Got my DPF cleaned out
Discussion
So my E65 730d was telling me that after 112,000 miles, the DPF had only 700 miles left. A google search told of tales of mapping it out + removal (makes it smoky and possible MOT fail if busted) or a ££££££££ replacement by BMW which is bonkers for a near 10 year old car.
Happened upon an outfit called terraclean, who 'clean out' the DPF with a special agent and then run the car under load for an extended time to force a regen. I missed the guy doing the cleaning as I was in a meeting but when he was done after an hour or so he asked me to go with him for a 'spirited' drive to get the exhaust temperature up. He left the laptop plugged into the OBD port and when pulling out of my drive I was alarmed by the enormous clouds of blue smoke (something I've never ever seen from my car) which only got bigger when I booted it up a nearby hill. Within a minute or two the smoke had cleared, the regen did its thing and after about 15 mins it went into 'passive' regen which showed all was well. The car's DPF countdown has reset to 120,000 miles. Apparently the smoke is all the crap pushed through by the cleaning agent burning off inside the exhaust.
The car definitely feels a bit perkier to drive and the cost was only £180.
Will it work in the long term? I don't know. Will I still need a £1500 replacement BMW DPF. I hope not. I'll keep you guys posted.
Happened upon an outfit called terraclean, who 'clean out' the DPF with a special agent and then run the car under load for an extended time to force a regen. I missed the guy doing the cleaning as I was in a meeting but when he was done after an hour or so he asked me to go with him for a 'spirited' drive to get the exhaust temperature up. He left the laptop plugged into the OBD port and when pulling out of my drive I was alarmed by the enormous clouds of blue smoke (something I've never ever seen from my car) which only got bigger when I booted it up a nearby hill. Within a minute or two the smoke had cleared, the regen did its thing and after about 15 mins it went into 'passive' regen which showed all was well. The car's DPF countdown has reset to 120,000 miles. Apparently the smoke is all the crap pushed through by the cleaning agent burning off inside the exhaust.
The car definitely feels a bit perkier to drive and the cost was only £180.
Will it work in the long term? I don't know. Will I still need a £1500 replacement BMW DPF. I hope not. I'll keep you guys posted.
nottyash said:
I would like to know how they get the cleaning agent inside the dpf. I take it they remove it?
They cant all they do well terraclean anyway is run a chemical through the injection system and cleans out injectors, rail etc. The forced regen can be done by most garages just involves a diagnostic equipment.To proper clean out the dpf it needs to be removed and a cleaner (or coke cola) filled inside it blocked on the other end obviously leaving it overnight then flushing it out if its so blocked up then only way is for either a new dpf or smash the guts out and remap it out of the system.
At the moment for mot it can only be failed if the system has been removed and a straight pipe put in if the original box with sensors etc is still there it will pass its only a visual test atm anyway.
Sounds like they did a forced regen, then reset your DPF counter. I know on the E60 the DPF counter can be reset without doing any other work at all, don't even need a laptop or other diagnostic kit connected.
As mentioned, I would want to know if they removed the DPF to apply their terraclean stuff. If not then £180 is a lot of money for a regen.
Not sure what a "passive" regen is.
As mentioned, I would want to know if they removed the DPF to apply their terraclean stuff. If not then £180 is a lot of money for a regen.
Not sure what a "passive" regen is.
I would like to know how they get the cleaning agent inside the dpf. I take it they remove it?
I had a look on the website and it tells you nothing.
It goes off on a tangent about scientists in Canada developing a zero emission engine and somehow ends up at a problem with carbon in the engine.
Engines coking up was a problem in the past, but modern fuels, are designed to clean it out anyway so it appears to be a solution to something that's not a problem.
Its all sales talk, franchising and bulls
t if you ask me.
I had a look on the website and it tells you nothing.
It goes off on a tangent about scientists in Canada developing a zero emission engine and somehow ends up at a problem with carbon in the engine.
Engines coking up was a problem in the past, but modern fuels, are designed to clean it out anyway so it appears to be a solution to something that's not a problem.
Its all sales talk, franchising and bulls
t if you ask me.MG CHRIS said:
They cant all they do well terraclean anyway is run a chemical through the injection system and cleans out injectors, rail etc. The forced regen can be done by most garages just involves a diagnostic equipment.
To proper clean out the dpf it needs to be removed and a cleaner (or coke cola) filled inside it blocked on the other end obviously leaving it overnight then flushing it out if its so blocked up then only way is for either a new dpf or smash the guts out and remap it out of the system.
At the moment for mot it can only be failed if the system has been removed and a straight pipe put in if the original box with sensors etc is still there it will pass its only a visual test atm anyway.
