DPF Cleaning?

mbesemann

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Location
Gatineau, QC
TDI
2011 Golf TDI
I drive a deleted 2011 Golf but am getting annoyed by the diesel soot smell outside the car (and occasionally puffs of it inside while reversing / at a stop).

I was thinking of getting the DPF reinstalled but figured now might be a good time to get it cleaned (it was taken off the vehicle at about 110,000kms). FlowMax DPF in Brockville, ON (http://flowmaxdpf.com/) can do it for $400 for a standard cleaning (up to $600 in rare cases of ultra-clogged DPFs).

Does anyone have any experience with this and does this seem like a competitive price? Or should I just put the DPF back on and not worry about clogging at this point? Never had a clogged DPF light on before deleting it from the car.
 

meerschm

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 18, 2009
Location
Fairfax county VA
TDI
2009 Jetta wagon DSG 08/08 205k buyback 1/8/18; replaced with 2017 Golf Wagon 4mo 1.8l CXBB
if all else is working, you have used about a quarter of the capacity of the DPF.

(based on members here reporting the need to clean/replace due to ash filling in the mid-200,000 mile range)

as an added bonus, could you get the emissions fix and an incentive payment?

$400 seems like close to the going rate for a proper cleaning, with responsible waste handling.
 

mbesemann

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Location
Gatineau, QC
TDI
2011 Golf TDI
Ok, good to know I still have some decent life left on the DPF.

as an added bonus, could you get the emissions fix and an incentive payment?
I actually got the emissions fix done before doing the deletes so I’ve got that option covered.
 

Windex

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 1, 2006
Location
Cambridge
TDI
05 B5V 01E FRF
I would ask them specifically how they plan to clean it.
Air blast? doesn't work very well, or across the entire face of the DPF substrate
Baking? does not get rid of accumulated ash
Only effective clean I have had on my DPFs (heavy truck) is a combination of ultrasonic cleaning with air blast. The place I use tests flow before and after as well to ensure a complete clean. Don't know if they do the small stuff.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Is your cat deleted as well? It was my understanding that that does more for the smell than the dpf does. Or are you just replacing the whole exhaust system back to factory?
 

Kevinski4

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Location
Nebraska
TDI
.
Is your cat deleted as well? It was my understanding that that does more for the smell than the dpf does. Or are you just replacing the whole exhaust system back to factory?
The DOC is inside the DPF canister, before the DPF. In addition to the NOX cat and the sulfur cat that are post DPF.
 

mbesemann

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Location
Gatineau, QC
TDI
2011 Golf TDI
Is your cat deleted as well? It was my understanding that that does more for the smell than the dpf does. Or are you just replacing the whole exhaust system back to factory?
Yes the original cat is deleted and i have a high-flow cat from Rawtek in its place. However I believe the noxious smell I notice is particulate matter as it lingers around the car for a significant amount of time even after engine shut-off (especially near the tailgate).
 
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