[Avril]

Have a partner tepee 14 reg and wondered about how best to maintain DPF in good condition (friend has just had a very expensive bill on a VW) I don't live anywhere near a motorway and roads are not the sort where I can maintain a good speed/rpm for any length of time. In average week I will make at least one journey of 30 miles (each way) 2 of 8 miles (each way) and the remainder are shorter. Advice please

 

[reliable406]

Run from full to empty and drive it PROPERLY ie use the full rev range regularly most DPF problems are due to people driving the cars/vans in such a way they rarely go above 3k revs this may be good for economy but its not good for the engine they NEED revs to keep everything clean.

Your mileage is not ideal for a diesel either in older diesels this was not a problem but it has become a problem on modern diesels.

 

[Avril]

Thanks for reply -- I am a bit confused - when you say run from full to empty. I thought it was bad to go below 1/4 tank as this prevents "regeneration"??

Actually difficult for me to risk an empty tank as nearest fuel station is 8 miles away and not open 24/7.

Re mileage -- it does get a longer run occasionally - eg 500+ miles ( each way) 3-4 times per year and up to 50 miles (each way) at least once a month -- but the latter is not necessarily on roads where I can maintain a suitable speed. So to keep up 3000 revs (for how long??) I would have to stay in low gear -- and possibly infuriate the traffic behind me on narrow roads

DPFs just sound like a pain in the neck -- wish I'd known more before I bought the vehicle --if I drive in such a way as to protect DPF and prevent myself expensive repairs -- I am also losing fuel economy and so using more fuel and hence more pollution????? Has anyone done any studies on the balance between pollution without DPFs and pollution through increased fuel consumption to prevent expensive DPF related repairs?

 

[reliable406]

You dont need to run all the way to nothing just wait till light comes on then fill up reason for this it conserves your DPF fluid as it sends the same amount every time you open the cap so if you were to do 500 miles for 1 tank it would fire in 1 load of fluid if you were to do 500 miles but put £10 in at a time you would use 5-6 loads of fluid for the same miles so fluid runs out quicker

As for the running at 3000 revs this is not really essential but reving the engine regularly for short bursts will keep everything happy dont keep the revs low constantly

I totally agree with you modern diesels with DPFs actually seem to use more fuel than older diesels my clio DCI does 65 mpg regardless of how its driven my 307 with DPF averaged 45 so my clio with no DPF HAS to pollute less as it uses less fuel !!

Yet they want these older alegedley less green cars off the road it makes no sense to me im sticking with my reliable clios as long as i can