One of the pressure sensors is removed or the oxygen sensor if it has one, the cleaner is injected and is left for twenty minutes, then when a regen is forced the chemical has loosened the blockage and it's forced out the back.To proper clean out the dpf it needs to be removed and a cleaner (or coke cola) filled inside it blocked on the other end obviously leaving it overnight then flushing it out if its so blocked up then only way is for either a new dpf or smash the guts out and remap it out of the system.
At the moment for mot it can only be failed if the system has been removed and a straight pipe put in if the original box with sensors etc is still there it will pass its only a visual test atm anyway.
Carl
C. Grimsley said:
MG CHRIS said:
They cant all they do well terraclean anyway is run a chemical through the injection system and cleans out injectors, rail etc. The forced regen can be done by most garages just involves a diagnostic equipment.
To proper clean out the dpf it needs to be removed and a cleaner (or coke cola) filled inside it blocked on the other end obviously leaving it overnight then flushing it out if its so blocked up then only way is for either a new dpf or smash the guts out and remap it out of the system.
At the moment for mot it can only be failed if the system has been removed and a straight pipe put in if the original box with sensors etc is still there it will pass its only a visual test atm anyway.
One of the pressure sensors is removed or the oxygen sensor if it has one, the cleaner is injected and is left for twenty minutes, then when a regen is forced the chemical has loosened the blockage and it's forced out the back.To proper clean out the dpf it needs to be removed and a cleaner (or coke cola) filled inside it blocked on the other end obviously leaving it overnight then flushing it out if its so blocked up then only way is for either a new dpf or smash the guts out and remap it out of the system.
At the moment for mot it can only be failed if the system has been removed and a straight pipe put in if the original box with sensors etc is still there it will pass its only a visual test atm anyway.
Carl
20 mins wont do naff all im afraid.
nottyash said:
I would like to know how they get the cleaning agent inside the dpf. I take it they remove it?
I had a look on the website and it tells you nothing.
It goes off on a tangent about scientists in Canada developing a zero emission engine and somehow ends up at a problem with carbon in the engine.
Engines coking up was a problem in the past, but modern fuels, are designed to clean it out anyway so it appears to be a solution to something that's not a problem.
Its all sales talk, franchising and bullst if you ask me.
Never used them my self but cant see it being any different to a 10 quid bottle of fuel treatment from your local car store. However it seems edd china has a contract with them as he is always advertising the stuff even on wd.I had a look on the website and it tells you nothing.
It goes off on a tangent about scientists in Canada developing a zero emission engine and somehow ends up at a problem with carbon in the engine.
Engines coking up was a problem in the past, but modern fuels, are designed to clean it out anyway so it appears to be a solution to something that's not a problem.
Its all sales talk, franchising and bulls
t if you ask me.I'm afraid I don't know what he actually did as I left him to it for an hour or so while I was busy sorting out some other stuff (I work from my family farm). When I returned he was holding the car at fairly high revs with a device that attaches to the steering wheel whilst pressing the accelerator. He was looking at some diagnostic stuff from the OBD on a laptop.
It definitely did something as the huge clouds of blue smoke that came out of the back when I gave it the beans out of the driveway were unreal and having had this trusty 7er from nearly new to almost 10 years old now have never witnessed before. Anyone with a modern BMW knows that the one thing they don't do is smoke, and I literally left a smoke screen for a good mile and half along the road near the farm. According to the chap who did it, this was all the crap pushed out of the DPF burning off inside the exhaust and would clear up after a couple of miles and he was right. I drove the car on a 40 mile trip this afternoon with no sign of smoke.
Snake oil? I don't know. Just thought I'd share it with you gentlemen.
It definitely did something as the huge clouds of blue smoke that came out of the back when I gave it the beans out of the driveway were unreal and having had this trusty 7er from nearly new to almost 10 years old now have never witnessed before. Anyone with a modern BMW knows that the one thing they don't do is smoke, and I literally left a smoke screen for a good mile and half along the road near the farm. According to the chap who did it, this was all the crap pushed out of the DPF burning off inside the exhaust and would clear up after a couple of miles and he was right. I drove the car on a 40 mile trip this afternoon with no sign of smoke.
Snake oil? I don't know. Just thought I'd share it with you gentlemen.
bennyboydurham said:
I'm afraid I don't know what he actually did as I left him to it for an hour or so while I was busy sorting out some other stuff (I work from my family farm). When I returned he was holding the car at fairly high revs with a device that attaches to the steering wheel whilst pressing the accelerator. He was looking at some diagnostic stuff from the OBD on a laptop.
