A3 8P DPF No Longer Regenerating

[focusrite97]

Hi people.

2011 1.6 TDI A3 8P

Been having no end of problems with my DPF over the last month or so.

It started about a couple months when my car went into limp mode after the DPF light had been on for a couple days - I got a technician to come out and force regen it to which the light disappeared and all was well until the light came back on a week later (with no fault code showing when scanned - odd).
After driving round at high RPM it still wasn't budging, took it to the garage (went into limp mode on the way there) had the DPF chemically cleaned, engine temp sensor and DPF pressure sensor replaced to no avail as the light still shows and doesn't regenerate. It isn't blocked (yet) and all the parameters for regeneration are being reached but it just isn't doing so.
Rang the place I had my remap done to see if it could be anything to do with the ECU but they said that won't be the case.

I've been advised to have the DPF removed and remapped but I'd rather not unless it's the only option left, could anyone advise any other things I could try before doing this?

Need to sort this out ASAP ideally as I have read continuous blockage/limp mode can damage the car even further.

I've been quoted 695+VAT for the removal. Does this road lead to any problems with the car in the future? What are the plusses and minuses?
If there's any highly rated DPF removal garages anyone knows of in/around the Derby area please let me know!

**I had a stage 1 remap and EGR delete done in 2020**

Any help would be majorly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

 

[ch1z64]

Hi people.

2011 1.6 TDI A3 8P

Been having no end of problems with my DPF over the last month or so.

It started about a couple months when my car went into limp mode after the DPF light had been on for a couple days - I got a technician to come out and force regen it to which the light disappeared and all was well until the light came back on a week later (with no fault code showing when scanned - odd).
After driving round at high RPM it still wasn't budging, took it to the garage (went into limp mode on the way there) had the DPF chemically cleaned, engine temp sensor and DPF pressure sensor replaced to no avail as the light still shows and doesn't regenerate. It isn't blocked (yet) and all the parameters for regeneration are being reached but it just isn't doing so.
Rang the place I had my remap done to see if it could be anything to do with the ECU but they said that won't be the case.

I've been advised to have the DPF removed and remapped but I'd rather not unless it's the only option left, could anyone advise any other things I could try before doing this?

Need to sort this out ASAP ideally as I have read continuous blockage/limp mode can damage the car even further.

I've been quoted 695+VAT for the removal. Does this road lead to any problems with the car in the future? What are the plusses and minuses?
If there's any highly rated DPF removal garages anyone knows of in/around the Derby area please let me know!

Any help would be majorly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

How close to Nuneaton is Derby cause i 100% Rtech . And u have had 1 bad tune

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

 

[focusrite97]

How close to Nuneaton is Derby cause i 100% Rtech . And u have had 1 bad tune

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk

About an hour away. What can Rtech do for me? And how come you think the tune was bad?

Thanks

 

[NHN]

I would be very careful with removing the dpf as if it's picked up on mot it will fail & you could be fined.

It could be a sensor or the dpf itself is damaged due to not regenerating properly.

Was the remap from a file jockey or a reputable actual tuner as it's not beyond possibility something was disabled & affected the regens, hypothetical as we don't know who mapped & what was done.

 

[focusrite97]

I would be very careful with removing the dpf as if it's picked up on mot it will fail & you could be fined.

It could be a sensor or the dpf itself is damaged due to not regenerating properly.

Was the remap from a file jockey or a reputable actual tuner as it's not beyond possibility something was disabled & affected the regens, hypothetical as we don't know who mapped & what was done.

Yeah ideally I don't want DPF removal - it's just my last resort if all else goes wrong.

Have looked at all engine temp sensors, DPF sensors and they're all reaching the norms for regeneration but just aren't doing so - even have the diagnostics tablet saying regeneration successful which isn't the case.

It was done at a quite reputable remap specialist in Sutton-In-Ashfield called Junction 28. I had a Stage 1 & EGR delete in 2020 by them, rang up the other day to see if this was anything they could help with but sounded very certain and firm it has nothing to do with that.

I rang another ECU specialist but their books are full until mid-March, but I'm worried that if I am to drive about as normal until then it'll block up and cause further damage.

I was told by the garage that refitted the sensors, DPF clean etc that it was odd how the DPF light is on but no fault codes are reading and that it could be to do with the map but don't think it was pursued any further.

If there's anything you could suggest I do I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

 

[NHN]

It's not beyond possibility the map included dpf disable to some degree & of course now it's goosed, in an ideal world putting the original Audi map on would be good to test, however you've removed egr now so that would flag up also.

Bizarre you have no error codes as they say.

 

[bobby singh]

Thinking out the box for minute
Leaky injectors can fill the DPF and people end up removing the DPF only to find they have smoke from the leaky injectors now.
At this point you have to start questioning the condition of the engine if diesel have been mixing with the oil.
DPF's mask a lot of issues and can be too late by the time you find the real cause.

The above is just additional information to think about.

 

[focusrite97]

Thinking out the box for minute
Leaky injectors can fill the DPF and people end up removing the DPF only to find they have smoke from the leaky injectors now.
At this point you have to start questioning the condition of the engine if diesel have been mixing with the oil.
DPF's mask a lot of issues and can be too late by the time you find the real cause.

The above is just additional information to think about.

Funny you say that, I did have a few injector seals replaced in August last year as I had some smoke coming out of my exhaust, what do you think I could look at now using this information?

 

[focusrite97]

It's not beyond possibility the map included dpf disable to some degree & of course now it's goosed, in an ideal world putting the original Audi map on would be good to test, however you've removed egr now so that would flag up also.

Bizarre you have no error codes as they say.

I've been told that the tuner I went to has put an EGR emulator on, not sure if the valve has actually been taken off the car - can't imagine so.

Soonest I can get an original map put on by a recommended source is March

 

[bobby singh]

if you had smoke with the DPF installed I suspect its breaking up and therefore the ECU will continue to put in fuel until the requested exhaust temp is reached to allow the soot to burn off.
DPF sound like its end of life.

Gut or replace time.
If you are near Heathrow I can check further and revert the ECU back to stock if you wish, but that won't fix the DPF issue.

 

[focusrite97]

if you had smoke with the DPF installed I suspect its breaking up and therefore the ECU will continue to put in fuel until the requested exhaust temp is reached to allow the soot to burn off.
DPF sound like its end of life.

Gut or replace time.
If you are near Heathrow I can check further and revert the ECU back to stock if you wish, but that won't fix the DPF issue.

The smoke was just from the injector seals as it stopped after they were replaced and the DPF was working fine for months after

How much am I looking at for a replacement?

Already spent £500 trying to get it sorted and still no fix in sight.

Sadly I'm in the East Midlands, I've booked in to get the ECU back to stock but won't be for another two months