# Changing the fuel filter CTD



## bad_diesel (Mar 11, 2014)

My car just popped up the engine light and said that my fuel filter was full with particles. So I figure I'm just going to change the oil same time. I don't trust my local dealer so I'm going to do it myself. Does anyone know everything that needs to be done I know oil and fuel filter but is there anything else I should know?

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

There are some threads in the how to section that cover both the oil and fuel filter, I will try to find the links


----------



## APCruze (Mar 7, 2013)

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/169-diesel-how-library/40489-cruze-diesel-oil-change-diy.html

http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/169-diesel-how-library/50945-cruze-diesel-diy-fuel-filter-change.html


----------



## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

how many miles?


----------



## MilTownSHO (Oct 9, 2013)

boraz said:


> how many miles?


Wondering the same thing


----------



## pro439 (Mar 14, 2014)

Are you sure it said fuel and not particulate.If your not using a good fuel additive that can bother when the temp changes up and down or goes really down.Standine,fleetguard and amsoil are some very good additives to be used year round actually.The world has yet to figure out how to not make the fuel worse when the weather changes and creates moisture in the fuel system.I have yet to see a truck stop that sells "the good stuff"they always sell the bad stuff,good in pinch but not for all the time use


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> My car just popped up the engine light and said that my fuel filter was full with particles. So I figure I'm just going to change the oil same time. I don't trust my local dealer so I'm going to do it myself. Does anyone know everything that needs to be done I know oil and fuel filter but is there anything else I should know?
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


I am the one who wrote the DIY fuel filter change. Let me know if you have any questions. Anyway, the message you stated doesn't make any sense. I am not aware of any DIC message that will tell you your fuel filter is full of particles. Can you post **exactly** what the message says or better yet, post a picture of the message?


----------



## bad_diesel (Mar 11, 2014)

So car is at the shop they said it was the soot that the diesel is suppose to burn off my car didn't and that kicked the engine light and through it into limp mode. He said it was an easy fix but just a heads up for something to look out for. 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> So car is at the shop they said it was the soot that the diesel is suppose to burn off my car didn't and that kicked the engine light and through it into limp mode. He said it was an easy fix but just a heads up for something to look out for.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


That is not the fuel filter but rather the DPF (diesel particulate filter). It is basically a filter in the exhaust that catches soot particles, and when it gets to a certain point of capacity burns off the particles basically by putting raw fuel into the exhaust.

A "regen" (regeneration, or burning off the particles) of the DPF happens every so often, I've heard the number of around 800 miles or so, depending on driving style. Lots of short, city driving will clog up the DPF faster as this type of driving generates more soot.

In order to complete a regen, the DPF has to get hot enough and remain there for 10-20 minutes. Usually this requires the car to be driving at a speed of at least 30 mph. Most of the time you will never know this is happening as it does it automatically and without interruption. However, if the regeneration cannot complete before stopping the car or shutting it off, it has to stop the regen and try again the next time you drive. If this happens too many times and the DPF does not have a chance to fully regen, soot can build up to the point where you will get the light. Taking it in to the dealer they likely did a manual regen through the computer. 

If you go too far and the DPF gets too clogged you can actually reach the point where a regen is longer even possible and the entire DPF (read entire exhaust, I believe they are one piece) must be replaced at a very high cost.



This is very interesting as I am fairly sure you are the first CTD owner (at least here on CruzeTalk) who has had this come up. This has been a common issue with DPFs especially for people who do a lot of short-distance driving and little to no highway driving. Some cars seem to be more prone to it than others, and at least thus far before you I have not heard of anyone having this come up with the Cruze diesel.


----------



## grs1961 (Oct 23, 2012)

The DPF sooting up has been reported before, for the non-US Cruze, obviously.

It's not the *speed* that you want to hit, it's keeping the revs up sufficiently to heat it all through. The handbook fro the Oz diesel says to keep the RPMs above 2000 for 20 minutes to clear the DPF.

I've had the "your DPF is full, drive harder, man!" light come on a few times, usually a week or so after the school holidays end and I start taking my daughter through the warren of 40 km/h zones that lie between us and her school, and she quite enjoys (she's 10) me holding the car in second and buzzing around!

I try to keep track of what I've done, if it hasn't had a good run for a while I'll take it out on a freeway late at night, set the cruise control, and leave it in a low gear, third or fourth, and just enjoy the ride!

