Regen system

There is a very easy cure for anyone that had one of these regen systems that doesnt cost you anything but a couple of hours.Take the fiter out and blow it out yourself.It is easy to do and the only problem is that when putting it back in it will require two people.It is hard to hold up and start the bolts and clamps your self.

You dont have to take any of the sensers out just unhook the wire connector.Once it is apart you will see the filter so just remove it and get your air gun and blow it outBe prepared for getting dirty because it is not possible to stay clean when you are doing this.

On a cummins you can only use an air gun and it may take you twenty mins or so untill you have it clean.Dontdo this inside the shop because there will be black soot coming out 10 to 15 feet when using the air gun.

On a cat there is another way to do this because the filter is more rugged than a cummins so believe it or not you can use a pressure washer on the cat filter.dont get crazy and hit it with 3000 psi but it will stand 1200 or so.Air will also work good on the cat.
In both set ups there will be a smaler filter still in the truck that you will see.go ahead and blow this out in the truck.it is a narrow filter that you can clean in seconds.then reasemble and start it up and drive it.They usually want to do a regen in the first hour or so and after that forget about it for months until the regen starts happening more often then do it again.

There are three gaskets you should buy before hand from the dealer also because they may get damaged when removing the filter.


Here is secret that many dealers dont want you to know and that is the fact they dont all have one of these fancy machines that clean these filters.in fact there are many that do exactly what i just outlined.

there is your tip for the day and feel free to spread it around to everyone that has one of these set ups.I spent a lot of money before I learned this trick and Not one more cent is going to that exhaust system.

Just so you know this process does not affect your warranty either.makes sense because if the dealers are doing it there will be no affect on your warranty.

 

We DO, have an expensive system that comes with a detailed assesment of your DOC filter, including its flow rate and level of ash plugging. We also pin check 36 different spots on the filter before and after cleaning to make sure that we have provided a positive service for our customer. Sure you can go ahead and blow it out, but like you said it causes a hell of a mess, but besides that do you know what is in that soot and ash, on a chemical level and its affect on you or your neighbours. I don't either but it doesnt wash off for days and crap that fine in your lungs aint ever coming out. Any reputable dealer will do his due diligence to clean your DPF as best he is able visa vie a machine like ours or other proven machines. And they should be able to produce a report which shows the effectiveness of the cleaning, and any problems that are present. Unfortunatley its now a part of the cost of doing business until they find a different way or decide they are no longer required, just blowing it out is not adequatley servicing the filter and anyone who does it is doing themselves a disservice and definetly shortening the life of their filter. Spend a little now or alot later, BTW a Cat DPF filter runs on average between 6000-8000 dollars, Cummins about 2000-4000. Not counting the cost of the catalyst filter if thats franged as well.

 

You may have the cleaning system for these filters but there are at least 3 kenworth dealers in western canada that do not have the system and have no intentions of getting the system in the future.It only makes sense that you would have a very detailed report on the filters because if you dont then how can you justify the money that we are charged to clean them?
As far as being bad for your health there is a simple cure and that is to wear a dust mask when doing it.If a person had a cat and used a pressure washer that would eliminate anything in the air that would harm you also.

I dont see how this is shortening the life of the filter at all.last november I had mine cleaned at cummins and after it was cleaned the bill was 1500 dollars and then they told me that I needed a new filter which is another 1800$ plus instilation on the truck.the bill would be north of 3500$ when done so i told them to put the old filter back in and i would take my chances with it.This was the first time it had been cleaned and the truck was at 5000 hours.It has gave me trouble ever since so i got mad one day and did it my self because I had nothing to lose due to the fact that they wanted to install a new filter last time around.Best thing i have ever done and after i checked with some people i know in the buisness and thats how i found out that there are dealers that do the exact same thing i had done and also that it wont effect the warranty at all
I would say my way extended the life of the filter not shortened it and i will bet money that if done every 2000 hours or so that filter will last as long as the truck does.
One final point i have to make is that if this system is so good and easy as you say to deal with why is there no warranty at all on the system.It comes with none and you cant even buy it for extra money.That tells how unsure the people that designed these systems are about way they will work in the future.there is nothing on these trucks except this system that comes with no warranty at all.why would that be?

last thing is the simple point of how can you say that i am doing a diservice to my self by doing this?I think saving 3500$ is doing me a favour and I bet it will be a lot more than that over the life of this truck.

I thank you for not trying to tell me that what i did is not possible and for not disagreeing that it wont harm your warranty in the end.This shows there is hope for the truckers that have this #### system and are fed up with spending more money dealing with it.
thanks for the reply also

 

It only makes sense that you would have a very detailed report on the filters because if you dont then how can you justify the money that we are charged to clean them?

Our dealership charges 391.49 before tax to clean both the DPF and the Catalyst, not exactly big money. Our machine also uses 'air knife technology', which is better than the Cummins. Not the dealers fault if you cant shop around.

As far as being bad for your health there is a simple cure and that is to wear a dust mask when doing it.If a person had a cat and used a pressure washer that would eliminate anything in the air that would harm you also.

