DIY DPF removal. Can you really do it yourself? It’s a question we get daily from disgruntled owners faced with a dealership DPF replacement/regeneration quotes, often of the four-digit variety.
So can you tackle this job yourself and replace/remove the DPF filter once and for all? Before we answer this, let’s think about what’s involved.
Yes, a DPF filter itself is a simple thing. A box with a honeycomb filter/mesh which stops/traps larger diesel exhaust particulates (soot) but allows the follow of normal exhaust gasses. What isn’t so simple are the sensors and ECU management which keep this system in check. Your car’s ECU is constantly monitoring the DPF sensors, checking back pressure and ensuring that it’s working correctly. In the event of a blockage / or high loading, it will trigger a DPF regeneration until sensors reach nominal levels. To complicate things further there are some systems which utilise ELOYS to reduce the temperature at which the soot can be “burnt off” the DPF.
Physical DPF removal
Physically removing the DPF typically isn’t what many would call a huge job. Some cars are harder than others but at the end of the day, it’s a serviceable exhaust component. Typically it should unbolt from the exhaust, however, on some vehicles, it requires a lot of jiggery-pokery depending on its location and in extreme cases the removal of the front subframe.
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