Driving my diesel to keep the DPF from imploding?

Feek

Feek

Feek

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I’ve got a 2013 2.2 diesel Mazda 6. When I bought it, I was driving to the office (240 mile round trip) a couple of times a month so it was getting regular decent runs.

Since I did my shoulder and after changing job last year, it doesn’t get used for long trips very often these days. I’ve only done around 4,500 miles this year.

The average mpg has plummeted and I’m sure this isn’t good for the dpf.

I think it needs a semi regular run so the dpf regenerates properly. Would I be better doing a thirty mile trip every once a week with about ten minutes at cruise speed or a sixty mile trip once a month with forty miles or so at cruise speed? Is there any magical snake oil I can add as a fuel additive to help?

Changing the car isn’t really an option I like my car, I’d just want to look after it.
 
I'd go with the longer run just to be sure it's happened. If you're due a service ask them to do a DPF check before changing the oil as they can do a forced regen.
 
Could potentially try Forscan and a Bluetooth adapter, that will tell you when it was last done a regen and you can monitor the levels, and force one of you want to.
 
According to the manual as long as your average journey is long enough for the engine to warm up (>10 minutes) and average speed in excess of 9 MPH you should be OK DPF wise. If you get a build up you need to do a minimum of about 20 minutes in excess of ~12 MPH.
 
When we had a diesel B8 Passat had constant DPF warnings, best thing was to take it for an "Italian tune up" seemed to sort it out
 
logz83 said:
When we had a diesel B8 Passat had constant DPF warnings, best thing was to take it for an "Italian tune up" seemed to sort it out
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Don’t speak in tongues, what on earth is an “Italian tune up”?

I don’t have dpf warnings, just looking to ensure it’s in tip top condition.
 
I had a 2011 mazda 6, from what I remember the service warning was the DPF light flashing. Made me worry a couple of times! I'd go for the long run every couple of weeks option tbh.
 
I remember my Amarok DPF light came on, we consulted the manual and it recommended we drive ‘rigorously’ - then said in brackets high RPM in a low gear for a minimum of 15 minutes. Seemed to do the trick.
 
Feek said:
Don’t speak in tongues, what on earth is an “Italian tune up”?

I don’t have dpf warnings, just looking to ensure it’s in tip top condition.
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As in rag the absolute nuts off it, high revs, to the red line, keep a higher gear on a cruise apparently makes it more likely to regen too.
 
@Feek https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_tuneup take it for a spirited drive, do the opposite of what you are supposed to do with a diesel and don't change gear until higher up the rev range, the DPF needs heat in it for regeneration, the Passat's manual basically said the same thing as HoneyBadgers Amarok manual, take it for a drive above 40mph in 3rd gear
 
A spirited drive will certainly help passively regenerating it by getting heat into the DPF. But the best way is just ensuring its up to temperature and a steady cruise speed which will allow it to actively regenerate.

@Feek as long as your regular trips are enough to get it up to temperature and isn't just short sub-5 mile trips around town all the time then it shouldn't be too much of a problem. A longer run once a month should be ample. Its the very short trips where the engine isn't getting up to temperature where the issues usually start. Regens can happen at low speeds and low rpm, no need to be at the redline in 3rd to make it happen.
 
Useful info, thanks all.

Most of my journeys these days tend to be around six or seven miles if I’m going into town which is why I’m wondering about deliberately making the occasional longer trip.

Are the various dpf cleaner additives just snake oil, or worth sticking one through a couple of times a year?
 
Feek said:
Are the various dpf cleaner additives just snake oil, or worth sticking one through a couple of times a year?
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Most of them just raise the effective cetane rating of that tank of fuel temporarily - might run smoother through that tank but little permanent effect - might burn off some of the worst of it.

HoneyBadger said:
I remember my Amarok DPF light came on, we consulted the manual and it recommended we drive ‘rigorously’ - then said in brackets high RPM in a low gear for a minimum of 15 minutes. Seemed to do the trick.
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It can be a little unnerving in my Navara it automatically adjusts the injectors, etc. when it feels like a regen is required changing the engine note and response once it is up to temperature and speed and feels like something has gone wrong :s

Have to say in years of running a fleet of diesels which get all kinds of abuse at work DPF issues have be rare - much more common is EGR problems. Albeit they do monitor and probably force a regen if required periodically at major servicing intervals.
 
logz83 said:
@Feek https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_tuneup take it for a spirited drive, do the opposite of what you are supposed to do with a diesel and don't change gear until higher up the rev range, the DPF needs heat in it for regeneration, the Passat's manual basically said the same thing as HoneyBadgers Amarok manual, take it for a drive above 40mph in 3rd gear
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However, once you've got the DPF up to temperature you want to stop thrashing the engine and just cruise. It's somewhat counter productive to try and clear out the DPF by driving the car in a manor that causes the engine to produce more soot.

Feek said:
Useful info, thanks all.

Most of my journeys these days tend to be around six or seven miles if I’m going into town which is why I’m wondering about deliberately making the occasional longer trip.

Are the various dpf cleaner additives just snake oil, or worth sticking one through a couple of times a year?
Click to expand...

Run the car on Shell V-Power diesel. It contains a proportion of gas to liquid diesel and so burns much cleaner than regular diesel.
 
Alibaba99 said:
However, once you've got the DPF up to temperature you want to stop thrashing the engine and just cruise. It's somewhat counter productive to try and clear out the DPF by driving the car in a manor that causes the engine to produce more soot.



Run the car on Shell V-Power diesel. It contains a proportion of gas to liquid diesel and so burns much cleaner than regular diesel.
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Lol. No it doesnt
 
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