January 2012
I have a Mazda 5 which has a DPF on it. I understand that during the regen process diesel is added to the DPF filter and this assists with the process. Should the engine be switched off mid way through the process it dumps the diesel into the oil sump.
I know I have seen some companies who will remove DPF's and reprogram the ECU, ours doesnt seem to present too many problems with the exception of the sump oil level meaning an intermediate oil change is required between services.... Read more
This has probably been done to death, but it is so difficult to find definitive information outside the Volvo dealer network - there is some on the D5 model here alread - especially as a deler is more likely to err on the side of sales rather than the customer's wallet!
My 08 V50 has 73k Km on the clock. It goes for its first "MoT" shortly, so I had the 80k service carried out by my local Volvo dealer (at €84 for the labour - about 75 minutes, it's not the type of adventure one undertakes too often) just to be sure that all the bells and whistles were up to speed.... Read more
Unlike catalytic converters, DPFs are essentially traps. The soot is periodically burned off but ash from the engine oil and diesel remains and eventually blocks the channels.
The life of the DPF is essentially based on total fuel and oil consumption, rather than number of miles....
I've been running a Passat Estate 1.9TDI 100bhp engine (PD), for just over 2 weeks now, and the mpg seems a bit lower than I expected. Mainly I've been doing work runs (25mile journey each way, on back roads so not being able to cruise at high speed and speed is up and down etc). At first I was getting mid to low 30's mpg. The engine wasn't running at normal temp (true reading from the cliamtic control panel showed the temp wasn't going above mid 60's). I've since replaced the coolant temp sender/thermostat and coolant (50/50mix) and the car now runs at the normal 90degC and warms up much faster. That was last night, and on my journey in today, I got an average of around 39mpg.
The car has also had a full service (all new filters and oil).... Read more
Double check the mpg by calculating mileage between fill ups. The on-board computer can be inaccurate - pessimistic or optimistic....
Hi all,
Long time reader/first time poster :)... Read more
I would never consider remapping a car 158k on the clock. The engine and associated components are nearer the end of their life than the beggining, any extra power produced could push any of them over the edge.
Use the car as it is and enjoy it. You were on a limited budget when you bought it, don't risk wrecking it within a few days. Good re-maps cost about £400+, tuning boxes are a total waste of time.
My wifes car had been a bit "iffy" but nothing one could put a finger on. At 80k miles probably the HJ seven year life syndrome.
Last Thursday it fired up clearly on less than four cylinders and a warning light (as if one was needed!) came on.... Read more
I wouldnt change all four. Electronic components dont all fail at the same time.
When i had a Audi in 2000 lots of these head mounted coils were failing, but due to a component problem....
I've just purchased a 1997 petrol 1.4 Polo as a run about. The car runs fine but there is a problem selecting any gear. It is extremely difficult to select the correct gear and requires a huge amount of pressure to push the gear stick. On the plus side once in gear there are no crunching noises and the gear box works perfectly without any whining noises etc. Is this likely to be something as simple as a selector mechansim that needs adjusting or renewal? Read more
Did you look at the engine mount?...
i am thinking of buying a second hand mondeo or avensis diesel estate.
mondeo 07 onwards( new shape) and avensis 06 onwards,i would imagine for £5000... Read more
I had a 2008 2.0 Zetec diesel estate for three and a half years and nearly 40k miles. It needed two brake light bulbs in that time, on top of the annual service.
According to the Ford forums, they seem to be reliable into the 100K+ miles territory. The DPF system on the Mondeo / SMax / Galaxy seems to be robust, very few reported issues apart from the occasional duff sensor....
Hi,
The turbo has suddenly stopped working on my pug 307 110 HDI. No bangs, or smoke, no lights on the dash or anything like that.... Read more
turn out it was the solenoid and a split pipe.
Hi all, I've just bought a Mk4 Golf gt tdi 130 and even though it drives well the temp gauge hardly moves from the minimum position even after 30 mins driving. Sometimes it seems to be rising and then goes back down again. Is it just a sensor or is the coolant just not getting hot enough. The heating system seems to work fine so I guess it must be electrical, Any suggestions anyone? Read more
This is really annoying now. A couple of days after fitting the lower grille the gauge started working intermittently again so I fitted the new stat which is a genuine part and all seemed fine. Then this afternoon after picking my wife up from work it stopped working again or I should say only going up a few degrees. When I got home I immediately popped the bonnet and checked the bottom hose which was cold. I take it from this that the new stat is failing or that something else is preventing it from opening (ie the housing)??? Any ideas anyone.
Now, before I upset anyone, I'm talklng about 'Dodgy Car Dealers' not Car Dealers per se.... Read more
Any dealer that didn't try the well worn pendulum selling/ good cop/bad cop sales routine would get my business. Typical the salesman will dissapear several times for 5 mins while he 'twists the( ficticious) sales manager's arm' . Just give me the lowest price you will accept and cut the BS!.
I had that done to me just once but never again - I walk as soon as they try that - if the manager is ficticious it's an insult, if he's genuine then sack the salesman and get the manager in the showroom or let the salesman negotiate
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I had a Mazda6 diesel with DPF for four years until recently. I had oil levels rise due to DPF process but never alarmingly high. I kept an eye on the levels though.
Mine was a company/lease car and I wanted to avoid any costs to me if there was an issue. So I managed to get the company/lease-company (I don't care which it really was) to pay for oil changes between services. They probably were not strictly necessary but when I asked about when the oil level should be a concern they didn't think it would be. So when I pointed out I would not be liable for any engine damage before the next service - they always agreed the oil change. It wasn't very expensive....