The real kick in the nuts is the Diesel Particulate Filter, or DPF. When it gets "full", the computer dumps a bunch of fuel into it, and burns the built up soot. It's called the regeneration, or regen, cycle. Because of the large volume of fuel it dumps into the DPF during a regen cycle, fuel economy plummets.

And there's also the thing called DPF delete, like the EGR delete...less shit cluttering the system, engine runs better  

Regeneration happens because when you dump loads of fuel the exhaust gas temperatures sky-rocket and it burns of the soot. 

I don't remember but I think it's Chevrolet's trucks that are programmed to not run a regen cycle if you get below 1/4 of a tank

because of how much fuel it dumps into the DPF during a regen cycle

of course, I never let my vehicle drop below a quarter tank anyway because I'm paranoid about starving the fuel pump

Mine's always close to the empty, I like to live dangerously  

Glad I don't have DPF, EGR and a muffler

I guess if you guys put it that way it doesn't sound so bad. Its just all the bs I've been reading it made diesels sound like complete pieces of shit unless your hauling or driving long distances.

And you might want to clean it

lol yeah he might wanna do that too

Usually they are less problems chill.

I wouldn't want one for the hassle of DEF but an older one would solve that.

Less problems in total, far greater cost per failure.

I agree 200%

I was reading something about the Ford 6.4l and it seems that if you don't drive it long distances that you'll have problems with this exhaust filter thing not being able to burn off the soot and then all this talk about exhaust fluid and adding shit in your fuel and different blends of fuel for the winter and the list goes on. WTF is exhaust fluid and why the hell would you build an engine that doesn't do well in town or idle. It sounds like a damn drag engine not being able to drive in town and not being able to sit at idle for long. I don't know if all or this is just a bad Ford design or if its all manufacturers. I've always heard diesels were a lot more maintenance free than a gas engine, but after all the had things I read it sounds like somebody needs to get their head out of their ass! Lol

It's called diesel particulate filter and it's standard on all the new small diesels in europe, which btw, work well driven in town. The DPF will always build up soot, regardless of what you do and the only way to burn it is through high exhaust gas temperatures, ie run it hard. Same goes for VNT turbos, if you don't work it hard, the VNT will jam.

Exhaust fluid is just urea, which is used to further clean the exhaust gases.

Turbo Diesel definitely requires MORE maintenance than a gas engine.

Less maintenance usually. The surrounding systems require extra work. Prior to the filter, urea injection and oppressive EGR, they ran like a top forever. It is as Peng said, the "band aids" fail.

The big 7+ liter turbo from Ford before the 6 had a turbo and rocked. The one after the 6.4 growing pains is a trooper too. Even the 6 liter can be reliable, but it needs EGR work and perhaps some exhaust work.

Take a few minutes to watch this, so worth it.

 

I guess if you guys put it that way it doesn't sound so bad. Its just all the bs I've been reading it made diesels sound like complete pieces of shit unless your hauling or driving long distances.

Those desiel guys are bitchy because they have not had problems for soooooooo long. The engines rub longer in general. They require less bullshit. They can run of kerosene, hydrolic fluid, and cleaned up fried chicken oil.

They have been capable of getting nearly 30-40% better MPG compared to similar gas engine. I know my buddy can scratch at 30mpg on highway trips when going at a mild pace. And it doesn't loose 50% of that mpg if he decides to haul something.

Winters in cold states are a little annoying, you want the right fuel and to make sure you warm it thoroughly before you drive. They don't like cold running.

So Seth is doing a simple window motor in an Explorer sport toady. I stick a punch into the regulator to hold it in place. I get the last bolt out of the motor and the regulator slips, throwing the punch out of it slamming the regulator into my finger like a pair of scissors, tearing my knuckle to sherds. Lots of blood, and I think I cut a nerve, as I no longer have feeling in my finger. My service writer heard me yell "FUCK!!!" and he comes running over to see what happened. He saw my finger and fainted... it was splurting blood all over. The man literally fell to the ground.

 

Who tapes it up and finishes the job? This guy.

 

 

/tough guy... this motherfucker is throbbing like a bitch!!!

that does look like you got yourself pretty damn good man! I would go to the doc and get some stitches on that and get it checked out

 

No stiches, clean it good and superglue.

Take a few minutes to watch this, so worth it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BKdbxX1pDw

VERY valid point! Its like driving down the interstate when the speed limit is 70mph and everybody is driving 80-85mph or driving through town where only 5 or 6k people live and the god damn speed limit is 25mph. I get that people in Iowa are stupid, but changing the speed limit to 35mph isn't going to kill them. Hell, the other night on the way home from work I was doing 60mph in a 55 and when a state trooper in an on coming lane passed me he thought he could flip his lights on, turn around and catch me. Hmmmmm, GTO that I've driven to 170mph or Chevy Caprice that 120mph capable, fuck off trooper.

He whipped around for you going 5 MPH over????

Well, I think I was actually doing 61mph, but yes. I live in the land of idiots now (Iowa)

He whipped around for you going 5 MPH over????

 

 

I've had a written warning for 6mph over, 71 in a 65.  

He whipped around for you going 5 MPH over????

 

Used to happen all the time in Texas. A lot of the highways had two speed limits: one for day, usually 65-70, and one for night: usually 55-65. At dusk the highways basically turned into a giant speed trap.

I guess if you guys put it that way it doesn't sound so bad. Its just all the bs I've been reading it made diesels sound like complete pieces of shit unless your hauling or driving long distances.

 

Oh no, far from it. I simply don't care for the stupid ass penny pinching measures the OEM's are using.

 

The EGR system recirculates a portion of an engine's exhaust gas back to the engine cylinders to reduce NOx emissions. Adding the exhaust gases in a diesel enigne reduces the specific heat ratio of the combustion gases in the power stroke, which reduces the amount of power that can be extracted by the piston. It also tends to reduce the amount of fuel burned in the power stroke, resulting in incomplete combustion, which increases soot.

 

Soot, the black smoke coming out of the tailpipe, is that partially burnt fuel. That's literally money shooting out the damn tailpipe; you're burning money!

 

Now what?!

 

That's where the DPF comes in. All it does is filter the soot so it doesn't shoot out the tailpipe. Over time it clogs up, restricting exhaust flow, robbing more power. Then it uses yet again more fuel to burn the built up partially burned fuel (soot) in the DPF during the regen cycle.

 

BRILLIANT!

I will say, I love having a truck that has some size to it, and still have some manuverability too. Yes it could be better, but it did exactlymwhat I needed it to On my way to work last night and on the way home the night prior.

J

To compensate for the all this damn soot, some of the newer engines run leaner to ensure a more complete combustion.

 

Uh oh, all that extra oxygen ramps up NOx emissions!

 

Shit! What do we do now!?

 

Diesel exhaust fluid is injected into the exhaust system. It vaporizes and combines with the exhaust gases to form compounds which can be broken down by the catalytic converter.

So, instead of spending R&D to figure out a way for their engines to run efficiently, they instead slap on some cheap & quick fixes.