# Had to get my colostomy bag (read: DPF) emptied...



## DieselEnvy (Jun 22, 2013)

Had the car in to the dealer today to get a manual regen of the DPF. First time I had to do that (this Cruze or previous TDI).

Started the engine Sunday afternoon and the "Keep Driving" message started to appear on the DIC, but was IMMEDIATELY replaced by "Reduced Engine Power" message and CEL. It didn't even give me a chance to drive for a automatic regen.

Did some reading about the Edge Insight, and the manual claims that there is a provision for initiating a manual regen. So I thought "great"....save a trip to the dealer. Well, I called a distributor, and they claim that the regen functionality is not supported for the Cruze. Then I called Edge, and they couldn't even confirm if the functionality is supported (or not). Rats!

So, I made an appointment with the dealer. They were able to do it without issue (I assume). P2463 was the only code pulled. Car is back to normal.

To think that I was just marveling that "this thing never seems to regen".......now I know why! I probably deserved it though...too many short trips, and maybe too much easin' on the "go pedal" lately...:blush:

Anywho, I went ahead and ordered the Insight and EGT probe. What the heck, I've been wantin' gauges anyway... Now that I got my set of Service Manuals, I can research any codes that the Insight might pull in the future.

First bag empty was free; the next one will cost me. Might as well try to avoid it.


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Can you go into more detail about the type of driving you'd done before this all happened? I am curious what driving pattern might have caused this.


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

I've had two manual regens done on mine, my DPF is definitely cracked...It'll be interesting to see if yours cracked too...There is a significant amount of soot build up around the tailpipe exit, and I keep getting P2002 codes (DPF efficiency)...
The little DPF's don't seem to stand up to the heat from a manual regen too well...


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## DieselEnvy (Jun 22, 2013)

> Can you go into more detail about the type of driving you'd done before this all happened? I am curious what driving pattern might have caused this.


I was just speculating, but I do live in the city, and my commute for work (to the 'burbs) is ~22 miles door to door. It is partially on an urban parkway & partially on a four lane road (with red lights), but it might be just short of enough distance to complete a proper regen. My '09 TDI would regen much more often (or at least more obviously), and often it would be in the process as I pulled into work, or home to my garage. Maybe the Cruze needs a mile or two more...(?) Anyway, this past week/weekend, I made more short trips around town than usual, and I hadn't been out on the highway for a longer trip in a couple weeks... Dunno...




> The little DPF's don't seem to stand up to the heat from a manual regen too well...


Hmmmmm....that doesn't sound good. All the MORE reason I want to monitor soot levels, and take precautionary steps to avoid another manual regen.

BTW, do you have any photos of the cracked area? I'm curious...


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

If its cracked, it should be covered by warranty


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## alyupe11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Hmmmm.... Is there a way to know if regeneration has taken place...


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

This is my biggest concern with owning a post-2006 diesel in the U.S. I wasn't worried about it as much when I first got the car, but since then, I've moved, my job situation has changed, and now the car sees much less highway mileage than it did before. However, I haven't had any issues yet. It seems my six mile run on the freeway is enough to clean it out. I did catch it once in the middle of the regen when I shut it off at work several weeks ago, and I noticed from the mileage it tried again on the way home, then it was fine for several hundred miles until the next regen.

I too am very interested in how these things hold up over time with less than ideal highway driving.



alyupe11 said:


> Hmmmm.... Is there a way to know if regeneration has taken place...


While driving, there is really only one way to tell. If you are watching the instant mileage, you will notice a substantially lower milage during a regen. If you're driving on a reasonably level stretch at highway speed and are seeing only in the 30s or at best low 40s mpg for a while, it is most likely in regen.

If you happen to stop in the middle of regen, you can tell because the electric fan will continue running under the hood for a couple of minutes to cool down the DPF. It is usually accompanied by a burning smell; to me it smells like burning plastic. I've had that happen probably four times in 10,000+ miles.


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## iTz SADISTIK (Apr 6, 2014)

I don't have a diesel but in the future I'd like one. What is regeneration? What's going on during that process?


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

iTz SADISTIK said:


> I don't have a diesel but in the future I'd like one. What is regeneration? What's going on during that process?


The DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) is burning off the soot that it has captured. Fuel is injected somehow in order to facilitate this process. This is the oversimplified, non-technical answer


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

money_man said:


> If its cracked, it should be covered by warranty


I'm getting better fuel mileage with it cracked.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

RascalMafia said:


> I'm getting better fuel mileage with it cracked.


Is it noisier?


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## DieselEnvy (Jun 22, 2013)

Forgot to mention a couple of details:

"DPF Full" and subsequent Manual regen at dealer, occurred at 10,3XX miles. I've only "noticed" ~2 regens since new. My old TDI would have regened much more in that same 10,3XX miles...

