POSSIBLE DPF REMOVAL WITH NO REMAP

[Sufiisco]

Bought an Octavia VRS 2.0 Tdi from a private seller a few weeks ago. It needed some minor work doing it, clutch and flywheel replaced.

Recently I had used an engine carbon clean service as i noticed a very strong scented smoke coming out the exhaust so i thought i would give this a try. It worked well, but upon inspection from the guy who provided the service. He told me that it shouldnt be smoking the way it is and the smell was quite strong.

2 things he noticed and told me to check.

One - check if the car has a dpf in the first place, as he thinks the guy who had it before me, may have had it removed but may not have mapped it properly as the car is also showing an engine management light.

Two - from the turbo, when revving the engine, he noticed the turbo was releasing smoke and gas too, he suggested it might be that there is a dpf fitted but as it could be clogged up the smoke within the exhaust could be travelling back to the turbo and releasing from there.

If the dpf was removed and no remap done, how badly would this affect the car? I am looking for a place to get a proper dpf removal and map done in Birmingham, if anyone knows a reliable trustworthy place please recommend.

When the guy checked via the diagnostics machine, some sensors came up,mainly from the exhaust.

Some advice on the above from knowledgeable users would be appreciated. Is this a common issue, with a simple fix? Or will i be breaking the bank to repair this.

The car runs and drives fine with no issues. This is the only serious issue it has.

[trundlenut]

Dpf removal without a remap should make the car go into limp mode.

[Ecomatt]

I wouldnt get the dpf removed as they are tightening up on the mot tests. What I would do is take out an aftermarket warranty that covers things like the dpf etc. It is actually cheaper to do that in the long run in case the dpf does go and needs replacing.

[meaty101]

I wouldnt get the dpf removed as they are tightening up on the mot tests. What I would do is take out an aftermarket warranty that covers things like the dpf etc. It is actually cheaper to do that in the long run in case the dpf does go and needs replacing.

We all heard this in 2014. Nothing has changed. Still the same smoke test. Euro 4 cars pass the smoke test easily. Visual check is easy to bypass. The environment is a different issue.

[silver1011]

You need to understand the issues here, and fast.

 

First and foremost get the fault codes read properly using VCDS, find someone close to you, beer tokens are the usual currency...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/224376-vcds-owners-map/

 

Then find the fault codes here and diagnose the issue...

 

http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Fault_Codes

 

The guy from the carbon cleaning service suggested the fault codes he read were exhaust related. These are highly likely to be related the the various exhaust gas pressure sensors (G450 etc.), a well known and well documented weak point of the PD170 engine in the vRS.

 

If the DPF is still in place and one or more of these sensors are faulty then the DPF will not be regenerating properly and the longer you keep running the car the quicker you will kill the DPF. Eventually it will knock the car into limp-home mode.

 

Engine management lights (EML's) should not be ignored. If the car has had the DPF removed it will have to have been remapped otherwise (as already mentioned) the car would already be in limp-home mode.

 

Make it a priority to get those fault codes read (if the EML light is on there will definitely be a fault code stored) even if the guy cleared them.

 

What colour is the smoke coming out of the tail pipe? If a DPF is fitted there shouldn't be any black smoke (diesel fumes) however blue smoke would suggest unburnt oil, white smoke would be unburnt diesel fuel or condensation.

 

Finally as a PD170 owner you will need to remove the DPF sooner rather than later. DPF removal is very much like Marmite on here, either you are OK with it or are vehemently against it. All those against it have never owned a PD170 with a duff DPF so don't realise how completely unsuitable they are on this engine (this is what happens when the manufacturer is forced to retrofit newer technology onto an older engine in an effort to keep up with stricter EU legislation, ultimately the end user (you and me) pay the price). Sure, we should all be pushing for cleaner air, but only when it doesn't mean having to replace a £1,200 DPF filter on a £5K car.

 

If you are lucky this will be a simple sensor replacement, however leaving it will only make it more expensive. Act now.

