superb facelift 140bhp

[skodanut]

I went to pick my daughter up from army cadets and noticed the engine revs were around 1000rpm......after about 5mins when i arrived to collect her the revs then settled to the usual 750rpm range.

This is the 2nd time its happened and i was thinking it was the dpf being cleaned automatically, as its happened before, also the headlights were a little dim during the cycle, but soon went bright....my question is, is how many times is this likely to happen? as my wifes car has done 20k and i was wondering if it was pre timed to do the dpf cleaning via cars computer or is it actually getting blocked?

I did notice the running of the car when it was being cleaned was supremely smooth, and was just enquiring how many applications will the car do before the cannister in the boot needs replenishing? and is it expensive?

Other than that the car is excellent...any help on this would be much appreciated:)

[Bluefox]

Ahh, the good old DPF...

I agree it's being cleaned, but as for the canister I think it's non-replaceable and designed to last the lifetime of the DPF (perhaps someone could confirm).

The only other thing I know is that it cleans itself more often if it's only used for short journeys - for example, a car that lives on the motorway is less likely to clean it's DPF.

Hope that helps

[Supacabby]

Think of a dpf this way...It's like a dustbin, it empties when full, the more you put in the more often it will need to be emptied!

Can't help on the canister.

[SJFISHER67]

I have had this happen to my facelift 140 three times in 6000 miles, when it happens I usually rev the car to over 2500 rpm for at least 10 minutes, or keep it in a higher gear and the revs up to aid the cleaning process.

Seems pointless that something on a car which is supposed to be better for the environment, makes your car less efficient when its 'cleaning', thus making it a pointless thing to have on a car!

When this happened a couple of times on my previous 2.0 TDi 140 (Before the facelift) I took it to the garage, and they didn't know what was causing it. I guess they would now!

[Bluefox]

When this happened a couple of times on my previous 2.0 TDi 140 (Before the facelift) I took it to the garage, and they didn't know what was causing it. I guess they would now!

Yeah, it's nice they tell you about this things when you buy the cars...

[Supurbia]

Does the Superb dpf have a fluid aid in the boot to help clean it?

Someone I know reckons he's just had the fluid topped up @ £40 a litre needing 3x of it and a new filter or it cleaned, said Skoda wanted £800 but it cost him £225 iirc, and said the fliter could be brushed clean.

[Bluefox]

Does the Superb dpf have a fluid aid in the boot to help clean it?

Yeah, I think it does but isn't it permanent? i.e. not "top uppable"?

I'm not 100% sure... my DPF knowledge starts and stops at the word "pants".

[skodanut]

im not so concerned about the costs of replenishing the fluid in the boot........long as the system does its job as it was designed to do......as for a rear end collision id insist on a complete new exhaust system and filers the bloomin lot hehe......unless of course they wrote the car off and then id put the cash down for the new superb

[Tech1e]

A few facts on the Superb DPF.

It doesn't last the life time of the car. The system the Superb uses means both fluid (in the boot) and the DPF will at some point will need to be replaced. It is not self regenerating, the fluid (iron filings in a suspension fluid) breaks up and reacts with the soot. The soot is broken downbut the filings remain. Last i heard the fluid and DPF were expected to last 80k.

[Bluefox]

A few facts on the Superb DPF.

It doesn't last the life time of the car. The system the Superb uses means both fluid (in the boot) and the DPF will at some point will need to be replaced. It is not self regenerating, the fluid (iron filings in a suspension fluid) breaks up and reacts with the soot. The soot is broken downbut the filings remain. Last i heard the fluid and DPF were expected to last 80k.

So in other words, the fluid container lasts as long as the DPF...?

I'm pretty chuffed I've not got one of these

[rotodiesel]

Just so. I would not consider a diesel vehicle with the present DPF technology - it's a joke. Any possible savings in fuel are thrown away on DPF maintenance.

I had a really good offer for my AWX Superb (Cat III) from an airport taxi operator - he has a few of these and a few old Passats and runs them to starship mileages. Although I don't like the Superb and was sorely tempted to take the money, it does my job brilliantly and is reliable - so I'm keeping it. A MkII Superb will just not do the job mine does.

The taxi operator has obviously come to the same conclusion - I noticed all of his fleet were AWXs in some guise or other.

rotodiesel.

[bryanp]

Just for us meager 130bhp drivers could I ask what a "pdf" is and how it works and what the "fluid in the boot" is, I am intregue to know from a car changing point of view as all VAG cars now seem to run the 2.0 140bhp diesel engine,

A mate has just bought a 2.0 Jetta and I tried to warn him that their were inherant problems with that engine and to go for the 130bhp but I didnt know what the problems were and he was more interested in the extra 10bhp than what I had to say,

Cheers

[Tech1e]

A pdf is a document type.

A DPF is a diesel particulate filter. This device in whatever form is designed to break down soot to clean up emissions of a diesel.

