DPF and white smoke

[orangepeel]

Ha, I had a Toyota tech try and advise me that the DPF won’t burn until over 60km/hr.

If this was true, how come there aren’t more Town Prado parked up on the curb with issues?
Ive seen a burn happen whilst driving around town, well under the 60km/hr limit so clearly the Toyota techs don’t know what they are pushing down the throat of some customers.

They would have a story to try and sell to the customers to look like the problem is the caused from customer driving habits, and not a design flaw

[Faulco]

John the first time they did a forced regen and put some “cleaner” through the DPF. The second time they didn’t exactly say but it was in and out in less than 3 hours (I elected to wait because of the distance to home) so I’m guessing it was more of the same. I did check under the bonnet and the injector housing appeared undistirbed. Problem is the guy who I talk to at the reception area is not the guy who works on the car and is not a mechanic. If the problem is a dirty injector I imagine I’ll be back for round 3 in the not too distant future.

Thanks LeadWings, that’s pretty much how I thought it worked.

[JohnLynn]

great explanation and certainly makes sense , thanks

Yes I often wonder if some customers have a better grasp of the issue than Toyota staff.

Faulco

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Faulco Have they cleaned your 5th injector? (sorry if you have told us and I have missed it) as possibly the ECU update wouldn't make any difference to the state of the injector if it was already covered in carbon and soot before they did the update?

[nudgebar]

great explanation and certainly makes sense , thanks

[LeadWings]

My take on the situation is there are two different things at play here.

One issue is DPF blockage. The DPF is like a large bunch of straws, and relies on heat and exhaust flow to clear the accumulated particulates. Once a straw is blocked, it dies not get exhaust flow and will most likely stay blocked. As the DPF gets blocked, the delta pressure goes up as there are fewer and and fewer straws to flow down. The warning light is based on dP - from what I have read at 120% of the set point (ie the max of the normal range of dP the DPF expects to see) the warning light comes on, at 170% the limp home mode kicks in.

The other issue reported is if the injector port gets blocked - in which case the fuel does not atomise properly, does not combust to create heat and comes out as "white smoke".

The two issues are inter-related, but also could also be independent. For example, even with the injector port working properly the DPF may become blocked because of the ECU algorithm and your driving style, so you get limp home mode without white smoke. Alternatively, the port may get blocked so you blow white smoke but your DPF is not blocked - though I would expect the DPF would not last long in this situation.

[nudgebar]

I think the light only comes on when the DPF is 170% full ?

[Faulco]

Have they done the ECU update which is supposed to make the burn hotter and shorter and prevent these issues?

John the ECU update wasn’t the panacea they hoped for. I had it done but still ended up with the white smoke issue. It’s now been back a second time and I was told Toyota won’t consider a DPF replacement until you’ve been back at least four times. I did point out that doing the same thing and expecting a different result was a sign of insanity however they assure me that each time they give the ECU a little “tweak”. The smoke is something to behold but the funny thing is I have never had the DPF light come on.

[Yellowdog]

My 2018 GXL didn't blow white smoke but I had the DPF full message on most of the way from Port Hedland to Mt Isa (3400 km). After a couple of burns at dealers, the message kept returning. I called at the third dealer in Mt Isa and they seem to have fixed the problem by cleaning the 5th injector as well as doing a burn.
Since returning home to Sydney, my dealer has done another burn and done the ECU update. I haven't had the DPF full message since Mt Isa. Since the ECU update, I seem to be getting over 1500km to a tankfull of diesel rather than about 1300km - not sure if just coincidence that my driving pattern has been different.

[JohnLynn]

Have they done the ECU update which is supposed to make the burn hotter and shorter and prevent these issues?

[jasaly01]

My Prado has been blowing white smoke and has been in to CMI Toyota Christies Beach, SA. They are still doing manual burns cleaned the injector in the DPF as this is the new fix from Toyota and keep coming back with the DPF is not clogged. it is a 2015 model with 90,000 km on it I have had it since new and do at least 50 km every time I start is up.

[jasaly01]

My Prado has been blowing white smoke and has been in to CMI Toyota Christies Beach, SA. They are still doing manual burns cleaned the injector in the DPF as this is the new fix from Toyota and keep coming back with the DPF is not clogged. it is a 2015 model with 90,000 km on it I have had it since new and do at least 50 km every time I start is up.

[Hostile1]

This one fell off at 350km.

What was your solution when your DPF "fell off"? Did you have a custom pipe made or just purchase a Manta Exhaust?
They seem to be the only ones making a turbo back exhaust for the DPF Prados.
I want to know in case mine falls off.

[Micko2005]

Hi, After all this DPF issues I've armed myself with the scangauge and observed regeneration process. I should say it went very smoothly, at 100% temp jump to about 750 with the speed over 60. However, with the speed reduction between idle and 60 temp when down to about 550 but % still continue to reduce at slower pace until till 6% mark. If it wasn't for the scangauge I would turn the engine off hence we just came back from the shopping I should mention that I own 2018 model with only 6k on the clock

I'm interested in the scan gauge also, have you used it to do a regen yet?

[netjam]

Hi, After all this DPF issues I've armed myself with the scangauge and observed regeneration process. I should say it went very smoothly, at 100% temp jump to about 750 with the speed over 60. However, with the speed reduction between idle and 60 temp when down to about 550 but % still continue to reduce at slower pace until till 6% mark. If it wasn't for the scangauge I would turn the engine off hence we just came back from the shopping I should mention that I own 2018 model with only 6k on the clock

[nudgebar]

That procedure is ok , but does not guarantee the cleaning fluid will get into every part of the DPF. And if its fully blocked the operation may have to be done a few times