Clean Diesel DPF Data Collection Thread

Entry Format
MemberName: plagasse3
Model Year: 2012
Model: Passat TDI SEL
Tranny: DSG
Miles:113257
Oil Ash Volume: 43 g
Oil Type: Castrol LL03
Avrg. MPG: 42

Data after turbo failure / replacement

MemberName: MacBuckeye
Model Year: 2009
Model: Jetta Sedan
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 138600
Oil Ash Volume: 0 ml
Avrg. MPG: 38.5

Comments: Very brief summary of recent headache with my car. Turbo failed, oil gets into exhaust system, and I'm sure into the DPF, smoke comes out the tail pipe. Dealer #1 replaces turbo. Car works for 2-3 days, I monitor a complete regen. Dreaded P00AF code & flashing glow plugs along with loss of power. Turbo is replaced a 2nd time at dealer #2. Car is up and running now. However, the oil ash volume is back to zero. Still have original DPF. Dealer says they don't know why it would be at zero unless the tech did something during all the diagnostics and turbo replacement.

So if you can just "reset" the oil ash volume, but still use the original DPF, how does the car or ECU really measure the oil ash volume??? How does the ECU know how full the DPF is? I have the same DPF. Oil ash volume before the turbo failure was 138 ml. It was 138 after the first turbo replacement. After the 2nd turbo replacement and P00AF fault code, the oil ash volume is now 0. Hmmm??? All the sensors are still working and "measuring" the pressures like they were before the turbo failure and turbo replacement. I've had 4+ regens since the last repair. Everything seems to be working just fine. My only concern is the DPF and oil ash volume. I'm sure the oil/smoke didn't help the DPF. Maybe it cleaned it out???

Oil Ash Volume 60ml @ 68635 miles

25 May 2014
MemberName: bobt2382
Model Year: 2010
Model: Golf, 4dr
Tranny: 6M
Miles: 68635
Oil Ash Volume: Group 241 - Field 0 60ml
Oil Type Penzoil Ultra Euro L 5W-30
Avrg. MPG: 45.00
Current soot load: Group 241 - Field 1 Soot Load(g) - Calculated 4.5
Group 241 - Field 2 Soot Load(g) - Measured 0.0

24 September 2013 my Oil Ash Volume jumper from 39 to 48ml last month at 56k miles.
25 May 2014 Went from 48ml to 60ml at approximately 68635 miles...so took around 12500 miles for the additional 12ml

MemberName: SomeJ
Model Year: 2011
Model: Jetta SW
Tranny: 6M
Miles:60030
Oil Ash Volume: 60ml
Oil Type: Pento Super Performance 3 5W-30
Avrg. MPG: 35.91
State: KS

MemberName: shrifty
Model Year: 2014
Model: Sedan - 4 Door
Tranny: 6MT
Miles: 32,215
Oil Ash Volume: 13.2 g or .03 l
Soot Load Calculated: 12.53 g
Soot Load Measured: 7.04 g
Oil Type: Factory Installed
Avg. MPG: 45ish

just did an fuel filter change and checked the Ash level at 95K, 78ml ash volume with 11.4g soot load. Fingers crossed!!!

MemberName: kjclow
Model Year: 2010
Model: Jetta Sportswagen
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 66923
Oil Ash Volume: 69 ml
Oil type: Castrol from dealer
Avrg. MPG: 40.5
Comments: soot load 10.2 and 3 requested regens

MemberName: mckchr67
Model Year: 2011
Model: Jetta SW
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 68069
Oil Ash Volume: 60 ml
Oil type: Castrol from dealer
Avrg. MPG: 40
Comments: soot load 14.4 g and 3 requested regenerations.

how much total Oil Ash can DPF handle? Must be in thread but cant remember...

tdi90hp said:

how much total Oil Ash can DPF handle? Must be in thread but cant remember...

Click to expand...

I believe my Jetta's maxed out around 180ml...

tdi90hp said:

how much total Oil Ash can DPF handle? Must be in thread but cant remember...

Click to expand...