Two main types. A self regenerating and a non-self regenerating (i guess). The first has the DPF mounted riht on the turbo so it gets nice and hot. The injection cycle is altered slightly causing the DPF to heat up and burn off the internal soot. Pressure sensors before and after the filter tell the engine ECU when this is required. Self regen occurs at 2000rpm on partial throttle usually. The second (such as fitted to the Superb I) requires help as the DPF canno be mounted on the turbo as there isnt enough room. It is mounted downstream but it doesnt get hot enough. So a solution from a tank in the boot (spare wheel is flipped up the other way and the tank mounted inside from under the car) is added to the DPF. The solution is basically iron filings In a fluid. These filings heat up and break down the soot which thn passes. Problem is the filings stay in the filter so eventually it needs to be replaced. VW ran it IIRC on the pAssat for about 6 months before they binned the idea figuring it was actually pretty crap plus adding a DPF (which was £800) plus fluid to your 80k cambelt service was a little mental.

With regards to the Jetta, VW didnt make a 130bhp Jetta. The 2.0 was always a 140bhp, the 1.9 a 105. You could get the 170bhp PD DPF and now they are running common rails I think at that power. The 140 PD maybe available IIRC but it has a DPF.

[skodanut]

that was very interesting reading lummox....80k for the service life of the dpf and the fluid iron filings in the boot...i think by then i would have amassed enough deposit to p/x the car for the new superb....by then i think my present superb will be just about had it ...5yrs of local driving with the occasional trips to france and spain......just cant believe that with the correct maintenance and genuine oils and filters the car wont perform for many years trouble free......im hoping that my present car will behave impeccably as it has done in the last 2yrs.......but the lure of another new car will be in the pipeline, preferably an auto, as my wife is now beginning to realize that a manual gearbox will be too much for her in the years to come.

[Bluefox]

I had a really good offer for my AWX Superb (Cat III) from an airport taxi operator - he has a few of these and a few old Passats and runs them to starship mileages. Although I don't like the Superb and was sorely tempted to take the money, it does my job brilliantly and is reliable - so I'm keeping it. A MkII Superb will just not do the job mine does.

I'm surprised there Roto, I'd have thought you'd have gone over Jap.

Just as a question though, what makes you say the MkII Superb wouldn't do what you want it to? Surely a manual diesel and a towbar would sort the issue, and the twindoor would help with your loading wouldn't it?

[rotodiesel]

The DPF is the major problem. I'm just not prepared to buy a car which has a major expense on the horizon for which there is no work-around. A cambelt for my 1.9 is an easy DIY job.

My present Superb diesel has enough power to do my job - the Mk II without a DPF does not. The Mk II DPF would be useless as a taxi in congested conditions - I suspect the guy who made me an offer for my AWX knew a thing or two.

I also just couldn't spend any more money with a bunch of people who sell cars with a known serious defect (rain water ingress) having identified this problem before the Superb was even built. I run my own business honestly - I expect people to whom I pay good money to do the same.

The twindoor would just annoy the hell out of me for the time I owned it - it's really stupid when you need to load it in a hurry. As for the rear seat fold... not again...

rotodiesel.

[Bluefox]

The DPF is the major problem. I'm just not prepared to buy a car which has a major expense on the horizon for which there is no work-around. A cambelt for my 1.9 is an easy DIY job.

My present Superb diesel has enough power to do my job - the Mk II without a DPF does not. The Mk II DPF would be useless as a taxi in congested conditions - I suspect the guy who made me an offer for my AWX knew a thing or two.

I also just couldn't spend any more money with a bunch of people who sell cars with a known serious defect (rain water ingress) having identified this problem before the Superb was even built. I run my own business honestly - I expect people to whom I pay good money to do the same.

The twindoor would just annoy the hell out of me for the time I owned it - it's really stupid when you need to load it in a hurry. As for the rear seat fold... not again...

rotodiesel.

Yes, fair points and I think you're right about the DPF'd cars as taxis.

Anyway, meet you in the Toyota dealer at lunchtime?

[rotodiesel]

Toyota and Honda are on my short list - but only when they have got their diesel fuel systems and some of the DPF technology sorted out. They presently tend to use European designed fuel systems (usually Bosch) built under licence by outfits such as Nippon Denso. So far, I've not been at all impressed by the long term prospects of what I've seen. (A clean room with a diesel pump test facility at work helps here).

If you work your way around the idiot shortcomings of the AWX engined B5.5 you have a vehicle which is cheap to maintain using pattern parts and diagnostic software. The basic PD engine (1.9 litre 8 valve) is almost bullet proof with the correct maintenance and the fuel system will run for very high mileages without major attention. (Bosch).

So, I'll hang on to the Superb for a bit longer as it works so well. I still don't love it though...

rotodiesel.

[skodanut]

i suppose everyone has their grumbles about the superb......wether its the older version or even the newer facelift models.....for me at the end of the day its a dam sight better built than some cars on the rds today with lots of room inside and ecconomical engines.....of course they are loosing money hand over fist....but most cars do anyways

i dont think anyone is happy with a car after driving it hundreds of miles and finding niggling faults...if they want a car thats perfect then buy a rolls royce.......even i would find a fault with one lol