Diesel Particulate Filter cleaning solutions

[Durb]

My diesel SUV has just returned from the shop with a new DPF as the new one plugged up at 42,000 miles. This filter is plumbed right off the turbos and requires that a lot of the car is disassembled to remove it. The labor and DPF filter would have been in the thousands of dollars had it not been under warranty. This is a sweet engine but extraordinary fuel economy doesn't compute with a staggering bill every three years. I might re-evaluate keeping the vehicle.

My questions are: Have any of you tried the "on vehicle" cleaning methods such as Liqui-Moly, if so, what were your results? Do any of you use the Lucas fuel additive designed to keep your DPF clean?

Our SUV is a grocery hauler and is not subject to many long trips or hard pulls plus there is no manual regen control. I would be willing to try the solutions if I thought they would work. Sure am glad my truck is pre 2007. Thanks for your feedback.

[mkirsch]

Seems counterproductive to me to have to "drive it like I stole it" all the time, because that kills the fuel economy.

If you're not driving a diesel SUV around for fuel economy's sake, then what are you driving it around for? Certainly not tow capacity.

[2oldman]

Owner's manual.

[hotpepperkid]

Best way to clean a DPF is remove it into the trash can

[ShinerBock]

Valve lash adjustment at just 71k? There would not even be enough spring fatigue or metal wear to need an adjustment at such a low mileage. The manual states 150k and even that is too soon from what I have seen.

[whjco]

My daily driver is a 2015 Ram 2500 6.7 CTD. It's used in a combination of in town driving and over the road and I've never done anything special about driving it. It now has 71k on it and it just flagged a "Perform Service" and it had the EGR cleaned and the valves adjusted. It had a recall on the SCR and it was replaced under warranty. This is the only emissions maintenance I've had done on the vehicle and I bought it with 9 miles on the odometer. Unless I'm towing with it, I usually get around 3k on a jug of DEF. I have no regrets and have been very happy with the truck.

[S_Davis]

I have a Edge insight monitor on my 2013 chevy diesel, I can monitor the grams of soot build up and start a manual regeneration to clear it. I would check with Edge and see if it would work the same on your Mercedes, it just plugs into the OBD port under the dash.

[4x4ord]

I never give any thought to how I drive any of our dpf equipped vehicles. I've never had a dpf problem. If I ever do have a dpf issue the solution will be to delete it.

[JCK]

On my truck I usually run with the instant MPG screen on the display. When I see my millage drastically drop I know it’s in regen. Then if possible hit the freeway or at the very least try to stay driving at least 20 minutes more . Just hitting the E way does not guarantee it will regen. Mine usually only does a regen once per tank.

[ACZL]

OP and others w/ similar issues, contact www.motorkote.com as they have a product called DEF Reducer that will aid in this situation. I have used their products although not this one, and have had very good results. Originally geared/made towards the semi market, now expanding out to the consumer market. Some will call this snake oil, but my belief is that if it was designed to work in semis and good results, it will work for me as well.

[deltabravo]

Durb wrote:
freeway time

Freeway time should do the trick.

[FishOnOne]

Durb wrote:
OP here. Other than at idle the engine is completely silent in the cab when driving, we have never detected a regen event. There is only a drive position on the selector, you can downshift with the paddles but it reverts back to a lower gear in short order.

The liqui-Moly is not a fuel additive but a DPF treatment that includes spraying a solvent and rinse through the DPF sensor hole then starting the engine and shooting the dissolved soot in solution out the tailpipe. I was hoping someone had tried the process.

I see on some websites that DPF clogging is even prevalent on the big rigs and equipment has been developed to clean them but requires removal.

I'll try regular longer trips at higher speeds and see how it goes. We really love the vehicle and would hate to give it up.

Yes stay away from the fuel additive type DPF cleaners. We've had some success with some of our John Deere equipment that received a sprayed in DPF cleaner, with good results and some required the DPF to be replaced. For your situation I believe you need to get the vehicle on the highway more often with some complete regens and all maybe good again.

[ShinerBock]

Why punch it out when you can just do a delete pipe? Although you would need tuning for either option.

[Learjet]

I took it as sarcasm...but I'm in a non-aggressive mellow state today 🙂

[Ductape]

campigloo wrote:

donn0128 wrote:

campigloo wrote:
A punch and a hammer.

Not only illegal this idea is just plane stupid. Why would the OP intentionally destroy a 2 thousand dollar part?

When done right they run like they’re supposed to

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IMO the moderators should can these types of posts, defeating emission controls is against the law, plain and simple. Don't like it, call D.C., and take the politics to another forum.

[Edd505]

Not sure what model we are talking about but Ford can do a forced regen on their vehicles.