E350 Cdi 2012 C207 - DPF Won't Regen Anymore

[MrGundam]

Hi Everyone,

Banging my head on this one a bit so any advice much appreciated.

I have iCarsoft V2, updated to latest version and unfortunately cannot find the option to force regen my DPF.

I have noticed in the past 6 months the car feeling more sluggish to accelerate hard. The mileage is 122000 miles and the past 22000 miles is predominantly motorway miles at 60 miles a weekday, so plenty of open road 60 to 70 MPH driving.

I have put the date I have been collecting from iCarsoft into a rough spreadsheet:

I am wondering if when I replaced the DPF pressure sensor it has in someway stopped the DPF from triggering a regen.

I am not getting any EML showing, no fault codes at all since owning the car in the last 2 years.

Around September I really noticed it not accelerating hard on kickdown after 6 weeks of local short driving vs my usual motorway commutes. I gave it a hard drive for about 40 minutes, almost ragging it and that cleared a lot of soot it seems, however it is now back again.

If I knew it was time for DPF replace I am not too upset, but don't want to start chucking parts if there is something underlying I need to sort.

Thanks

 

[mersum1es]

It should calculate the filling% even without pressure data. When calculated data is reaching 200% it stops trying and must be forced. Then regen triggers if pressure difference sensor gives reading high enough. System also stops trying to regen when there is some fault on, or car is on a limp. I dont know if carssoft is capable of showing that data either.

 

[MrGundam]

I think I might have made a bit of a **** up now. In an attempt to to get a regen to work I activated the setting on iCarsoft for replacing the DPF. This seemed to reset the values for Ash and Soot so possibly now calibrated the car to the already 29g filled DPF

Not really sure what to do about that now. It is driving OK right now but no regen in 7000 miles and the previously high soot reading is worrying.

I am hoping iCarsoft V3 might have the DPF regen setting. If not I might see if an independent merc garage around here might have STAR or equivalent to force a regen.

 

[Gnasher141]

There is a DPF regen function on V3
Out of interest do your tailpipe soot up?

 

[keith of kent]

Ay 70mph the engine is on a fast idle speed. It needs to run at 2000rpm+ to regen.
I would get some of this
Wynns Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaner 325 ml | Euro Car Parts
Add it to a tank of premium diesel (not supermarket stuff)
Put the car in manual gearbox mode and drive it 30 miles down the motorway in 4th gear (I think this will give you 2-3K revs).
On both of my E350's a sure sign of DPF regen is idle speed at 800rpm rather than 600 and changing up at higher revs.
There will be those who want to open a premium fuel V supermarket fuel debate. I would just add that my MOT emmisions forn always gets a comment "no smoke detected"

 

[m80]

It needs to run at 2000rpm+ to regen.

I've experienced otherwise.

On both of my E350's a sure sign of DPF regen is idle speed at 800rpm

Perhaps you have also.

The ECU is designed to run a regen at a threshold mileage, even if the fill level hasn't reached 100%. On mine it's at 585 miles, and has done this. Although I would normally expect a regen between 460 and 530 miles(ish).

But it wants to see exhaust temperature rise, not sure of the threshold, the thinking that it must see coolant above 60 degrees doesn't seem to hold true as mine has gone to regen around 40.

It's said that there needs be 20% fuel in the tank, maybe true, but a regen isn't going to use that much fuel anyway so seems like a large threshold.

As said other faults can hold off a regen.

My personal view is that I wouldn't want a DPF cleaner going through the rest of the fuel system. If it can clean a DPF (that would run at between 600 - 700+ degrees to clean it) it must be pretty strong stuff.

 

[BigJase88]

I've experienced otherwise.


Perhaps you have also.

The ECU is designed to run a regen at a threshold mileage, even if the fill level hasn't reached 100%. On mine it's at 585 miles, and has done this. Although I would normally expect a regen between 460 and 530 miles(ish).

But it wants to see exhaust temperature rise, not sure of the threshold, the thinking that it must see coolant above 60 degrees doesn't seem to hold true as mine has gone to regen around 40.

