Diesel Particulate Filter - DPF

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 7:21 am

Is it due for service soon, I have no idea of new Sube intervals.

Don't you hate those somethings wrong smells, that could be you, or someone else in the traffic?

suthol · Post by **suthol** » Thu Jan 19, 2012 8:40 am

Service intervals are 12,500 with my next service due at 46,500 so roughly another 6,000.

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:36 pm

suthol wrote:One thing I noticed this morning was a smell of raw diesel but this was in traffic so could be coincidental.

suthol wrote:Service intervals are 12,500 with my next service due at 46,500 so roughly another 6,000.

Could have been another vehicle/truck but just check for signs of leaks around the rear tank. Was this just after filling it?

Service interval should have been 37,500 or next at 50,000... Are you doing extra ones yourself? Also need to insure that the carbon clean and filter change are getting done. I know you should trust the dealerships but I've had dodgy stuff happen at some. Moisture in the fuel is a real headache for these diesels.

Falco80 · Post by **Falco80** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 9:08 pm

RSR 555 wrote:Also need to insure that the carbon clean and filter change are getting done. I know you should trust the dealerships but I've had dodgy stuff happen at some. Moisture in the fuel is a real headache for these diesels.

What do you mean by carbon clean, my service guys have never mentioned it?

I always mark my filters with a little hacksaw notch too make sure that they were replaced when they said they replaced them. I've heard a lot of stories about dodgy service departments. They assume you know nothing and that you never lift the bonnet to check anything...

RSR 555 · Post by **RSR 555** » Fri Jan 20, 2012 10:12 pm

Falco80 wrote:What do you mean by carbon clean, my service guys have never mentioned it?

Subaru Upper Engine Cleaner... cleans the crap (in your manifold and valves) built up from your breather pipes. Most of the time the dealers are not doing it correctly.

Falco80 wrote:I always mark my filters with a little hacksaw notch too make sure that they were replaced when they said they replaced them. I've heard a lot of stories about dodgy service departments. They assume you know nothing and that you never lift the bonnet to check anything...

Always good to check after the work is done.. even just for peace of mind.

Pleiades · Post by **Pleiades** » Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:24 pm

Thanks for the Service Bulletin.- I have a 2011 Outback Diesel 5 months old, 17K on the road. Was initially puzzled by the driveability issues, lack of power and vibration that happened every now and then, but sometimes more than once a week. The owner's manual could only mention 'changed driveability' during Active Regen, dealer didn't really explain apart from the driving over 80kmh for 20mins+ to maintain Passive Regen. First service at 12,500 they explained only 'reflashed ECU' - but I will keep this doc handy in case of future probs with the OB.

Falco80 · Post by **Falco80** » Fri Jan 27, 2012 10:16 pm

Just had the foz in for it's 50000k service today. I asked the service guys to check up on the DPF and see how clogged it was, as I was curious. I figured with all the highway miles I cover it would be in much better shape than someone who does short city driving.

Anyway here are the figures....
-Oil Dilution Ratio = 0% (I assume that's because they reset the oil dilution ratio when they dropped the oil and changed the filter today?)
-Soot Accumulation Ratio = 19%
-Cumulative Ash Ratio = 17%

From what I can figure, this means that after 50000km's my DPF is approximately 17-19% clogged.

It would make sense as we know the regeneration process will never burn off everything entirely and over time the DPF filter gets clogged. And if I'm to believe everything I hear in the interweb, then I will want to sell the car before it is fully clogged and I have to cough-up $4000 to replace the DPF!

I'm going to get this done every service from now on to trend it's progress.

Have any other of you diesel guys or gals got this info after a service? It would be interesting to hear other peoples numbers and how many km's they have on the clock.

On another note, the service guy told me that there is an oil leak from the engine's secondary sump and they will require the car for 3 days to fix. Apparently, due to access issues, they remove the engine to fix it

They said they have seen this leak on a handful of diesels so far....

NachaLuva · Post by **NachaLuva** » Sat Jan 28, 2012 12:11 pm

Falco80 wrote: I asked the service guys to check up on the DPF...

