DPF cleaning - it's worth?

[ionprodan]

Hi there! Bought a Volvo V50 1.6d DRIVe (2010) two months ago for £1500 with 148.000 miles on board. Never bought a car before, and I think it wasn't the best car I could buy, but I can't go back in time. When I bought it, I didn't see any issues, the body is in really good conditions. Anyway, in a few days, I went to auto service because there was a small stone between brake pad and brake and there was a noise, but nothing serious. Also, they said that I need to replace injection seals and I did it for £250. I drove roughly 100 miles since I bought the car, and "Engine service required" appeared on my dashboard. I went to auto service again and they said that DPF filter must be replaced and this will cost me £650. I searched on the internet and I found there are some people who clean it and it could cost up to £320 or I can use some special liquids in diesel to clean the filter, so I bought three different DPF cleaners, and once I drove roughly 30 miles on motorway with 3rd gear with 50 mph speed, but it didn't help. I would ask your opinion it worth to clean it or to try to sell the car and buy a Honda Jazz is a better option?

[Clan]

Originally Posted by ionprodan

Hi there! Bought a Volvo V50 1.6d DRIVe (2010) two months ago for £1500 with 148.000 miles on board. Never bought a car before, and I think it wasn't the best car I could buy, but I can't go back in time. When I bought it, I didn't see any issues, the body is in really good conditions. Anyway, in a few days, I went to auto service because there was a small stone between brake pad and brake and there was a noise, but nothing serious. Also, they said that I need to replace injection seals and I did it for £250. I drove roughly 100 miles since I bought the car, and "Engine service required" appeared on my dashboard. I went to auto service again and they said that DPF filter must be replaced and this will cost me £650. I searched on the internet and I found there are some people who clean it and it could cost up to £320 or I can use some special liquids in diesel to clean the filter, so I bought three different DPF cleaners, and once I drove roughly 30 miles on motorway with 3rd gear with 50 mph speed, but it didn't help. I would ask your opinion it worth to clean it or to try to sell the car and buy a Honda Jazz is a better option?

Particle filters can't be effectively cleaned by means of additives , the regeneration process is the only way when the temperature is very carefully controlled at 600C which burns the deposit off . the particle filter has millions of tiny 90 degree corners which trap the soot , and it sticks there until burned off . revving the engine has no effect on cleaning what so ever , all you are doing is wasting fuel , just a drive at 50 mph in top gear for 20 minutes or so is enough .

Your particle filter is the long lasting type (if there is no additive tank on the back axle ) , at 150,000 miles it is probably at the end of it's effective life especially if the injectors have been leaking combustion gas which would have put the final death blow on the Particle filter.
You have bought somebody else's neglected cast off . so with a new particle filter you should have a good car again.

[ionprodan]

So I just visited a garage specialised in Volvo and they said it is not worth to invest more money in my car, because there could be other issues with the turbo too and it would cost more than £1000

[Clan]

Originally Posted by ionprodan

So I just visited a garage specialised in Volvo and they said it is not worth to invest more money in my car, because there could be other issues with the turbo too and it would cost more than £1000

Thats the easy way out for them , there is only one volvo specialist and that is the volvo approved workshop 👍

[lockstock]

Originally Posted by ionprodan

So I just visited a garage specialised in Volvo and they said it is not worth to invest more money in my car, because there could be other issues with the turbo too and it would cost more than £1000

volvo main dealer will give the car a full inspection, and a diagnostic/software update for about £100 or if you speak to them first. Depending how much you outlayed, I'd be inclined to do this as will at least let you know where you stand. If car is otherwise good, and £600 buys you another 2 years motoring before something else goes wrong, it may be more cost effective than selling and buying another car that still needs work.

At the moment I don't think you have enough information to make a good decision

[bugsb]

cleaning a dfp either on or off the car has mixed results on many forums , if you can do it your self its worth a try if not your in the hands of the garage

[Tannaton]

A few points...

- I think what you really need is a decent honest garage - maybe one injector seal needed doing but this shouldn't cost £250 and how they discovered that when removing a stone from the brake caliper?

- Too much of a coincidence for me that you have a DPF issue a few days after someone has worked on the injectors...

- Pattern DPF's are available quite cheaply, circa £200.

- Any "in-tank" cleaning additive is not going to help you...

[Craigtange]

Originally Posted by ionprodan

Hi there! Bought a Volvo V50 1.6d DRIVe (2010) two months ago for £1500 with 148.000 miles on board. Never bought a car before, and I think it wasn't the best car I could buy, but I can't go back in time. When I bought it, I didn't see any issues, the body is in really good conditions. Anyway, in a few days, I went to auto service because there was a small stone between brake pad and brake and there was a noise, but nothing serious. Also, they said that I need to replace injection seals and I did it for £250 dpf-cleaner.co.uk. I drove roughly 100 miles since I bought the car, and "Engine service required" appeared on my dashboard. I went to auto service again and they said that DPF filter must be replaced and this will cost me £650. I searched on the internet and I found there are some people who clean it and it could cost up to £320 or I can use some special liquids in diesel to clean the filter, so I bought three different DPF cleaners, and once I drove roughly 30 miles on motorway with 3rd gear with 50 mph speed, but it didn't help. I would ask your opinion it worth to clean it or to try to sell the car and buy a Honda Jazz is a better option?

Any recommendations for cleaning sprays to use without removing dpf?
I know ill most likely have to remove dpf but want to take the chance with a spray just incase. Because i cannot be ****d to remove it if im honest. Allready removed sensor off top of dpf so just looking for any reccomendations on a spray.

[Kev0607]

Originally Posted by Craigtange

Any recommendations for cleaning sprays to use without removing dpf?
I know ill most likely have to remove dpf but want to take the chance with a spray just incase. Because i cannot be ****d to remove it if im honest. Allready removed sensor off top of dpf so just looking for any reccomendations on a spray.

Not really, cleaning sprays don't really work. I wouldn't bother wasting your time with them. There's no need to use them if the car is driven properly...

You need to bring the car on a decent motorway drive for at least 20 minutes at a constant speed and let it clear the soot naturally via DPF regeneration. If the car isn't regularly driven on the motorway, you should do this at least once a month to prevent soot building up and blocking the DPF.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Not really, cleaning sprays don't really work. I wouldn't bother wasting your time with them. There's no need to use them if the car is driven properly...

You need to bring the car on a decent motorway drive for at least 20 minutes at a constant speed and let it clear the soot naturally via DPF regeneration. If the car isn't regularly driven on the motorway, you should do this at least once a month to prevent soot building up and blocking the DPF.

Very true , and you don't need a motorway just a decent run at 50 mph in top gear for 20 + minutes is enough to self regenerate if it is needed.