Yes, it burns up a bit more distillate, but distillate is cheap. It's much cheaper than replacing the DPF, the standard quote in Oz is AUD2500.


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

grs1961 said:


> The DPF sooting up has been reported before, for the non-US Cruze, obviously.
> 
> It's not the *speed* that you want to hit, it's keeping the revs up sufficiently to heat it all through. The handbook fro the Oz diesel says to keep the RPMs above 2000 for 20 minutes to clear the DPF.
> 
> ...


Yes, I think I remember Aussie saying his light came on. The U.S. diesel is a different engine, and I have yet to hear about any U.S. DPF's plugging besides the one here, but then again the U.S. diesel is not quite a year on the market, so we'll see as time goes on.


----------



## bad_diesel (Mar 11, 2014)

That still doesn't make sense why this happened to my car. I do nothing but highway driving and the soot was at 60gm and its not suppose to get above 17gm any other ideas on how I can monitor this so it doesn't happen again? 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> That still doesn't make sense why this happened to my car. I do nothing but highway driving and the soot was at 60gm and its not suppose to get above 17gm any other ideas on how I can monitor this so it doesn't happen again?
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


There is no way to monitor it unless you can find a device that can read off your car's data port.

There is a possibility that you have a bad sensor on the DPF. A DPF regen is triggered when the exhaust back-pressure before the DPF reaches a certain point indicating the DPF has reached a certain level of capacity. Perhaps the sensor didn't tell the ECU to initiate a regen. I really don't know.

How many miles are on your car?


----------



## bad_diesel (Mar 11, 2014)

I have 5100miles 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## Schmelz (Nov 24, 2013)

I believe the Edge Insight will tell you the soot level. I know it does on my Duramax and I think I read that it is available for the CTD.


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

Schmelz said:


> I believe the Edge Insight will tell you the soot level. I know it does on my Duramax and I think I read that it is available for the CTD.


Will it allow you to manually start a regen? I know some of the VW TDI ones will.

bad_diesel, that isn't that high of mileage. I've got over 6k, and there are probably at least half a dozen guys on here with over 10k or getting close to it already with no issues. Some of them are self-professed short-distance drivers too. If it happens again, I'd certainly have them investigate more.


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> I have 5100miles
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Did you get the "keep driving" message at any point? Did you notice your fan on after you shut the car off before the failure?


----------



## bad_diesel (Mar 11, 2014)

I did get the keep driving message but then it sent it in limp mode immediately after. Which I cant drive where I live safely like that. 
I am pretty sure based on what everyone is saying that I know why it happened. My car sits a lot cause of my job and for weeks or months at a time my mom would go out and start it to let it run for awhile. I'm pretty sure that just aloud the soot build up so hopefully it won't happen again since I told her not to do it anymore.

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


----------



## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> I did get the keep driving message but then it sent it in limp mode immediately after. Which I cant drive where I live safely like that.
> I am pretty sure based on what everyone is saying that I know why it happened. My car sits a lot cause of my job and for weeks or months at a time my mom would go out and start it to let it run for awhile. I'm pretty sure that just aloud the soot build up so hopefully it won't happen again since I told her not to do it anymore.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


You're completely right. Modern engines (even gas ones) do not need to be idled. I would not idle these cars much at all. Idling them soots up the DPF real fast and doesn't get it hot enough to burn off the soot.


----------



## Scott M. (Apr 23, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> I did get the keep driving message but then it sent it in limp mode immediately after. Which I cant drive where I live safely like that.
> I am pretty sure based on what everyone is saying that I know why it happened. My car sits a lot cause of my job and for weeks or months at a time my mom would go out and start it to let it run for awhile. I'm pretty sure that just aloud the soot build up so hopefully it won't happen again since I told her not to do it anymore.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


Absolutely.... I am sure Mom meant well but that was most likely the cause.


----------



## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

bad_diesel said:


> I did get the keep driving message but then it sent it in limp mode immediately after. Which I cant drive where I live safely like that.
> I am pretty sure based on what everyone is saying that I know why it happened. My car sits a lot cause of my job and for weeks or months at a time my mom would go out and start it to let it run for awhile. I'm pretty sure that just aloud the soot build up so hopefully it won't happen again since I told her not to do it anymore.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


So you could have your mom drive it out on the highway once every couple weeks to keep everything in good shape.


----------

