DPF Forced regeneration with iCarsoft MB V3.0

[whitegold]

Need to force DPF Regeneration - W204 Bluetec C220cdi MY2012. (DPF Fill level is >200%)
There's conflicting info all over the place on this topic, a certain amount of which seems to be from the sellers of various other Diagnostic Kit, and purveyors of magic remedies to fix the DPF warning / 3000rpm situation.
After reading numerous favourable reviews of the iCarsoft MB V3.0 I've recently bought one to see if it lives up to its reputation.
Now done a couple of tries following the onscreen instructions, but I've not persuaded it to trigger the "Regeneration while driving" which follows on from the sequence of doing the "Static Fill Test"
Have read that Forced Regen won't happen if ECO start/stop is active, but perhaps this is speculation. Since it's about an hour-long procedure, and a painful drive around on back roads in first gear, I'm now getting reluctant to do much more "Trial and Error".
Looking for advice on this iCarsoft MB V3.0 - maybe I'm probably missing something obvious in the procedure.
Thanks for all and any replies!

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

As far I’m aware icarsoft scanners don’t have all the functionality listed for all models so it’s better to talk to the place you bought the MB V3 unit from. I bought an icarsoft PRO recently and asked the seller UK Parts Direct whether it had the functions I wanted before purchase once confirmed I bought the unit

 

[ajlsl600]

I am led to believe icarsoft mb v2 can do this?

 

[tpn]

I can assure you that Icarsoft MB11 will do a forced regen, so I would assume that the MB3 is better again.
Why do you need to do the regen? and why did your car not do the automatic regen?
obviously you must have fault codes registered.

 

[whitegold]

I can assure you that Icarsoft MB11 will do a forced regen, so I would assume that the MB3 is better again.
Why do you need to do the regen? and why did your car not do the automatic regen?
obviously you must have fault codes registered.

I've been stuck with an intermittent fault on B19/11 that eventually failed altogether a few weeks ago, and I didn't realise that the DPF would get to a point where it would lock out with a permanent fault. So I eventually found time to replace the sensor - this time with genuine MB sourced sensor. My trusty Launch 129 will read most things and clear many - but won't do regen when "DPF Fill Level is above 200%"

 

[whitegold]

UPDATE - can now confirm that this iCarsoft MB V3.0 will indeed do a forced regen, when "DPF Fill Level is too high" - in my case around 360%..
It seems that the procedure completed for me this morning, without giving any "Sucessful - completed" notifications.
I will do a full write-up with pictures when time permits.
Pity the iCarsoft how-tos and documents are so inadequate.

 

[tpn]

UPDATE - can now confirm that this iCarsoft MB V3.0 will indeed do a forced regen, when "DPF Fill Level is too high" - in my case around 360%..
It seems that the procedure completed for me this morning, without giving any "Sucessful - completed" notifications.
I will do a full write-up with pictures when time permits.
Pity the iCarsoft how-tos and documents are so inadequate.

Good you got it working. Keep an eye on it for a few normal regens just to make sure that it is not in a loop- not going to 100% fill before commencing and perhaps going down to 12 or 14% as the excessive regenerating will cause some fuel in the oil and before you know it your timing chain will rattle etc.
Better still change your oil and filter right now as your oil will have been compromised by the DPF overfilling.
Mazda had a big problem with this, that led to bottom end problems.

 

[whitegold]

Good you got it working. Keep an eye on it for a few normal regens just to make sure that it is not in a loop- not going to 100% fill before commencing and perhaps going down to 12 or 14% as the excessive regenerating will cause some fuel in the oil and before you know it your timing chain will rattle etc.
Better still change your oil and filter right now as your oil will have been compromised by the DPF overfilling.
Mazda had a big problem with this, that led to bottom end problems.

Thanks I'll definitely keep an eye on that - just did an oil change recently but won't hurt to do it again; luckily I stockpiled my MB oil when it was still cheap and on offer.

 

[Jim2]

UPDATE - can now confirm that this iCarsoft MB V3.0 will indeed do a forced regen, when "DPF Fill Level is too high" - in my case around 360%..
It seems that the procedure completed for me this morning, without giving any "Sucessful - completed" notifications.
I will do a full write-up with pictures when time permits.
Pity the iCarsoft how-tos and documents are so inadequate.

