DPFs serve an important role in lowering diesel engine particulate matter emissions. These filters collect and hold the soot particles created during the combustion process. Over time, however, these trapped particles can build and cause a blocked DPF, reducing vehicle performance and generating increasing levels of pollutants.
How do you know your DPF is blocked? Well, there are a number of signs you can look out for. They include:
Engine warning light
The first indication that your DPF is not working properly is an illuminated engine light on your dashboard. Sensors inside the diesel particulate filter measure temperature and pressure both before and after the DPF filter.
If the pressure is off, the engine control module will turn on the check engine light. This warning light resembles an engine block or an amber-colored symbol.
If the check engine light appears on your dashboard, find a garage and schedule an appointment so that a competent mechanic can read the issue code memory with a code scanner to determine the problem.
Reduced engine performance
When the DPF becomes clogged, it has a negative impact on the exhaust system. The failure to adequately remove engine exhaust from the engine causes a backup in the system.
Using the backup causes the engine to become sluggish and feeble. As a result, you cannot accelerate adequately because new fuel can only be pumped into the engine at a slower rate as exhaust gas accumulation increases.
In addition, the engine requires more power to remove the excess gasses.
Starting problems
As mentioned, a blocked DPF causes an accumulation of exhaust gas in the engine. Pressure builds up because the enclosed gas cannot escape. It becomes more difficult to start the engine at this point.
In fact, unless that pressure is released, the engine will not start. This issue is more about safety design which comes in to save your vehicle.
With that much internal pressure, the engine might experience irreversible damage, costing a fortune to repair. To save money, you should clear the DPF before it becomes clogged.
Weird smells
When exhaust gases accumulate inside the engine, an unusual odor may be produced. This is not only unpleasant, but it may also be dangerous.
You have a larger chance of starting a fire since exhaust gasses can be extremely explosive and hazardous to breathe.
When these scents are present, it might be difficult to determine what else is wrong. Your car may also fail an emissions test.
To diagnose the problem, you should check the MOT history.
Reduced mileage
Because the engine is not performing optimally, you will consume more fuel than usual. The blocked filter contributes to some of the inefficiency by requiring more fuel to do the same task.
As you can tell, you pay more at the pump as a result of these difficulties.
What should you do when you have a blocked DPF?
The simplest technique to clear a blocked DPF is to use ‘passive regeneration.’ This calls for you to travel at a constant pace on a motorway for 30-50 minutes to allow your exhaust temperature to get to a level where it can cleanly burn off excess soot.
If you can’t do this, there is always the option of ‘active regeneration,’ in which additional fuel is automatically fed via the vehicle’s ECU when the filter reaches a certain limit in order to increase the temperature and burn off the soot.
If neither active nor passive regeneration has cured your problem, you should take your automobile to the garage as soon as possible, as waiting too long could transform a minor problem into a major one.
Some garages will provide ‘forced regeneration,’ which will usually remove enough soot to allow the other regeneration procedures to work.
If this, too, doesn’t work and you have to get an entirely new DPF, get it from dpfpartsdirect.com.
What can you do to avoid clogged DPF?
There are plenty of things you can do to prevent your DPF from clogging up. These things include:
Drive over long distances
Unfortunately, diesel automobiles aren’t ideal for short-town runs.
The exhaust must be hot to burn off the soot. If it never reaches a high enough temperature, it will get increasingly obstructed.
To mitigate this, ensure that you travel at least once a week at speeds above 40 mph for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer. This is your cue to hit the highway and let passive regeneration do its magic.
Be cautious of the oil you use
Special oils have been developed for use in DPF-equipped vehicles. These contain decreased element content to prevent soot development (for example, sulfated ash, phosphorus, and sulfur).
These are available in many conventional shops that sell engine oil and are labeled low SAPS.
You should avoid picking any oil as it will most likely hurt your engine. If you aren’t sure about the right one to go for, get the input of a professional.
Take good care of your engine.
Diesel engines are more sophisticated than gasoline ones. They have additional components that can fail and cause problems with DPFs.
You should pay particular attention to any difficulties regarding stuck or malfunctioning injectors, failing turbo seals, and EGR valve difficulties.
The reason for this is that the excess oil or smoke might depart the engine as a result of miss-fueling or oil consumption. These will rapidly clog a DPF, so keep an eye out for dash warning lights and address them as soon as possible.
Parting shot
One of the most prevalent causes of a DPF blockage is how you drive your vehicle. If you just drive short distances, your car will not have achieved the proper temperature to begin the regeneration process and burn off the soot.
Using improper engine oil, as well as a failure in your turbo systems or simply failing to adhere to a normal maintenance schedule, can all have a negative impact on your DPF.
Whenever you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms, move with haste and fix them before the problem worsens. You don’t want to spend an arm and leg fixing a problem due to a clogged DPF, do you?
