New DPF Regulations for MOT

[glenvine]

Latest

Tests for diesel cars and lorries are to be tightened Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has announced.
Garages will be required to check for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the inspection of the exhaust system as part of the MOT test from February 2014. The vehicle will automatically fail the MOT test if the filter had been fitted as standard but is found to be no longer present.
The filter works by trapping solid particulate matter from exhaust gases. This type of filter has been in use for more than 20 years and helps meet European emission standards, improving air quality and health standards. It will become an offence to drive a vehicle with the filter removed as it will no longer meet the emissions standards the car achieved when it was approved for sale in the UK.
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:
“I am very concerned that vehicles are being modified in a way that is clearly detrimental to people’s health and undoes the hard work car manufacturers have taken to improve emissions standards. It has become apparent the government had to intervene to clarify the position on particulate filter removal given the unacceptable negative impact on air quality.
“This change to the MOT tests makes it clear – if you have this filter removed from your car it will fail the test.”
The filters need to be ‘regenerated’ regularly through burning the soot to gas at a very high temperature, leaving behind a residue. If not carried out properly, regeneration can lead to a build up of soot, which can affect performance. This has led to some diesel vehicle owners opting to remove the filter.
- See more at: DPF test will be added to MOT from February - Garage WireDPF test will be added to MOT from February

Tests for diesel cars and lorries are to be tightened Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has announced.
Garages will be required to check for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the inspection of the exhaust system as part of the MOT test from February 2014. The vehicle will automatically fail the MOT test if the filter had been fitted as standard but is found to be no longer present.
The filter works by trapping solid particulate matter from exhaust gases. This type of filter has been in use for more than 20 years and helps meet European emission standards, improving air quality and health standards. It will become an offence to drive a vehicle with the filter removed as it will no longer meet the emissions standards the car achieved when it was approved for sale in the UK.
Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:
“I am very concerned that vehicles are being modified in a way that is clearly detrimental to people’s health and undoes the hard work car manufacturers have taken to improve emissions standards. It has become apparent the government had to intervene to clarify the position on particulate filter removal given the unacceptable negative impact on air quality.
“This change to the MOT tests makes it clear – if you have this filter removed from your car it will fail the test.”
The filters need to be ‘regenerated’ regularly through burning the soot to gas at a very high temperature, leaving behind a residue. If not carried out properly, regeneration can lead to a build up of soot, which can affect performance. This has led to some diesel vehicle owners opting to remove the filter.
- See more at: DPF test will be added to MOT from February - Garage Wire test will be added to MOT from February


Tests for diesel cars and lorries are to be tightened Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has

announced.

Garages will be required to check for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the inspection of the

exhaust system as part of the MOT test from February 2014. The vehicle will automatically fail the

MOT test if the filter had been fitted as standard but is found to be no longer present.

The filter works by trapping solid particulate matter from exhaust gases. This type of filter has been

in use for more than 20 years and helps meet European emission standards, improving air quality

and health standards. It will become an offence to drive a vehicle with the filter removed as it will no

longer meet the emissions standards the car achieved when it was approved for sale in the UK.

Roads Minister Robert Goodwill said:

“I am very concerned that vehicles are being modified in a way that is clearly detrimental to

people’s health and undoes the hard work car manufacturers have taken to improve emissions

standards. It has become apparent the government had to intervene to clarify the position on

particulate filter removal given the unacceptable negative impact on air quality.

“This change to the MOT tests makes it clear – if you have this filter removed from your car it will

fail the test.”

The filters need to be ‘regenerated’ regularly through burning the soot to gas at a very high

temperature, leaving behind a residue. If not carried out properly, regeneration can lead to a build

up of soot, which can affect performance. This has led to some diesel vehicle owners opting to

remove the filter.

 

[glenvine]

Tests for diesel cars and lorries are to be tightened Roads Minister Robert Goodwill has announced.
Garages will be required to check for a diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the inspection of the exhaust system as part of the MOT test from February 2014. The vehicle will automatically fail the MOT test if the filter had been fitted as standard but is found to be no longer present.
The filter works by trapping solid particulate matter from exhaust gases. This type of filter has been in use for more than 20 years and helps meet European emission standards, improving air quality and health standards. It will become an offence to drive a vehicle with the filter removed as it will no longer meet the emissions standards the car achieved when it was approved for sale in the UK.

 

[Sp!ke]

That'll send a few cars to the scrap heap then.

