# Regen scare and observations



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

So, I noticed that sometimes my grams of soot accumulate very rapidly. I went to get my car inspected this morning. It had 15 grams when I left my house and 18 grams when I got to the station. It went from 18 to 22 on the way back to my house, about 4 miles away. I was driving gently. Later in the day I decided I wanted to make it regen, so I left my house and continued to watch the grams go up (car had cooled off completely). 23... 24... 25... 26... out on the highway.... still NO REGEN. So it seems as if when this rapid count-up of soot grams happens, it waits for very specific conditions before it initiates a regen. (Or maybe it has to thoroughly reach certain operating temperatures?) It finally started a regen at 26 grams and then completed normally (with one interruption to stop at the store). I am really glad that I can monitor this type of thing, because that could have easily become a trip to the dealer for a manual regen if my driving was short trips and never driving long enough to make the car start a regen. 

So, this is just another observation in a series as I continue to learn about my car and share with others.


----------



## tunes (Jun 18, 2015)

Did you pass your inspection? From what I read on this forum, if our cars don't have a normal uninterrupted regen, the soot grams appear to rise quickly and the next regen comes soon. I've ordered a Scan Gauge II also, and if I had seen 26 soot grams without a regen, I would have freaked out. So, thanks for this thread.


----------



## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

I had 15 grams when I left work today. Drove home and was up to 20 with only a 15 minute drive (half highway, half city). I'm really not sure how accurate this sensor is for detecting the amount of soot, but it still is an excellent indicator to get an idea of when a regen could occur.


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

tunes said:


> Did you pass your inspection? From what I read on this forum, if our cars don't have a normal uninterrupted regen, the soot grams appear to rise quickly and the next regen comes soon. I've ordered a Scan Gauge II also, and if I had seen 26 soot grams without a regen, I would have freaked out. So, thanks for this thread.


I barely passed inspection. My right rear brake pad was down to 4/32 after 130K miles. Everything else was fine.


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Oh, by the way, it took 750 miles to reach 15 grams.


----------



## S-Fitz (Jul 16, 2012)

Sounds like you diesel drivers need a manual regen/cancel button. Would probably solve a lot of the issues that pop up here from not finishing regeneration multiple times. On the brand new machinery I drive, the engine will keep running and display a "delayed shutdown" message if it is performing a regen and needs to finish when I shut off the ignition. Considering regeneration is a mandatory function of the car, GM should be providing drivers with control of the feature to avoid repeated interrupted regens. Would probably avoid a lot of hot turbo shutdows too.


----------



## LiveTrash (May 24, 2015)

S-Fitz said:


> Sounds like you diesel drivers need a manual regen/cancel button. Would probably solve a lot of the issues that pop up here from not finishing regeneration multiple times. On the brand new machinery I drive, the engine will keep running and display a "delayed shutdown" message if it is performing a regen and needs to finish when I shut off the ignition. Considering regeneration is a mandatory function of the car, GM should be providing drivers with control of the feature to avoid repeated interrupted regens. Would probably avoid a lot of hot turbo shutdows too.


While this would be ideal, it's just not something I can ever see being put in to a car. It would confuse people who don't understand it and don't have the patience to try to understand it. They would rather just have it do it automatically for them and I think GM understands that. The function would need to be explained to the potential buyer and if someone who doesn't know much about cars starts having this feature explained to them, it may deter them from buying the car.


----------



## S-Fitz (Jul 16, 2012)

I get what you are saying, but designing cars to for the lowest common denominator of a driver is an inconvenience and a problem for everyone else. In the machine I drive, regens are automatic, but can be delayed by pressing the lower part of that button or started by the upper part. It would be a nice option to preemptively run a regen while on a long drive.


----------

