i currently have about 133k? I bought the car with 112k but it was a salvage car, so VW refused any and all warranties. The DPF was presumed bad when i got the car, even though it was marked OK on the outside of the case lol (assumed during the Dieselgate mods. You will need a lift to do this, unless you want to completely kill yourself. I could not see doing this without having my own lift at home, or some way to get the car way up off the ground.
To replace the unit i tried to see how far i could go without removing the passenger half shaft, it must come out. I did not need to do anything to my subframe. If i ever have to do this again id love to just lower the subframe engine and trans together. Anyhow, Remove your half shaft first. I removed the bolts holding it to the trans first, they are very tight and will need a triple square and breaker bar. I then unbolted the lower ball joint from lower control arm. Removed caliper and rotor for less weight and easier to manuver the steering knuckle. Removed axle bolt. Removed half shaft completely from car.
Unplug all the sensors on top and bottom. You CAN NOT remove any sensors from the DPF with it in the car except MAYBE the upper NOX sensor and the post DPF EGT sensor. There is a sensor above the fuel lines thats bolted to a metal bracket, its a delta sensor for the DPF. Instead of removing the lines, just unplug the data cable and remove from the bracket. There will be another one like this right at the top of the back of the engine between the engine and DPF< its directly behind the small round breather cap for the PCV system. Unsnap all the heat shields. the one on this sensor will not come off completely but must be opened to remove. Unplug, unbolt and remove one of the 2 lines off the sensor. One line you will see goes to the DPF the other to the turbo or EGR cooler. I think there are 3 plugs to disconnect on the driver side of the firewall that go behind the DPF. 1 NoX sensor, and 2 EGT sensors. All this comes off.
Under the car you need to unplug the post DPF EGT sensor, its plugged in by the exhaust flap. Unplug all 3 things here. The wire for the EGT sensor runs up the tunnel to the firewall and to the DPF. pull that cable back. I removed my post DPF cat. It really makes this job alot easier. All of the v band camps, turbo, the cat etc hopefully they come off ok. Mine came off no problem, no rust. Once you loosen the bolt up, use a screwdriver and hammer to tap them off the flanges and break them free. Be careful, Once the ones for the cat are loose, it will fall right out. To release the DPF theres 2 nuts on the bottom u access from the bottom, and 1 bolt up top below that sensor thats on the bracket by the fuel lines. Remove all 3. It wont fall out.
Once everything is loose, disconnected and feels like its ready to go lift the dpf off the studs on the egr cooler, carefully pull it down. You can remove the bracket on the lower part of the DPF now that its easier to reach. The DPF will need to get rotated 180 degrees as it comes down, it comes out of the tunnel thru the subframe on its back side. Before you pull it thru the tunnel make sure the heat shielding is all pushed up against the car body as close as it can or as i found out the hard way, the DPF will NOT fit thru.
Once the unit is out and on the floor, you can remove the upper heat shield from the DPF, remove all the sensors. YOU MUST USE A LINE WRENCH. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ACCESSORIES WITHOUT A LINE WRENCH, YOU WILL STRIP THE THREADS ASK ME HOW I KNOW. (Did this on my Canyon diesel). Install is the reverse of removal. Once everything is installed and car is test run you can reset the particle trap count in VCDS. VERY IMPORTANT. Or the car will not regen correctly, and you may ruin your new DPF.
I drive alot for work, installed mine 3 days ago and already have a few hundred miles on it with no issues. Good luck.