It's said that there needs be 20% fuel in the tank, maybe true, but a regen isn't going to use that much fuel anyway so seems like a large threshold.

As said other faults can hold off a regen.

My personal view is that I wouldn't want a DPF cleaner going through the rest of the fuel system. If it can clean a DPF (that would run at between 600 - 700+ degrees to clean it) it must be pretty strong stuff.

Yeah this holding it in 3rd / 4th gear is an old wives tale. 60/70mph cruising on an A road / motorway is all that is required.

 

[MrGundam]

OK so iCarsoft V2 (my current one whilst I await V3) now showing the 29gram of soot, so it recalibrated after I set it as a replacement DPF so all good there.

I don't get a sooty exhaust, any EML, just notice it feels more hesitant to accelerate hard, especially between 70 - 100 mph.

I am going to try iCarsoft V3 see if it has a DPF forced regen for my model, then try a genuine Merc DPF pressure sensor (swapped to a Bosch equivalent about a year ago), then finally a cheap EGR. If the EGR shows changing values that my current one doesn't in iCarsoft I will return it and get a genuine Mercedes one new.

Can't think what else would be preventing a regen over such a lot of miles / time. Everything else seems to be running sweet.

 

[keith of kent]

So have you actually tried an Italian tune up? Needs a middle gear and revs, road speed is irrelevent

 

[Gnasher141]

Keep us posted on how you get on with the ICarsoft 3 and regen

 

[merc07]

What ecu do you have - what does it say on the icarsoft ?

 

[MrGundam]

OK so V3 came today. It does have some extra features for Actuating components but no DPF regen on my 2012 E350Cdi

The only service options I have is:

What I did try was to actuate the EGR as I noticed it only ever read 20% in V2, and also V3. This did not seemed to respond at all (sorry for sideways video):

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

So I am not thinking that despite removing and cleaning the EGR (it wasn't carboned up), it is not working and as such preventing my DPF from regen.

What do we all think?

Unfortunately I cannot seem to source a Merc EGR and there only seems Chinese copies available. Anyone know where I can source?

 

[TeddyRuxpin]

Tale the plastic cap off the EGR valve carefully by pulling back the tabs and see if the mechanism/spring is gunked up. You can also oil it. Worth doing if it’s still out, you’ll be able to push the valve in and out.

If you need a new one, I’d just go MB direct I’m afraid

Why are we assuming it’s the EGR?

 

[MrGundam]

It is currently back in, but when out I tried this and it seemed stuck on and after a tab broke I left it well alone.

I guess I will have to try this none oem one and may as well try to get the top off my old one. If I can clean it up I could JB weld it back on and see if works.

What do most people do when these need replacing? I message a Merc supplier on eBay and they said not available new. So either lottery of 2nd hand ones or new Chinese clones?

 

[Supernoodle]

Are you sure that some previous owner didn't put on a dodgy EGR delete software?
If the EGR wasn't functional I would expect ECU to give actuator position and airflow plausability faults.

 

[MrGundam]

Well that is a concern. Do professional tunes normally do this?

 

[Gnasher141]

Regarding your ICarsoft MB V3.0
Did you do a update as instructed
Page 23 in mania give instructions on how to force a regen and reset. If it don’t contact support or supplier.

https://ressource-icarsoft-france.fr/notice/user-manual-icarsoft-v3.pdf

 

[MrGundam]

I updated it to latest version before trying and the only service DPF options are as shown. It simply isn't available for my year and model

 

[Gnasher141]

Did you get it from LJM Car Diagnostics ?

If so give em a ring to clarify.

 

[alexanderfoti]

Keep in mind the EGR will only be actuated if the conditions meet the requirements (Coolant temp, oil temp etc). When they are below this, even actuating it manually with do nothing.

You usually have to reset learned values for DPF Pressure sensor when replacing them, but this is not always required. Do your DPF pressure values go up when revving the engine? If the pipes are blocked from the sensor to the DPF then it wont trigger a regen as the pressure will not reach the sensor.

What does the DPF fill level in % show?