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DPF Cleaner?


hiten55
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I've got a BMW 535d thats been doing ridiculously short journeys recently and it smells like the the particle filters getting bunged up. Really strong carbony smell on most days. According to BMW forums a 30-40 min drive at a constant 2500rpm begins a regen cycle. I did a little test and that means 50mph in 3rd gear - £££ in fuel. Also i dont like the thought of over riding the gearbox into a lower gear to up the reva for that long (at 50mph the rpm is around 1800-2000 iirc).

 

So question is - are dpf cleaners any cop or just a waste of money? Is there any one make that stands out above the rest?

 

Thanks,

 

H.

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Oh really? So whats the point of them then?

 

To remove particulates from the exhaust and ensure the car conforms to EU emissions regs. While removal is a known tactic, I wouldn't fancy doing that to a car I was going to have to MOT every year. If there aren't rules against removing them now, there will be soon.

 

The cost of a gallon of diesel as recommended is the easiest and cheapest option.

 

Exactly. Take it for a long run on cruise control. It won't cost that much!

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Removing a dpf, if fitted as standard will lead to a failed mot.

 

My company car runs long journeys at well above 3000rpm on a regular basis without any trouble and I really can't see any reason why it would cost you much in fuel either.

 

You have a 535d with earth moving amounts of torque so stop being so tight and drive it as it was meant to be driven once in a while! A heavy foot under acceleration will help keep it clear going forward

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Lol thanks guys, despite the way it seems in my first post im not THAT tight [emoji14]

 

I get happy when the car goes above 20mpg lol. Although i dont let it stay there too long. Cant say im not driving it how its meant to be driven to be honest, it does get abused, usually in sports mode more than anything else.

 

I just wasnt sure about it sitting in a low gear for that long, bimmerforums had mixed views on it.

 

But sounds like thats the way to go so i'll try taking her for a long drive this weeked - been a while since i done that [emoji16]

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If an MOT station offers to remove a DPF, they could potentially lose their right to test. We got a special notice a few months back. Even if the DPF is cut open and welded up, but still contains the DPF material, we have reasonable doubt as to the integrity of the filter and can lead to a fail.

 

Just stick it in 3rd and go for a stint up the motorway at 50/60mph. It'll clear it. Car will be fine!

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Get out onto the motorway and wring its neck.

 

Have you not had the DPF warning on the display? I got that a few times when I worked more locally than I do now. The way I got it to clear was to get it up to temp then cane it everywhere for a half hour or so. I then went for a nice cruise at 70mph +/- 10mph for speedo inaccuracies :innocent: This was done in 6th gear and I was hitting around 40mpg so no real cost in fuel.

 

BTW, my average consumption is around 45mpg. You must be doing seriously short journey's to be below 20.

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Totally different car here but me and my dad both had Vauxhall Insignia's and the DPF filter got blocked on both of ours (at different times) and we had looked through the forums and seen that ragging it above a certain rpm for a certain time would start a regen cycle so we both tried it and failed to on both, dad even travelled the whole of the M50 there and back using only 2nd or 3rd gear and still nothing, we had to take it in to Vauxhall then for them to use there computers on it to electronically start a regen whilst idle. Is most probably different on all cars but on our cars it didnt seem to work. Maybe it depends on the fault code or how clogged up they are I dont know but I wouldn't think mine would of been very clogged up as I was doing a 54 mile each way commute to work at the time which included about half of that being motorway driving.

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Get out onto the motorway and wring its neck.

 

Have you not had the DPF warning on the display? I got that a few times when I worked more locally than I do now. The way I got it to clear was to get it up to temp then cane it everywhere for a half hour or so. I then went for a nice cruise at 70mph +/- 10mph for speedo inaccuracies :innocent: This was done in 6th gear and I was hitting around 40mpg so no real cost in fuel.

 

BTW, my average consumption is around 45mpg. You must be doing seriously short journey's to be below 20.

 

Nope no warning, mines pre LCI (2006) so the only thing the idrive gives is when its due to be replaced - 50k miles to go.

 

Yeah my average daily drive is about 4-5 miles round trip. Looking at getting a smart car soon.

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Nope no warning, mines pre LCI (2006) so the only thing the idrive gives is when its due to be replaced - 50k miles to go.

 

Yeah my average daily drive is about 4-5 miles round trip. Looking at getting a smart car soon.

 

Ahh that explains it, definitely not the ideal car for that sort of commute :)

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