Particulate Filter Burn off???

Golfer · 07-03-2012, 09:04 PM

Wife drove the focus into the garage tonight after trip from work (about 10Km). The car smelt very very hot. It smelt like burning paint. The temperature guage was normal, oil OK etc.
Done about 1600Km. Could the heat be from the particulate filter burning off? ( assuming it has one - that seems to be the consensus on the forum).
Will contact the dealer tomorrow but I will sleep better if I can be assured that the filter has experienced it's first burnoff.

Nolz · 07-03-2012, 09:16 PM

That's exactly what it is

If you have the trip computer set to the (4 displays in 1) and keep an eye on the instantaneous fuel consumption, it's quite obvious when the DPF is undergoing a regen.

where idle is 0.7-1.1 (with and without a/c) whilst undergoing regen it climbs up to 2.0 or more. I've noticed it typically lasts 7-10 minutes and you are left with quite a distinct smell, and a heap of heat.

Golfer · 07-03-2012, 09:31 PM

[QUOTE=Nolz]That's exactly what it is

If you have the trip computer set to the (4 displays in 1) and keep an eye on the instantaneous fuel consumption, it's quite obvious when the DPF is undergoing a regen.

QUOTE]

I asked if there had been any difference in the consumption but the answer was "I dont look at things like that I just get in and drive".

wombat66 · 07-03-2012, 09:47 PM

We have done about 3500kms and ours seems to have that hot burning smell all the time. We can smell it inside the car when we are driving along if one of the front windows is down. When we took it in for the 3000km service they couldn't find anything wrong.

Nolz · 07-03-2012, 10:36 PM

wombat66 are your drives over short distances or times? If the car isnt able to compelte its regen cycle and you turn it off, it will recommence when you start up again and it reaches temp.

wombat66 · 07-03-2012, 10:43 PM

Most of our trips are well over 50kms. Lots of highway driving. 99% of the time over 30 minutes.

wombat66 · 07-03-2012, 10:46 PM

The dealer suggested that it could be "overspray" of some sort under the car burning off and it will probably disappear over time. No faults or oil leaks were found. Smells a bit like really hot brakes or burning oil.

Nolz · 07-03-2012, 10:57 PM

I cant begin to describe what the dpf regen smells like however it's quite distinct and you know it every time it wafts through the cabin. Does it ever NOT have the smell you speak of?
Also when I shut down not long after a regen not only can I still smell the burn off but the crackling of the cooling exhaust and heat shields is quite noticable too.

The best way to see if its happening is the inst. fuel consumption. For me it's pretty obvious because I've removed my rear muffler and the car sounds a lot deeper/louder under regen.

wombat66 · 08-03-2012, 08:53 AM

Our car always has the smell when running. It seems worse when you are driving along with the windows open. Once we park and turn off it's very quickly gone. It's not a very strong smell but definately there.

Russ · 08-03-2012, 02:22 PM

All new engines will have a bit of a burning smell omitting from them but it will disappear in time. Most engine components especially high temperature parts such as exhausts, manifolds etc... are sprayed with an anti corrosive coating to keep them from rusting up whilst they are sitting around wherever awaiting shipping. The DPF regeneration always make things smell worse due to the additional heat generated to carry out the process, some of the burning smells that my previous car (Golf GT TDI) had were so bad in the first few 1000k's that on one occasion I phoned the NRMA roadside assistance and had someone come and check it before I drove it again. It smelt like it was ready to ignite into a ball of flames, but it was obviously quite normal

wombat66 · 08-03-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ

some of the burning smells that my previous car (Golf GT TDI) had were so bad in the first few 1000k's that on one occasion I phoned the NRMA roadside assistance and had someone come and check it before I drove it again.

So at 3500kms it could still just be something burning off? Maybe it will come good soon.

Russ · 08-03-2012, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wombat66

So at 3500kms it could still just be something burning off? Maybe it will come good soon.

Quite possible mate, but if it's a diesel then get used to it because it will always have some hint of a burning smell due to the DPF especially after the regeneration process

I found even with my LV Focus @15,000k's that it has some strange smells from it at times including oily smells, brake dust etc.... I was quite concerned one day when I had a strong smell of radiator coolant which appeared to be coming from the car, it turned out to be on the tyres, I must have driven through a patch on the road somewhere and it had sprayed up under the guards :( A quick hose off and the smell was gone within a day or so

NZ XR6 · 09-03-2012, 12:28 AM

Modern diesels have a slightly pungent exhaust smell - if you go round the back of the car when it's warmed up you should smell it from the exhaust. But I've never noticed any hot/burning smells.

I can tell by the exhaust note when the Mondeo is doing a regen - as Nolz said, it gets slightly deeper and louder for a few minutes.