How to drive a modern TDI

[Spitz]

Ladies & Gentlemen

I'm waiting for my Scout TDI CR to arrive.

In meantime I spend some energy thinking about how to tame this beast.

The beast within the beast is DPF.

How should I get the DPF understand not to complain?

I will ride the Scout everyday to work, 7 km, and home again. That is slow driving during rush traffic.

To the experienced DPF people:

How often do I need to do push the engine to keep the DPF happy?

[Pud]

Ladies & Gentlemen

I'm waiting for my Scout TDI CR to arrive.

In meantime I spend some energy thinking about how to tame this beast.

The beast within the beast is DPF.

How should I get the DPF understand not to complain?

I will ride the Scout everyday to work, 7 km, and home again. That is slow driving during rush traffic.

To the experienced DPF people:

How often do I need to do push the engine to keep the DPF happy?

[Pud]

I think you have bought the wrong car, that sort of driving will block the dpf in a very short space of time, in fact the engine oil will hardly have time to warm up properly!

[countryboy]

I think you have bought the wrong car, that sort of driving will block the dpf in a very short space of time, in fact the engine oil will hardly have time to warm up properly!

Of course you have bought the right car, it's a Skoda isn't it!!

Short journeys are not good for any engine as it doesn't have time to heat up properly, as regards the DPF I take it you will do some driving regularly that will get the engine nice and hot, if you do then the DPF should be alright because it relys on you driving above a certain speed for a certain time to allow the cycle of extra fuel injection and raised temperatures to burn off the exces soot in the filter.

[Spitz]

Of course you have bought the right car, it's a Skoda isn't it!!

Short journeys are not good for any engine as it doesn't have time to heat up properly, as regards the DPF I take it you will do some driving regularly that will get the engine nice and hot, if you do then the DPF should be alright because it relys on you driving above a certain speed for a certain time to allow the cycle of extra fuel injection and raised temperatures to burn off the exces soot in the filter.

Thanks! Yepp - it's a Skoda, and that's the right car.

I will take it for longer travels than just the work-driving.

I was hoping for answers like: " You should tame the DPF "once a week" - "twice a week" - "once a month"... from people experienced how to optimally keep the DPF ok. I've read the manual about this. But it's kinda vague.

[antrich1968]

I have had my CR for just over a year now, my journey's 2 and from work are about 5 miles each way, with maybe the odd additional short journey in evenings.

Occasionally use the car to visit a customer(s), which could be journeys up to 100 miles. I have made no conscious effort to go out at regular intervals to make sure it gets the opportunity to do it's thing, the DPF warning light has not yet made an appearance. Perhaps some of the journeys I do outside of the short trips to work are adequate for what is required!

[Spitz]

I have had my CR for just over a year now, my journey's 2 and from work are about 5 miles each way, with maybe the odd additional short journey in evenings.

Occasionally use the car to visit a customer(s), which could be journeys up to 100 miles. I have made no conscious effort to go out at regular intervals to make sure it gets the opportunity to do it's thing, the DPF warning light has not yet made an appearance. Perhaps some of the journeys I do outside of the short trips to work are adequate for what is required!

That is good music to my ears!

Not having to do something special to keep the car happy.

Thanks

Edited 18 September, 2010 by Spitz

[ged.fi]

Not having to do something special to keep the car happy.

Well, I'd recommend you do two things:

• learn the DPF regen procedure in advance
  
• figure out a suitable strech of road where you could run the regen
  

There are a few posts on this forum where people have either ignored the DPF light, or driven to the dealer's when it's lit up. Apparently both alternatives are good if you want to get into trouble.

[London Les]

My understanding is that the CR engine and DPF is easier to manage than the old PD because the injections are far better optimised to reduce particulates. Your cycle is pretty hard on a diesel however, so I would have a plan for a blast out of rush hour asap if the warning light turns up.

Edited 24 September, 2010 by London Les

[psycholist]

I'd guess if you keep from flooring the engine (Which is when diesels tend to produce the obvious black smoke) especially at low revs, there will be less particulate emissions for the DPF to clog up with. The new CR engines get to temperature very impressively quickly compared to the PD engines, so 7 km should be more than enough to see the engine at correct operating temperature. If it all goes wrong you can always get the DPF removed, but a good few DPF issues seem to be faults in the pressure sensor that detects when the filter is getting blocked rather than anything wrong with the filter itself.

[Dodgy]

I'm surprised people with such short commutes drive at all!

Anyway, I'm a low mileage driver and haven't had any DPF issues in my PD vRS or my newer CR vRS. I think the problem is greatly exaggerated.

[skomaz]

Well we've got at 07 4x4 TDi with DPF tha the wife uses and have never had a problem yet - despite mostly short journeys of 2-3 miles throughout the week with maybe the odd longer one at weekends and a 5 mile dual carriageway run once a week in term time.

So I wouldn't worry about it really...

[curleybar]

I'm surprised people with such short commutes drive at all!

Anyway, I'm a low mileage driver and haven't had any DPF issues in my PD vRS or my newer CR vRS. I think the problem is greatly exaggerated.

I don't think I would want to walk 7k to the foundry at 6am every morning and then 7k back home after a days grafting really ??!!

....there again if I was sat on my Jack Jones all day playing with me laptop a brisk walk might seem quite nice !...or the dreaded public transport of course !

[silver1011]

DPF concerns are majorly over-exaggerated.

38mph or more for between 5 and 10 minutes every couple of weeks is all the DPF needs to re-gen and remain problem free.

Enjoy your Scout – you’ll love it!

[Spitz]

I'm surprised people with such short commutes drive at all!

Anyway, I'm a low mileage driver and haven't had any DPF issues in my PD vRS or my newer CR vRS. I think the problem is greatly exaggerated.

Well, if I were to use the feet or a bicycle it would be a 2x14 km everyday (as the driving road ain't for pedestrians or bicycles). It's more a time issue than being lazy.

[Spitz]

DPF concerns are majorly over-exaggerated.

38mph or more for between 5 and 10 minutes every couple of weeks is all the DPF needs to re-gen and remain problem free.

Enjoy your Scout – you’ll love it!

I agree that the DPF issues seems to be over-exaggerated.

After reading all the DPF issues posted on Briskoda (and other forums) I was kinda worried that I had ordered the "wrong" car. Hence, I e-mailed the dealer a couple of days ago and explained how I was gonna drive my Scout TDI CR, and if he would recommend me the petrol version... He recommended me the TDI CR, and added that they very rarely had any DPF issues at all.

So yes, I'm really looking forward to my Scout, supposed to arrive in mid-November

BTW - it's Aqua blue. Hope it's not to girly.

[HopeImRight]

What sort of temperatures does your car have to deal with where you live Spitz?

Bit chilly I reckon.

[Spitz]

What sort of temperatures does your car have to deal with where you live Spitz?

Bit chilly I reckon.

Longyearbyen is kinda chilly

However, I'm moving to mid-Norway mainland. Warmer but still a bit chilly during winter.

My Scout will come with a heater (I don't know the correct English word), meaning that I will pre-heat the motor a couple of hours before start up during winter.

Edited 26 September, 2010 by Spitz