DPF DIY clean - Auris 1.4 D-4D

[James121]

I want to clean my DPF out on my Toyota Auris Hatchback 1.4 D-4D but notice that the DPF in my car appears to be in a fairly inaccessible position (directly behind the engine block). I could only find one you tube video on the removal of the DPF and the job seemed to be quite difficult - the video was in Turkish and seemed to take the mechanic a couple of hours to remove the DPF. He needed to remove the wipers and the facia below the windscreen to even get close to the DPF. I suspect you need to remove the DPF by disconnecting the unit from getting underneath the car and also from the engine hood. I have a EML activated and the car was sent to the garage for a forced regen a few weeks ago but the light is back on again (the forced regen took the soot content from 218% to 18% so clearly there is a underlying issue - I have cleaned the EGR valve out only a few days ago but I know it wont regen if the light remains on).

Anyone tried this themselves and is this a job for a professional mechanic or can it be done by a reasonably competent amateur?

Thanks in advance.

[Gerg]

Hi,

Whilst it I don't have a Toyota diesel, I don't really remember reading on here about anyone removing their DPF and cleaning it.

How many miles has the car done, and have you had the car long?  If you were to get the DPF off the car, what were you thinking of cleaning it with?  Presumably a pressure washer.  But with any detergent/additive?

Speaking as a non-owner, the 218% to 18% soot reduction sounds a little odd, is there some extra information around those values?

As I understand it (this could be incorrect), the ECU will have a calculated ash loading figure for the DPF which it's keeping as a running total, and it will work out the soot loading of the DPF by looking at the difference in values of the two pressure sensors (i.e. the pressure drop across the filter), which are fitted before and after the DPF.  Is it possible that there is a problem with these sensors or their connecting pipes?  On other makes of cars, one of these sensors failing (which evidently can happen) will cause the car to try to regen. when there is actually no need.  I have no idea where these sensors are located in the Auris, sometimes they are fitted onto interconnecting pipes to bring them into a more accessible location.  Perhaps someone knows?

HTH.

[James121]

Just a quick update - after doing lots of research I decided I did not have the expertise to remove the DPF although I was fairly certain that the blocked DPF was the symptom and not the cause. The DPF in my car was just to hard to remove and I found some stuff on the internet which showed that it took even competent mechanics 2-3 hours to remove and the same again to reinstall. After doing more research I found lots of people saying that the EGR valve was at fault - normally because it is either broken or blocked. Anyway, I found the EGR valve and removed it and it was indeed heavily blocked with carbon and soot/oil. I cleaned it and reinstalled it and the car work fine now - seems to be more powerful and the DPF is generating naturally. I held off from writing this message for a couple of weeks until I was sure that the cleaned EGR vale did the trick and I think it has otherwise the EML would be back on again showing a blocked DPF.

[pisansip]

Hi James.I have the same car and same problem.Could i message you.Been to 3 garages and they never sugested the EGR.Thanks