DPF Troubles - break, sell or fix?

DPF Troubles - break, sell or fix?

Author
Discussion

andye30m3

3,452 posts

253 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
I'm looking at changing my car for a modern diesel, first job will be to bypass any DPF

Alarmingly I was speaking to a guy who designs engines for the major manufacturers a while a go and his latest project was a diesel with 2 particulate filters.

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
Yeah it's a massive shame. If only I'd have researched into DPF's first! I just cannot have an unreliable car, my work depends on it. My previous Octavia was faultless, so I'm just hoping this new one will be too.
I dont see how this DPF issue is making your car unreliable? Does it stop it working?

andye30m3

3,452 posts

253 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
RobCrezz said:
I dont see how this DPF issue is making your car unreliable? Does it stop it working?
not sure about the OP but when a friends 306 diesel had similar issues it would cut the power right down to limp mode and then cost in the region of £1-2k to fix

AndyT77

1,755 posts

161 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
andye30m3 said:
not sure about the OP but when a friends 306 diesel had similar issues it would cut the power right down to limp mode and then cost in the region of £1-2k to fix
I didn't know they had DPF on the 306 diesel?

andye30m3

3,452 posts

253 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
AndyT77 said:
andye30m3 said:
not sure about the OP but when a friends 306 diesel had similar issues it would cut the power right down to limp mode and then cost in the region of £1-2k to fix
I didn't know they had DPF on the 306 diesel?
bugger, my mistake it was a 307

Stuart J

1,301 posts

256 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Ive heard rumour that visual inspection for DPF's on cars that should have them will form part of the MOT shortly, Anyone removing the DPf & fitting a by pass pipe ought to check this.

eltax91

Original Poster:

9,842 posts

205 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
RobCrezz said:
I dont see how this DPF issue is making your car unreliable? Does it stop it working?
Yes and no. Limp mode, whilst still driveable is a pain in the arse. Also, the fuel economy drops by around 20% when the DPF is clogged up. It's the time spent troubleshooting which hurts me. Lots of time messing with fault codes and doing a regen/ racalibration. Also, Mazda say the oil should be changed at each DPF regen (although my local guy is not doing so) because it's a "wet system", so unburt diesel is returned to the sump when the DPF fails to regen.

There seems little other option when it can't be bypassed and a replacement costs such a fortune. What the hell is in these things to cost so much I don't know. all I hear is "precious metals" when I ask. biggrin

All-in-all, the time its spent in the garage reminded my boss to have a chat with me about the fact he pays me a car allowance to have a reliable car... hence i've gone out and bought one.

Sir_Dave

1,494 posts

209 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
The cheapest way of sorting this is to:

1. Remove the dpf pipe
2. Purchase a large broom handle
3. Shove it up the dpf pipe a few times
4. Refit dpf pipe
5. Get someone like Angle Tuning to map it - costs about £250.


liner33

10,642 posts

201 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
Stuart J said:
Ive heard rumour that visual inspection for DPF's on cars that should have them will form part of the MOT shortly, Anyone removing the DPf & fitting a by pass pipe ought to check this.
More than a rumour , cats are required irrespective of emissions next year with dpf's added some time later , although i expect those with "gutted" dpfs will be ok

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
y2blade said:
how much have to spent trying to fix the Mazda?
what MY is the Octavia?
My garage is quite friendly, so I'm only out of pocket £70 currently on fixing the Mazda! They are going to try a further regen and recalibration on Friday.

The Octavia is a 54 plate, PD130 WITHOUT a DPF. biggrin
The Octy sounds just the job, those VAG 1.9TDIs are all mega workhorses (I've had an old Audi80 that is still running strong with 250k on it now in a friends hands..and my Golf is still going good too)

I deliberately avoided DPF when choosing (my Volvo S60 D5 is 2002 Euro3 so no DPF either)

RobCrezz

7,892 posts

207 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
Yes and no. Limp mode, whilst still driveable is a pain in the arse. Also, the fuel economy drops by around 20% when the DPF is clogged up. It's the time spent troubleshooting which hurts me. Lots of time messing with fault codes and doing a regen/ racalibration. Also, Mazda say the oil should be changed at each DPF regen (although my local guy is not doing so) because it's a "wet system", so unburt diesel is returned to the sump when the DPF fails to regen.