Nail on the head re=iCarsoft "How To's" are so inadequate !!! Its basically a learning process, and, if you are not careful you can do damage, and serious damage at that. My 1st iCarsoft MB 11, was pretty good in that while you could scan and delete stored faults, it did noy allow you to go too deep. But with my newer iCarsoft, the CR-Pro, you can indeed go deep, and as I mentioned above, do some serious damage, So if anyone knows of an iCarsoft "Beginners Booklet", Thanks to share, OK?

 

[supernoodle]

iCarsoft and all the others, Carly, Autel etc can't write how-tos because they don't know the detail themselves.

Diagnostic tools are all based around some well defined standards. A good overview here for diagnostics over CAN here.

UDS Explained - A Simple Intro (Unified Diagnostic Services)

In this tutorial to Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) you'll learn about the UDS protocol frame structure, services, CAN ISO TP - with practical UDS data examples!

www.csselectronics.com

It doesn't matter if it's Mercedes, BMW, Nissan they all use these, or some variation of them.

Diag tools, even the likes of Star/Xentry are just gateways to access the diagnostic services that are predefined in each module. No matter what the tool, you cannot do anything that the manufacturer does not want you to do. What a tool can request and how the module will respond is defined in an odx file, think of it as a database. The major job of the diag tools is to make sure when you connect to say a 2017 C220d they recognise that and call up the correct databases. So when it offers you the option to perform a DPF regen it's because it will be defined in that odx file that this one of the supported services for the ECU. So for example the tool will just look in the database and see start a DPF regen on this car is service $31, routine 4159 01. It will fire that off to the ECU, which will then respond back with a coded yes ok, or nope, not doing it.
The difficult bit is getting hold of the odx files, manufacturers do sell them, but for lots of money. The other way of finding this information out is hook up a manufacturer's tool to the car, press a button and spy on the CAN traffic, ie reverse engineer them. So they know if you press button A on screen, message B gets sent on the CAN bus...So now you can see how they can make something that sort of works but they won't know the whys and wherefores.

Good news is because a tool is only ever passing a request through the diagnostic handler in a vehicle module, you shouldn't be able anything really bad. Sure you could wipe some learnt data if you're not careful, but even if you have more advanced tool that lets you take control of something like an actuator, the handler should reject the request if it was stupid.

 

[Jim2]

Thanks Supernoodle, that was one very informative post. I'm sure that many on the forum will welcome it. Thanks again.

 

[BiTurboMercedes]

UPDATE - can now confirm that this iCarsoft MB V3.0 will indeed do a forced regen, when "DPF Fill Level is too high" - in my case around 360%..
It seems that the procedure completed for me this morning, without giving any "Sucessful - completed" notifications.
I will do a full write-up with pictures when time permits.
Pity the iCarsoft how-tos and documents are so inadequate.

Hi Whitegold, can you share the information that you learned that enabled you to force the DPF regeneration?
I have the iCarSoft EU Pro and have updated it with whatever latest software is available.
When I run the regen cycle, it'll always finish after the 30min saying that the operation was aborted automatically.
Nothing I do can complete it successfully and I've tried countless times over the last couple of years. Even after following the exact instructions displayed, it'll never start the regen.
Please help!
Thanks!

 

[chopper_harris]

UPDATE - can now confirm that this iCarsoft MB V3.0 will indeed do a forced regen, when "DPF Fill Level is too high" - in my case around 360%..
It seems that the procedure completed for me this morning, without giving any "Sucessful - completed" notifications.
I will do a full write-up with pictures when time permits.
Pity the iCarsoft how-tos and documents are so inadequate.

It would be very helpful if you can post the steps and prerequisites for successful regeneration, as offered.

Thank you

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Member ‘Whitegold‘ was last seen on the forum Oct 22

 

[mioba]

@whitegold

Some cries for help

 

[whitegold]

OK happy to assist - I just uploaded all the 40+ screenshots and just need to collect my info....

 

[whitegold]

Apologies just uploaded that lot to the MBClub server, and it's put them all in reverse order. I will have to host them myself but SWMBO needs me for shopping this morning, so please be patient, guys

 

[Botus]

iCarsoft and all the others, Carly, Autel etc can't write how-tos because they don't know the detail themselves.