-Oil Dilution Ratio = 0% (I assume that's because they reset the oil dilution ratio when they dropped the oil and changed the filter today?)
-Soot Accumulation Ratio = 19%
-Cumulative Ash Ratio = 17%

I'm going to get this done every service from now on to trend it's progress.

Yep good idea. Maybe record it on a spreadsheet then post it up here for others to see

On another note, the service guy told me that there is an oil leak from the engine's secondary sump and they will require the car for 3 days to fix. Apparently, due to access issues, they remove the engine to fix it They said they have seen this leak on a handful of diesels so far....

Better they do it now under warranty than in a few years time! Bit strange to have a "secondary sump"...does it have a "secondary engine"? lol

:rolleyes:

suthol · Post by **suthol** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:45 pm

Well the good old DPF light is back at 40,000 but does go away from time to time with no obvious regen but it feels like someone has stolen the turbo and the economy has dropped to nearly 8/100.

In for attention on Thursday.

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Tue Jan 31, 2012 8:22 pm

nachaluva wrote:Yep good idea. Maybe record it on a spreadsheet then post it up here for others to see

Better they do it now under warranty than in a few years time! Bit strange to have a "secondary sump"...does it have a "secondary engine"? lol :rolleyes:

Dry sump,
Normal sump runs dry, (just enough oil)
while the secendary holds all the excess oil.

suthol · Post by **suthol** » Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:31 am

Picked the car up this morning and it's going well.

Service report said, oil dilution 10%, forced a regen and installed the latest PAK file.

All under warranty and next service due at 46,500

spencerct · Post by **spencerct** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 2:54 pm

I am having the same issues. I do alot of hills driving taking the kids to school. My Outback was in at Subaru on Friday with flashing dpf light and a few other lights on. They did a burn and said all the same things about driving at 1800-2000revs. The following Thursday the light started flashing again and all the other lights came back on. You can't tell me that in less than a week the filter has clogged again, if so this vehicle has serious issues.

pitrack_1 · Post by **pitrack_1** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:01 pm

spencerct wrote:I am having the same issues. I do alot of hills driving taking the kids to school. My Outback was in at Subaru on Friday with flashing dpf light and a few other lights on. They did a burn and said all the same things about driving at 1800-2000revs. The following Thursday the light started flashing again and all the other lights came back on. You can't tell me that in less than a week the filter has clogged again, if so this vehicle has serious issues.

Spencerct,

it has been known for sensors to fail making it think it has to continuously 'regen'.

I saw one report with continuous regeneration going on. Another (perhaps the same) had a faulty pressure sensor around the DPF. Also, the regen will deposit diesel into the oil (indirectly) and the computer calculates the oil level and dilution from this. If the computer oil dilution ratio is not reset (and should be at every oil change) eventually it exceeds a limit and the light flashes. Make sure the service centre has reset the oil dilution ratio. Perhaps get them to give you a readout of that parameter, also the DPF particulate level and the ash level.

have a look at the subaruforester.org site also and especially at "Subaru Diesel Crew" for more information, the levels at which things happen are listed there.

The other lights are funny, perhaps there are other things going on that are causing to the DPF light (rather than the other way round).

Good luck!

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 7:55 am

You can see these things in a few years time, new owner, out of warranty, serviced by owner, cheaper oils, snip a wire here shove in a resistor instead, crush the little lights in the dash

and then another for sale sign ....next !

jmmm · Post by **jmmm** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 12:29 am

Hi all,

I have a model 2010 (euro4) Forester diesel model and will like to monitor the OBD2 parameters for oil change and DPF evolution.

For those who already succeded to do it, could you please give the hardware (dongle + PC or android devce) and sofware (romraider? other?) you use

Thanks a lot in advance

JMM

Falco80 · Post by **Falco80** » Fri May 25, 2012 7:56 pm

Just had my 62500km service done this week on the diesel foz and they also repaired the leaking secondary sump, which meant keeping the car for 3 days and yanking the engine out. This is the first service where the fuel filter is replaced too, which I feel is too long of an interval.

I had a brand-new loaner impreza for a couple of days, while they worked on the foz, and while it was comfy, had all the gadgets and information displays you could ever want, it was an N/A 2.0l with CVT transmission so it severely lacked the awesome on-boost torque rush you get with the diesel when gunning it above 2000rpm....especially in 2nd gear!

