DPF Filters

[jhamlin]

Wife & I are looking for a tow vehicle for a Big Horn 5-er, 14,000 GVWR.
I'm thinking about a 1-ton diesel, and are looking at used. Here's my question: Do I need to be concerned with those that have a diesel particulate filter - I guess 2007 and up? We had our Big Horn transported from the broker to our home-town today, and the guy who moved it had a Ram 3500 dually. I think he said his was a 2005 and had the DPF removed and 5-inch pipes put on, all the way from the turbo. Is this legal? I guess I'm a little confused about all this. I drive a Dodge Sprinter and I know 1st hand about DPF maintenance problems on these.

PS: This guys Ram has over 550K on it and it still sounds great, burns no oil!

Jim

[Old-Biscuit]

Running with the EB ON..the 6.7L CTD uses a VGT (Variable Geometry Turbo....sliding nozzle ring). Sooting up was a problem when not being used.
Sooting up of turbo can lead to sooting up of DPF.
Running with the EB ON helps minimize that sooting up problem....as does limiting idle time and running at highway speeds.

[N-Trouble]

What does running with exhaust brake on have to do with DPF? Is this a cummins thing because I've never heard of this in my years following the Dmax forum.

[chevor]

The bad thing with the new emissions on diesels is the truck needs to be driven. Short trips are not good on this trucks. They need to get up to heat and stay. It not good to stop the truck while the truck cleans out the DPF. The truck cools down and then has to heat all the way back up and restart the cycle again after truck gets back up to heat. On my 2010 Duramax exhaust temps run up to 1250 degrees when cleaning out.
I dislike that there is no stock option on monitoring the DPF on the truck. I bought an Edge insight CTS which is an aftermarket monitor. It can read up to 8 different sensors on the truck. I replaced the my first DPF on the truck at 470k miles. Mileage intervals between DPF clean out were under 200 miles empty and under 100 while pulling. With new DPF intervals are every 400 miles.
Buy an used emission truck the DPF has to be a top concern. I payed $1600 to a GM shop to replace mine. Just because they have low miles doesn't guarantee a proper working emissions systems. Its more likely the owner hasn't allowed the truck to run long enough for the filter to clean out properly.

[Old-Biscuit]

1st year that Dodge (RAM) had a DPF was 2007 with the 6.7L Cummins (the 5.9L CTD didn't have DPF)

Run with exhaust break on, limit idle time which should be limited regardless) and drive highway speeds to clean it out it will be OK
Excessive idle, low towing speeds and it will soot up....

The long hauler didn't have a 2005 that he removed the DPF from. Sounds like he was 'blowing soot'. YOU even mentioned 2007 as first year.

And it is illegal to remove any emissions devices. Federal law makes it illegal for ANYONE to tamper with, disconnect, remove or otherwise render inoperative ANY emissions-related control device.

[goducks10]

I have a 12 CTD with 15,300+ miles on it and no DPF issues yet. Not worried in the least. That's what a warranty is for. After the warranty, I hope it doesn't fall off:)

[YnotTurbo]

I had a 2007, 2011, and now a 2013 Ram 3500 and have had no issues with the DPF. I keep the exhaust brake on whenever I drive the truck and don't let it idle for hours at a time. Great trucks.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

jhamlin wrote:
Wife & I are looking for a tow vehicle for a Big Horn 5-er, 14,000 GVWR.
I'm thinking about a 1-ton diesel, and are looking at used. Here's my question: Do I need to be concerned with those that have a diesel particulate filter - I guess 2007 and up? We had our Big Horn transported from the broker to our home-town today, and the guy who moved it had a Ram 3500 dually. I think he said his was a 2005 and had the DPF removed and 5-inch pipes put on, all the way from the turbo. Is this legal? I guess I'm a little confused about all this. I drive a Dodge Sprinter and I know 1st hand about DPF maintenance problems on these.

PS: This guys Ram has over 550K on it and it still sounds great, burns no oil!

Jim

A 05 would not have a DPF. Asking about concerns about a DPF is like asking about concerns about a head gasket.

Can it happen? Sure. Does it happen often no.

No it is not legal in any state to take the DPF off. That said, depending on the state you live in it might be easy to get away with or very hard.