DPF. Learning, Ever Learning

[Goose55]

2019 3500 HO dually, w/ 21K miles here. I monitor how my DPF is doing regularly. When it goes into a regen, it lets me know automatically. Sometimes I will see it partially full as in this picture, and driving empty on a highway, at 1,900 rpm--without a regen--it will clear itself. And I will look at it again later, on the same trip and see it back up near to this level. Just curious about this, if anyone would care to inform me. THANKS!

 

[Gary Hogan]

Good luck. My 2019 3500 with 46k miles is now in the dealer service department for the third time with error code p-2459 frequent regeneration”.

 

[Timsdually]

read my "Limp Mode" thread a few posts down.

 

[John Jensen]

2019 3500 HO dually, w/ 21K miles here. I monitor how my DPF is doing regularly. When it goes into a regen, it lets me know automatically. Sometimes I will see it partially full as in this picture, and driving empty on a highway, at 1,900 rpm--without a regen--it will clear itself. And I will look at it again later, on the same trip and see it back up near to this level. Just curious about this, if anyone would care to inform me. THANKS!

It's performing passive regens. They will not show up on your DPF gauge.

ACTIVE REGENERATION
An active regen will occur when the soot level reaches 80% and/or every 24 hours.

An active regeneration is triggered when the DPF exhaust back-pressure reaches a certain back pressure point that is interpreted as 80% soot for the Cummins 6.7. Then the ECU initiates a fuel injection designed to increase the exhaust temperature in the DPF to over 662 degrees F in order to oxidize the particulate deposits. When completed, the ECU assumes a small amount of residual soot and resets the value to 6-9%. The 2020 3500 trigger point is 80% soot. (100% on an Edge CTS3).

PASSIVE REGENERATION
A passive regeneration occurs when the load and speed of the engine produce DPF exhaust temperatures greater than 662 degrees F, and it burns off the trapped DPF soot as the vehicle operates. Generally, the EGT’s do not get hot enough for a passive regen at unloaded speeds, thus, some trucks may never or seldom see a passive regen. However, when towing, carrying a full load, or driving hard the EGT’s can reach passive temps and perform passive regenerations. (EGT3 sensor)

 

[Timsdually]

47,000 miles and my level never reached over 40% until the current troubles. Once over 75% the gauge turns red. It would regen at 40% and drop back to 0.

 

[John Jensen]

47,000 miles and my level never reached over 40% until the current troubles. Once over 75% the gauge turns red. It would regen at 40% and drop back to 0.

I wasn't referring to the DPF gauge. The only thing it accurately reports is when an active regen is occurring. My DPF gauge reports active regens but has never gone off zero. You need an Edge monitor, Scan Gauge or similar to properly monitor the sensors.

 

[2003F350]

Mine has passive regen'd a few times without any notification, it has 'active automatic' regen'd multiple times, but I think only TWICE has it given me the 'regen in process, keep driving' notification in the 5600 miles I've had it.

 

[jejb]

So I pulled a 7K enclosed trailer last week, about 300 miles, 200 of which was 75mph interstate through some pretty big Ozark Mt hills. Cruise set at 77. I checked the DPF gauge when I started out, and it was just over 25%. I watched it on and off, but by the time I got to my exit off the interstate, the gauge showed zero. Never got any kind of regen message. I've still yet to see a regen message on a Ram 2500 CTD. Not that I care, I guess. But it would be interesting to know.

 

[mtnrider]

That DPF gauge was the Worst thing they could have ever put in these trucks.... It causes more concern and anxiety for people then it's worth. Just drive the truck and ignore the gauge, it will tell you if something is wrong.


.

 

[crash68]

Just drive the truck and ignore the gauge, it will tell you if something is wrong.

^^^ this
About the gauge or indication needed would be something to alert you during an active regeneration so one can keep driving till it completes and not shut off the truck during.

 

[Choupique]

I recommend everyone have some type of OBD monitor (scangauge, OBDlink, etc) that broadcasts DPF status. About the only thing you need to keep awareness on is when the truck is performing an active regen, and try to not interrupt it. If you do interuppt it, give it a cool down period just as if you had been towing heavy for a while.

The trucks are designed for all this stuff to be transparent to the operator. It'll fuss at you if something is wrong. Otherwise, no need to worry about it.

 

[Arty13]

It's performing passive regens. They will not show up on your DPF gauge.

ACTIVE REGENERATION
An active regen will occur when the soot level reaches 80% and/or every 24 hours.

An active regeneration is triggered when the DPF exhaust back-pressure reaches a certain back pressure point that is interpreted as 80% soot for the Cummins 6.7. Then the ECU initiates a fuel injection designed to increase the exhaust temperature in the DPF to over 662 degrees F in order to oxidize the particulate deposits. When completed, the ECU assumes a small amount of residual soot and resets the value to 6-9%. The 2020 3500 trigger point is 80% soot. (100% on an Edge CTS3).