It definitely did something as the huge clouds of blue smoke that came out of the back when I gave it the beans out of the driveway were unreal and having had this trusty 7er from nearly new to almost 10 years old now have never witnessed before. Anyone with a modern BMW knows that the one thing they don't do is smoke, and I literally left a smoke screen for a good mile and half along the road near the farm. According to the chap who did it, this was all the crap pushed out of the DPF burning off inside the exhaust and would clear up after a couple of miles and he was right. I drove the car on a 40 mile trip this afternoon with no sign of smoke.
Snake oil? I don't know. Just thought I'd share it with you gentlemen.
No just a simple forced regen any mechanic with basic in mechanics terms equipment can do that.It definitely did something as the huge clouds of blue smoke that came out of the back when I gave it the beans out of the driveway were unreal and having had this trusty 7er from nearly new to almost 10 years old now have never witnessed before. Anyone with a modern BMW knows that the one thing they don't do is smoke, and I literally left a smoke screen for a good mile and half along the road near the farm. According to the chap who did it, this was all the crap pushed out of the DPF burning off inside the exhaust and would clear up after a couple of miles and he was right. I drove the car on a 40 mile trip this afternoon with no sign of smoke.
Snake oil? I don't know. Just thought I'd share it with you gentlemen.
As far as I know (and I've checked), there are no additives that 100% work for cleaning a DPF.
There's plenty of bottles of magic potions about, but I haven't seen any main dealer recommend or use them for DPF cleaning.
There are one or two solvents that will "dissolve" carbon in a way, but nothing that will lift and shift in the regular sense.
It looks like the only way to shift the carbon is burn it off at high temperatures through a regen.
There's plenty of bottles of magic potions about, but I haven't seen any main dealer recommend or use them for DPF cleaning.
There are one or two solvents that will "dissolve" carbon in a way, but nothing that will lift and shift in the regular sense.
It looks like the only way to shift the carbon is burn it off at high temperatures through a regen.
MG CHRIS said:
20 mins cant see anything touching a blocked dpf in 20 mins lol. Ive removed a few to clean them out takes a full night and 4-5 liters of proper coke(all the different chemicals never work for me anyway) with a jet wash after to jet it all out.
20 mins wont do naff all im afraid.
I find what ever works for me is all that matters and this does, I have the dealer diagnostic kit to do a forced regen this just helps, I have made my mind up the product works, if removing the dpfs is your thing that's your choice. I know what I rather, plus I haven't had any of the said cars back.20 mins wont do naff all im afraid.
Carl
Edited by C. Grimsley on Wednesday 6th August 19:48
MG CHRIS said:
20 mins cant see anything touching a blocked dpf in 20 mins lol. Ive removed a few to clean them out takes a full night and 4-5 liters of proper coke(all the different chemicals never work for me anyway) with a jet wash after to jet it all out.
20 mins wont do naff all im afraid.
Indeed,all those I have done have been removed,then after what seems like five days of removing various now welded in temp,pressure and 02 sensors,12 hours soaked in brick acid.20 mins wont do naff all im afraid.
Followed a good blast from both ends with the pressure washer,half hour of running hose and then a few hours stood either way to drain,twenty minutes is nothing.
Brick acid cleans the casing pipework too,threads,stud,flanges all come up nice and clean.
The only drawback is the fumes while doing the re-gen,whoa!
That and too long(3 days)in the brick acid and the monolith melts as soon as heat is applied to it,don`t ask me how I know that.
The chances are that is all that they have done is cleaned it out a little,a quick scan of the data from the dpf sensor will tell you more than some on board mystic meg prediction.
The best I have managed even after all that faffing was a Vauxhall Antara,got it down to 8%.
Benbay001 said:
TheEnd said:
I haven't seen any main dealer recommend or use them for DPF cleaning.en.
i wonder why?H100S said:
This is nonsense, dealers use DPF cleaning equipment frequently.
Certainly,it was a service manager from a large dealer network that told me about the brick acid trick a few years back!I had heard tale,from 2 different sources of a *dealer drilling a one inch hole through them with a masonary/sds drill bit and then refitting them regularly for warranty jobs on their cars fitted with the PSA DV6 engine.
Apparently that is the perfect amount for it to register as good but still retain/send the right sort of data to the ecu,alarming really.
- Cant name and shame but think Michael Caine and gold bars.
nottyash said:
Engines coking up was a problem in the past, but modern fuels, are designed to clean it out anyway so it appears to be a solution to something that's not a problem.
Not true unfortunately, modern direct injection engines coke up badly, especially around the inlet valves as being direct injection no fuel with special cleaning agents goes anywhere near them.Still not sold on the terraclean system.
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