We really like it, smooth as silk BUT there have been problems for some people and it seems it is very important to do the oil change every 20k miles or there abouts.
Yes I have already decided to do a decent run when permitted, will keep to lower gears and see if I can hear a regen going.

red_eye

knightstyle said: to 

Thanks again, it is the powershift gearbox.  We really like it, smooth as silk BUT there have been problems for some people and it seems it is very important to do the oil change every 20k miles or there abouts.
Yes I have already decided to do a decent run when permitted, will keep to lower gears and see if I can hear a regen going.

Before you Italian tune up check oil and coolent levels drive around until up to temp then start the Italian tune up.

regen will only take place when oil and coolent are at the right temp

daveyjp

If regen starts just keep the engine running and it will continue even whilst stationary. No need for high rev blasts anywhere.  That produces more soot which is filtered and then needs burning off.

You are doing the right thing with the Powershift.  Russian roulette gearbox.