The highest I've seen (or reported by members) have been 180, 192, 210, and 300. I think it's anyone's guess. What suxx for us is the variable at which DPF's fail. Or, components of the exhaust system that may fail, causing the DPF to fail prematurely. It's like getting cancer... you may never get it, you get stage 1 cancer and treat it (DPF delete), you get stage 2 or 3 cancer and treat it (replace DPF at exorbitant cost), or have stage 4 cancer and your TDI just craps out- game over.

MacBuckeye said:

The highest I've seen (or reported by members) have been 180, 192, 210, and 300. I think it's anyone's guess. What suxx for us is the variable at which DPF's fail. Or, components of the exhaust system that may fail, causing the DPF to fail prematurely. It's like getting cancer... you may never get it, you get stage 1 cancer and treat it (DPF delete), you get stage 2 or 3 cancer and treat it (replace DPF at exorbitant cost), or have stage 4 cancer and your TDI just craps out- game over.

Click to expand...

That's why I keep cars under warranty. Expensive monthly but never thousands of dollars at one crack.

New to me Car

MemberName: Airstream
Model Year: 2010
Model: Jetta Sportswagen
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 206,000 miles
Oil Ash Volume: 219 ml
Oil type: All sorts looks like from service records
Avrg. MPG: Unkown - Drove car home and averaged 37 MPG with snow tires

Comments: Just bought the car for what I think was a great deal. The DMF had just been replaced along with timing belt, DSG service, oil change etc. The car was used by a salesman for a small company. I knew that the DPF would be filling up at this mileage but it appears more cleaning solutions are appearing so I wasn't too worried. The car currently has a CEL for the exhaust flapper, which was replaced two months ago, so I am going to grease it up today and see if it works. If not I will have the shop replace. Otherwise the car drives great.

I am very interested in the cleaning/replacement options for the DPF. Boraparts is now selling a cleaning kit. Also the shop which did all the maintenance on the car before selling said they just got the DPF cleaner machine/kit from Germany and have yet to try it out. However seeing how someone has 300ml on the DPF and is still going strong, I don't see a reason to do anything till a problem presents itself? From my reading on the issue, I would guess if you have a high mileage DPF and its working fine don't mess with it! If it ain't broke...!

Any downsides to waiting for a problem?

Thanks

Pay me now or pay me later. With the varied mileage and ash loads, not sure there is an answer to your question. Since this is not part of a regular service program, I would run it until a problem pops up.

I would investigate thoroughly exactly what can be done for cleaning and by whom. Then do it later as time permits, if you decide to go that route. Cost new and downtime need to also be factored in. There is something to be said for a direct swap of a new part if the cost is reasonable. I wouldn't wait for an issue to come up as I don't like being stranded and under the gun if I can help it.

Ditto on what kjclow and Lightflyer1 said. 2009 TDI's are really screwed since the DPF and CAT are one piece. 2010+ vehicles came with a two-piece setup.
Try finding a new OEM DPF and/or CAT online and get a good muffler shop to install it for you. That might save you some money. Sometimes the dealer will give you a discount on parts. Sometimes those VW/dealer coupons are worth it. It's the labor cost and the dealership workmanship that is questionable. I've decided to go with a DPF delete, Malone tune, & DSG tune.

I will update the data table next week with the latest posts. Again, thanks to all of you for keeping this thread alive and providing, IMHO, valuable information pertaining to the DPF.

MemberName: Scratcher
Model Year: 2011
Model: Sportwagen
Tranny:6 sp Manual
Miles: 50k
Oil Ash Volume: 48ml
Oil Type: Castrol LL03,
Avrg. MPG: 34

Regens requested was measured at 2.0. Not sure what that means as I'm sure it has regened more than twice! Car is mostly used in city driving with perhaps three or four long hauls per year

Sorry for the long delay, but I finally updated all the recent posts. It looks like the data coming from the Passat's is different and may need to be tracked separately. I bet the AdBlu system is what makes the oil ash levels look lower than those vehicles w/out AdBlu.

I am happy to say that my DPF oil ash volume will never increase and will forever remain at 138ml.

I'm attaching a photo to prove it to you.

My latest numbers...

