Service Issues: XC90 D5 engine DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter)

[GMcL]

Very interesting reading this as I bought a Euro3 two months ago based on the fact I didn't like the fuel consumption figures people at work, driving comapny cars, were quoting for Euro4's.

Two things strike me from reading this thread.

1. If you only intend using the car for very short journeys why buy diesel ?
This doesn't make sense as diesel engines work better for long distance work, medium engine speeds and preferably under load.
Petrol is by far the better option, as it warms up faster, for frequent short journeys although exhausts do suffer from condensation build up.

2. If such high exhaust gas temperatures are required for regeneration, in combination with enriched fuel mapping causing droplets of fuel to come through the exhaust, I wonder how long the exhaust valves on these cars are going to last.

[Razer]

Originally Posted by GMcL

Very interesting reading this as I bought a Euro3 two months ago based on the fact I didn't like the fuel consumption figures people at work, driving comapny cars, were quoting for Euro4's.

Two things strike me from reading this thread.

1. If you only intend using the car for very short journeys why buy diesel ?
This doesn't make sense as diesel engines work better for long distance work, medium engine speeds and preferably under load.
Petrol is by far the better option, as it warms up faster, for frequent short journeys although exhausts do suffer from condensation build up.

2. If such high exhaust gas temperatures are required for regeneration, in combination with enriched fuel mapping causing droplets of fuel to come through the exhaust, I wonder how long the exhaust valves on these cars are going to last.

Well in relation to point one in my case is that i fell in love with the D5, i love the idea of having that extra oomph when required, with absolutely no effort involved. I normally do around 12k a year, but at the moment im doing around 30k, but this isnt for much longer.

2. very good point.

[GMcL]

Originally Posted by Razer

Well in relation to point one in my case is that i fell in love with the D5, i love the idea of having that extra oomph when required, with absolutely no effort involved. I normally do around 12k a year, but at the moment im doing around 30k, but this isnt for much longer.

Nothing wrong with buying the car you want, just be aware that diesels used in frequent short, stop/start journeys where they aren't getting upto temp require more servicing.

If I were in the position to be able to afford a D5 Euro4, there's no way it would be going 18k between services (in particular oil changes). Even with modern long life synthetic oils which are supposed to trap the rubbish. I'd be slipping an oil & filter change in at 9k. Which is an additional expense.

I find it quite amazing that Volvo are giving the diesels an 18k service interval.
Audi will stick you on an extended service schedule (anything upto 20k between services) for their diesels but, it's a well documented fact their TDi engines sludge up and can have internal timing chain problems, at about the 70k mark, if not treated to a new filter and oil change every 10k.
The French, who are pretty good with diesels, stick with a 12k stop for diesel vs. 20k for petrols.
I currently cover about 12k per year and will be having a 6k oil and filter change as it's cheaper than desludging and rebuilding an engine at the 5 or 6 year MOT due to poor emissions.

[Razer]

Thanks for the info, do you do the 9k oil change yourself or get the dealer to do it? If dealer, what sort of price?

On modern diesels do you still need to drain water out of one of the filters like the old days or has this now been dispensed with?

Back to the original topic then, should i let the particulate filter sway my judgement of which engine to get?

[GMcL]

That is your choice but thanks to this forum at least forwarned is to be forarmed, or whatever that phrase is.

You now know that going down the D5 Euro4 route you will experience at times heavier fuel consumption if you are doing a low mileage and the car decides it needs to regenerate.

You know the 185 engine is apparently a lot smoother than the Euro3 163 D5.

You also know you can RICA the Euro3 car to produce more power than the standard Euro4 D5 185 for around the 600GBP mark and it won't significantly harm your insurance premium (though will affect the warranty if the car is less than 3 years old).

So, you pays your money and makes your choice.

I haven't reached the first 6k oil change yet with this car so no idea what Volvo will charge. If it's something stupid then I think I can handle an oil and filter change. Castrol 0-30w synthetic oil and a genuine filter (& sump washer).

It would appear I am contradicting myself by saying a diesel should be bought by someone who does a higher mileage etc... and me only doing 12k per annum. The reason for me buying diesel is because 12k is my current annual mileage.
In my job it's possible that next year I may cover upto 50k so I have to hedge my bets when buying a car.

[tangey]

I want to thank the contributor here who pointed me in the direction of this thread.

I have an S60 D5 from new Dec 2006, and have had a load of headaches with this soot filter.

My car is currently in Limp mode for the 2nd time and is waiting to go back to the dealer to get manually regenerated.

I have trained myself to very quickly go for a long drive as soon as I see the "soot filter full" message, however this time I delayed by 5 miles and 1 cold start, and that appears to have been too much.

My driving is 90% 1.5-2 mile trips, most of my driving would be without the car reaching full warm up temperature. So neither the automatic nor "enriched" periods are being given a chance.

My problem is, I don't and shouldn't need to know ANY of this. If Volvo or anyone else is selling a car that needs to have manual intervention based of certain driving standards they HAVE to tell me this. I understand that they have emmision standards to reach blah blah, but if they cant do that cars that are frequently "small-run" then they should say so.

I have never heard of ANYONE have this issue before, and I live in Northern Ireland which is FULL of diesel cars. I can't for one minute imagine that I an the most conservative diesel driver ever known to man, my previous car was a 3.0 petrol Mondeo ST220, so I can and do drive vigorously.

[shimon340]

those 1.5 to 2 miles trips and the car never reaching operating temperature is going to far more far than simply clog the particulate filter. it is never getting full enough to reach light off temperature and begin oxidising the carbon. further, such short journies will also be wearing your battery very quick

this isnt specific to volvo, rather any car going on such continuous short journies and never warming up is going to have problems

[Ron_XC90]

Originally Posted by tangey

I have never heard of ANYONE have this issue before, and I live in Northern Ireland which is FULL of diesel cars. I can't for one minute imagine that I an the most conservative diesel driver ever known to man, my previous car was a 3.0 petrol Mondeo ST220, so I can and do drive vigorously.

@tangey, this is a common problem with diesel engines with particle filters. I have had 2 Peugeot's before, both with 2.2HDI and FAP and same issue with those engines.
The DPF or FAP, whatever the manufacturers call them, can only do their job properly at high temperatures.
Only short distances is not sufficient to "burn off" the particles and regenerate the filter