Mazda 6 Forums UK
Technical Section => Engine/Transmission/Powertrain/Exhaust => Topic started by: Sheepy on April 22, 2014, 06:56:06 pm
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Hi all,
I have taken my 2.0d 143 in and had the dpf removed and a performance remap carried out.
The dpf has been removed from the can and left looking untouched, you cant tell unless you remove the spot welds on the shroud and physically remove the dpf off the car.
I know dpf removal divides opinion, mine was done as a preventative measure, I brought the car (my entire inheritance) without knowing it had a dpf...I wanted a diesel as from previous experience with diesels it saves me alot of money in fuel and tax ect.
I didnt want the worry and hassle of having to drive the car 'right' and tye thought of diesel in my engine oil runs my blood cold.
One thing I can say for dpf is you notice its absence, the car is far more fumey in the mornings and sometimes when waiting at the lights you get a waft of fumes through the vents.
I would say if you can keep your dpf then you should, for me personally I couldnt afford to have it replaced, I have to keep this car for 5 years minimum, so I chose to future proof my car in that respect.
As for the remap, well I wanted to see what was possible.... seems alot! Very rapid now.
Had all that done for £550 so well worth it in my opinion!
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That doesn't seem like a bad price to me.
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Yeah I thought it was a good deal, they even threw in a oil and filter change for free! I supplied said oil and filter though.
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I rather suspect that it will soon be possible to check if the DPF has been removed by monitoring the crud that comes out of the exhaust which is black and smoky! You don't get that with the DPF fitted.
The MOT testing authorities are only too well aware that people are trying to magic their DPFs away and I think they will find a way of officially checking before too long. Good luck anyway.
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Its a possibility yes, but everything is reverse able if it comes to it.
Its each to their own, I have my reasons for dpf removal and in an ideal world I would keep it on, but the risk of a £1000+ repair bill is not something I can tolerate.
I will be having the injector seals replaced soon, again as a preventative measure.
I cherish this car and need it to be ok for a long time.
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On a similar vein - out of interest only - I have a very late model classic Mini Cooper ( 2000 V). These cars were fitted with airbags. Parts are becoming rare (rotary coupler etc) and many owner have replaced the original airbag steering wheel with good old fashioned classic steering wheels (monolita etc) and removed the electrics and warning light. Under the latest EEC regulation every one is an MOT failure.(...and therefore almost valueless). It's all down to the MOT tester on the day. Bit of a gamble really as the legislation says if it was deemed to be fitted as standard at manufacture then it must be present and working at the MOT.
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Leaves one feeling between a rock and a hard place!
If I had known the dpf was such an issue I wouldn't have brought the car, it's a case of making the best of the situation.
Mot side of things shouldn't be a problem, I suspect most companies performing this work likely have mot bays....
The remap I had done is staggering, 3rd gear at 30, foot down and it surges to 80 in one gear very quickly!
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Mot side of things shouldn't be a problem, I suspect most companies performing this work likely have mot bays....
MOT assessors are regularly checked by a team from the D.O.T. If they are found to be failing in their duty as assessor then they can have their accreditation removed.
Do you honestly think that they would jeopardize their reputation and income to such a folly ?
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Just a thought. Have you informed your insurance company that you have modified the car? If you haven't, you may find that you are not covered.
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Most likely not willpower, but there will be some no doubt.
My insurance are informed on both matters, slight increase for remap but dpf removal not considered a modification as long as car pass mot which it has.
Again I know everyone has there opinion on dpf removal and thats fine, but this thread was made just to inform people of my experience.
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To be honest I can't understand why you'd have a £1000+ repair bill. My DPF hasn't had one issue 75k and upon checking the oil regularly it has never changed so suspect it has never needed to do a regen. You just have to drive it right and not buy a diesel if you're only pottering around town and you'll never have a problem, 90% of dpf problems are brought on by the owners. I've had four vehicles fitted with them all of which have never had an issue.
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I never had a problem over 3 years with the DPF on my 59 plate 2.2D TS2 either and I do a mix of driving. But to be fair to Sheepy, the DPF arrangements on the 2 litre were not satisfactory which is why the 2.2 engine was introduced which incorporated modifications.
