Engine won't fire after application of liqui Moly DPF cleaner

camtron

New member
Joined
Aug 10, 2018
Location
USA
TDI
VW Golf 2010
Hi all,

I have a 2010 VW Golf tdi manual

A few weeks back I experienced a few instances of lost power, i.e. not able to accelerate when hitting the pedal. I thought there might have been an issue with the fuel or filter so I used an additive and scheduled a service to have it diagnosed.

In the lead up to the appointment the lost power issues went away, but I got the DPF warning light along with check engine and coil light. Took it into the shop and they confirm that soot levels in dpf were too high and they could not instigate a regen. DPF replacement 2k. I certainly wasn't going to do that because I was planning on doing the buy back, but was hoping for a few more months (I'm moving abroad in November). The technician suggests I use liquid moly dpf cleaner. Once the stuff arrives I follow the instructions with the help of some youtube videos. Go to start the car and... crap.

I have power and am able to instigate a few slow cranks but the car won't fire. Following the suggestion of the technician I removed the Oxygen sensor from the DPF to trick it into firing, but that didn't work either.

Any ideas? Could I somehow be plugging up the exhaust with sooty crap and preventing the car from firing? At this point I don't need to fix the car so much as get it running so I can do the buyback. The Technician did suggest I could apply liquid Moly again, but I'm skeptical that would help.

Any help would be appreciated
 

jasantos40

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 11, 2018
Location
EU
TDI
g4 tdi
Check the EGR also. I experienced the same symptom with a broken EGR valve actuator. Started by getting MAF dtcs.

Try to unplug the EGR pipe that goes to the intake and try to run the car. You'll see lots of smoke because the valve is stuck open, if that's the case.

Due to emissions control, more recent TDIs read the exaust flow and don't even let you run the car to prevent smoke come out of the exhaust.
 

jetta 97

Vendor
Joined
Dec 25, 2008
Location
Dallas (McKinney) ,TX ,USA
TDI
2 X Jatta MK5 2006
You did big mistake to follow you tube crap stuff.
On VW you can not do it on car with running engine . DPF on VW is way different that they showing on liqui Moly video presentation.
On VW you have to take DPF out , clean it with cleaner out side and rinse with warm water, after that let it dry , install back in car and report ECU that DPF was chnage.


Possible situation that you have now, is that EGR cooler sucked fluid in intake .
 

1854sailor

Resident Curmudgeon
Joined
Aug 10, 2004
Location
Westerly, RI
TDI
2015 Golf SE SportWagen, 2015 Golf SE Hatch Back.
You did big mistake to follow you tube crap stuff.
On VW you can not do it on car with running engine . DPF on VW is way different that they showing on liqui Moly video presentation.
On VW you have to take DPF out , clean it with cleaner out side and rinse with warm water, after that let it dry , install back in car and report ECU that DPF was chnage.


Possible situation that you have now, is that EGR cooler sucked fluid in intake .
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
Hi all,

I have a 2010 VW Golf tdi manual

A few weeks back I experienced a few instances of lost power, i.e. not able to accelerate when hitting the pedal. I thought there might have been an issue with the fuel or filter so I used an additive and scheduled a service to have it diagnosed.

In the lead up to the appointment the lost power issues went away, but I got the DPF warning light along with check engine and coil light. Took it into the shop and they confirm that soot levels in dpf were too high and they could not instigate a regen. DPF replacement 2k. I certainly wasn't going to do that because I was planning on doing the buy back, but was hoping for a few more months (I'm moving abroad in November). The technician suggests I use liquid moly dpf cleaner. Once the stuff arrives I follow the instructions with the help of some youtube videos. Go to start the car and... crap.

I have power and am able to instigate a few slow cranks but the car won't fire. Following the suggestion of the technician I removed the Oxygen sensor from the DPF to trick it into firing, but that didn't work either.

Any ideas? Could I somehow be plugging up the exhaust with sooty crap and preventing the car from firing? At this point I don't need to fix the car so much as get it running so I can do the buyback. The Technician did suggest I could apply liquid Moly again, but I'm skeptical that would help.

Any help would be appreciated
Any news on this? Currently kicking myself about applying this product to my car. Followed every instruction offered. Same results as you. What was the outcome?
 

derek5120

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Location
Arthur Ont.
TDI
2003 jetta GLS
I use this product at work and I don't use it on dpf's that are so close to the engine for this reason. If the dpf is packed then the fluid can back up in front of the filter face and enter the engine. Between the flush and the purge there is allot of fluid being injected.
Also I've never "saved" dpf with this chemical, we use it as a PM to extend the life of the dpf on trucks and semis.
 

jmodge

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 18, 2015
Location
Greenville, MI
TDI
2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
When I worked municipal fleet maintenance the refuse trucks plugged regularly. We were told to pull them to flush them. Using only water. There was a facility that we could outsource them to, but the turnaround was too long. They supposedly had a piece of equipment that the DPF went into to be flushed, using water.
Water that makes it's way to Lake Michigan, x however many people are doing the same thing. Fantastic news for people who rely on the atmosphere to survive. A little less fantastic news for those who rely on water though.
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
I use this product at work and I don't use it on dpf's that are so close to the engine for this reason. If the dpf is packed then the fluid can back up in front of the filter face and enter the engine. Between the flush and the purge there is allot of fluid being injected.
Also I've never "saved" dpf with this chemical, we use it as a PM to extend the life of the dpf on trucks and semis.
Have you ever seen my situation in your experience of using it at work or know where my first direction should be to getting my car running again?
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
Does the engine crank with the starter normally?
It cranks and seems like it wants to turn over but isn’t able to make combustion or enough combustion to turn over, could it just be choking on a now ridiculously clogged dpf? Also I had removed a couple glow plugs to check if they were dry or wet to see if fluid made it into the combustion chamber when I first applied the product and recieved a no start, plug was dry. I didnt run any adaptations or basic settings afterwards, is that something that could also be causing it to not get ignition? After it cranks for a little bit and doesn’t successfully turn over the glow plug light flashes. Would there be something I would be able to see in live data or coding that would tell me anything?
 

Jr mason

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2013
Location
Ohio
TDI
01 Beetle, 2012 Jetta
I would stop attempting to crank your engine over. Like yesterday.
Your dpf needs to come out.
 

ghohouston

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2013
Location
Lewisville, Texas
TDI
2001 Jetta Sedan TDI 5 Speed
No one is saying you're being stupid, I'm sure you're worried about the engine. You already tried turning over with glowplugs removed, so that leaves one thing, a restricted exhaust. I'd just disconnect the exhaust right at the turbo, and make sure you have at least 1/2" of space between the downpipe and turbo.
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
No one is saying you're being stupid, I'm sure you're worried about the engine. You already tried turning over with glowplugs removed, so that leaves one thing, a restricted exhaust. I'd just disconnect the exhaust right at the turbo, and make sure you have at least 1/2" of space between the downpipe and turbo.
Thank you
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
Separated dpf from turbo, had a good little bit of fluid, seemed like the same consistency of the cleaner but really dark, got a good 1/2 in gap between the two and cranked away for a good 7 seconds with no turn over, had a little bit of white smoke coming out of the turbo and didnt want to continue cranking for too long
 

Mk6wavey

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2022
Location
Connecticut
TDI
Mk6 jetta dsg
Went back after my lunch break and cranked it for another 7 seconds and she turned over spit a lot of fluid out of the turbo all over the engine bay but that was the happiest I’ve ever been, to know she’ll be ok, straight pipe ordered, malone tune on the way.
 
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