ML320 CDi DPF location in the exhaust pipe?

[M80]

Thanks for your write up Alex, very informative.
The chaps at MB Mansfield sorted the car today and Star shows the DPF to be all ok, so I was looking in the wrong directions anyway.

Good luck ML320, I can imagine your frustration so I hope you find the answer soon.

 

[ml320cdi]

ML320 Cdi engine ECU location under NSF Wing?

can someone please help me identify the location of the engine ECU for this ML320 Cdi ( 2006 ) W164.
I opened the splashguard under the near side front wing BUT was unable to see any ECU like unit under there. Some pics attached... I can also see the other side of the splash-guard from under the bonnet so didn't bother removing the front section of the guard as I couldn't see any ecu like structure from under the bonnet on the other side of the splashguard.

view from top, under the bonnet - passenger side

view from under the wing on the passenger side front - looking towards the door area.

view from under the wing on passenger side front - looking towards the engine side.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Ah, the 164 i belive from memory is under the dash!! havent got wis at home at present but recall trying to find it once before!

 

[ml320cdi]

engine ecu for w164, 320cdi

Ah, the 164 i belive from memory is under the dash!! havent got wis at home at present but recall trying to find it once before!

would it be on the passenger side under the dash? thanks

 

[ml320cdi]

DPF deleted

an update - I had been communicating with these guys ( ricardautomotive.com ) and they seemed very confident that they could delete the DPF so I asked them to come down.

They successfully deleted the DPF from the ECU and couldn't understand why the other technicians couldn't do it previously. There are no error codes on STAR now.

we took the car for test drive on the same motorway section where it would't pick up speed with the accelerator pressed all the way down... still didn't see a noticeable improvements there but perhaps I need to test the car out properly.

so.. the bottom line, you can indeed delete the DPF by following these steps

- get the DPF contents emptied out from the exhaust section and get it welded up again.

- use a technician who knows what they're doing. If you have an ML like mine, use these guys ricardautomotive.com and don't end up wasting a lot of money with other technicians who don't write their own software. They may simply delete the fault code and not actual erase the DPF functions from the ecu. The check engine light will always come back with that process and the technician will be long gone by then and they will tell you that its some other problem with the car.

 

[Alex Crow]

an update - I had been communicating with these guys ( ricardautomotive.com ) and they seemed very confident that they could delete the DPF so I asked them to come down.

They successfully deleted the DPF from the ECU and couldn't understand why the other technicians couldn't do it previously. There are no error codes on STAR now.

we took the car for test drive on the same motorway section where it would't pick up speed with the accelerator pressed all the way down... still didn't see a noticeable improvements there but perhaps I need to test the car out properly.

so.. the bottom line, you can indeed delete the DPF by following these steps

- get the DPF contents emptied out from the exhaust section and get it welded up again.

- use a technician who knows what they're doing. If you have an ML like mine, use these guys ricardautomotive.com and don't end up wasting a lot of money with other technicians who don't write their own software. They may simply delete the fault code and not actual erase the DPF functions from the ecu. The check engine light will always come back with that process and the technician will be long gone by then and they will tell you that its some other problem with the car.

glad we finally got a conclusion on this!! guess you are going to chase the previous lot for your money back?

could they do it through the EOBD port, or was it an ecu out job?

 

[ml320cdi]

DPF delete all via the OBD2 Port

yeh all done via the OBD port and took less than 20 min for the deletion. There was no need for direct connection to the engine ECU.

As for getting the money back, I don't think I'll get very far.

Steve ( SR ) is a very god guy.. although I only wanted him to come down to delete the DPF, I got a re-map for better performance and the whole thing didn't cost much so I can't complain too much. I think Steve just switched the fault code off but didn't realize that the check engine light will come back on as the DPF sensors are still recorded in the ECU.

FR Tuning - I wouldn't use this guy.. he just tried to rip me off. He wouldn't let me leave the premises without payment. I told him to remove whatever he had done to the ECU so I don't have to pay but then realized that he may even remove Steve ( SR ) re-map so we agreed on £50 so I could leave the premises.

Revtronics - simply say DPF cannot be deleted unless they connect direct to the ECU - obviously wrong.

I also spent lot of money getting diagnostics checks done every time e.g. when Steve ( SR ) said the check engine light has nothing to do with DPF as his software had deleted it.

The main point here would be to agree with the technician that after the DPF deletion by their software, they will need to firstly carry out a new STAR diagnostic to see if there is any DPF related faults showing and secondly allow you to go on a test drive for a good 15-20 min, yo should also turn the car off and on again a few times during this test drive interval to make sure the check engine light doesn't come on again.

DPF software deletion + the DPF exhaust box contents being emptied should cost no more than £200 - £250 all inc. if done right the first time

 

[Alex Crow]

nice to hear good comments about steve, i have recommended him several times in the past, and will comtinue to do so for remap work.

 

[roadbully]

This thread is a little old but I'm hoping you get this message. I tried looking up ricardautomotive.com but the address does not work for me. I'd like to delete the DFP as well but I'm about 5,000 miles away. I'm hoping I can contact the guys that did your and pay for them to teach a local tech to do mine here. Do you have any contact information for them that you caould pass onto me?

Cheers,
Daryl

 

[ml320cdi]

sorry looks like they're out of business... this DPF delete process has become very common now and you just need to shop around. You will definitely find someone close to you. I doubt a company from the UK will disclose their software secrets to others

 

[GAD Tuning LTD]

Morning,

We can offer a system that will allow you to READ your vehicle and e-mail the file to us to remap to your exact specification. We then send it back to you and you WRITE the file to your vehicle.

http://www.gadtuning.co.uk/wt3/

Regards

Anthony