There seems little other option when it can't be bypassed and a replacement costs such a fortune. What the hell is in these things to cost so much I don't know. all I hear is "precious metals" when I ask. biggrin

All-in-all, the time its spent in the garage reminded my boss to have a chat with me about the fact he pays me a car allowance to have a reliable car... hence i've gone out and bought one.
Fair enough smile

If I had to buy a modern diesel, I think I would just get these things removed and bypassed.

eltax91

Original Poster:

9,842 posts

205 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
So, anyone want to buy a Mazda '6. It's in great nick, I'm gutted to be selling it. smile

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
So, anyone want to buy a Mazda '6. It's in great nick, I'm gutted to be selling it. smile
rofl

erm.......no thanks

biggrin


MattOz

3,910 posts

263 months

Wednesday 21st September 2011
quotequote all
You can take the DPF off and clean it out. Friend of mine had the same with his 730d. Threw the error and he had the thing chemically cleaned by a firm in Birmingham (IIRC). Cost about £250-300 and the DPF was then re-fitted. Not had the problem since. Considerably cheaper than getting a new one fitted.


HellDiver

5,708 posts

181 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
eltax91 said:
So, it's a solution for all DPF's, except Mazda's.
Except our local guys specifically say they do it on Mazdas. A few of the local cabbies have had it done, no problems.

You're not asking the right mappers.

HellDiver

5,708 posts

181 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
MattOz said:
You can take the DPF off and clean it out. Friend of mine had the same with his 730d. Threw the error and he had the thing chemically cleaned by a firm in Birmingham (IIRC). Cost about £250-300 and the DPF was then re-fitted. Not had the problem since. Considerably cheaper than getting a new one fitted.
You didn't read the OP, did you?

Tyson1980

712 posts

155 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
You dont buy a car as a financial investment.

rolleyes

Either remove DPF or sell it..

I would remove DPF and keep car personally

MattOz

3,910 posts

263 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
HellDiver said:
MattOz said:
You can take the DPF off and clean it out. Friend of mine had the same with his 730d. Threw the error and he had the thing chemically cleaned by a firm in Birmingham (IIRC). Cost about £250-300 and the DPF was then re-fitted. Not had the problem since. Considerably cheaper than getting a new one fitted.
You didn't read the OP, did you?
Errr, I did. I suggest the OP has the thing cleaned out, hopefully clearing the fault. He would then sell the car. If it doesn't work, then a p/x for another car, listing the DPF as a known fault is the next step.

liner33

10,642 posts

201 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
MattOz said:
Errr, I did. I suggest the OP has the thing cleaned out, hopefully clearing the fault. He would then sell the car. If it doesn't work, then a p/x for another car, listing the DPF as a known fault is the next step.
First post he had it cleaned , it didnt work

Life Saab Itch

37,068 posts

187 months

Thursday 22nd September 2011
quotequote all
A brief summation of my thoughts:

Do a google search for "Mazda 6 engine problems".

Find the Honest John website linked. Read all the threads you can.

If you are having a manual re-gen done on the DPF you must change the oil. If you don't you are just diluting your oil with Diesel. Diesel doesn't have a very high lubricity and will fk your engine.

These Mazda engines are fragile (despite what certain Mazda dealers and Mazda UK will try and fob you off with.

They have oil pick up issues that start off with the injector seals being under-specced. This puts burnt gasses in to the oil galleries which in turn get washed in to the sump by the oil. This clogs the strainer for the oil pump. Number 4 big end will be the bearing to let go. When it does it usually fks the crank journal too.

My advice.
  1. change the oil if you've been running around with the DPF not working properly for a while.
  2. change the oil if you've had the DPF re-generated manually.
  3. change the oil anyway.
  4. get rid of the car.
  5. there is a certain Mazda Dealer that I would recommend you avoid at all costs who is near the location in your profile. PM me for details if you like.
  6. I learnt from bitter experience (and a raping of my savings) that these are not strong engines and you will get no back up from Mazda when it sts itself. Even if (hypothetically) it was a new, recon, engine having a DPF regen at a Mazda dealer when the 500 mile old engine was blown up. Allegedly.
If I say any more I will be breaking the name and shame rules on PH. :/