Member Name: Steve05ram360
Model Year: 2011
Model: Golf
Tranny:6 spd manual
Miles: 76148
Oil Ash Volume: 60ml
Oil Type: Royal Purple HPS 5w-30
Avg MPG: 45ish

Just got my cable in yesterday, first thing I did was pull my DPF vitals...and then spent the next two hours going through every single controller's coding helper. Anyway, for the Jetta:

102000 km (63380 mi) -- Vehicle Mileage
5 mbar -- Particle Filter Different. Pressure
2.7 L -- Fuel Consumption Since last Regen
40 km -- Mileage Since last Regen
60.0 -- Time elapsed since Regeneration
69 ml -- Particle Filter Oil Ash Volume
3.3 -- Soot Load(g) Calculated
0.0 -- Soot Load(g) Measured

Using nothing but LL03 since new and overall, averaging ~38.

Looks pretty healthy, no?

Member Name: Andy_2009_JSW
Model Year: 2009
Model: Jetta Sportwagen
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 120713
Oil Ash Volume:150 ml
Oil Type: Mobil-1 ESP 5w30
Avg MPG 36
State: GA

Additional vagcom (version 12.12.2) data points:
10.0g Soot (calc)
8 g Soot (meas)
3.0 Requested Regens
N/A didn't read block; Successful Regens
14.9 l Fuel consumption since last regen
240 km distance since last regen
204 time since last regen

Remarks:
Had a P0401 (EGR insufficient flow) code that has occurred 4 times
since last doing VCDS reading ~10K miles ago

Airstream said:

..............

I am very interested in the cleaning/replacement options for the DPF....

Thanks

Click to expand...

Check this out this DPF DIY Cleaner by Liqui Moly

http://www.liqui-moly.de/liquimoly/produktdb.nsf/id/en_5169.html?Opendocument&land=GB

http://www.jlmlubricants.com/en/products/diesel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nyoFwL9q_g

Entry Format
MemberName: phlfly
Model Year: 2012
Model: Passat SEL
Tranny: Auto
Miles:27,000
Oil Ash Volume: 0.03 l
Oil Type: Castrol LL03
Avrg. MPG: 40

well it was too small and I can't edit my posts for some reason

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Here's the data from my 2013 Passat at 25,656 miles:

408 Particle filter; kilometers since last regeneration 25441m
410 Particle filter; oil ash volume 10.9g
411 Particle filter; oil ash volume 0.02L
412 Particle filter; soot mass calculated 7.61g
413 Particle filter; soot mass measured 6.01g

Click to expand...

Same as my Jetta, Castrol LL03 from the dealer every 10k miles. ~40MPG combined.

I am curious about the units of "408 Particle filter; meters since last regeneration", as the parameter and units don't match up. I'm assuming it's 25k meters (~16 miles) as printed and not 25k kilometers (as that would be ~16k miles between regens!)

Member Name: Grey Matter
Model year: 2013
Model: Jetta Hi-Line
Transmission:6 MT
Miles: 24,851
Oil Ash Volume: 18 ml
Oil Type: Liqui-moly Tec 4200
Avg. MPG 48 US

MemberName: Snowmobileaddict
Model Year: 2011
Model: Jetta Sedan
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 74395
Oil Ash Volume: 69ml
Oil Type: Castrol LL03
Avg. MPG: 40.2

MemberName: sickmtbnutcase
Model Year: 2009
Model: Jetta Sedan
Tranny: DSG
Miles: 99983
Oil Ash Volume: 90ml
Oil Type: Castrol LL03 for 90k, LiquMoly4200 for 10k
Avg. MPG: 43.4

update and observation

checked my ash load today, at 128,000 miles. still 129ml.

observation 1. from the chart in item 1, there are finite steps for the level, and they seem to be around 8 or 9 ml, and it varies along the way.

observation 2. finally have a hint as to what requested regenerations means.

this is 0 after a full regen, and increments as driving, then resets after a regen. so the name is a little funny, should be more like need for a regen.

is said to go from 0 to 6. wonder what the original german is, and who did the translation. (Now there is a question for the RossTech forum)

Airstream said:

MemberName: Airstream
The car currently has a CEL for the exhaust flapper, which was replaced two months ago, so I am going to grease it up today and see if it works. If not I will have the shop replace. Otherwise the car drives great.

Click to expand...

This sounds familiar. My car did that and had the exhaust flapper replaced. CEL came back and it ended up being a bad DPF...