How can I fix my MINI's clogged DPF?
I own a 2009 MINI Cooper D, which is suffering a bout of DPF issues. Within a few months of owning the car, the DPF light came on (regularly) and BMW performed a forced regeneration. Two months later, the light came on again and my local garage said the issue was down to the DPF being clogged up with ash/soot.
They took the DPF off, poured some solution in it, left it, rotated it over a couple of days and then used compressed air/water to finish cleaning, and then finally a forced regeneration. This fixed the problem for a month, but now the DPF light is on.
I only cover short local runs in the car and my garage is reluctant to fit a new DPF as he thinks there is something else stopping the regeneration from completing. It may be purely coincidence, but the DPF issues started after BMW replaced the tensioners/cam belt.
The short local runs are probably clogging the DPF with soot, and eventually this is turning to ash. DPFs regenerate two ways: passively from the heat created on longer journeys. And actively by a process pre-programmed to happen every 250 miles or so whereby extra diesel is injected into the engine to heat up the DPF sufficiently to burn off the soot. But eventually all DPFs get clogged with ash.
Ceramex offers a process to clean DPFs for about £300, but I think your garage is right. The change of timing belt may somehow have cancelled the active regeneration cycle.
Ceramex offers a process to clean DPFs for about £300, but I think your garage is right. The change of timing belt may somehow have cancelled the active regeneration cycle.
Answered by Honest John on
