DPF cleaner

[carbman]

I have just been out to see my friend, (I do have one!) and show off my new car.

He just happens to own a garage and he has told me about Forte- DPF cleaner and suggests that I should purchase some and use it. (He doesn't sell it.)

He says that these, Skoda? engines are prone to problems with their DPFs and using this would virtually eliminate said problems.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this please?

[Anddenton]

I've done 70k miles over 3.5 years in a pd engine with dpf with no problems, so unless you are doing nothing but short stop start journeys it should be fine without additives.

[carbman]

Thanks Anddenton. From what I have read already, I didn't think there would be a problem and was somewhat surprised at my friends advice.

We have friends and family down in the south of England, so will be doing regular trips down there, which will clear out the DPF.

Thanks for your confirmation.

[Bcc212]

I was in the same boat as you. Bought a diesel and then read that the DPF is prone to playing up.

I do a 2, 100 mile trips a weekend and short trips in between so I'm just going to stick some in every couple of thousand or so to make 100% sure.

[Kiwibacon]

Snake oil.

 

The majority of DPF problems are related to smokey remaps and/or completely unsuited use of diesel cars.

[carbman]

Thanks Bcc212 and Kiwibacon (sounds lovely).

Never heard the phrase 'snake oil' before, please explain, but I had wondered about aftermarket alterations and their efficacy. Mine will be staying standard delivery spec..

Been seeing 'FL', like in your header, referred to on the site, what does it mean please?

Edited 6 August, 2013 by carbman

[Kiwibacon]

Thanks Bcc212 and Kiwibacon (sounds lovely).

Never heard the phrase 'snake oil' before, please explain, but I had wondered about aftermarket alterations and their efficacy. Mine will be staying standard delivery spec..

Been seeing 'FL', like in your header, referred to on the site, what does it mean please?

 

Snake oil is a mythical substance sold many years ago that was supposed to cure everything.  But it's effectiveness was limited to the cures imagined by those buying it.  The term these days is used for anything that's sold to make people feel better but do absolutely nothing.

There is nothing you can pour in your tank or engine that will clean a DPF.

 

The FL refers to the facelift in the Octavia 2 around 2010.  Pre-FaceLift cars have smaller and sharper styled headlights, FaceLift cars have bigger dopier looking headlights and a softer grill shape.

[carbman]

Thanks for that Kiwibacon. You've just saved me a few quid.

[Kiwibacon]

The best thing for cleaning out a DPF are long drives at moderate load in a high gear.  These raise the exhaust gas temperatures and help slowly burn out the soot.  It also gives plenty of time for your ECU to complete a burn of the DPF if it needs to.

If your normal driving includes such trips, it's unlikely you'll have a problem. 

 

The worst thing for DPF's (and diesel engines) are repeated short trips where the engine never gets warm.  If your driving is all short trips then a petrol car is better suited.

[carbman]

The best thing for cleaning out a DPF are long drives at moderate load in a high gear.  These raise the exhaust gas temperatures and help slowly burn out the soot.  It also gives plenty of time for your ECU to complete a burn of the DPF if it needs to.

If your normal driving includes such trips, it's unlikely you'll have a problem. 

 

The worst thing for DPF's (and diesel engines) are repeated short trips where the engine never gets warm.  If your driving is all short trips then a petrol car is better suited.

Thanks again Kiwibacon (I'm intrigued!!!) you have just described my style of driving.

I retired a couple of years ago from 20 years driving HGV Artics. and that is the way I drive. More MPG man than MPH.

The friend that suggested the additive had trouble with his own new camper van DPF, because it spent a lot of its' time going in and out of the garage and nowhere else.

We live and learn something every day. Cheers.

[Bcc212]

I don't believe the additive doesn't work. It's pretty simple really. Additive lowers combustion temperature of fuel and increases lubrication. These add to the burning off of built up 'soot' on the DPF.

If I were doing short trips I would buy one in a heartbeat. Wynns is supposed to be good.

[Auric Goldfinger]

I've used this stuff in the past

 

lubricants

[mark999]

The best thing for cleaning out a DPF are long drives at moderate load in a high gear.  These raise the exhaust gas temperatures and help slowly burn out the soot.  It also gives plenty of time for your ECU to complete a burn of the DPF if it needs to.If your normal driving includes such trips, it's unlikely you'll have a problem.  The worst thing for DPF's (and diesel engines) are repeated short trips where the engine never gets warm.  If your driving is all short trips then a petrol car is better suited.

I've been lucky so far as my 140pd scout is used for short journeys in winter with a weekly longer one. In summer It's used as a tow car which really gets the exhaust warmed up.

A while ago a report from the AA suggested that there have been increasing dpf problems with cars running all day at 60mph in 6th which doesn't get the exhaust hot enough for a passive regen to take place. I expect this will be less of a problem with the cr engines where the dpf is installed closer to the engine.

As long as you use good fuel and have an occasional longer run loading the engine a bit you should be ok.

Mark

[Kiwibacon]

I don't believe the additive doesn't work. It's pretty simple really. Additive lowers combustion temperature of fuel and increases lubrication. These add to the burning off of built up 'soot' on the DPF.

If I were doing short trips I would buy one in a heartbeat. Wynns is supposed to be good.

 

The only additive that can lower combustion temperature is a whole lot of boost.  But to burn a DPF clean you need high exhaust temps, not low.

 

When their explanations are rubbish, you can guarantee the product is too.  But if you're lucky it'll only damage your wallet.

 

 

I've been lucky so far as my 140pd scout is used for short journeys in winter with a weekly longer one. In summer It's used as a tow car which really gets the exhaust warmed up.

A while ago a report from the AA suggested that there have been increasing dpf problems with cars running all day at 60mph in 6th which doesn't get the exhaust hot enough for a passive regen to take place. I expect this will be less of a problem with the cr engines where the dpf is installed closer to the engine.

As long as you use good fuel and have an occasional longer run loading the engine a bit you should be ok.

Mark

 

The speed limit throughout NZ is 100km/h, I don't have any way to read the EGT (exhaust gas temp) in my PD140 scout but I do in my other two diesels and they run about 400C at 100km/h cruise.  I haven't had a forced regen and VCDS says my DPF is in fine health.  But it does show that passive regens are occuring while I drive, it'll give the distance and time since the last one.

 

The ECU can raise exhaust temp for a passive burn by simply dropping boost and I believe they do.  My big 4wd with no boost runs 650-700C at 100km/h.  My other work car runs around 550-600C but is geared lower than the Skoda.

So what am I trying to say?  Normal 60mph flat running by itself might not burn it clean alone, but it'll make it easy for the car to do the job itself.

I like to give it beans accelerating and hill climbing just to make sure.

Edited 8 August, 2013 by Kiwibacon

[nick74]

A common criticism of fuel additives is 'if they work, why don't manufacturers use them as standard?' In this particular case though, many of them do....

 

Any additives containing cerium will certainly make a difference to how the DPF regenerates. Many diesel car manufacturers include a cerium additive dosing system which periodically adds a shot of additive to the diesel in the tank. VAG even fitted this setup to some of their early DPF equipped cars, though never the Octavia. The purpose of this is not to lower combustion temperatures in the engine, but to lower the exhaust temperatures at which the DPF will successfully regenerate. The same chemical element is even used in self cleaning ovens.

 

If it works on DPF equipped cars where the cerium is added to the tank automatically by the fuel injection system, why shouldn't it also work on DPF equipped cars when the additive is poured into the tank by hand?