FAQ

Get answers to common questions about diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning and maintenance here.

Manufacturers recommend DPF servicing every 200,000 miles or 6,000 hours, but waiting this long can cause failures, loss of regeneration, and ‘limp’ mode, leading to costly repairs and downtime. Industry experts suggest servicing annually or every 75,000 miles to prevent hardened ash buildup, which makes cleaning less effective. Heavy travel and extended idling in traffic can produce more soot and ash, reducing the service interval to as little as six months. Ultimately, your DPF service schedule should align with your vehicle’s duty cycle and usage to maintain performance, avoid breakdowns, and reduce costly downtime.

It’s highly recommended to replace gaskets and clamps to ensure a secure seal and prevent leaks when reinstalling your DPF.

If your DPF cannot be cleaned, we’ll provide a detailed report and help you source a replacement filter that suits your requirements.

Signs such as persistent warning lights, excessive soot buildup, or physical damage to the filter may indicate the need for replacement. Our comprehensive inspection will determine if a replacement is necessary.

1. Pre-Inspection and Testing
Every filter undergoes a thorough pre-clean inspection to identify damage or issues, ensuring it’s ready for cleaning. Key steps include:

  • Conducting wire/pin tests for blocked cells if necessary.
  • Measuring the filter’s pre-clean airflow for comparison.
  • Weighing the filter to benchmark soot and ash levels.
  • Performing a light pass-through test to check for internal damage.

2. Documentation and Reporting
We carefully document the filter’s condition using our proprietary system, capturing pre-clean data and images. This ensures transparency and accuracy throughout the process.

3. Cleaning Process

Once the inspection is complete, we proceed with a thorough, multi-stage cleaning process to restore your filter to optimal condition:

  • Stage 1: Pulse Cleaning
    We begin by removing as much loose material as possible from the filter using our advanced pulse cleaner, without baking the filter. After this step, the filter’s airflow is retested. If the airflow falls within the green tag range, the filter is ready to be placed back in service.

  • Stage 2: Thermal Regeneration (If Needed)
    If the DPF does not meet the green tag range after Stage 1, we use a thermal regenerator to heat the filter. This process oxidizes any remaining soot and loosens hardened ash to ensure a deeper clean. Thermal regeneration is only performed when the filter does not meet the green tag criteria after the initial cleaning.

  • Stage 3: Secondary Pulse Cleaning (If Needed)
    Following thermal regeneration, we perform another pulse cleaning to remove any residual ash or soot that was loosened during the heating process. This final step ensures the filter achieves optimal airflow and meets green tag standards.

This process ensures optimal filter performance while minimizing unnecessary steps.

4. Post-Clean Inspection and Testing
After cleaning, we re-evaluate the filter to confirm results. Steps include:

  • Repeating wire/pin tests to ensure no blockages remain.
  • Measuring post-clean airflow to verify effectiveness.
  • Weighing the filter post-clean to compare soot removal.

5. Final Documentation
All data and results are recorded in our system, with before and after images included in a comprehensive report. Your cleaned DPF is returned with full documentation, ensuring transparency and confidence in our service.