Noticed of late the DPF has developed a liking for regeneration, been catching in the act at least once or twice a week. However tonight I was honoured with two. First time being after a five or so mile free flowing run along the A64 duel carriageway south of York. Pulled up at the top of the slip and the revs were idling at 1000rpm. 30 miles further on I pulled up at home and again the idle revs were back up to 1000rpm, plus on shut down the fan was still running, a sure sign she was regenerating again.

Certainly more keen on regenerations than the previous 140 SE, can only think she's running very cool in these lower temperatures and maybe with driving for economy as well, the DPF is just not getting naturally hot enough to de soot :wonder: Have also been monitoring oil temps and they are down on summer readings; not much above 80 on occasion when warm.

Oh so far no warning lights; fingers crossed.

TP

They do like to be run hot for a while.

I note some manufacturers are not recommending DPF equipped cars for certain types of driving.

eg, Isle of Wight etc, or city driving.

They do like to be run hot for a while.

I note some manufacturers are not recommending DPF equipped cars for certain types of driving.

eg, Isle of Wight etc, or city driving.

About 95% of my driving consists of runs on rural A roads, typically over distances of 30 to 40 miles or so but obviously that's still not getting hot enough for my Monsters DPF. Will have to run more in 5th rather than 6th me thinks, although that will hit the mpg :S

Oh and with the maxidot getting irritated that I'm in the wrong gear

TP

I caught mine doing it when I got home one day last week. Thought I would just leave the engine running. Then I noticed that with the fans running on a very cold day the water temperature was dropping dramatically. So I took it immediately for a brisk run keeping to 3rd and 4th gears revving quite hard. On returning home all was well again. I've noticed this happening about 4 times in my 5000 miles. Thankfully no warning light yet telling to to regenerate.

In 7000km, I had the DPF light on for about 3 times. I think that the diesel quality has its share there too (I am not sure though!!). Last time, it was a week ago I filled the tank at a small gas-station and the DPF warning light was ON only after few kilometers. I drove immediately on the highway for a very long time by keeping the oil temp. high, it was without any success since the warning DPF light was still on. I managed to spend almost all the diesel on this attempt. Next day, on the way to visit the dealer I filled the tank at another station and there you go, only 10 minutes after driving on the highway towards the dealer, the DPF light turned off. Its the second time I experience this co-relation between dodgy gas stations and DPF light.

I have to mention that I drive mostly on short distances, so from now on will probably have to make some longer journeys on regular bases... (my wife is convinced that the SM needs to take me for a fishing trip more often and that is not so bad at all...)

Get it checked for a faulty pressure sensor. That is what caused my VRS TDI to regenerate even after approx 1km after a cold start and much more often than it normally did.

Get it checked for a faulty pressure sensor. That is what caused my VRS TDI to regenerate even after approx 1km after a cold start and much more often than it normally did.

Thanks, although with my local dealers that's easier said than done; unless a fault code comes up then it's straight to NFF :S Will ask them to have a look at service next month mind.

Regards,

TP

Noticed of late the DPF has developed a liking for regeneration, been catching in the act at least ...

Does the process produce a smell of something like burnt clutch?

It will eventually store some fault codes or even get the CEL on. Did it on mine and after checking the fault codes I found the faulty sensor.

(didnt have it replaced as I sold the car with the faulty sensor.)

Does the process produce a smell of something like burnt clutch?

If the car is new, it does. Like burnt underbonnet wax (or whatever it is called )

My oil temps are around the mid 90's even in this cold weather, if the car has been running for a length of time.

I've done just over 12,000 miles now and have not once experienced the DPF doing anything. Maybe I'm just blind to it?! DPF light has never come on, I've never smelt anything weird nor heard fans on after switch-off!

Also if your DPF light comes on it surely means trouble mrpike? That light does not come on during normal DPF regeneration. It ONLY comes on when normal regeneration did not work (over a prolonged period of time) and the filter is severely glogged. Am I right in saying that? That is my understanding anyway.

Yes you are right. The light is a warning light, it will only come on if something is going to be wrong.

If you have never noticed it, the car might do the regeneration if you are driving on the motorway.

And even then it can be noticed, if you have the exact motor temps (oil and water) and not only the

always-on-90°-no-matter-what-happens-between-75-and-110 gauge.

Oil and water temps will rise with about 10°C. (from an average of 90 to 100°)

Yes you are right. The light is a warning light, it will only come on if something is going to be wrong.

If you have never noticed it, the car might do the regeneration if you are driving on the motorway.

And even then it can be noticed, if you have the exact motor temps (oil and water) and not only the

always-on-90°-no-matter-what-happens-between-75-and-110 gauge.

Oil and water temps will rise with about 10°C. (from an average of 90 to 100°)

In summer my oil temps were nearly always well above 90 frequently well above 100 and varied a lot. On my Octavia (Petrol) they were always at 90 as you suggest - er do I need to worry about my Yeti ??

