Limp Mode Time

[Timsdually]

I don't know where my post went from this morning. I revived another ReGen post but now I have no idea where it went.

I just got the dreaded DPF full see dealer warning. I was wondering just how many miles I can drive before it leaves me on the side of the road?
I have four dealers and each is about 1/2 hr away in each direction. It's going to mainly be who can take the truck in and get me out the fastest. I had a trip planned to MD on Wednesday, but I'm not holding breath now.

 

[crash68]

I don't know where my post went from this morning. I revived another ReGen post but now I have no idea where it went.

If you click on your username on the left side of a post you've made, then click on the Post count number in the box that pops up you'll see a list of all your posts.
I'd call ahead and make sure the dealership will look at the truck and if your net getting a reduced power notice should be able to limp it to the dealership.

 

[SniperDroid]

Join AAA for free tows!

 

[Tulecreeper]

Join AAA for free tows!

Or just do what I do. Pay $3 per month on my truck insurance for a Roadside Assistance rider.

 

[Timsdually]

I do have towing on my insurance but I'm in no hurry to sit on the side of the road waiting.
I did get the reduced power notice. it was part of the full filter notice.
What is interesting is that when it first popped up I switched the screen to see what the gauge showed and the gauge was only about 40% full. Then I went back and the warning popped up again. I turned around to head home since I had my trailer and I went back to the gauge screen again and this time,3 mins later, the gauge was up to 75% full. When I was half way home the warning popped up again and when I checked the gauge again it was 100% full and the "gauge" turned red. So it's in my driveway and when I started it again the warning shows first thing and the gauge is 100% and red.
I only drove about 10 miles since the warning popped up the first time. It says power is cut but it didn't really feel all that different.

I have seen the gauge before and it never got above 50% or turned red when it went into regens up until today. Truck has 47,000 on it and I am in rural area with long open roads. I can honestly say it is a rare day when I am driving under 60mph, so this thing does not soot up because I am stuck in traffic somewhere.

 

[Timsdually]

Dash photos.

 

[GTyankee]

I pay for AAA Membership

If i break down in my driveway, they will send a tow service out & tow it to a repair facility of my choice.

My particular AAA card is the Premier Membership
It covers a recreational vehicle, i have a Harley Trike & the Ram.

I can get up to a 100 mile tow

 

[Timsdually]

Just called the dealer. They said as long as the dash isn't showing a miles countdown it should be ok the drive in.
Can't do it today, will do tomorrow.

 

[Tulecreeper]

Just called the dealer. They said as long as the dash isn't showing a miles countdown it should be ok the drive in.
Can't do it today, will do tomorrow.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

 

[Timsdually]

Well good news. I started the truck up this morning to go to the dealer and about a mile down the road my warning screen turned to Regen in process keep driving. It took me about 40 mins to get to the dealer and the regen ran the entire time. Never had one go that long. usually they are about 15-20 mins.
I checked in and the mechanic was there and I told him what happened.
He said he would scan it quick and he cleared the code.
He said it tripped it because it said the exhaust temp was not hot enough to do the initial regen from Sunday.
That being weird since this morning the exhaust was definitely not hot when it went into regen.
The gauge is clear and stayed clear all the way back home.
Told him I am going to MD tomorrow for a 5hr one way trip and then turn around and head right back. There will be about 2 hrs of traffic light driving and the other 8 hrs will be 70-80mph highway. He said watch the gauge. So I will keep the gauge up for the trip and see how many times it goes into regen or how much the gauge goes up.
Didn't charge me anything for clearing the code.

 

[2003F350]

I remember seeing a thread about something similar recently, where the DPF will throw a code if it can't complete the regen cycle after a certain number of times.

That is also why newer diesels don't like short trips - they need to get warmed up and get run for a while to complete a regen cycle. I was a bit worried a couple weeks ago, my truck started an automatic (light) regen halfway to work and I was nervous it wasn't going to complete. The gauge was up to about 30-40 percent when I started it to go home, but it went into regen within minutes and was completed by the time I got home.

You've got to give these trucks longer runs to get that DPF up to temp and complete a regen, or your DPF will clog up.

