Sprinter 57 plate DPF problem

Saxon

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Hello, I'm new to the forum and hope someone can help. Two months ago I bought a 57 plate Sprinter. All was well for the first few hundred miles then, when setting out one day I noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. This cleared once I was on the motorway and I drove a further 170 miles without incident. Once I had reached my destination I stopped for around two hours before driving again. The smoke was back, absolutely belching out!
AA were called, diagnosed DPF problems. Started driving home, High oil light came on. AA called again, the patrol wasn't happy with the smell from the exhaust and although the oil level wasn't high enough to cause damage he organised a recovery back to the dealership (van was still under warranty).
The dealership changed the entire exhaust system, swapping it with one of their other Sprinters.
I had the oil changed subsequent to this as I have read that fuel had mixed with the oil causing the high level. All was well until yesterday when the old problems began again.
The van is going back to the dealership again. I have one month left on the warranty.
I would really appreciate any advice, I think the van needs to go to a main dealer for diagnostics. As a footnote, the van has only been used on long motorway based journeys so regeneration can easily be achieved. Is this a case of engine re-mapping to accept a new exhaust system (when I bought the van the exhaust was much newer than the van, so could be history repeating itself).
 

alexanderfoti

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Whilst I have no input on how to resolve the issue at hand, what you can do is remove the DPF and get it "mapped out" so the ECU doesnt try and regenerate it!

The issue is that during a regen cycle, that car injects more fuel at the exhaust stroke so that the exhaust gas temp goes sky high (to regen the DPF). Some of this fuel goes past the piston rings and ends up in the sump, increasing the engine oil level and diluting the engine oil! (always a bad thing!!)
 

Roxie

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Sounds like there is a underlying problem with the regeneration function. And yes you have to reset the exhaust on star so the ecu recognises the new levels of ash. Perhaps the EGR is not working correctly or something similar.

I have heard of people removing the DPF and re mapping but I don't know how this will stand at MOT time next year.
 

alexanderfoti

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Sounds like there is a underlying problem with the regeneration function. And yes you have to reset the exhaust on star so the ecu recognises the new levels of ash. Perhaps the EGR is not working correctly or something similar.

I have heard of people removing the DPF and re mapping but I don't know how this will stand at MOT time next year.

I'm pretty sure the smoke levels will be low enough on a new high rail pressure turbo diesel that removing the dpf will make little difference at mot time.
 

Roxie

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I'm pretty sure the smoke levels will be low enough on a new high rail pressure turbo diesel that removing the dpf will make little difference at mot time.


(Not next year when the tester will have to check that it's still there. If what I read about new MOT legislation comes good.)

But yes it will still meet euro4 without it. It is only there to trap the soot.
 

alexanderfoti

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(Not next year when the tester will have to check that it's still there. If what I read about new MOT legislation comes good.)

But yes it will still meet euro4 without it. It is only there to trap the soot.

This new mot stuff is absolutely crazy! They make it harder and harder to fix problems that they are causing!
 

Roxie

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Euro emisions legislation is also crazy. The manifacturers and developers are having to trade in fuel consumption to achieve the smoke limits required.
We have Euro 6 coming up soon, and then no one knows what's next because no one believes yet that they can achieve anything cleaner with internal combustion engines. We will see EGR with DPF and adBlue after treatment all together soon.
 

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