An app you run on a laptop connected to the OBD connector under the dash. It lets you change some configuration settings on some of the modules on the trucks network. There is a really good sticky thread about it, with a spreadsheet of what can be changed.

 

you can also get something like I have...the banks idash. It will display that regen status and distance between and soot % among other useful items.

Dealer can enable the DPF % screen. I have an XLT and disable auto regen on mine. Then I get a message the DPF is full and I can allow it to regen.

 

Though others have weighed in on your situation, I would just add;

It's kind of a question that knowing the answer -or, in this case, the status of the DPF- doesn't really help your driving experience. If, for whatever reason, your driving style doesn't allow the engine to go into regeneration, you will get a warning on the dash instructing you to drive the truck. It's covered in your owner's manual. And this is one of those deals were you hear about the DPF and the status screen only on forums such as this where people routinely lose their minds over trivial stuff. All the other 99.99% of Power Stroke owners are fat, dumb and happy. Blissfully unaware that there are functions running behind the scene just as the factory engineers designed them to do. And they're doing just fine.

It's also interesting the evolution of vehicle instrumentation. You know you rarely see coolant temperature gauges in cars these days. Yes, I know the SD has temp gauges. I'm talking about cars. There was a time...perhaps more than 70 years ago, where "idiot lights" replaced gauges. Enthusiasts scoffed at such skullduggery foisted upon the public. Why, how could you possibly drive a car without knowing the precise coolant temperature, oil pressure, and maybe engine RPM? It just simply can't be done. But it was a better path. Most people don't know how to interpret gauges. Gas gauges, sure, but not other gauges. They just don't bother to educate themselves. Even here, how many questions do we see on transmission temperature concerns, coolant concerns, oil temperature concerns? They're pretty common. Now, a bright red warning light? That will get your attention and we all pretty much know that light is bringing us bad news and we react to it.

I have my DPF turned on. I don't pay it much attention. Every now and then, I select it to see where it's at. But I don't do anything special because of it. If I'm out, I might extend my drive to clean the filter, but if it's not convenient, I just go about my business. It will do it's thing whether I knew what it was doing. Again, all fat, dumb and happy. Don't worry, be happy.

 

Actually tempriture gages ARE very common, every vehicle i have has them and I can't think on one that didn't.
Oil pressure however is NOT on any of them, including my 2018 F450.
yes, I know it has a "gage", but it is really just a idiot light.
the truck only has sn oil pressure switch, not a sensor.
If the pressure is above a certian point the switch turns on and the computer tells the dash to move the gage to the half way point.
This is also done becase people don't understand pressure.
Hot day with engine idling can be 15psi, and cold days at 2,000rpms it can be over 80 psi.
both are fine and acceptable, but some people would insist that there is something wrong if the gage is not the same all the time.

 

It has also been my experience that the truck triggers a regen around 350 to 400 miles when towing. I usually tow around 7000 lbs. From my experience 99% if the time the dash reading goes down to 0%. And no matter what my regens take between 35-40 minutes.

 

This is a very true statement. Many drive and never worry about a thing. Some also never even check their oil between oil changes. Doing simple tasks like this can catch problems early. Like wise keeping an eye on the DPF and being familiar with how yours functions can help to catch issues before they become problems. But like another member wrote you have to be willing to take the time to interpret and diagnose. I enjoy going through my PIDs and trying to figure how they can be used.

 

Thanks to all that chimed in. I will be doing the Forscan ASAP!! Just would like to see the Regen working!

 

you can also get a monitor to see the regen status and when it is completing an active regen.

Upwards of over 12-13K begins to work the motor and can create EGT's in the 700-800F range and then your towing would passively regen the DPF, extending the distance between regens. I am well over 1K miles since my last regen just based upon the distance of my trips not even counting side trips.