DPF Light

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freezebox

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Hi,

The DPF light has just come on my A3 2.0 TDI Quattro 170BHP. I bought the car around a month ago and have been using it around town for the past 3 or so weeks. I'm going to take it on a run on the motorway and wondered what the best way of driving it down there would be to get the engine up to temperature to regenerate the DPF? Is it best in a specific gear/rev range?

I also have VCDS and have been reading up that I can force a regeneration. Should I force the regeneration via this method http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/Diesel_Particle_Filter_Emergency_Regeneration and then take it on the motorway or just take it on the motorway as it is?

Cheers.
 
4th gear at 70mph for about 30mins, do not force a regen if its not necessary like this case.
 
Darren92 said:
4th gear at 70mph for about 30mins, do not force a regen if its not necessary like this case.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the quick reply pal. Do I need to have a specific amount of fuel in the tank as I read some places it must be over 1/2 or is that just a rumour?

Thanks again.
 
not sure on the 1/2 tank but i can feel mine doing a passive regen as low as 1/4 tank.
 
Took it on a long run in 4th gear at 2500-3000RPM. Light is gone now. Hopefully I dont see it again for a few months. Im saving up to get DPF removed and remap. Anyone know roughly how much this should cost? Cheers
 
freezebox said:
Took it on a long run in 4th gear at 2500-3000RPM. Light is gone now. Hopefully I dont see it again for a few months. Im saving up to get DPF removed and remap. Anyone know roughly how much this should cost? Cheers
Click to expand...

Depending where abouts you are - More-BHP in Cheshire quoted £550.00: a couple in Bradford quoted £400.00 for what it's worth!
 
dany2k said:
Depending where abouts you are - More-BHP in Cheshire quoted £550.00: a couple in Bradford quoted £400.00 for what it's worth!
Click to expand...
Do you know what any of these places in bradford were called? Cheers
 
Rather than start a new thread, can anyone tell me how to use vcds to scan the dpf soot levels?
 
Depends on the car and engine. On my 1.9 tdi it's measuring blocks 70-75 showing various exhaust and DPF figures.
 
Getting the piece of **** cut out this week.
 
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Hey Folks,

This is a last ditch attempt to save my 2008 Sportback 2.0tdi 170 BMN engine code.
I have had a patteren DPF replacement fitted along with the 2 sensors on the DPF (Car has done 165k). Car ran fine for 1-2 months until last week when the dreaded filter light came on. Did the usual motorway workout for 30 mins, got repaid with the engine management and glow light joining the party and it went into limp mode.
A mate connected his portable diagnostics to it, came back with 2 faults showing either blocked DPF or p2002.
When he unplugged the pressure sensor and revved it a good few plumes of soot flew out so at £36 I replaced it....fault code still shows up now when the sensor is plugged in but heres whats weird...it shows up when the engine is at Stage 1..how can it be sensing pressure if the engine isn't even running? Plug it in and it goes into limp and shows error, unplug it and the car runs fine but the error shows!
And before you all have a go at me I am too old and fear any possible insurance/legal repercussions to have deleted the DPF (But I wish I had)

I feel a trip to the auction and a very teary eyed owner coming on............
 
Be careful if you're thinking of removing the dpf as the laws are changing and it's going to be a criminal offence to tamper with the dpf and furthermore it will also be a criminal offence to sell a car without one. just a thought as you may end up with a car that you cannot sell in the future. I know all about gutting them but if that's the route you're thinking about make sure the weld is well out of sight when it's all done and back together.
 
If you have a look around there are company's that can clean dpfs so maybe these can help and also an engine carbon clean may help if you look that up also.
 
Thanks Matt268uk and ab1702 I appreciate your help.
I have already stayed legal and previously changed the dpf (Aftermarket not Pants Down dealer price!) so was shocked when, after 1 month, the filter light (and then limp mode and engine management light) came on.
Unplugged the pressure sensor (Couldn't face driving to Gatwick in limp mode) and went on holiday. The car drove as it should do. Came back and drove it home the same way.
Plugged the sensor plug back in (To put it back into limp mode) and drove it in to work as I had found a local VAG specialist to VCDS it. That motorway run appears to have cleared whatever was blocking it as it came out of limp mode by itself!
Latest is the VAG specialist cleared the engine management light, logged my reg and the defect and told me to hammer it about a bit and come back to him if/when it went loopy again!

I am now thinking of following ab1702's advice and getting it Terracleaned...can you guys advise which of their services would be best for the engine please? I understand no 1 service will fix all but which would do the most good overall?
 
It could just be the way that you're driving isn't keeping the dpf clear, if you're driving steady all the time even on the motorway then it will not keep the dpf clear it will just build up soot. In my vw transporter work van it has a sticker at the top of the windscreen which says if the dpf light comes on then it needs to be driven above 2000 rpm for as long as possible until the light goes out so what I do and this includes in my car aswell I try and drive above 2000 rpm where possible which is going to prevent it from coming on in the first place. If you have already changed the sensors and the dpf then I doubt one of those would be faulty, imo I'd try to drive above 2000 rpm more which should keep the dpf clear and see how you get on.
 
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Gents
Thanks for your replies and help.

I will keep the revs up over 2k as much as possible wherever possible.

max69vk, no calibration was done on the pressure sensor, just unplugged the existing, revved a load of soot out and then plugged the Eurocar pattern in...didn't know there WAS any calibration to do on it...

Anybody have views on if a Terraclean might help?

And finally, would the stuff discussed above have any bearing on the car's extreme reluctance to start? It turns and turns but takes ages to catch (New glow plugs and battery already fitted) I am not looking for performance gains etc just want it to ****** well work as it should..!!
 
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