DPF Inspection at 93,000m service

[williamshatnerspants]

We are taking our 170TDI in for a service later this month (cambelt, oil/filer, fuel filter). The service book notes that at approx. 93,000 miles and then every 18,000 miles thereafter the DPF should be inspected.

 

I have never heard our car doing a regen, have never had any warning lights on the DPF, so I am a little nervous about letting our independent mechanic 'inspect' it. Their quote for the work is 'DPF regeneration - computer scanner' so I guess this means they will do a 'forced regen' and thats all. The cost is 20 quid so it seems fair. 

 

Are there any risks in getting this done, or am I being too cynical? 

 

Thanks

Matt

[Alfashark]

If it were mine, I'd take it to a wonderfully skilled South African chap in Auckland who's very well equipped to deal with VAG diesels and have him get rid of the DPF and have him map it out properly...

[SuperbTWM]

20 hours ago, williamshatnerspants said:

We are taking our 170TDI in for a service later this month (cambelt, oil/filer, fuel filter). The service book notes that at approx. 93,000 miles and then every 18,000 miles thereafter the DPF should be inspected.

 

I have never heard our car doing a regen, have never had any warning lights on the DPF, so I am a little nervous about letting our independent mechanic 'inspect' it. Their quote for the work is 'DPF regeneration - computer scanner' so I guess this means they will do a 'forced regen' and thats all. The cost is 20 quid so it seems fair. 

 

Are there any risks in getting this done, or am I being too cynical? 

 

Thanks

Matt

 

Why would you pay £20 for somebody to ask the car to do a regen when it can already do that for itself?

[williamshatnerspants]

12 hours ago, Alfashark said:

If it were mine, I'd take it to a wonderfully skilled South African chap in Auckland who's very well equipped to deal with VAG diesels and have him get rid of the DPF and have him map it out properly...

Sounds like a great plan... but unless the DPF fails I'm unlikely to get budget approval from the wife. Good to know there is someone here in Auckland who can do it. Do you know the approx. cost?

[williamshatnerspants]

47 minutes ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

Why would you pay £20 for somebody to ask the car to do a regen when it can already do that for itself?

 

Yes that is a good point, I was unsure as to why Skoda would put it in the schedule...

[silver1011]

You can only perform a handful of forced regens, if there are no faults then leave well alone would be my advice.

 

Are you sure it consists of a forced regen? This isn't Skoda recommended procedure. It is more likely them checking the ash content to see how full it is.

 

No lights, fault codes or noticeable regens in 93,000 miles would suggest your DPF is in good condition.

[SuperbTWM]

5 minutes ago, silver1011 said:

It is more likely them checking the ash content to see how full it is.

 

 

 

Sounds like a bit of extra money making to me.

 

I can't see any benefit from knowing the ash content, even if you knew the DPF was loaded up, you would still run it if it wasn't giving you any issues and only then would you think about deleting it or replacing it.

[williamshatnerspants]

Great, thanks for all the advice, I'll tell them not to bother with whatever they had planned!

[Alfashark]

13 hours ago, williamshatnerspants said:

Sounds like a great plan... but unless the DPF fails I'm unlikely to get budget approval from the wife. Good to know there is someone here in Auckland who can do it. Do you know the approx. cost?

 

I'll grab his details when I have a chance and pass them on - He's quite active in the customising and coding side of things, as well as remaps and everyday mechanical work on VAG stuff.

[chimaera]

Taking a look at the service manual, there are two tests/checks relevant to the DPF that are supposed to be carried out at service. One is a diagnostic procedure to check the ash level of the filter. If it has reached the limit the filter must be replaced. At higher mileage this becomes more likely which is probably why your mechanic has suggested it as a specific line item to check. They don't mention doing a forced regen at all: this is usually only indicated for a car that has come in with the DPF warning light illuminated as a last ditch effort to clear the filter before replacing it.

 

The other test is a smoke opacity test - if the reading exceeds 0.5 /m the exhaust system should be checked further for faults, which would include the DPF.

[terrytowelling]

Leave well alone if it's not playing up, mines at 165 k now, as soon as that starts playing up I think I'll get it replaced with a generic one. I was talked into taking my last car's out, ( before it was specifically made illegal to do so ) I regretted it after as it smoked and smelt like an old black and white taxi

Edited 5 September, 2017 by terrytowelling