DPF Cleaning Methods

[SarenDavid]

Hey there! Sorry to hear about your DPF issue. I'm not too familiar with the specific methods you mentioned, but have you considered taking it to a professional for cleaning or replacement?

 

[ALFAitalia]

I've used this on various cars with good results. Block all holes....fill it overnight....drain away....job done!

 

[W1ghty]

The op fixed it , then sold the car .

 

[pcthrillrider]

Had mine removed 35,000 ago remapped stage 1 rolling road 0-60 5secs road rocket w212 ,2010 ,3.5 sport no problems good on deisal as well

how does it get through an mot?

 

[W1ghty]

how does it get through an mot?

The mot doesn’t check if the dpf is there I would guess .

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yes it does....since 2018. Aside from possibly failing the test due to "visible smoke" when new DPF missing.....any obvious cutting and rewelding or hollow sound when tapped is a fail. Not to mention the £1000 fine if your are caught with any factory fitted emissions equipment missing or tampered with and the fact that your insurance will be void.... not worth the risk for the minimal gain. My car is at 170,000 miles and the DPF (and all the other emissions stuff) is stock and original.
And before anyone says.....yes the chances of being caught are slim......I'm just giving the info.

 

[BrewersWhoop]

Is eventual blockage inevitable, or is there on-car preventative maintenance or additives that can avoid it?

 

[ALFAitalia]

Depends on the car.....early cars with the DPF under the car so it never gets really hot block a lot easier than the so called "close coupled" ones like on my ALFA that bolts straight onto the exhaust manifold and lives bolted to the front of engine.....that's gets hot fast and stays that way.....170,000 miles and still going strong and never been blocked.

 

[xjrferret]

A low achiever

nice one

 

[W1ghty]

Yes it does....since 2018. Aside from possibly failing the test due to "visible smoke" when new DPF missing.....any obvious cutting and rewelding or hollow sound when tapped is a fail. Not to mention the £1000 fine if your are caught with any factory fitted emissions equipment missing or tampered with and the fact that your insurance will be void.... not worth the risk for the minimal gain. My car is at 170,000 miles and the DPF (and all the other emissions stuff) is stock and original.
And before anyone says.....yes the chances of being caught are slim......I'm just giving the info.

So you are saying that nearly all dpf removals would get caught by an mot test ?
What we all seem to read on the forums just doesn’t bear that out though . Many people seem to have done it and there don’t seem to be any forum statements of “my car just failed a mot with no dpf” ?

 

[DSM10000]

So you are saying that nearly all dpf removals would get caught by an mot test ?
What we all seem to read on the forums just doesn’t bear that out though . Many people seem to have done it and there don’t seem to be any forum statements of “my car just failed a mot with no dpf” ?

But, as a counterpoint, would people admit to being caught?

 

[SarenDavid]

Hey there! Sorry to hear about your DPF issue. I'm not too familiar with the specific methods you mentioned, but have you considered taking it to a professional for cleaning or replacement?

t might be worth the investment if you're planning on keeping the car for a few more months. Alternatively, you could try asking for advice from a trusted mechanic or even a forum dedicated to your specific car model like ford diesel particulate filter cleaning.

 

[ALFAitalia]

So you are saying that nearly all dpf removals would get caught by an mot test ?

Nope....not saying that....in the same way that secondary cats on V8s don't ever seem to get noticed as long as they pass the emissions test. I depends on the MOT tester.....but If a tester failed to notice a complete DPF missing (or even hollowed out) then he's either not very good or being bribed .....lets hope he checks the brakes better than that eh!! What I am saying is that removal/modification of any factory emissions equipment is an automatic fail....in theory.......Not to mention illegal to take on the road, voids your insurance and subject to £1000 fine if caught. Do as you wish. I hollowed out the cat on mt 1992 J Audi 20v Coupe once.....but it was registered just before they were required by law (1993 K) and I sold it before modifying them was illegal. You money etc your choice.

 

[W1ghty]

But, as a counterpoint, would people admit to being caught?

I had thought about that but you would see more forum stuff like “I’ve just bought a car that has no dpf , can I have some advice “ . There is almost none of that from my reading .
Are there mot testers on the forum who can say , yes loads of missing dpf cars are failing mot’s ?

 

[DSM10000]

I had thought about that but you would see more forum stuff like “I’ve just bought a car that has no dpf , can I have some advice “ . There is almost none of that from my reading .
Are there mot testers on the forum who can say , yes loads of missing dpf cars are failing mot’s ?

Good points well made

 

[W1ghty]

Nope....not saying that....in the same way that secondary cats on V8s don't ever seem to get noticed as long as they pass the emissions test. I depends on the MOT tester.....but If a tester failed to notice a complete DPF missing (or even hollowed out) then he's either not very good or being bribed .....lets hope he checks the brakes better than that eh!! What I am saying is that removal/modification of any factory emissions equipment is an automatic fail....in theory.......Not to mention illegal to take on the road, voids your insurance and subject to £1000 fine if caught. Do as you wish. I hollowed out the cat on mt 1992 J Audi 20v Coupe once.....but it was registered just before they were required by law (1993 K) and I sold it before modifying them was illegal. You money etc your choice.

Yep I get that (I have a non dpf from factory car for balance) . I’m still wondering how “we on the forum” just don’t hear about this as an issue

 

[ALFAitalia]

They would have failed if I was still testing.......but I was a fussy git and failed stuff the more soft touch testers might have let by!!!! Somethings are a difficult decision as lots of things there is not definite pass/fail guidance.......things like ball joints should fail for "excessive play"......but they supply no definition of excessive. So I used to fail if , in my opinion, it was likely to affect the geometry when in use. Something, like missing parts or failed bulbs, or EML light on, MISSING CATS, EGR valves or DPF!.... are obvious fails with no debate. The "visible smoke" tests recently introduced on dervs make passing the test without a DPF in place much harder......but some testers WRONGLY seem to think its OK to pass the car if its emissions are below the test limit, even if secondary cats etc are missing....this is incorrect and the car should fail. Personally if a car blows low enough emissions I would not care now I now longer test.....but by the letter of the rules it should fail.
I've not tested for a while.....but this is from the current tester manual.

8.2.1.1. Exhaust emission control equipment​

You need to check components that are visible and identifiable, such as catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, and exhaust gas recirculation valves.

You should reject all vehicles first used on or after 1 September 2002, where original emissions control equipment components are missing, obviously modified or obviously defective.

Vehicles used prior to 1 September 2002 should only be rejected, where a full catalyst test could apply. Use the flowcharts 1, 2 and 3 to decide which emission test is applicable for the vehicle being tested.

Defect	Category
(a) Emission control equipment fitted by the manufacturer: missing, obviously modified or obviously defective	Major
(b) An induction or exhaust leak that could affect emissions levels	Major