How often is the regen mode suppose to occur? Its happened 3 times in 2 weeks and the second time it took over an hour to complete the cycle and I was doing 80mph on the freeway the whole time! This is getting really old!

 

Ok, DPF 101 really quick. There are actually 2 DPF regen modes: passive and active. There are pressure and EGT sensors before and after the DPF (on most models) which measure the pressure difference and EGT difference across the DPF itself. This tells the computer how well the DPF is flowing and how much soot build up is in the DPF. Depending on what the truck is doing at the time you may see an active regen (this uses fuel) or you will see nothing at all which is a passive regen (no fuel used). Passive regens will occur when the truck is making enough exhaust heat on it's own which will burn out the soot inside the DPF. This typicaly is during highway driving and/or while towing. An active regen will occur if the soot build up is too high and there isn't enough exhaust heat to burn it away. An active regen will cause the truck to inject fuel during the exhaust stroke allowing the extra fuel (partially burnt) to flow through the exhaust system. When the extra fuel (and much higher exhaust temps) reach the DPF it will ignite (burn) causing the internal temp inside the DPF to increase up to 1000 degrees. This burns the soot away (breaking it down to ash) and brings the pressure difference across the DPF down and the active regen will shut off. How many active regen cycles your truck goes through will depend on how it's being used. As an example many short trips cause more regens then highway driving will. Tuners that produce more soot then stock will effect these regen cycles as well. If more soot is being produced from the engine then more active regen cycles will be needed to clean it out. This also has the side affect of wearing out the DPF much faster then normal. Hope this helps

 

When the message "cleaning the exhaust system" appears, does this indicate active regen? Also, in an attempt to determine the frequency, I've set my trip od. and the message goes away, only to reappear after about five miles or five minutes. Does resetting the odometer, stop the process temporarily?

 

That's the active regen alright. The best thing to do, if possible, is to drive the truck above 45mph for a few minutes and it should clean itself out. If you delay the prosses, by shutting the truck off for example, it will resume when the truck is restarted. The problem here is that even more soot is building up until the truck is up to the proper opperating temp to allow the active regen to start again. Are you doing a lot of short trips or a lot of stop and go traffic?

 

Do you have a 6.4 diesel powered truck? Nothing shows in your profile. AT 80 mph regen happens quickly, or so sayeth FORD...

 

Ok I got the new flash last week. After getting the flash I took the truck on a long trip back to the body company in western PA. (kid smashed into the new truck day before Christmas). First time I got the "cleaning Exhaust filter" message. Now I had been driving for over 2 hrs on flat roads at just under 70 in cruise control the whole time, ( empty truck, no trailer and I never tow), when the message came up. Truck was staying in OD and not down shifting at all. WTF the truck exhaust isn't hot enough at 70 for 2 hrs to clean without going into active regen?

Next question. My paperwork from Ford says there is a message "drive filter clean completed" or something like that. ( I can't lay my hands on the paper rite now.) I assume that means the active regen is completed. I have yet to ever see this message. Anyone have a clue? I asked the dealer and the techs answer is he never drives the vehicle long enough to see that message. Doesn't really answer my question now does it? My thoughts are that if I don't get the new message its not done in regen, otherwise why make a special message to tell me its done? It seemed that after each time we stopped on the trip I got the cleaning message at some point. I'll assume it kicked out of regen when the truck was turned off when we stopped for lunch say then kicked back in later. I'm wondering is when the message drops off the screen is the message just timing out and going back to the odometer or is it finished? The message seems to drop when I change the settings, say to check how much the MPG has changed or after 15min. Has anyone shut the truck off when the message is displayed and then started it up later? Does the cleaning message reappear immediately or does it take a while to come back on?

Also anyone see a difference on the computer mpg screen when you know the truck is in active regen? I don't seem to see a change in the reported mpg's when I check after it says it's "cleaning".

I am convinced the crappy mpgs I am getting is due to a dpf/ constant regen problem and trying to narrow down to some facts I can beat the idiots at the dealership over the head until I get more than the stock " its a heavy truck it's not supposed to get good mpgs", or "that's normal". To me 6.5 - 8mpg in a 12K truck is NOT normal. That BS to me. Now I just have to try and prove it with what little info I can get.

Thanks.

 

DSW:
Your profile says you have a 450/550. Which is it?

You may want to post your truck specs., with rear ratio, etc. I previously have read many posts about "extra" lousy mileage on trucks in your category in the FORUM.

Also you might ask yourself how much idling do you do.

 

As far as idling, none. I idle my '00 250 more since I let it warm up in cold weather. The '08 I start wait about 1-2 min while I close and lock the house then leave. I idle longer at lights. I don't sit in backed up traffic, and I don't have a PTO option or leave it run at a job while I run in to drop off an invoice like I might with the '00.

The truck really should have been a 350, but I couldn't convince anyone that the weights I told them I carry were real. Ford wants to think everyone wants to overload their truck or tow monster loads while saying its a DD. My total load is 1500 lb for the body as listed on the shipping invoice from the body co., and 800-1200 lb of tools/supplies as scaled over the original scaled weight. I am probably carrying more unneeded weight in the rears, frame, brakes and tires than I do tools.