(I missed the forester for three days!;))

The service guys gave my a print-out of engine data at the end, which according to them will now be common practice with the diesels, due to the amount of issues people are having with them.

So details compared to 50k service....
-Oil Dilution Ratio = 0% - Gets reset every oil change...
-Soot Accumulation Ratio = 12% (19% @ 50k)
-Cumulative Ash Ratio = 21% (17% @ 50k)
-DPF regeneration count = 339 (thought this was very interesting...)

So i guess my DPF is now 21% clogged.

I've had no issues with the vehicle at all since about 9000k's and I do drive it hard. Every couple of weeks I drive most of the 97km's home in 4th gear at 100-117km/h GPS speed with the diesel spinning above 3000rpm, and it loves it! I really like with this engine how the fuel economy does not change too drastically whether you are are driving normally or hard, but if you decide to "drive for economy" it will do that too.

Sandor106 · Post by **Sandor106** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 12:04 am

pjtaylor3 wrote:Got a 2009 Diesel outback with 25000km on it. I have experienced the shudder aswell usually in 6th gear up a slight incline. Its a hill I drive up everyday but it has only happened maybe 4 or 5 times. Also had a problem with the DPF light flashing. Its come on before both services. this time we had to get it service 2000km early because they couldn't clear the flashing light. Had no choice but to keep driving it with the flashing light for 3 days until they could fit me in for a service. in that time the enging malfunction light cam on, the traction control stopped working, electric handbrake error light came on, cruise contol stopped working. Was told by the dealer that the DPF light came on because the oil isn't lasting the 12500 km service interval. I don't know if all these problems could be caused by old oil.
I think the engine is very unpredictable. Sometimes the car accelerates smoothly and quickly the other days there is about 2 seconds of turbo lag between every gear change
Anyone had any problems like this

Can any one shed any new light on this matter? My car has just done this as above for the first time at 110000km's Apparently the DPF is over 200% blocked. Has a real cause of these problems been found?

Phillip

Rodeo4jake · Post by **Rodeo4jake** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:16 am

G'day all
Having just read a lot of your descriptions of problems with your diesel Subarus, it all sounds like familiar territory for me. Only I drive a new Kenworth K200 at work, it is fitted with a 600hp Cummins. Only thing I can say is it must be technology to help with emissions that has been rushed into production just to get past tough emissions rules. Now that it is out there all these companies are trying to patch up the shortcomings of the DPF solution. Believe me when I say my problems in the truck are identical.
I have been told the same thing by Cummins mechanic about driving it harder & too much empty running. Only thing is a tow 2 trailers & gross 60+ tonne most of the time. There is rarely a time when the EGT gauge drops below 300degrees & spends a lot of time at 500degrees. I don't think there I a solution available at this point, but I know I won't be buying a car with a DPF anytime soon. Otherwise I'll feel like I'm at work watching lights flash on the dash, smelling raw diesel, no power etc. good luck with it guys.

Cheers Jake

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:12 pm

and the diagnostic tool manufacturers have got their new special diagnostics out just for this area - DPF !

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:11 pm

Hi Phillip, I have done 150000km in mine and have had all those lights you are referring to happen once in my suby. Had just got it serviced and I drove mine from Sydney to Brisbane. I sat in 6th gear the entire way doing 100km/h. I got amazing fuel efficiency of 4.6lt per 100ks however the next day in Brisbane my dash lit up like yours with heaps of different lights all popping up.

I rang subaru after hours and they said the the computer shuts down some things when some parts are not operating properly. I drove to a dealership and they said it happened because the PDF was so clogged ithe computer shut other things down in the car so they wouldn't get damaged. Whether this is true or not I don't know???

I found it happened when I was to low of a speed in a high gear for a long period of time (i.e 100km/h in 6th gear.)or to much stop starting in the city with out a long run.

I do a fair bit of freeway driving and have not had the DPF come on for 70000km! Doing a burn off every and now and then with out the DPF light on has helped me achieve this.

Hope this helps?

Scotty

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