General DPF removal / solution

[Christmas tree]

Hi all,

Not into the fixing of cars etc but have lurked here over the years and found various help with various issues.

Got a 55 plate Doblo Taxi 1.9 that has done about 150,000.

Was never told about the DPF system and town driving has resulted in lots of limp modes etc over the the last two years. Like many I would read about EGR's etc and wonder what was causing the problem.

My local garage seemed a touch in the dark.

Anyway, about 3 months ago the car ground to a halt, was recovered and ended up in a commercial diesel garage that quickly identified a blocked DPF.
Unfortunately, my glowplugs were dead and would not come out do the garage cleaned out the filter with brake fluid etc and sent me on my way with a warning that this was a temporary fix.

It lasted 3 months and the car ground to a stop again. I was left with a choice of another temp clean or glowplugs "snapped" on their way out and a re-ground head or whatever you call it.

I then read about DPF removal and re-mapping.

£20 to have my local garage knock the innards out of the DPF and £150 to have the ECU remapped. The remapping also included some bonus software that improved fuel economy.

Suffice to say the car really does now drive exactly like I remember when it was new. That old Doblo feisty nippiness is back and I just wish I had known about this 2 years ago.

May not be the right fix for everyone, but I can't recommend it enough.

Just thought I would sign up and share.

 

[T14086]

Brake fluid to clean a DPF filter!

Happy that you have a return of performance on your car however it is the rest of us that has to breathe in the particulates

 

[paul brava]

thanks cristmas tree, i think that fiat dpf is a joke and that nobody in the right mind would buy a car with dpf on if the salesman told you that if you chose to drive sort journey and start and stop your car often in one day (this is what the lad at the garage told me my problem is) i have had my doblo 120 in 3 times in 4 years and ges what engine falier just poped up today i love my fiats and would of never bought the 120 dpf if i new the problems that thay can cause so i am thinking of geting rid of my dpf like you have how will you get on at mot time with emisoins test??

 

[T14086]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-14978027

Notice the bit about PM10's these particles are stopped by the DPF filters.

Just bringing in another side of the discussion..........

'paul brava' have you tried a different garage/opinion? Is the car under warranty?

 

[citds]

Absolute bargain at £170ish remaps are usually around £220-£250 and the rest £50 for labour, well done! With regard to one of the other replies, it is not just Fiats who are developing this problem, they all are ! Mazda's have a nasty habit of forcing fuel from a regeneration down the sides of the pistons, so when owners check the oil level, they have more in the sump than when they started, diluted engine oil can't be a good thing and Mazda's fix for this? a different length dipstick and a shorter service interval.... Shocking. It can be no coincidence that Renault diesel engines had a good reputation for reliability before the advent of DPF's 3-4 years down the line and then EGR valves and turbo's fail. The diagnosis.... back pressure from blocked DPF's forcing hot soot particles to damage turbo spindle bearings. Result...... siezed turbo's.....Outcome...... engine oil into engine which becomes fuel, revs its nuts off and then kaput. While I'm on my soapbox again.... How can manufacturers claim these things to be clean? Maybe in urban driving they are because we carry the soot particles around, but when a DPF regenerates it does it in rural areas chuffing it out into the countryside where most of my food is produced, seem bizarre to me. Anyone out there got any thoughts? I'm (exhausted) now.

 

[paul brava]

@t my 2006 is not under warranty and ya i may use a diffrent garage!!

i took it to my local fiat dealer this morning he thinks it maybe something to do with the local garage i used to service me car not correctly setting service light going into the wrong menu??? not sure what he ment. but basicly he told me he could`t find anything to wrong this is what it says on the sheet he give me.

engine management light on

test on examiner and attempt regeneration "injection quantities out of permited range"

reset system and erase errors
if problem re occurs will require further investigation at extra cost

anyone no what that means
fingers crossed its fixed because he says it will need to be left with them and send info off to fiat and yes it will be £££

 

[fronteratech]

take it to an independent they will sort it, my local one has just serviced the father in laws and its running better now than when it was bought from local fiat dealer.

the interesting thing was that the derv filter had never been changed before although they said it was done at fiat dealer oldham motors

 

[T14086]

While I'm on my soapbox again.... How can manufacturers claim these things to be clean? Maybe in urban driving they are because we carry the soot particles around, but when a DPF regenerates it does it in rural areas chuffing it out into the countryside where most of my food is produced, seem bizarre to me. Anyone out there got any thoughts? I'm (exhausted) now.

particulates are burnt at over 600'C (hence the whole idea of the DPF) so they won't go on your food.......sheep wee might though!