I'm sure the motor manufacturers will benefit.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-for-mot-to-test-for-diesel-particulate-filter

 

[V12]

So instead of removing the DPF and fitting a straight through pipe, they'll just cut the DPF open and remove the guts...

Big deal.

 

[Sp!ke]

Perhaps not if the penalty for not having a DPF is prohibitive.

I think it'll inflict a 10 year shelf life on many post 2004 Diesels.

 

[grober]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/129880-dpfs.html
post 51

 

[V12]

Perhaps not if the penalty for not having a DPF is prohibitive.

But how will the testers be checking the guts are still in there?

I think it'll inflict a 10 year shelf life on many post 2004 Diesels.

It's one of the reasons I walked away from an 05 W220 and went for my 53 plate instead, I knew that 80-90% of my trips would be under 5 miles and the DPF would become a serious issue. I've got enough to worry about with airmatic and everything else on the W220...

 

[whitenemesis]

Removing the innards of the DPF isn't as straight forward as gutting a CAT. The ECU will need to have it mapped out.

How soon before we see some form of ECU scan introduced?

 

[Sp!ke]

But how will the testers be checking the guts are still in there?

The obvious answer would be some kind of particulate tester if such a thing exists but yes, I take your point.

Most people however have simply cut the DPF out entirely which likely means a whole load of cars will son hit the market at rock bottom prices - ideal for overseas sales.

If you anyone has done such a thing, maybe now is a good time to sell (before the market changes).

Pre-dpf diesels might find their depreciation firms up.

 

[Sp!ke]

How long before we see generic dummy DPF filters appear on ebay I wonder?

 

[V12]

Removing the innards of the DPF isn't as straight forward as gutting a CAT. The ECU will need to have it mapped out.

How soon before we see some form of ECU scan introduced?

I guess it varies from car to car, but I have heard that VAGs can be tricked with a 5p resistor?

I have witnessed a few eastern european garages replenishing DPFs with a blow torch, one guy told me they leave the blow torch on full power for upto 3 hours to clear the filter.
Is this method legal?

 

[st13phil]

...I knew that 80-90% of my trips would be under 5 miles and the DPF would become a serious issue. I've got enough to worry about with airmatic and everything else on the W220...

Hahaha!

That's what I like about this place: a healthy dose of realism

 

[grober]

This interesting question was asked elsewhere. Now that removing the factory fitted DPF has been formally[ legally] recognised as an MOT failure, will removal now become a "vehicle modification" that has to be declared to insurance companies. Would failure to declare then nullify your insurance policy a bit like chipping ? The difference being chipping is not against regulations whereas DPF removal-------??

 

[BTB 500]

DPF removal is certainly a mod. to the exhaust system that should be declared for insurance, just like a decat (full or partial) on a petrol engined car.

 

[E55BOF]

Is it not a condition of most insurance policies that you maintain your car in a roadworthy condition? If there's no DPF and there should be, the car will fail an MoT test, and is therefore not in a roadworthy condition...

Total non sequitur, of course, but that is the line the insurance companies will take if they find out.

 

[blue gnome123]

Not a good day for diesel filter news

BBC News - Diesel fuel filter problems targeted in probe

 

[flowrider]

How would the MOT tester know if your car was originally fitted with a dpf? My ML320 cdi doesn't have one but I think I was an option.

David

 

[grober]

How would the MOT tester know if your car was originally fitted with a dpf? My ML320 cdi doesn't have one but I think I was an option.

David

Don't know exactly but like all officialdom I imagine there will be cutoff dates for every make and model. Obviously there might be a grey area related to date of manufacture/ registration but probably for vehicles registered beyond a certain date it will fall to the owner to provide evidence from the manufacturer via chassis no that their vehicle is exempt. I imagine this would only have to happen once since any documentation provided could be used in subsequent years and the vehicle's status as "Non DPF equipped " would be registered on the central system previously. - as would the fact it was DPF equipped if that was the case previously.

 

[stephen coy]

It reads like it refers to the incidence of inline diesel fuel filters blocking and causing fuel starvation to the engine.

 

[SamUK]

usually the filer is gutted and coded out of the ecu..so if the check is jsut visual nothing will look different..not sure if a tester can do more checks?

there are people who use kits such as the ecotune kit - common in BMW's - the kit costs near £900 and replaces the fiter with its ouwn pipe work..so no looking very good for them..