2007 C4 Grand Picasso

[daemon]

wst said:

Chris x said:

Get it mapped out.

The hassle of MOTs isn't worth it for me. I'd be more inclined to do it if the DPF was restricting some kind of high performance diesel sports car (hah) but for a family bus I'm looking for the simple method.

There is no hassle of MOTs with removing the DPF / remapping the car. They cant tell.

DPF problems on these leads to EGR valve problems which leads to turbo problems.

Once DPF problems start on these, they are difficult to cure

[Chris x]

wst said:

Chris x said:

Get it mapped out.

The hassle of MOTs isn't worth it for me. I'd be more inclined to do it if the DPF was restricting some kind of high performance diesel sports car (hah) but for a family bus I'm looking for the simple method.

Doesn't affect MOT's.

I have a 1.9CDTi Zafira which I bought cheap as it was excessively smoking due to it trying to re gen the DPF. I have a receipt for a new DPF that it had only had fitted a few years before (Car is only on 106k).

A guy at work at the time had the exact same problem and car. He had his regenerated at a garage a few times but the problem came back. In the end the had an aftermarket DPF fitted which lasted a week or two before the car tried re genning again - smoking!

I had mine mapped out for £200 (inc a performance remap) and have had no issues at all. I opened up the DPF with an angle grinder and smashed it out and welded it back up (did the CAT too as it was next to the DPF) and no issues with MOT's what so ever.

From my experience, remapping is the cheapest/easiest and guaranteed way of fixing it.

Edit: The Zafira is also my family bus!

[daemon]

Chris x said:

wst said:

Chris x said:

Get it mapped out.

The hassle of MOTs isn't worth it for me. I'd be more inclined to do it if the DPF was restricting some kind of high performance diesel sports car (hah) but for a family bus I'm looking for the simple method.

Doesn't affect MOT's.

I have a 1.9CDTi Zafira which I bought cheap as it was excessively smoking due to it trying to re gen the DPF. I have a receipt for a new DPF that it had only had fitted a few years before (Car is only on 106k).

A guy at work at the time had the exact same problem and car. He had his regenerated at a garage a few times but the problem came back. In the end the had an aftermarket DPF fitted which lasted a week or two before the car tried re genning again - smoking!

I had mine mapped out for £200 (inc a performance remap) and have had no issues at all. I opened up the DPF with an angle grinder and smashed it out and welded it back up (did the CAT too as it was next to the DPF) and no issues with MOT's what so ever.

From my experience, remapping is the cheapest/easiest and guaranteed way of fixing it.

Edit: The Zafira is also my family bus!

+1

Exactly my view. And whilst you're having endless DPF problems, it clogs up the EGR valve and puts extra strain on the turbo.

[itcaptainslow]

wst said:

Turns out after lots of research and a bit of "oh, goddammit"-ing, a DPF does in fact have an expiry date. That is, it lasts 112,500 miles, and then it is roughly full of ash (even if it's been burning the soot properly with regens and suchlike). I don't really know what I thought they did with the ash to be honest, that is a horrendous oversight. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail and all that.

Guess what the mileage is! 112,500 give-or-take 100 miles. The DPF is currently, well, not clogged. The car is just saying "it needs changing before it does clog". And it'll be more clog-prone than if it had a new DPF...

So I'm looking at options. New DPF from Citroen is... £795, fitted and VAT etc. Reconditioned 2nd hand DPF is... £850-something.

Aftermarket DPF is about £250 but that doesn't count fitting... but I can't see it costing £500 of labour.

There's also the thought of an ultrasonic DPF clean... I'll find out the prices of that.

Bit of shopping around to do. I'm ok with even the slightly scary OEM replacement price, but I think realistically given the value of the car and its age it wants the cheapest option doing to it... I don't expect/want to be taking this thing to the 225,000 mark so I'd be happy with something that gives it 50,000+ miles of trouble-free DPF (well, except for a fluid refill) if it saves me some money.

Didn't realise it had done that high a mileage. You're right-the FAP is due to be checked & replaced as necessary from about 87,500 onwards I think.

I'd personally get it replaced rather than deleted-while testers can't tell at the moment it's a hot topic and I bet pretty soon it's going to be something that's cracked down on.

[daemon]

itcaptainslow said:

I'd personally get it replaced rather than deleted-while testers can't tell at the moment it's a hot topic and I bet pretty soon it's going to be something that's cracked down on.

Its been a "hot topic" for years - by everyone except the governing bodies.

They normally then take a year to formulise an approach once they announce it, then usually 2 years before it becomes a fail.

[wst]

itcaptainslow said:

Didn't realise it had done that high a mileage. You're right-the FAP is due to be checked & replaced as necessary from about 87,500 onwards I think.

I'd personally get it replaced rather than deleted-while testers can't tell at the moment it's a hot topic and I bet pretty soon it's going to be something that's cracked down on.

Lack of research, what aballs up. It's not having the typical DPF issues as I make sure to give it a good wringing out to regen it regularly, it's just... my bad research really (I wonder if it would have been covered by the warranty offered at the dealership... doh!)

As for how fast the regulations change, I don't want to suddenly be scrabbling for a DPF in a few years if they catch up. So I shall seek the replacement or some other DPF-retaining fix.

[daemon]

wst said:

ack of research, what aballs up. It's not having the typical DPF issues as I make sure to give it a good wringing out to regen it regularly, it's just... my bad research really (I wonder if it would have been covered by the warranty offered at the dealership... doh!)

As for how fast the regulations change, I don't want to suddenly be scrabbling for a DPF in a few years if they catch up. So I shall seek the replacement or some other DPF-retaining fix.

Keep it very well serviced too - the oil wells to the turbo are crap and prone to clogging.

I'd give it a good service every 6K miles with good oil.

[wst]

6000 is the plan. I'm glad to report that it doesn't consume any oil at all, touch wood - and at the last service they removed that poxy clog-prone gauze on the turbo oil feed and flushed as much carbon out of there as possible.