It's important to differentiate between was is dangerous, harmful or not harmful in small quantities coming out of the exhaust.

 

[fronteratech]

particulates are burnt at over 600'C (hence the whole idea of the DPF) so they won't go on your food.......sheep wee might though!

It's important to differentiate between was is dangerous, harmful or not harmful in small quantities coming out of the exhaust.

The diesel particulate filter and the EGR in most cases are additional items that are added to the diesel engine to meet euro emmisions set by the EU.

The egr circulates the crap in the engine into the exhaust to be burnt and usually needs maintainance to keep operating properley.

The dpf acts like an afterburner burning up exhaust particles from the engine and they need maintainance to keep clean.

These added extras would not be on these vehicles if the bureaucrats in brussels and boris johnson in london did not set unrealistic emmisions controls for diesels.

When dpfs are removed and egrs blanked usually diesels run better with more MPG.

But as with everything in life people have a choice being green and servicing the dpf and egr or better combustion and more out of exhaust.

I am not suggesting which is best its personal opinion.

must admit egr and dpf still fitted to doblo and egrs still fitted to both fronteras.
The reason being can maintain them without any trip to dealers

 

[Boppin]

This thread is very reassuring. Bought a Doblo about 8 weeks ago and it's been back to the dealer 4 times due to engine failure light and limp mode. We've just picked it up today after its last visit and he's said they've taken the dpf out and reset the epu. I was concerned there'd be some effect on the engine but having read this I'm not worried now.
Thank you

 

[T14086]

I think you will find yourself back at the 'dealer', also it would be interesting to know which dealer removed the DPF.

 

[Boppin]

Why do you think that?

And when I say dealer I mean the place I bought the car.

 

[T14086]

not a Fiat dealership then?

 

[Boppin]

No I said dealer as in car dealer not dealership as in Fiat dealership. I have to admit I'm finding this a bit odd and feel slightly attacked. I had hoped that this would be a supportive place to discuss my new Doblo, not a place where I'm picked up on terminology and given vague messages about having to take the car back. If you have something to say please say it.

 

[T14086]

Terminology in motor trade is dealer = official dealership garage (BMW,Fiat,Ford etc)

Independent (or specialist) is not associated with the brand.

I found it confusing that you said dealership removed DPF and reset ECU as no official Fiat dealership would do that.

Unless you use the correct terminology (as yes I agree it can be confusing hence why I asked) it can be misleading often leading to incorrect diagnosis/answers.

A Fiat dealership could of possibly updated the software in the ECU to cure your DPF warning light problem, again hence why I asked.

 

[Boppin]

I said dealer, not dealership.

Noun 1. car dealer - a firm that sells and buys cars.

And is there any chance of you elaborating on why I'll be taking the car back?

 

[fronteratech]

just to get back on topic the 1.9 engine with dpf is used in quite a few other marques and quite a few have been removed to give better reliability.

The other bonus is that many independants can get the vehicle to regen now with snap on software

also many other diagnostics allow this like the fiat scan tool

so which ever way you go its all good either removing or keeping the dpf

is it ethical to remove it as it cuts down particulates is another question.

is it unethical to reduce the cost of motoring by removing is another

All i know is that any 1.9 fiat, vauxhall, or saab i own will remove it and get it reprogrammed

 

[Devious]

No one had issues with Derv before. As previously mentioned, its beaurocracy gone to the limit.
Is it ethical to produce and market a vehicle that costs thousands in repairs over their lifetime, not telling the consumer that this is the case? BBC's watchdog had this within the last 12 months as a serious issue. Guess who they interviewed? Fiat......

 

[T14086]

The other bonus is that many independants can get the vehicle to regen now with snap on software

Sorry mate but it's dealers not independants

 

[TwyRob]

Sorry mate but it's dealers not independants

I've watched an independent regen my dpf so I'd have to say that fronteratech was right mate.