top of page
WELCOME
Here at // J G DPF CLEAN our sole purpose is to make sure that your vehicles DPF is as clean as it possibly can be and to get you back out on the road again.
Is your DPF blocked putting your vehicle into limp mode with warning lights displayed on the dash...???
Are you experiencing.......
- loss of power...???
- loss of performance...???
- poor starting...???
- smokey acceleration...???
- poor fuel efficiency...???
Has your car or van failed its MOT emissions test or are you worried because you have your MOT test coming up...???
​
Do you know the service history of your car or van???
Have you been told by your garage or mechanic that you need to replace your DPF at great expense because it's clogged up...???
All of the above could be cured with a simple DPF clean saving you thousands of pounds.
WE COME TO YOU!
Whether you have a car or a van that requires our services, we are fully mobile and come to you at your home or work.
ABOUT....
With over 30 years experience I've come across just about every engine problem imaginable with both petrol and diesel engines on cars and vans.
I removed my first engine at 11 years old which was a 3.5lt rover V8 (for those of you old enough to remember those cars). I've had various car projects with my dad throughout my school years, passed my driving test and purchased my first car at 18. From that moment on my involvement with cars and vans has been constant.
It's true that older cars and engines built 20+ years ago were much easier to work on and diagnose problems but they were just not built to last, whereas newer cars and engines built within the last 20 years under stricter rules and regulations have been built to a much higher standard and generally last much longer.
However these stricter rules and regulations bring with them their own set of vehicle problems with the mandatory use of diesel particulate filters (DPF).
DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTER (DPF)
The DPF was designed to help keep exhaust emissions down to a minimum and was made a mandatory component for diesel engines in 2009.
The DPF is one of the most critical aftertreatment devices on your vehicle. It catches and stores exhaust carbon/soot particles and other contaminants to reduce particulate matter (PM) from diesel engines.
Cellular ceramic honeycomb DPF filters are the most commonly used on most vehicles. This DPF consists of channels that are blocked at each end forcing the gas containing soot particles through the filter wall. Whilst the gas can go through the filter the dangerous soot remains trapped in its pores.
The DPF has a limited capacity, therefore the soot trapped needs to be removed to enable proper performance of the filter. This process is called DPF regeneration.
During the regeneration process excess soot in the filter is burned off. This normally happens whilst the car is in use and the driver will not even notice when this process is happening.
HOWEVER, in much the same way as the EGR valve and other engine components can clog with deposits, so can the DPF. As time goes on the filter can get clogged with soot & ash and the regeneration will release less and less until it eventually blocks up and is unable to be cleared on its own.
This is a very common issue for diesel cars/vans that only carry out short cold engine journeys.
How does carbon deposit buildup form...???
Carbon deposits and buildup are a byproduct of combustion that comes from incomplete fuel combustion which begins as soon as the engine is running. This black soot, similar to that which collects in a chimney, will harden on internal engine components such as injector tips, spark plug tips, turbo veins, inlet valves, cylinder walls, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valves, catalytic converters, air inlet system etc, regardless of whether it's a petrol or diesel engine.
It's basically unburned fuel that evaporates and sticks to the engines internals as carbon deposits. These deposits impede the flow of air and fuel and lead to a loss of performance, a much higher fuel consumption and inevitably end up in the DPF.
Reasons for carbon and soot buildup...
Low quality fuels...
Fuel is not nearly as good quality as it used to be years ago. Modern fuel is much more contaminated and full of additives that seem to do more harm than good when it comes to the perfect combustion and it's the engine that pays the price.
Short journeys...
This is a big one. Drivers who are only using their cars/vans for short journeys are experiencing many more problems with carbon deposit buildup. This is due to the fact that a cold engine will always be less optimal for complete combustion. On shorter journeys your engine doesn't get a chance to warm up which leads to more and more carbon buildup and the DPF clogging up.
Start/stop travel...
Start/stop travel is a nightmare for your engine. I think most of us can say we've been stuck in many traffic jams over the years. This means more engine load leading to more excessive carbon buildup. With day after day of traffic congestion the diesel particulate filter (DPF) doesn't get a chance to regenerate once again leading to more carbon buildup and soot.
