Question on DPF performance for RAM 1500

[kjclow]

Most of you know that I have a 2017 Ram Ecodiesel. Over thankgiving, I stretched the 10k oil change interval into about 13000 miles. While coming back home from visiting family, a mil popped up. No way to check it while sitting on I95 so waited until I got home. Once home, I got side-tracked until the dash message popped up that the dpf was at 80% and to drive at highway speeds to reduce the soot load. I tried that and the readings went up to 100% and the message now said to take it in for service. The service advisor blamed the overdue oil change for the dpf getting over worked and not being able to do its job.

My question to the gurus, was he blowing smoke? He made enough other mistakes through our interaction that I was wondering if he even knew which part of the truck had the engine in it.

 

[Tom in PT]

See if you can force the truck into a DPF Regen mode - drive around for a while while it is in that mode and then clear the codes. A clogged DPF filter (which is what the truck was telling you) has nothing to do with oil change intervals.

By the way, a 13,000 + plus mile oil change interval on a turbocharged vehicle is probably not a good move, no matter what the DPF is doing, particularly if the truck is lightly loaded. Ash , acid and fuel dilution in the oil would be a potential concern.