Hi all,

Another DPF nerd here.

While I am not a Range Rover owner, the DPF on my Land Rover Discovery Sport 2017 got blocked and had to be replaced, a problem that seems to be affecting many of us.

I found out there was a class action lawsuit against Land Rover for faulty DPF construction, and I wanted to get proof of whether my car was also affected.

(There is further information about the fault presented in this document).

Using the Car Scanner app, I recorded over 200 trips in and outside of the UK and put all the recordings up on a website: https://sootscout.com

It is still a work in progress (I need to do further detailed analysis on my trips); however, I believe it already provides valuable insights for anyone who wants to understand how the DPF works.

I've attached a photo of the first recorded trip, which immediately showed that the DPF could not regenerate itself during normal driving conditions on the motorway. Notice how the soot mass keeps increasing despite driving on the motorway. Only an active regeneration at the end of the trip could clear the soot.

The whole idea of DPF regeneration is explained in the WS manual below, and your first graph shows passive regeneration over 250C at limited events not easy to achieve constant PRegen below 70mph. As soot load/mileage increases, you meet the trigger point for an active Regeneration, which could be average mileage of your ARegens or grams of soot limit is achieved.
https://www.fullfatrr.com/gallery/albums/u...ration.pdf

The 2nd graph shows passive Regen all journey, as you are exceeding 250C, and averaging 300 to 500C so passive Regen is working well, no need for Active Regen to start.

So both graphs actually show your Regen system's algorithm is working as design.

However the mechanical design could be better, the architecture is not helping and is contributing to fuel dilution of the oil. Below is a JLR memo on this matter.https://www.fullfatrr.com/gallery/albums/u...lained.pdf

Point 7 is where they say "its your driving style Sir" 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Revisiting this - had a quick look with the Autel code reader earlier, how should I interpret this data?

Click image to enlarge

I'd be more concerned about what the current DPF soot level is, and whether a regen actually brings that level down as its meant to. Thats what matters at any particular time.

To me a high number of demands isn't in its own right a problem. The system can ask for it, but might not get it as there are many reasons why a request might be refused ... not enough speed, not enough engine temp, not enough fuel in the tank, not enough exhaust temp, etc etc etc. A lot of conditions need to be met to grant a request, but the system will still record that it has asked.

Incomplete regens could simply be ones that started, but didn't fully finish ... common on short journeys.

Partial successful regens i would argue is a similar thing to an incomplete regen. i.e. its done some cleaning of the dpf, but not all. There are quite a few codes on the LR systems which are left-overs from other JLR systems/vehicles and although they appear as available results, they may not actually be used by that particular vehicle.

Not sure about inhibited.

But overall ... its hard to judge without some value which shows how many regens is has successfully completed V8 or else ...

100% with fisha
I would ignore those Autel figures
I am only concerned now with monitoring grams soot and keep an eye on average miles / regen as that also is another trigger for AR to occur.
Of course I also watch exhaust temps during a Regen etc just for satisfaction it does go into the 500+Celsius range 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

@Philip,

100% agree with Fisha & Kot.

I recommend you purchase the “Kot Kit” (Vgate iCar BT OBD module & Car Scanner Pro App) and configure these to the specific parameters to monitor exactly what is needed to quickly see what is going on “live” as you drive, as has been very well demonstrated previously in this very thread.

Once this is done, it’s an absolute doddle to see what’s happening, and to optimise regens and minimise dilution and maximise “miles to service”.

I appreciate folks often try to use other tools, but the very low cost of this hardware/software combination, combined with the ease of use and “as-you-drive” sheer visibility large display on your phone screen with audible alerts, make it impossible to beat, and above all very safe to use when driving, with the possible massive font display size.

Very quickly, you will learn to understand your own vehicle and pattern of usage, so much so that you will begin to predict the expected soot concentration as it happens, do a quick check, then take the car for a run to clear the DPF exactly when required, -very satisfying to know you haven’t “missed one”

Once again, much respect to Kot, Luxmoggy, and other “Founding Fathers” of this thread  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Never looked at live data before, but it smelled very hot underneath when I parked earlier and I wondered if I might have interrupted a regen.

Can I accurately monitor soot level with the Autel AP200? I see there’s an inferred percentage soot load figure in the list.

I have the Autel AP200 and only use if for code reading and resetting etc, I never use it for monitoring live regen data.

I just find the Vgate and Car Scanner app better at providing Regen data, and only use it for that, never use it for DTC's etc.

@Gremlin500, I couldn't put it any better

I appreciate folks often try to use other tools, but the very low cost of this hardware/software combination, combined with the ease of use and “as-you-drive” sheer visibility large display on your phone screen with audible alerts, make it impossible to beat, and above all very safe to use when driving, with the possible massive font display size. 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Exactly. So you would really choose to ignore 26 pages of good advice?

The answer is probably not, for the safety of yourself and other road users.
Unless you will always have a copilot, it’s not a good idea.

Would you text whilst driving too? “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Am I missing something here? Ignoring advice? Texting?

Has anyone seen this? Tried “Mirror Mode”?
Sounds like a great way to make the “Kot Kit” even safer!!

?feature=shared “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

good video shows just how capable the software is--good find.
I have never tried mirror mode, I have HUD anyway so dont need another distraction.
I use a dedicated iPhone wireless charger/holder on the centre vents and set it up each journey no need to touch it when driving. I think the background images would be too much for my eyes  2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

This has got to be one of the most informative and fascinating (how sad am I?) threads I have followed for a long while. I am all setup and actively monitoring but I do have a couple of little questions just to be clear in my own mind;

1. The intended point of this setup is to monitor when a Regen is about to occur so you can continue driving to let it finish once it has started? So what I am asking is there is no need to monitor this ALL of the time once we have a good idea of mileage intervals that this is occurring for our vehicle?

2. Are people leaving the ODB tool permanently plugged in or do you unplug it at the end of each monitoring session? Is there any known battery drain if it is left in or is it only live once the ignition is switched on?

Other than those 2 questions I definitely have much less DPF anxiety now I can see what is going on.  _______________________________________________

2019 4.4 V8 Diesel Range Rover Autobiography, Byron Blue

1) I monitor most of the time, mine always regenerates at 25g of soot. But the other day whilst out on a drive it regenerated at 19g. No idea why, but if I wasn’t watching I might have turned the engine off and failed a regen.

2) I use an old iPhone as the “head unit”. If I forget to turn off the phone it will stay connected and drain the car battery. So I have the obd on a switched extension so it’s easy to turn off 2017 (67) Vogue SE Corinthian Grey

My 2p

1). Good to check miles vs Soot daily for a few weeks, so you can work out your typical miles driven per %/g Soot. Therafter, you can just check your mileage to work out soot in your head roughly.

For example, my soot increases by 1% per 4 miles driven, (but sometimes only 3). It just helps to guesstimate when its getting near the 51% trigger (some use grams, but I find 50% is easy to remember).

2). The instructions say don’t leave it plugged in. After all, it’s Chinese and you don’t want to toast your car? Sometimes it won’t connect after cycling the ignition, if you leave it plugged in. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?