Says you, what micron are the soot particles, what is the micron rating of you dust mask.

I had mine cleaned at cummins and after it was cleaned the bill was 1500 dollars and then they told me that I needed a new filter which is another 1800$ plus instilation on the truck.

Rightly you should have walked away, we have never and will never charge a customer to clean a failed DPF. Just bad business to do charge a guy for a service you couldnt complete.

You have no idea what damage you could be causing to your DPF, where does all that water go? what does the water, ash and soot mix do once you have soaked it all down and then subjected it to a burn cycle? Answer you are making cement inside that filter which will never come out.

Your advice is flawed and should not be treated as a 'best practice' just because you feel you are being 'ripped off'. Instead take these words as an education and shop around. You are right, cleaning will not affect your warrantee, improper cleaning or maitenance and any negative affects created (ie plugged DPF = increased exhaust temps = big money repairs)thereby will also not be covered.

If your favorite grocery store continuously sells you spoiled milk at an inflated price why do you continue to buy their milk?

 

Ok just got home and I was thinking about this all the way, and I think I has a solution for you.

List of supplies

1.pillow case
2.heavy duty black garbage bag, the heavier the better. a stiffer bag will be less likely to be drawn into the shop vac hose.
3.shop vac w/ hepa filter
4.shop air supply regulated at 100psi
5.3/8 nozzle to attch to shop air
6.3/32 piece of brazing rod
7.duct tape

Before starting use the brazing rod to check in a rotating fashion the depth of the cells, using the locator tab on the Cummins and the gap on a Cat unithelp to orrient the filter so your depth checks after blowing out can be checked for the quality of the cleaning, probe the depth of 12 cells in a clock style pattern near the outer edge then about half way towards the center. This will give you your baseline measurement for the precleaning ash load. I mad a piece of leather that has the appropriate holes to make this test as accurate as possible.

step 1. place pillow case inside bag, and orient both openings together.
2. fix both to dirty side of dpf filter
3. cut hole in the bottom of the garbage bag just large enough to attach the shop vac hose.
4. then pull the hose tight so that the garbage bage will not get sucked into the hose, or place some kind of device to keep the bag out of the hose.
5. attach 3/8 nozzle to shop air, a wand like device will be the easiest to use.
6. Turn on shop vac and in a sweeping pattern blow the shop air into the dpf from the clean side.

The pillow case should catch the big stuff and the hepa inside the shop vac will get the real nasty stuff. Please dont use a pressure washer, just shop air. Then just tie off the two bags and dispose. In my mind this should work and most guys have access to shop air.

 

It is hard to shop around when it is cummins you are dealing with in western canada because its the same people that own every cummins dealer al the way to ontario.
As far as the price goes I do see it advertised for 295$ plus taxes but I bet it is not easy to find someone that got away that cheap.If your dealership is the type that does a good job and doesnt get crazy with the bill I wish i had bought my truck from there.
It is not that i have a problem with paying the kind of money you are talking about but the problem is when a simple cleaning doesnt solve the problem with the truck.I have been fortuanate and had no issues until last november.Look at the truckers on the internet and if this exhaust system isnt the number one concern for everyone that owns one i will be shocked.I know guys that have had nothing but grief right from the first time they turned the key in a new truck and that isnt right.
Look at the amount of discussion about how to bypass this set up you read on the net.They actually have shops that will change your ECM and turbo in order to take it off the truck.I have heard quotes of over 10000$ to do this which is just crazy when you think about it.

The weather is a big factor with this set up also and Where I work it is common to see weeks on end of minus 40 which creates a whole other set of problems with this exhaust.One day last winter there were 5 trucks that were towed into kenworth in saskatoon all with the shut down red light on because of these systems.

I dont think i ever mentioned that what i am suggesting was best practise in fact I am #### sure it is not best practise but I am also #### sure it works as far as saving money and down time which is the whole point of posting this method.

I have to give you a lot of credit because you do actualy care that this is done right as i can see from your last post.Thanks for that.You do make it hard for me to argue with you when you come up with an idea like that.
So in the end I wish there were more like you out there but they are few and far between I have a feeling.Thanks for the idea.

 

Thanks Harry, I understand your frustrations well. I hate paying more than my fair share for anything as well, and I'm sure from my last post you can tell that you and I have a similar brain that wants to figure out a solution for oursleves without paying the 'man' overinflated prices for poor service. As far as DPF cleaning goes, PACCAR has endorsed a cleaning system that I believe does the most effective job. Most larger dealers either have one or they ship them to those stores. If the shop rate is killing you, you can always just take it off and drag it down to your local dealer and only pay for the cleaning. Also ask if you can watch the inspection and cleaning, I have more than a few times, done the whole process with the owner right there. Let me know if my new 'Home cleaning system' works and I can patent that sucker.

 

I was thinking about taking off my dpf and taking it to get cleaned but is it true you have to reset the ecm after doing so

 

on a cumins there is no need to reset the ecm just get in it and drive it after and it will reset it self in the first 20 mins or so.Dont know for sure on a cat but i would be suprised if its any different.