Diagnostic tools are all based around some well defined standards. A good overview here for diagnostics over CAN here.

UDS Explained - A Simple Intro (Unified Diagnostic Services)

In this tutorial to Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS) you'll learn about the UDS protocol frame structure, services, CAN ISO TP - with practical UDS data examples!

www.csselectronics.com

It doesn't matter if it's Mercedes, BMW, Nissan they all use these, or some variation of them.

Diag tools, even the likes of Star/Xentry are just gateways to access the diagnostic services that are predefined in each module. No matter what the tool, you cannot do anything that the manufacturer does not want you to do. What a tool can request and how the module will respond is defined in an odx file, think of it as a database. The major job of the diag tools is to make sure when you connect to say a 2017 C220d they recognise that and call up the correct databases. So when it offers you the option to perform a DPF regen it's because it will be defined in that odx file that this one of the supported services for the ECU. So for example the tool will just look in the database and see start a DPF regen on this car is service $31, routine 4159 01. It will fire that off to the ECU, which will then respond back with a coded yes ok, or nope, not doing it.
The difficult bit is getting hold of the odx files, manufacturers do sell them, but for lots of money. The other way of finding this information out is hook up a manufacturer's tool to the car, press a button and spy on the CAN traffic, ie reverse engineer them. So they know if you press button A on screen, message B gets sent on the CAN bus...So now you can see how they can make something that sort of works but they won't know the whys and wherefores.

Good news is because a tool is only ever passing a request through the diagnostic handler in a vehicle module, you shouldn't be able anything really bad. Sure you could wipe some learnt data if you're not careful, but even if you have more advanced tool that lets you take control of something like an actuator, the handler should reject the request if it was stupid.

I don't agree with this

yes maybe on engine management stuff where they have defined some standardisation.... but what you can do and break on lots of other canbus connected elements of a given vehicle, is as eluded to above, open to how they hacked at the vehicle with their tool (and indeed the stupidity of the engineers at the factory)

lots of stuff can go wrong and get muddled exactly because reverse engineered activity (or what engineers do to add aditional diagnostic capability in updates) doesn't necessarily get all the nuances of interactions within other modules - they all have no real idea what they are doing - two fantastic examples

my autel kit flags the current Mercedes SCN flashed Rear SAM software as unsuitable - I agreed - it makes the braking under autonomous cruise dangerous - the one autel thinks is suitable (a Merc iteration between the original and the current release) is safe and operates as a slight enhancement over and above the iteration it was built with

yet on the DAB, Xentry says the car has a fault when it doesn't - all because the same hardware is running an era of software from the facelift model. everything works exactly the same - they are in fact forward and backward compatible - but Merc never noticed - so facelift software that works (on a module that has no impact on vehicle driving and safety) is wrong. But facelift software on a SAM that has a huge impact on how the car drives and stops, should be flashed to all cars.... (according to the Xentry tool). And you get two faults - as all later iterations of SAM software break an original feature of the car related to in car entertainment

 

[whitegold]

A few notes to catch up with what I have experienced with forcing DPF regeneration on OM651. Using the iCarsoft MB v3.0 device.
FIRST FIX THE FAULTS THAT CAUSED THE DPF TO BECOME CLOGGED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WONT CLEAR ITSELF.
This procedure applies when the engine management reports that DPF regen can’t take place because the DPF content is too high, which is why it’s known as forced regeneration.
There’s two main stages.
First section involves a fast idle test event, which measures the dpf fill level, and then reports that the dpf is too blocked to regenerate.
Confirm that the fault has been repaired and you will be able to continue to the regeneration by driving method.
This is best done with 2 people - one to operate the codereader.
You need to drive fo half an hour at low speed with high revs and probably some extra brake load as well. This means a quiet back road with no traffic. It took me 3 attempts to get this right, the final time I saw the EGT temp go right up to way over 600 and copious amounts of smoke as the DPF actually cleared.
Since then it’s been fine.
I changed the oil after doing this, to make sure there was no dilution from extra injected fuel during the regen runs.

 

[whitegold]

With reference to the notes in the above post - I've assembled the screenshots of the steps involved in this regen procedure with the iCarsoft MB v3.0
A couple of the slides are readings from the "next page" when there's too many items to display on one screen.

I'm hoping this youtube link will work, please let me know if it doesn't.