[nick46]

This evening I have had my glow plug module replaced which has cleared all my glow plug related faults and hopefully cured the rough idle when the weather is cold.
So over the coming days I want to take the car for a drive on the motorway just to make sure the dpf will regen (bit paranoid about dps!). So my question is - what parameters do I need to monitor in Carly that will tell me if a regen is taking place?
I seem to remember something about exhaust temperature?

[Sensible_]

Originally Posted by nick46

This evening I have had my glow plug module replaced which has cleared all my glow plug related faults and hopefully cured the rough idle when the weather is cold.
So over the coming days I want to take the car for a drive on the motorway just to make sure the dpf will regen (bit paranoid about dps!). So my question is - what parameters do I need to monitor in Carly that will tell me if a regen is taking place?
I seem to remember something about exhaust temperature?

The main ones to monitor are:

- Coolant Temperature. Must be >75c
- Soot Mass (g). You will know when the car is regenerating (periodic) because this will decrease to almost nothing.

You can also view a DPF regeneration status parameter. I think this returns a number from 0-6. You'll have to consult the Carly manual as to which number refers to what status exactly. I can't really remember. Sorry.

This image should be helpful to you. You have to tick all the boxes for periodic regeneration to take place.

[nick46]

Right so I've just got back from an hour long drive on the motorway and the dpf did not regenerate. I did a diagnostic check before and during the trip and no faults relating to the engine were found. The only fault that came up that I have never seen before was related to the airbag - Bus Communication Error 00C947. I can't imagine this would affect a dpf regen?

At the start of the trip the Soot Mass was 12.9g and at the end of the trip it went up to 18.02g. Can't remember what the Ash was at the start, but at the end it was 25.18g.
During the trip the coolant temp was a steady 90-92 degrees. I also monitored the Exhaust temperature before the dpf and with the cruise on an travelling along the flat it was around the 300 degree mark. Depending on the road conditions the highest I seen it was around 350 degrees. I thought this had to rise to something like 600 during a regen?

Carly is saying the distance travelled since the last successful regen is 293684mtrs (182 miles).

Is there a reason why it didn't regen on this trip, or has not enough distance been covered since the last one, and/or, are the soot and ash levels not high enough to trigger a regen?

[nick46]

What I did find interesting is that if the distance travelled since the last successful regen is correct at 182 miles, then that totally throws the theory that 'any glow plug issue will prevent a regen' out of the window, cos I've had glow plug related issues pretty much since I bought the car last August. As I have said, the glow plug control module was only replaced on Friday, which then cured all the faults.

[Silver Streek]

Mine only regens when the soot mass reaches low 30's, one you reach this sort of figure it will do a regen.

Out of interest what's your ash mass? I've always wondered what is considered low, medium and nearly full, but can't find any answers despite much googling.

[Silver Streek]

Sorry just re-read your post and can see it was 25.18g.

How many miles has you car done??

Mines around 17g at 50k miles.

[nick46]

Yeah I'm kind of assuming that the soot mass and/or the distance travelled isn't enough to trigger a regen. I'm hoping someone who knows about these things will be able to confirm this. I'd also like someone to clarify the relationship between the glow plugs and the regen cos everything I've read is that any issue will prevent a regen, which is part of the reason I had the control module replaced. As said Carly is saying 182 miles have been travelled since the last successful regen, therefore I can only assume that my dpf has been regenerating quite happily with the glow plug faults.
My car has done just over 80k miles and is a 2010 330d.

[Silver Streek]

Mines a 325d.

I'd take what Carley says with a pinch of salt. I read in the Carley small print the ash and carbon weights are calculated. Not sure how good the app really is. I use it as just a guide. Some of the functions are quite good.

It won't clear my inspection service indicator though. Itclears all the others ok for some reason. I'm going sort my ISTA out on my laptop and try that to see how it differs from Carley.

[Sensible_]

Originally Posted by nick46

Yeah I'm kind of assuming that the soot mass and/or the distance travelled isn't enough to trigger a regen. I'm hoping someone who knows about these things will be able to confirm this. I'd also like someone to clarify the relationship between the glow plugs and the regen cos everything I've read is that any issue will prevent a regen, which is part of the reason I had the control module replaced. As said Carly is saying 182 miles have been travelled since the last successful regen, therefore I can only assume that my dpf has been regenerating quite happily with the glow plug faults.
My car has done just over 80k miles and is a 2010 330d.

Everything is explained in the screenshot I posted.

The DDE (ECU) decides when periodic regeneration takes place depending on several variables. Periodic regeneration does not take place at a set time or set mileage. It depends on the trips you are doing, style of driving etc etc.

It sounds like your regeneration is working as it should.

If you don't trust Carly then use ISTA D to monitor live DPF info. But for me, both give the same readings.

[nick46]

Yes thanks for that. Couldn't read it at first as the text was a little blurry. Managed to read it now and as you say it looks like everything is working as it should be.
I'm just a bit paranoid as I've never owned a car with a dpf before.

[The0pportunist]

I believe one of the conditions for DPF regen is: at least quarter or half tank of fuel!

[Sensible_]

Originally Posted by The0pportunist

I believe one of the conditions for DPF regen is: at least quarter or half tank of fuel!

True. There is a fuel condition. >10litres

[adammcf]

My car has had 4 glow plug faults since I bought it two years ago and has been re-gening happily every few hundred miles.
I do still plan on doing the plugs soon though as changing the controller last year didnt cure it.