I have had numerous regens, it is meant to do it. If you do a lot of short runs it will do it more often, I also use super diesel, this is because when I had my Audi, I had major issues with regen in the first 20k miles, I stopped using supermarket diesel and bought BP or Shell, for next 100k the Audi still regened but never with a light on or in an irregular manor.

The heat thing is also normal, I was told that the engine closes the EGR valve, advances the timing and enriches the fuel to air ratio so as the DPF/Exhaust can heat up to over 600'C to burn away the deposits, when it has finished it reverts everything back to where it should be until the next time.

Just to throw a spanner in the mix, I have noticed on a cold morning if the heated seats, rear heated window etc etc are switched on the engine also idles faster, is this normal?

Yes you are right. The light is a warning light, it will only come on if something is going to be wrong.

If you have never noticed it, the car might do the regeneration if you are driving on the motorway.

And even then it can be noticed, if you have the exact motor temps (oil and water) and not only the

always-on-90°-no-matter-what-happens-between-75-and-110 gauge.

Oil and water temps will rise with about 10°C. (from an average of 90 to 100°)

Ah ok.... I've seen temps of 105 to 110... So then I guess it is doing it. If it hadn't I would surely have had a light on by now! So I'm not too worried. I do long motorway blasts every now and then which has been clearing the thing.

It amazes me driving behind a non DPF car these days to see the amount of soot come out when the driver puts his/her foot down to go a bit faster or to overtake! Yikes! At least if you are behind my car you will never know if it is a diseasel or a petrol. But, when regenerating would you see black soot come out the back too? Or does the DPF obliterate the soot?

Just to throw a spanner in the mix, I have noticed on a cold morning if the heated seats, rear heated window etc etc are switched on the engine also idles faster, is this normal?

Yes, because the alternator is having to work harder because of the extra load you have put on it. The ECU senses this load and increases the revs to compensate.

Dewi has now done 33k and the only thing I have noticed is that a couple of times the fans have stayed on after turning the engine off, and there has been a hot exhaust smell. This has always been after my commute and at all times of year. I know that my journeys are "good" in that the engine gets hot quickly and stays hot for a while; the perfect situation for DPF equipped vehicles.

The comment about DPF regeneration and supermarket fuels has come up in the past, and elsewhere, and it seems to be common that regeneration happens more with those that only use that type of fuel.

I drive around, you know where and I hardly ever notice the DPF regen. I use Shell. Mainly V-Power.

Seems to back up Llanigraham.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I drive around, you know where and I hardly ever notice the DPF regen. I use Shell. Mainly V-Power.

Seems to back up Llanigraham.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I ONLY use Shell as well... interesting then we both never notice it regenerating. So Shell must burn clean then as many suggest.

After 275000km with DPF diesels, I can confirm that the regen cycle is longer if using the special diesel. It burns cleaner.

You can also notice the cleaner burning in a non DPF diesel, if driving behind it.

Well I either use BP or Texaco. It depends on when it needs filling as to which place I go to, as they are on different sides of the road.

It amazes me driving behind a non DPF car these days to see the amount of soot come out when the driver puts his/her foot down to go a bit faster or to overtake! Yikes! At least if you are behind my car you will never know if it is a diseasel or a petrol. But, when regenerating would you see black soot come out the back too? Or does the DPF obliterate the soot?

Yes I have also wondered this.

I have driven behind DPF equipped cars before and it's like driving behind a petrol as nothing comes out the exhausts whereas with mine if I tickle the throttle to speed up you can visually see behind the soot coming out.

If I'm ever behind a diesel car that should be fitted with a DPF and there is some smoke coming from the exhaust then I will know the answer to your question. Until then it will remain a mystery! lol

Phil

Does the process produce a smell of something like burnt clutch?

Yes it does. The regeneration produces, amongst other oligomers, some NOx, which has a pungent smell.

I ONLY use Shell as well... interesting then we both never notice it regenerating. So Shell must burn clean then as many suggest.

Noticed the car going through DPF regeneration this morning, the first that I'm aware of. Odd as the car travelled its usual 20 odd mile commute and the journey was no different time wise etc.

The car has only been run on Shell diesel and was filled last night, wonder if they have changed the additives in the fuel as its so mild?

Noticed the car going through DPF regeneration this morning, the first that I'm aware of. Odd as the car travelled its usual 20 odd mile commute and the journey was no different time wise etc.

The car has only been run on Shell diesel and was filled last night, wonder if they have changed the additives in the fuel as its so mild?

The DPF only works when there has been enough of a build up of particulates. So with branded fuel I believe it just takes longer for the DPF to fill up - thus not regenrating so often. But fill up it will and then it will regenerate at some point. Which is what yours decided to do this morning. So no I do not think the fuel mix at Shell has changed.