FLAME ME!!! Is it possible to remove the ceramic from a diesel particulate filter WITHOUT removing it from the TDI?

aheng

Active member
Joined
May 21, 2016
Location
usa
TDI
2009 VW JETTA TDI CBEA SEDAN
FLAME ME!

The ceramic honeycomb inside my diesel particulate filter is crumbling. A helpful local expert TDI mechanic used his boroscope to confirm that the ceramic is crumbling.

According to another TDI mechanic, the crumbling of the ceramic filter was due to the filter experiencing heat over its tolerance spec. This occurred due to a hole forming in one of the exhaust tubes, which itself melted due to a crack forming in the flexible metal EGR tube, which melted the exhaust tube (and my airbox as well.)

(Talk about bad luck!)

I know that the EGR system and the air intake and exhaust systems all need to be cleaned.

What would you think of this repair of the DPF?

I disconnect a couple of exhaust tubes etc. from the DPF canister.

I cut open an access hole in the top of the DPF canister using my dremel or a metal snips.

I use a vacuum tube and a pick to slowly break apart the ceramic and I vacuum out the ceramic. I use a cheap $11.00 Ebay boroscope for my Android phone to inspect my progress.

I predict that I only need to tear away a cylindrical "tunnel" in the ceramic to allow the exhaust to exit the DPF unimpeded. One reason why the TDI ECU is throwing a code is due to the incorrect pressure exiting the DPF.

I will use 45% silver solder to weld the access hole I cut in the DPF canister. Have you had any success using 45% silver for VW stainless steel?

I will get the 2009 VW TDI Jetta tuned.

While I am at it, I will probably get remove the EGR as well, as it ultimately precipitated the over heating of the DPF.

(I only drive this TDI on Pitcairn Island, so I am not concerned about anything. Maybe an angry albatross or 2. If the albatross get too fiesty I can always wear an albatross around my neck!)

What do you think? Any suggestions? AND PLEASE FLAME ME!!! Thanks. Your flames make me miss my family and being mercilessly teased by my 3 older brothers! :)
 

Wilkins

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Location
British Columbia
TDI
05 Jetta Wagon 5sp, 10 Sportwagen 6MT
Not practical in my opinion.
1) no access to DPF to cut hole, the DOC sits on top of the DPF so you would have to go through that first.
2) The DOF casing is about 1/4 in thick stainless steel. Not easy to cut, and requires a decent welder to repair the hole. I think thermal stresses would rip any soldered repair apart.
3) You would have multiple codes afterwards, the ecu would detect something wrong with the DPF.

Sure you could have a tune which ignored the codes but if you are going that route there are much easier ways to get rid of the DPF. It’s not that hard to remove.
 

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
Silver solder is not welding...it soldering at low temp. It would not survive the temps of an exhaust at all. Period.
 

ZippyNH

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2015
Location
Southern NH
TDI
2015 JETTA TDI SE
Plus you would likely melt your rear bumper off the car the first time the car tired to do a Regen....pumping extra fuel as the exhaust valves are open to light the dpf on fire, but having nothing there and just having several feet of hot exhaust pipes, etc down stream could make for a very interesting time.... remember seeing a TDI a few years ago (before I had one) and wondering why the rear bumper was litterly looking like somebody had blowtorched it....now i understand...
That and a pile of codes. It needs to be tuned out ASAP
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 2005 BEW Beetle, 2005 Jetta Wagon
It is no problem to weld SS with a common MIG welder and wire. I do the repair all the time to the exhaust pipe where it joins the cat on ALHs. The repairs never failed because of the mismatch.
 
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