Lack of servicing and maintenance...
Service plans are there for a reason, to ensure that potential issues with a vehicle are spotted early enough and also to keep the vehicle maintained and in a road worthy condition. Having your engine oil and filter changed at regular intervals is crucial for a healthy engine. Along with this the air filter and fuel filter are just as important and often overlooked. A clean fuel filter keeps the fuel flowing nicely and a clean air filter introduces the cleanest air possible into the intake system. If either of these are dirty, partially blocked or fully blocked it will throw the mixture out causing more carbon deposit buildup.
Symptoms of a blocked or blocking DPF.
Weakened engine performance...
A sluggish feeling to driving. Decreased acceleration and less power in all gears.
Rough idling...
With a disrupted exhaust gas flow the engine can judder on idle causing vibrations and is often louder than before.
Black smoke...
Black or dark smoke from the exhaust is one of the most obvious visual signs of carbon build up. Most of us have experienced unwanted smoke either from our own cars/vans or the person in front of us that suddenly accelerates hard. It's easily spotted at night coming from your own vehicle when you accelerate and see smoke in the headlights of the car behind you whilst looking in the rear view mirror.
Bad fuel consumption...
Using more fuel than you used to is another sure sign of carbon/soot build up within the DPF.
Failed emissions test for the MOT...
With MOT emission tests becoming ever tighter it's getting harder and harder to pass the test. This one is another big problem for many.
Unfamiliar engine noises...
Knocking, pinging or ticking sounds from the engine can indicate high levels of carbon/soot buildup.
Dash warning lights...
The engine warning light, coil light and emissions lights are often associated with problems caused by DPF issues.
Misfires...
Sometimes misfires are extreme but sometimes they can be very light and not really noticeable to the untrained ear. Either way even the slightest misfire can turn into a huge problem.
Turbo lag...
Have you noticed that your turbo is not boosting as well as it used to..? In extreme cases if DPF issues have been ignored then over time the soot contained within the DPF can back up to the engine itself seriously effecting the turbo and other engine components.
Limp home mode...
Have you experienced your car/van going into limp mode? In some cases you can turn the engine off, start it again and it's back to normal until the next time but in other cases once it's in limp mode it stays that way until it's been diagnosed with a computer and once again sooooooo very often it's linked to DPF problems.
Harder starting....
Difficult starts are another sign. Normally more prominent when the engine is cold but this does still happen when the engine is warm.
All of the above symptoms can be seriously attributed to a buildup of carbon and soot deposits trapped within the DPF. It's all too easy for mechanics and garages to say ''you need a new DPF'' at a massive expense to the car/van owner when in reality a huge majority of the time a DPF clean will rectify the issue.
Of course some of these problems can still be caused by other mechanical failures. As amazing as a DPF clean is it will not fix components or sensors that are actually faulty.
If you have a faulty component then this will need to be replaced.
However in 95% of the cases I've dealt with a DPF clean has completely rectified these problems with fantastic results leaving the vehicle with smoother running, better starting, greater MPG & BHP, much better general all round performance and bringing the love of driving back to the car/van owner.
The benefits of a DPF clean.
The benefits you can expect are incredibly good and very effective for the vehicle.
​
* Vastly Improved MPG
​
*Restored lost power.
​
*Improved throttle response.
​
*lower turbo lag.
​
*Reduced engine knocking, noise and vibrations.
​
*Improved engine idling.
​
*Reduced or no black smoke.
​
*Lowered emissions.​
​
*Restored performance.
​
*Huge Savings on DPF repair bills.
​​
How the DPF cleaning process works...
This is carried out by injecting a chemical cleaning agent directly into the DPF via either the exhaust temperature sensor, the o2 sensor or most commonly through the differential pressure sensor hose.
The injected chemicals enter the DPF in liquid form and then quickly expands into a foam that simply breaks down the trapped carbon/soot. After a short waiting period where the chemicals are left to work their magic the unwanted contents of the DPF are then forced out of the exhaust system under the natural pressures of the engine running at various RPM leaving the DPF clean, the pressures back down to where they should be and the vehicle back to normal operation.
​
// J G DPF CLEAN
bottom of page