 

[chri5k]

Glad it worked out for you. I was going to suggest doing a stationary desoot using AlfaOBD. I am not 100% certain it will start the process of the DPF is already 100% full.

 

[Timsdually]

I remember seeing a thread about something similar recently, where the DPF will throw a code if it can't complete the regen cycle after a certain number of times.

That is also why newer diesels don't like short trips - they need to get warmed up and get run for a while to complete a regen cycle. I was a bit worried a couple weeks ago, my truck started an automatic (light) regen halfway to work and I was nervous it wasn't going to complete. The gauge was up to about 30-40 percent when I started it to go home, but it went into regen within minutes and was completed by the time I got home.

You've got to give these trucks longer runs to get that DPF up to temp and complete a regen, or your DPF will clog up.

That's what I don't get. Sunday when this tripped it did after driving about ten miles. It was hot and in that ten miles the engine temp was up already, yet according to the mechanic, it kicked it out saying the exhaust was too cold still.
Then today when I left to take it to the dealer within a mile+ it starts regening. The engine temp was no where near up to temps at that point.

 

[Timsdually]

Glad it worked out for you. I was going to suggest doing a stationary desoot using AlfaOBD. I am not 100% certain it will start the process of the DPF is already 100% full.

The regen going to the dealer was a long one. It did completely clear the filter according to the gauge (photo above). I ended up putting almost 120 miles on today after leaving the dealer and the DPF gauge has not budged off "0".
Tomorrow will be the big test driving to MD and back.

 

[Timsdually]

Well, after the DPF cleaning itself out Tues morning and the dealer clearing the code, I headed for MD Wednesday morning. DPF gauge stayed at "0" from the time it cleaned Tues. AM until about 2 hrs into my trip. When I hit Richmond it went up to about 15%. Then a little over an hour later it went up to about 24%. Then, about when I got to where I was going it went up to about 35%. I figured it would do a regen on the way back home.
When I got loaded and started the truck back up to head home it was back down to about 24%. Stayed there until I stopped about 1 1/2 hrs later and then it went up to about 35% again.
This morning I headed out and it was back down to about 25%. Then within about 3-4 miles screen pops up, regen, keep driving. No more than a 1/2 mile down the road warning comes up filter full, less power see dealer and engine light came on.

I hit the down arrow to bring the gauge back up and it was about 40%. Decided to go for a ride and see if it would trigger the regen again. Nope. Warning came back up. I hit the down arrow again to bring the gauge up and this time the gauge was just over 50%. Kept driving and warning came up again, I hit the arrow and gauge now said just over 75% and the gauge was red. Warning came up again, I hit the arrow again and this time the gauge was 100% full and red. Decided to head for home and noticed that the temp gauge was fluctuating wildly between 184-194deg. No rhyme nor reason. As I was hitting the gas pedal, the gauge seemed to up and down with the pedal motion.
Sometimes the gauge would go up with increased speed, other times the gauge would go up with decreased speed.
Truck is back at the dealer and I am waiting for a call from them.
This must be some sensor going bad and giving conflicting signals. doesn't make sense.

 

[2003F350]

Definitely sounds like the DPF sensor is having major issues, for it to be fluctuating so much. Of course, with your temp gauge also fluctuating it could be a harness issue somewhere - regardless it definitely sounds electrical.

 

[Timsdually]

Called them this morning, waiting for them to call me back.


Update:
They just called. They tried a manual regen to clear the code and it would not clear.
They are replacing the DPF. Two days for it to come in. Since today is Fri. , two days will be next Tues.

 

[nlambert182]

FYI.... just in case you're curious for the future. Once the countdown pops up, it gives you 185 miles to get to the dealer.

 

[Timsdually]

FYI.... just in case you're curious for the future. Once the countdown pops up, it gives you 185 miles to get to the dealer.

Thanks for that. I wondered what it actually was and they couldn't tell me.
I put about 50 miles on it after the full filter warning came up and by the time I got to the dealer and the countdown had not started yet.

 

[Tulecreeper]

FYI.... just in case you're curious for the future. Once the countdown pops up, it gives you 185 miles to get to the dealer.

What happens if you don't make it? Does the truck just shut down and need a tow?