DIY – Clean SOOT & ASH from your Car’s DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)

[UK Sentinel]

So our Daughters Fiat 500 recently had issues with its DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) warning light and after using STP Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaner to remove the SOOT, fixed the issue, alas by removing SOOT, this leaves ASH and over time ASH which cannot be removed by the car ( forced regeneration) and has to be removed manually.

SOOT – The DPF traps the soot generated as a part of the normal operation of a diesel engine so that it is not sent into the environment. The process of regeneration enables the vehicle to clean the filter so it can trap more soot.

ASH – Ash accumulates in the DPF over extended use, as the incombustible material left behind following filter regeneration and soot oxidation. The ash consists of various metallic compounds originating from lubricant additives, trace elements in the fuel, and engine wear and corrosion products.

So given the age of the FIAT 500 1.3 Diesel and the fact the DPF warning light has been on more often over the recent months, I decided that ASH was probable causing issues and needed to be removed.

So getting to the science (short version) of cleaning the DPF at home, it seems to remove both ASH and SOOT, both an ACID and separate Alkaline solution is needed, This video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw-EAc_Lpv8)  the presenter tries 9 different chemical solution ranging from Drain Cleaners to Dishwasher Tablets.

Seems Dishwasher Tablets removes both SOOT and ASH by pre-soaking over 24 hours.

 

Note:

SOOT – Soot consists of tiny carbon particles produced during the incomplete combustion of diesel fuel in the engine. The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) traps these soot particles to prevent them from being released into the atmosphere. Over time, the DPF collects soot, and through a process called regeneration, the accumulated soot is burned off at high temperatures to clean the filter and maintain its efficiency.

 

ASH – Ash is the non-combustible residue left behind in the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) after the soot has been burned off during regeneration. Unlike soot, ash cannot be burned away and accumulates over time, eventually requiring the filter to be cleaned or replaced to maintain proper function.

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[UK Sentinel]

[Disclaimer- Copy this at your own Risk]

So I removed the DPF from the FIAT (easier than I thought it would be) and filled a bucket with warm water and used 7 dishwasher tablet with the small ball removed (post rinse I think it is) and dissolved this into the bucket of water .

I then using a plastic milk bottle, placed the DPF into the bucket and poured the water into the top of the exhaust and repeated this for 20 minutes.

I then waited a couple of hours and then repeated this process again, I then left the DPF in the bucket over night and repeated the process again in the morning. as you can tell from the black on the grass (SOOT) (above pic) and the color of the water red (ASH) (below pic) the water has removed both SOOT and ASH.

Note: I did use two buckets of water as SOOT made water in first bucket very dirty.

Then using a hose pipe I sprayed both ends of the DPF just to remove any loose material and allowed the DPF to dry for the rest of the second day (very important DPF must be dry on the inside).

DPF was then  re-attached to car and the DPF warning light came on, I removed the fault code with my ODB Scanner and then took the car for a 30 minute drive just to make sure there was no damage to DPF pressure Sensors etc.

DPF had a lot more SOOT and ASH in it than I had originally thought and 4 weeks later, DPF warning light has not returned and car is still running very smoothly.

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In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

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[Grisu]

Well done, congrats!

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[UK Sentinel]

Dishwasher tablets are one of life’s little miracles

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In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom (J.G.Ballard).

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[Adnan008]

UK Sentinel wrote:

Dishwasher tablets are one of life’s little miracles

as long as you don’t eat it

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