DPF Filters Removed - MOT troubles ahead!
 

Looks like anyone having their DPF filter removed may have an issue with the authorities going forwards -
http://garagewire.co.uk/news/mot-cha...investigation/

A friend of mine has a BMW 335d M-Sport Touring and has had terrible troubles with his DPF over years, despite doing decent mileage.
He's even had it taken out and "baked" to clear it. But it would inevitably clog up again.

In the end, touch wood, the solution was to go for several long drives with a technician as a passenger and his diagnostic tools plugged in.
The techy would reset the DPF warnings regularly (frequently) until it was hot enough and could be persuaded to regenerate.
At first it only did it partly, but repeatedly resetting they managed over a couple of hours to get the whole thing cleared out and the levels reading suitably low.

My friend has now bought himself a cheap diagnostic tool which enables him to monitor the DPF levels and trigger a regeneration. He does this well below the level that the BMW system would try to force one, which is usually too late.

It means he has to monitor the levels pretty much daily and occasionally has to go for a "blast" down the motorway to clear it. Not really a hardship in a car that can do 0-60 in well under 5 seconds. :tuttut:

He was going to sell it in frustration, but now it's "under control" will probably keep it.

The answer to these issues is to buy a car that doesn't run on tractor fuel, leave that for tractors.
That don't help really does it, though eventually I can see the market being flooded with those dirty fuelled cars and the petrols becoming worth a premium? That or diesel cars all having to have an LEZ type exhaulst system fitted?

The DPF issue was a big factor in us buying a petrol car last summer.

Bought a Freelander last year for SWMBO but as it was a 2009 model it didnt have a DPF - which was a factor in buying it. She would be likely do short journeys and that would bring problems.

Smoke limit for Euro 6 and some Euro 5 vehicles will be dropping to 0.7 from the current 1.5 but where a lower value is quoted under the bonnet that's lower than those limits, it'll be tested to that. The value is in a square box on a VIN style plate (or on the same plate as the VIN)

Thats why I like my Euro 4 diesel Volvo S60 commuter car, no need to worry about DPF and its just sailed through the diesel smoke test despite plumes of the stuff at high RPM. 14 years old, 172K miles and for some reason I prefer driving it to the D3.

....If you think it's bad in cars, try commercial vehicles.
We run a 2012 MAN TGX tractor unit for deliveries - vehicle is Euro5 specification with AdBlue and a DPF.

Replacement DPF and silencer (comes as one non-serviceable component)
£13k+fitting!!!! :eek3:

Glad its on a full R&M lease!

Ouch, but is is a tractor so should be running filth fuel anyway.

Not much consolation for you but ships too are affected by emmisions now with Marpol tier 3 all new builds will have to comply and old ships need to clean up their acts (depending where they operate) buy fitting scrubbers, urea tanks or scavenge air moisturising systems. Fitting these to a non compliant ship can be mega bucks.

Its along way from the days when "blowing soot" was a morning watch ritual! As the Engineers would say "Once its left the funnel its the property of the Seaman Department".