I now have a Tourer and decided to opt for the petrol version which is potentially less complicated. It doesn't have the low down 'poke' of the diesel which I miss but otherwise it does the job for me.
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Mdon, whilst all that is most probably right I was unaware of what a dpf even was at time of purchase.
I have only had 500 quid bangers for years, so when I brought this 4k car I never had any reason to assume it wouldnt suit my needs.
I spent all my money on it so am basically stuck with it which is fine by me now as ive sorted it out....
Cant help but feel now that the sales men should check it suits the customers requirements, but I know thats unlikely
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A salesperson will never check the suitability, they only get paid if you buy the car so at all costs will not forward any info which will put you off buying.
I have toyed with the idea of removing the DPF and getting a remap but when you say you get fumey smell, that has put me right off, I will just live with the DPF now and look after it as best as I can.
I would think there would be a loophole in the 'if it was fitted from manufacture then it is required for the MOT' - my '09 2.0 sport has the TPMS fitted and the MOT'er passed it because the MOT handbook says it is only relevant to cars manufactured after 2012. Not wanting to fork out for the valves then have them all fitted just to turn a light on the dash off!
I think what the OP has done for the short term is fair enough. The MOT test stations at the moment are not checking for this modification YET but when they do, it is a gamble whether they notice or not. Short of dismantling the exhaust to check how are they going to know? They can't even wipe grease off a brake line so what can they do to check? (Genuine question) If his is spotted then it is just an expensive trip to Mazda to get it sorted for the MOT!
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I think it is pretty easy to see if a DPF is missing. If it is then when you rev the engine a black cloud comes out of the exhaust. If it is then it doesn't. After all, that's basically what the thing is for!
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In regards to the fumey smell, it has settled down, I now only get a waft on cold starts really. It confirms for me there is a reason for the dpf and it does its job well in that respect.
I hope new cars have these little problems ironed out!
More information for those curious on the remap side of things:
Performance difference is considerable, power band is wider, the car will now redline rather than top out at 4.5rpm, the extra 500rpm equates to another 10mph in 3rd gear.
Torque is constant and everywhere, any gear or rpm, foot down and youre flying.
As a benchmark, my cousin in his bmw 328i couldnt pull away from me.
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I've just realised my profile states my car is a 2011 car.
It's not, it's a late 2006 model.
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Has the remapping affected the fuel consumption?
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Yes it has, around 5 mpg better
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I am in same situation. My cherished 6 is immaculate, with 172000 on the clock. I have spent nearly 1 year trying to fix the dpf issue it has. Removal is an option I am considering.
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Don't remove it. It will pollute even more than now. You will never know what the cowboy has done to the car. How can you guarantee that the fake input given to all sensors involved, will not cause a mechanical problem further down the line, or that your consumption does not reach astronomical levels?
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On top of that your call will fail the MOT test straight away.
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Nowadays, non franchise, non chain, MOT centres cannot bother any less for the conditions of the cars. They pocket the money, cash, no receipt and there you go. I have come across cars on the motorway that smoke worse than the flying scotsman in front of police cars and nothing happens. It is all about having a piece of paper stating that your car is fine.
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The new MOT test looks explicitly for DPF tampering.
https://www.hypermiler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/UK-mot-test-dpf-tampering-may-20th.png (https://www.hypermiler.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/UK-mot-test-dpf-tampering-may-20th.png)
A bloke at work has been caught out already. His garage that has overlooked this mod for years will no longer do so. He wasn't a happy bunny.
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It was always like that, but hey, nobody checks. I was at the ATS for new tyres before the MOT and they had a huge poster that they will refuse to MOT a car with unknown service history because the new MOT procedure adds such stress to the engine that the timing belt can go. So they were requesting proof of timing belt history otherwise they would not proceed. I have not seen this in a small garage.
But as you say, even with such notice, there will be garages that will check it out. On the other hand, it is so silly. People who have DPF problems, get some low mpg, plus being illegal, that buying a petrol car, will not only make them legal and will help them to avoid all the DPF removal costs, but they will get better mpg. I have no idea what motivated them to keep the car, remove the DPF and they did not part exchanged for a petrol one that will make them more money. At least now with the MOT, some of them will go back to petrol.