Edited 28 December, 2016 by silver1011

[meaty101]

^^^

Totally agree. The pd engine was ruined fitting a dpf to it. Having driven both with and without a dpf the difference is night and day. Although dpf removal car was mapped as well. Unfortunately the age of these cars now doesn't make it financially viable replacing a clogged dpf. What i don't understand though, how comes the vrs got one fitted but an Octavia 140 pd didn't? If they still pass an m.o.t without one i can't see the need.

[Sufiisco]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Have shopprd around locally for a removal/remap place. Managed to find a few reliable ones. Will definitely get it done asap.

The smoke coming out the exhaust is white but has a very smoky smell to it, on top of this, when revving, the engine carbon clean guy was worried about the leak of smoke coming from the turbo and also recommended getting it checked out asap.

Anothet question - i was given two options

Hollow out the DPF and remap

Or remove completely and remap

Which is better? Ive been told the latter.

Also im confused with the price ranges. Ive been quoted from different locations ranging from 250 to 500 for the service.

[mannyo]

Hollow out and remap is the only way to pass an MOT test in its current form, any cat with an obviously missing DPF will fail.

 

However if in the future the MOT test is changed to incorporate the testing of NOX emissions then you'll most likely fail regardless of the route taken without a DPF.

 

Replacement DPF prices will drop as they become more common, just the same as the replace CAT converter prices have fallen.

Edited 29 December, 2016 by mannyo

[silver1011]

Agreed, in part.

 

The only option you have is to gut out the insides of the current DPF. Simply removing the whole thing and replacing it with a straight-through pipe will allow an MOT tester to see the DPF is missing visually and fail it. By gutting the DPF it isn't possible to prove the DPF is not present via a visual-only inspection.

 

An ability to test for NOx is still a long way off so you'll still have years of enjoyable motoring left running without the damned DPF. If in the unlikely event something is introduced to the MOT test in the future then this is the time to buy a new DPF, not before.

 

If they were really serious about identifying cars without DPF'd they'd be doing it via the current soot test.

[Sufiisco]

Thanks guys. I'm not too fussed about the MOT as I can get around this either way. Just wanted to know which service would work better overall. Seems hollowing out is more or less the same as removal.

[silver1011]

Yes, pretty much. A straight-through is generally cheaper as it is easier and quicker.

 

Gutting the DPF requires it being cut open, all the internals removed, welding it back up so that it is difficult to tell and then refitting.

 

Of course both options require a re-map to tell the car to ignore the DPF related sensors.

[Awesam]

Had the dpf removed on my old PD VRS. Couldn't recommend it enough. The car changed into a gem after suffering from months of having to go for long drives to clear the dpf.

Once removed it made absolute no difference to the emissions however that could have been down to the remap.

Had a emission test than before and after.

I had the DNA racing remap.

However I've now got a petrol VRS with Shark remap, it's brilliant.

[Structures]

I had my DPF gutted and remapped by TVS in Tamworth...I would highly recommend them, and I'd also highly recommend getting it done...As people have said, it's a night and day difference.

[meaty101]

On 1/12/2017 at 15:07, Awesam said:

Had the dpf removed on my old PD VRS. Couldn't recommend it enough. The car changed into a gem after suffering from months of having to go for long drives to clear the dpf.

Once removed it made absolute no difference to the emissions however that could have been down to the remap.

Had a emission test than before and after.

I had the DNA racing remap.

However I've now got a petrol VRS with Shark remap, it's brilliant.

I also went back to a petrol vrs as i don't do the mileage to own a diesel. Mine is brilliant!! Apologies for straying off topic.

Edited 30 April, 2017 by meaty101

[Awesam]

Sometimes I still need to check if the engine is running! Lol

However I do miss the fuel economy.

[meaty101]

Yeah that's the worst thing after owning the diesel. Both good cars though. Loved sitting on the motorway in the tractor!!

[Ootohere]

Maybe later this year we will hear more if the DfT / DVSA are going to take legal actions against establishments doing DPF Removal and Re-maps to allow this.