All I get is that the power train is all identical regardless if its a 250-350 or 450-550. I think that's BS. If it's true, then there has to be an issue that need to be addressed with my truck. The problem is I can't get any solid info from anyone at any ford dealer. I'm convinced it's either a programming issue with the computer and if they would reprogram the truck to 350 specs it would improve, or its a dpf related issue. Most likely I expect the dpf issue is related to the computer being confused over the truck being so light for its "intended" purpose.

Oh BTW it posted "cleaning exhaust filter" today shortly after leaving the house. Drove maybe 5 min max at 25-30mph then shut off the truck at the store. Message went back to the mpg screen just as I shut off the truck. Couldn't tell if it did it an instant before or after I turned the key off. I got no message when I restarted the truck and drove home. That length of time seems to short to have completed active regen on its own. So is the truck still in regen after the restart (thats what's supposed to happen from what I understand) and it did not diplay the message? Does it need to be driven longer after the restart before it will go back into regen to complete it's cycle? Or is it finnished and I just can't tell?

 

Sorry, I see in your signature that you have a F-550. I am dropping out of conversation, because IMHO under 10 mpg is normal. Winter MPG for me is now 10.5 to 11. Check your specs and post.

 

rmosso1 thank you for the responce. I appreciate the help. ( thanks I finally figured out how to get the sig up. ) Part of my question is why if the truck is the same weight/ rear ratio of a 350 does it get 1/2 the milage of similar 350 vehicles that have posted? Especially if it is used as a DD and not a heavy tow vehicle. Obviously something is different, all Fords claims aside, I'm just trying to figure out what and if it is a mechanical issue or not. I can't figure that out if I can't determine if the truck is in regen all the time or not.

 

Mine comes on every 250-300 miles. IF I am on a long trip at highway speeds it will stay on for 20-30 min. If I stop as soon as I put it in Park it will say "recharge Completed". I get back in the truck and start it and it usually will not come back on right away. It sometimes will take 5-10 miles then it will come back on. IF I am making short trips and stopping a lot it will keep doing that until it had time to recharge properly. Yes I havent calculated my gas mileage but it is pretty low as well on my 08 350 SRW.

 

DSW:
Your F-550 weighs about 3,000# more than a F-350.
4.30 rears compared to 4.10 rears
Larger tires, more rubber on the road.
transmission

My opinion is that the few items mentioned above would produce at least a 30% decrease in fuel economy from a truck like mine--F-350

Regarding regen, you really should not be able to attain the higher speeds of a F-350 and your 6.4 probably does regen more often. Similarly the more stop and go driving plus the more idling will result in substantially more active regen.

I just got my truck reprogrammed to show regen. Until that, I never noticed a regen in 10,000 miles and have to presume it was always done in "passive" regeneration.

Your question requires much more knowledge of your truck to even do a cursory comparison.

If I were you, I would check the exhaust pipe. If there is no black carbon on exhaust, forget the regen type problem as the system is working and burning our the carbon.

Good luck,

 

I don't believe that stops the process. What it does do is use the message center for another function which temporarily suspends the message. If you hit reset when the regen message comes on, the message center will go back it's normal display and regen will continue without sayin so.

 

rmosso1 thanks again, Sorry if I hijacked the thread. If the truck is in constant active regen will the pipes be black? If I understand correctly thats only the case with a cracked dpf. If the truck is just in regen too frequently wouldn't that show up as "normal" at the tailpipe?

30% reduction from numbers reported to me by guys stating they have trucks my weight would be great. That would leave me in the 10-12 range. ( I take all the numbers with a grain of salt, I don't know if the are reporting the dash #'s or actual calc like I use, my calc numbers seldom are as good as those on the dash) I had expected 13 so thats not too bad. My actual #'s just aren't close to that.

I agree there is alot to consider, wind resistance, larger tire dia, rolling resistance, rears, driving habits. I am trying to get as much info from guys with similar vehicles, 350's,450's,550's with similar weights, rears, bodystyles and compare the older 7.3's and 6's with thoughs of the 6.4. Thats the only way I can get a baseline to use as a comparison of whats "normal" and whats "wrong".

Thanks again.

 

I do not think you are hi jacking the thread. The thread is about regen. Your concerns are how regen is decreasing your mpg.

I honestly believe you were too optimistic with your original expectations. You have a big truck. You have 4 x 4. Much more weight than I. Your rears are such that each time your drive shaft goes around 4.3 times, your wheel turns one time. More than likely your transmission is also geared lower than my F-350.

For me to get 10.5 to 11 mpg, I am on the Interstate probably 75% of the time. If I were in town driving, my mpg would go under 10.

My point to the dirty exhaust is a double negative. NO carbon, NO problem.

Have you ever looked at the intricasies of our 6.4 engines? It is a miracle the damn thing runs. So many openings, closings, holes, electrical sensors, etc., you need the youth of our nation to even comprehend.

BUT, put your foot in it, and you can pull a house. There is no comparison between the 7.3 and the 6.0 and 6.4. The 7.3 was a dirty diesel. The 6.0 cleaner, and the 6.4 cleanest, until the 2010's hit the street, a story to itself.

I cannot add any more. I had a friend who sold BOB CATS from a F-550. Trust me when I say he didn't pass many filling stations. It was a 6.0.

Do you realize that you can still buy a truck tractor with a diesel engine that would weigh less than your F-550, and that truck would be happy to get 7 to 8 mpg.