Tried cleaning a DPF with a new chemical soak and it came out worse than before

Had a 2015 Ram 3500 come into the shop last month with a clogged DPF. The owner didn't want to pay for a new one, so I figured I'd try this new 'deep clean' chemical soak I saw online. Followed the instructions to the letter, let it sit for the full 24 hours, and rinsed it out with the pressure washer. When I put it back on the truck and ran a forced regen, the back pressure readings were actually higher than before I started. It was like the cleaner just moved the soot around and baked it into a harder cake. Ended up having to tell the customer they needed a new unit anyway, which was a tough call. Learned that sometimes the 'miracle' fixes just waste time and make the job harder. Has anyone else had a chemical clean totally backfire like that? What's your go-to method now when a soak doesn't cut it?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_wesley28d ago

Yeah that "baked it into a harder cake" thing is the worst. I had the same exact problem with a Ford 6.7L. My go-to now is just to send it out for a professional bake and blow service. It costs more than a chemical soak but it actually works. They cook all the soot out in a big oven and then use an air gun to clear the ash. It saved a DPF I thought was totally junk. I only try a chemical clean if the customer is really pushing for the cheapest option and I warn them it might not work.

cole_baker28d ago

Disagree completely, a good chemical clean works fine if you do it right. You have to use the right cleaner and really flush it after, not just dunk it. Angela587 probably got a bad batch of cleaner or let it dry in there. I've saved dozens of filters that way for half the cost.

angela58728d ago

So @the_wesley, how many times have you seen a chemical clean actually make it worse? I tried it once on a Ram filter that was just kinda plugged, not totally dead. The soak turned everything into this solid, gritty brick. Had to tell the guy he just paid to ruin his part. Now I skip straight to the bake and blow if there's any real buildup at all.