For reference only (for what its worth):

Of course (given the miles driven to date), I've only done one oil change. Used the Castrol VW oil (507.00 spec).
I use Opti-Lube XPD every tank ~4 oz per proper mix ratio.

Not blaming either of those things, and I don't plan on changing practices (for now).


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

RascalMafia said:


> I've had two manual regens done on mine, my DPF is definitely cracked...It'll be interesting to see if yours cracked too...There is a significant amount of soot build up around the tailpipe exit, and I keep getting P2002 codes (DPF efficiency)...
> The little DPF's don't seem to stand up to the heat from a manual regen too well...


the box or the dpf?


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## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

The DPF uses differential pressure sensors on each side of it to monitor soot build up. When the DPF fills with soot the pressure sensor sends a signal to the ECM to initiate a regeneration. It makes sense that a cracked DPF wouldn't let the outlet sensor give an accurate reading. I am surprised that the ECM hasn't initiated a regen because the DPF hasn't regened in a certain amount of time


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

My car never got any louder. After another 3 manual regens last week, the dealership is finally replacing the DPF this week. Should have it back today or tomorrow.


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## warloc (Dec 10, 2013)

Hi, there are some threads already on the proper oil to be used in the CTD and there is only a couple that I found meet the spec. The one I use is Mobil 1 ESP 5-30w (esp stands for emission system protection). Perhaps the wrong oil and the use of an additive is exactly why you are having these issues. I have 22K on my CTD and have never had a regen yet! I also use an additive in my F-250 SD 7.3 TD but I would never use it in my CTD. The injectors are different and from what I read you will mess up the system with additives, wrong oil, and bio diesel if you are forced to use it. Lucky for me we don't have bio diesel in California. Just a thought, if your having issues with DPF system why would you keep doing the same thing to your CTD? VW uses an EGR system I believe and do not use DEF!


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

warloc said:


> I have 22K on my CTD and have never had a regen yet!


why do you say this?


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

Lol you had a regen.....


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## DieselEnvy (Jun 22, 2013)

> Lol you had a regen.....


Agreed.

I know from experience (and I'm sure others do to) that regens on the Cruze are usually difficult, if not impossible, to detect. I was gonna post this in another thread, but since I've had my Edge Insight installed, I now know when the engine is in the midst of a regen......and I was surprised that there was virtually no other way to tell.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, regens in my old TDI were much more dramatic......elevated idle, touchy accelerator, extreme heat, smelled like the engine was gonna catch fire, etc...

The Cruze regen strategy is quite smooth.


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## 567Chief (Feb 25, 2013)

I drive 36 highway miles one way to work daily. I use the graph that shows the last 30 miles and always notice a drop in MPG during a regen. Normally I regen every 450-550 miles and I also use Mobil 1 ESP 5w30.


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

I honestly feel there should be a software update that will turn on a light in the instrument cluster when a regen is going on.


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## Barefeet (Jan 1, 2014)

money_man said:


> I honestly feel there should be a software update that will turn on a light in the instrument cluster when a regen is going on.


Can't someone come up with an add on regen. light? Maybe they could measure exhaust temperature.


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

Barefeet said:


> Can't someone come up with an add on regen. light? Maybe they could measure exhaust temperature.


The light is already there, it just isn't programmed into the software. The indicator looks like a thermometer or an exclamation point with wind blowing through it. Believe it's on the speedo side.

A week later, my car is STILL in the shop...


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## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

The DPF light only comes on when you are in the *I need to regenerate NOW!* state, when the car has tried two or three times but has not been able to complete a regeneration.

It's talked about in my owner's handbook, I would presume it is also mentioned in the US handbook. (IIRC, there's a difference between "flashing" and "solid", one means "drive it like you stole it" and the other "shut 'er down Clancy, she's pumpin' mud!")

But spotting a regen is fairly easy, at idle, the revs go up by about 100, and, of course, your mileage plummets!


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## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

RascalMafia said:


> The light is already there, it just isn't programmed into the software. The indicator looks like a thermometer or an exclamation point with wind blowing through it. Believe it's on the speedo side.


That light is for DEF issues, not regen. From the manual:

This light, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) Message, and a chime
come on when there is an issue with
the Diesel Exhaust Fluid.


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## RascalMafia (Jan 27, 2014)

The lamp on the dash is for HEST (High Exhaust System Temperature). We have been using that same lamp since T4i came out, pre-DEF. I haven't had any DEF issues go date, but that lamp is the ISO standard for HEST...Am unsure why GM would use it for dosing problems. 

Also FWIW, I have been through all three stages of failed regens. The DIC displays DPF Full Continue Driving, and then Reduced Engine Power, and then another Reduced Engine Power with a top speed of 5 mph (safe harbor mode) until you stop, and then it kills then engine. The HEST lamp never illuminated at any point during any of those stages.


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