PASSIVE REGENERATION
A passive regeneration occurs when the load and speed of the engine produce DPF exhaust temperatures greater than 662 degrees F, and it burns off the trapped DPF soot as the vehicle operates. Generally, the EGT’s do not get hot enough for a passive regen at unloaded speeds, thus, some trucks may never or seldom see a passive regen. However, when towing, carrying a full load, or driving hard the EGT’s can reach passive temps and perform passive regenerations. (EGT3 sensor)

What PID do you monitor on the CTS3 to get the soot level… I’m trying to set that up now but can’t seem to find the soot metric in the basic or advanced PID lists? Thanks!

 

[John Jensen]

What PID do you monitor on the CTS3 to get the soot level… I’m trying to set that up now but can’t seem to find the soot metric in the basic or advanced PID lists? Thanks!

 

[Mark_ram]

hey all - Related drama. My 2020 3500 just went into the shop. After many many regen issues (several SW flashes, EGR valve, forced regens, replaced air filters), it has failed and the charge is $2500 to replace. This is not covered by RAM warranty (after basic 36k mi) nor my extended warranty. My truck is 300 mi short of 60k. This sucks. 80% of my miles are pulling a trailer. I show under 20% idle on the dash. I think there is a flaw. We need to count up the DPF fails on this forum and see if we have a case as a group.

 

[Timsdually]

hey all - Related drama. My 2020 3500 just went into the shop. After many many regen issues (several SW flashes, EGR valve, forced regens, replaced air filters), it has failed and the charge is $2500 to replace. This is not covered by RAM warranty (after basic 36k mi) nor my extended warranty. My truck is 300 mi short of 60k. This sucks. 80% of my miles are pulling a trailer. I show under 20% idle on the dash. I think there is a flaw. We need to count up the DPF fails on this forum and see if we have a case as a group.

Mine got replaced under warranty at slightly over 48,000. Warranty is 50,000. I got a printout of the cost to do it if I had to pay and it was way more than $2500. Consider yourself lucky.

 

[BossHogg]

I run a Bank's iDash Data Monster in both my diesels. I have it recording and every once in a while I'll pull the SD-CARD and take a look at the regen habits, I'm just curious I guess. What I have noticed is the passive regen state is all of the time and I get a full regen on average at about every 980 miles. The soot load and exhaust back pressure don't warrant a full regen but it does it anyway.

I sure would like to know the complete regen strategy.

 

[nlambert182]

hey all - Related drama. My 2020 3500 just went into the shop. After many many regen issues (several SW flashes, EGR valve, forced regens, replaced air filters), it has failed and the charge is $2500 to replace. This is not covered by RAM warranty (after basic 36k mi) nor my extended warranty. My truck is 300 mi short of 60k. This sucks. 80% of my miles are pulling a trailer. I show under 20% idle on the dash. I think there is a flaw. We need to count up the DPF fails on this forum and see if we have a case as a group.

You don't have a case. Every diesel truck with a DPF suffers at some point from emissions issues. It's the nature of the beast. Thank the EPA for that.

This isn't a Ram flaw. It's across the board, even on the big rigs. It's the nature of the beast. IF you have the capability to delete it, it solves the issue. Not everyone can (or will) due to emissions laws. In that event you have to replace it.

HOWEVER... you need to read your warranty and go back to the dealer and ask them to prove that it is excluded.

There was a federally mandated 8 yr/80k mile emission warranty. Not 100% sure if it's still in effect so you'll need to research. I've seen others say 5 years/50k. For some reason I think that's what the book in my 2018 Ram says.

Here is a blurb from the 8 yr/80k one:
"
Parts Covered for 8 Years or 80,000 Miles,
Whichever Occurs First
If your truck has one of the following parts, the Federal
Emission Warranty covers that part for a period of 8 years
or 80,000 miles, whichever occurs first, calculated from the
start date of the Basic Limited Warranty. The Basic Limited
Warranty begins on either of the following dates,
whichever is earlier:
• the date you take delivery of the vehicle; or
• the date when the vehicle was first put into service —
for example, as a dealer “demo” or as a FCA US
company vehicle.
The covered parts are:
• Oxidation Catalyst/Particulate Filter Assembly - 6.7L
• Powertrain Control Module - 6.7L
• Selective Catalytic Reduction Catalyst Assembly - 6.7L"

Some Maxcare extended warranties cover these as well but some don't. If you have one, you must read the fine print.

 

[Timsdually]

Used to be that long, but my truck is a 2020 and it says 50,000 miles. I was surprised they had lowered the mileage to 50,000.

 

[Units]

Used to be that long, but my truck is a 2020 and it says 50,000 miles. I was surprised they had lowered the mileage to 50,000.

I’m sure they did that to try and save some money, knowing there were going to be many emissions related failures before 80k. Risk management at it’s best.

 

[Timsdually]

I seems to me I remember reading somewhere that those emission equipment warranties were mandated by the EPA to be that long.