So I was reading that if my tail pipes are black, that could be an indication of a cracked dpf? I spoke to my dealer and they told me that is perfectly normal for a diesel.

So anyway I was wondering, my truck only regens every 300 - 700 miles. If I have my dpf fixed is this going to make regens occur more often? If it does, I might just leave the cracked dpf on there.

Any insight would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Your dealer is an idiot, better find a new one! Your pipes should be clean and if they are not then something is slipping pass the filter. Not sure if this is correct but I suspect whenever the problem is fixed then the DPF will be catching more black stuff thus creating more backpressure and causing an increased number of regens to clean the filter.

 

its normal for a diesel prior to 2008, when the DPF was introduced.

the tailpipes on my 08 were black, and I saw some smoke while towing my trailer, accelerating from traffic lights, and they replaced the dpf.. now my tailpipes are clean.

Sam

 

I have 13,000 miles on my 2010 and my tailpipes look like they did when the truck was brand new! Thats how they should look....

 

I kind of figured that. Or they just didn't want to deal with it. I'll try another dealer and maybe the service manager will actually know what they are talking about then.

 

(I also parked next to a F-350 earlier today and took a look at his pipes and they wernt black at all, so I guess there is definetly something wrong with mind)

 

Soot in the tailpipe is not "normal" but is fairly common with these trucks.

If the DPF is working properly it traps all of the soot and thus the tailpipe (and your lungs) remains clean. It the DPF which is a ceramic matrix of sorts develops cracks, some soot can get past the DPF and show up in the tailpipe

. A cracked DPF doesn't cause any operational problens with the truck, and indeed it can help push DPF regen cycles to the 667 mile "backstop" which is kind of a good thing.

The DPF is covered under the 5yr / 50,000 mile emissions warranty, so you will want to find a competent dealer and have your cracked DPF replaced prior to the expiration of that warranty. The DPF is not covered under the 5/100 diesel powertrain warranty or ESP, so don't let it get to the 5/50k mark without having it replaced.

There is a "DPF manual regen" video that the dealer can find on their PTS web site under the 6.4 section which among other things very clearly shows that soot in the tailpipe is not considered normal, indicated a cracked DPF and that the DPF should be replaced. The video shows wiping the tailpipe with a paper towel to check for soot, as well as holding a clean paper towel over the tailpipe while an assistant revs the engine and checking for soot spots on the paper towel.

 

My 2008 Warranty Guide, May 2007, third printing

page 21
List of parts covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles (whichever occurs first) by Emissions Warranties for Diesel Engines:

Lists among others:
Catalytic Converter (including Diesel Particulate Filter and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst).

Go to pdf page 24 which is printed page 21 of book at this link:
http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../08frdwa3e.pdf

Bob

 

The 2009 warranty guide (2008 second printing) indicates the emissions defect and performance warranties are 5/50 for heavy duty vehicles (8500-19500 GVWR). CA warranties are a little different. Those are the only references to the DPF in the guide.

The bottom line is read the warranty guide applicable to your truck carefully to find out when you need the have DPF issues taken care of.

 

2010 warranty guide looks to be same too.

The warranty guides are available under owner guides at motorcraftservice.com


Mine may still be under warranty but I have received the same response that my dirty tips is normal. They were like new the first 18,000 miles; now approaching 60,000 miles.

I'm going to take the truck back in and complain again though real soon; before that 60K mark.

Bob

 

I had black pipes under the 10k mark. Got a new DPF installed and all was clean for about 3k miles or so. Then they started getting black again. Took it to dealership A (again) and this time they tell me its normal. Later went to Dealership B and their response was "there are no codes". I got them to admit that it wasnt normal but they refused to diagnose, repair, or replace anything on the truck unless there is a code. Their final comment was "dont worry, you still have some warranty left so if it eventually throws a code then we can look in to it for you at that time".

Is it just me or does this sound just like the guy at the franchise parts stores that has to know what size engine is in your car in order to sell you a set of wiper blades.

the cashier at McDonalds has to have pictures on the cash register, the guy at the parts desk thinks engine size changes the windshield size, and apparently there are a lot of techs (not all of them) who dont really know how to fix/diagnose a problem unless the computer tells them exactly what to do. Frustrating and sad at the same time.

 

very sad that they cannot diagnose without a big giant hint...what did we before we had a code?

 

While there are differences in emission warrenties for "heavy duty vehicles" I don't think that pertains to diesels.

This from Ford site for my 2008 F450.

Heavy duty vehicles (vehicles with a gross vehicle weight over 8,500 pounds)
5 years or 100,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for covered diesel engine parts<O</O
5 years or 50,000 miles (whichever occurs first) for all other covered parts

SEE WHAT IS COVERED for list of covered parts.


List of Parts Covered for 5 Years or 100,000 Miles (whichever<O></O>
occurs first) by Emissions Warranties for Diesel Engines<O></O>
Air Flow Sensor
Air Induction System<O</O
Catalytic Converter (including Diesel Particulate Filter and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst)<O</O
Cold Start Enrichment System<O</O
Electronic Engine Control Sensors and Switches<O</O
Electronic Engine Control Unit (ECU)<O</O
Emissions Label<O</O
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) System<O</O
Exhaust Manifold
Fuel Injection System
Fuel Injector Supply Manifold
Intake Manifold
Intercooler Assembly--Engine Charger
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(MIL)/On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) System
PCV System and Oil Filler Cap
Supercharger Assembly
Throttle Body Assembly (MFI)
Turbocharger Assembly

Important Information About List of Parts<O</O
Also covered by the two emissions warranties are all emissions-related<O</O
bulbs, hoses, clamps, brackets, tubes, gaskets, seals, belts, connectors,<O</O
non-diesel fuel lines, sensors, and wiring harnesses that are used with<O</O
components on the list of parts, above.

 

Many of the Ford technicians on here have said that just to replace the DPF is not typically getting at the root of the problem that caused the DPF failure in the first place. I wonder if some of the updated flashes may have corrected something or if I have some other issue; don't really know. I have held off pushing it as hoping a TSB would come out making a clear path for the technicians.

Ford runs a very tight ship with respect to warranty repair; requiring confirmation in many cases before parts can be replaced; charging dealerships back on parts they require returned if they don't confirm failure in their testing or observation. The technicians and dealerships can be in a difficult position. Either way, it is not right for the consumer.

Since it looks like Ford changed the warranty for models after 2008 to only cover the DPF for 50K vs. the 08 to 5yr. 100K miles it is clear Ford is managing their warranty costs to their benefit.

People still buy the Ford with 60K powertrain warranty vs. GM's 100K; so as long as Ford can give the consumer less warranty than the competition and sell more trucks; I suspect it makes good business sense for Ford.

It may not make good business sense for me when I make my next purchase though.

Bob

 

That was the point of my first reply; however, Ford changed the game for the 2009 and 2010 models. The diesel isn't getting any advantage according to the warranty guide.

Our 2008 diesel models have a better emissions warranty than the 2009 & 2010 models.