There is a local guy that deletes all brands of diesels told me that all post 2008 trucks are having issues with clogged DPFs. I called BS but he assured me this issue was prevalent in all three domestic trucks. According to this site the DPF on the new Powerstokes is fairly dependable other than the EGT sensor failures. Is there any trucks out there that have had the DPF replaced lately?

 

DPF systems are designed with a service life in mind based on normal driving, towing, etc.

What is not considered "normal" use anymore with any DPF equipped truck is excessive idling.

Basically yes you can have major DPF issues, including systems that will fill up and fail to regen... basically clog up.... if you idle excessively. This was somewhat prevalent when DPF equipped trucks first entered the market. Those who were used to idling diesels for 8 hours a day every day learned very quickly that the DPF system was not designed for that. It was a hard lesson for some.

However, with normal use that doesn't typically happen. Also it didn't take long for people to learn not to idle their trucks for long periods, so the issues have gone down significantly.

 

Don't forget that the manufacturers have figured out how to make them last longer based on data obtained from the fleet. Another reason we see less clogged DPFs is due to the fact you can't get even Low Sulfur Diesel anymore.A lot of clogged DPF were because the tank was filled low sulfur fuel instead of Ultra Low Sulfur stuff...Just my .02.though

 

Can extended idling void a warranty on a new 6.7?

 

extending idling would not void the warranty, but could cause issues with EGR and DPF.


Why would you want to burn fuel at 0 mpgs's for?


DPF's last a long time.

 

Personally, I've never come across anyone that has needed a new dpf. I don't think I've read any issues here on FTE either.

I'm sure there are folks out there that have had problems but I'd bet they occur because of some kind of system malfunction rather than just having the system clog up from use. There are many sensors, warnings, and unknown computer programming strategies in place on these trucks to keep that dpf from failing.

Lastly, and this is the part that riles people up, if a person uses these trucks for what they are designed and built for, there likely will never be a dpf problem for at least 250,000 miles. The "it's a free country and if I want to drive 5 miles and idle my truck while I coach the baseball team and drive 5 miles home every day, my truck shouldn't have any problems". What I'm saying is, driving 20 miles a week commuting or errand running is the harshest treatment possible to these diesels and problems are more likely. Some people get all twisted up when they get told this info, so there it is. Problems are just more likely if you go to a Mexican restaurant and order a cheeseburger 9 out of 10 times. A game of percentages and predicted outcomes.

 

Would you expect anything else from a man who makes it his business to remove DPF systems?

 

How about cold weather?
I live in a place that can see months of -30 and -40. I don't plan on idling for no reason but I start my truck and warm it for 5 minutes before driving off when its that cold.
Can this clog the DPF?

 

Every once in a while you see a message that says "Cleaning Exhaust Filter". Just run your truck enough for that system to work, and you should be fine.

 

Not likely; A lot of us idle our trucks more than that.

 

I agree with CarlT - and the worst that will happen is you will see the drive to clean message. And I haven't yet. This is with daily SHORT drives to drop the kids off at school last winter. My MPG went down to 9-10mpg.... My occasional 18 mile drive each way to and from the City typically causes a regen to complete. This is in Alaska where winter (except this last mild one) is around 9 months out of the year. It is "recommended" that you plug in when the temps are below +20F and I would say strongly recommended in sub zero temps (if at all possible I do plugin at sub zero temps). This will get the motor warmed up a little quicker. I did some non-scientific observations of this last winter. A couple hours before you leave doesn't do much, but an overnight plug in had my oil temps up into the +20F to +30F range before I started the motor when I went out in the morning and it was-18F out...

Having said that, these trucks will start in -40F weather. Unlike my neighbors 7.3 that will barely start below freezing if it isn't plugged in...

Anyways - I don't see any real issues with what you are doing as long as at one point in your use you drive it for longer than a few minutes. If you start seeing the DRIVE TO CLEAN message, you might want to get a device that allows you to do a manual regen.

 

I actually had an issue with mine at about 200K miles. Check engine light came on and I took it to a local shop. They said there was a code for the DPF and back pressure or something. They actually had a machine and some chemicals that they spay on the front of the DPF and let soak in and then they put the truck into manual regen. Seems to have worked. I think he said it does not make it new again but helps quit a bit. Its been 20K miles and no issues.

 

How do you most often use the truck reinert? Do you have 100,000 towing miles? You think maybe 50,000 towing miles?

How many times per month do you drive for 4 hours or more without stopping?

I'm just curious, no need to answer if you don't want. I think ford expects 150,000 trouble free miles from the dpf under normal use. I just don't know what they define normal to be for a super duty.

 

Rusch, I don't tow all to often anymore. The truck probably has around 50K miles of towing if I were to guess. I do tow a 16K lb camper around in the summer and put probably 3-4 thousand miles on with that. I do put on 2-3 hundred miles a day and 4-5K a month on the truck with out towing. Most of these are freeway miles. I have had the EGR cooler plug up once and I recently got a check engine light for low egr flow so I think it is happening again. What is strange is that I'm pretty sure my truck still regens only once about every 4-5 hundred miles. All in all I don't have a problem with these issues and expect to have to deal with some of this. I won't get started on the radiator issues with these trucks!

 

I appreciate it guys, kinda what I figured. He is a Dodge guy anyway and might be a little jealous of the Powerstoke that and drumming up business. If I decide to delete I'll get him to do it but I'm not doing anything until it becomes necessary.