“An obstructed fuel injection doser line may be preventing fuel injection from occurring to elevate temperatures into the DOC and DPF,” they say. “The DOC can become face plugged after extended periods of low load and low speed engine operation, thereby restricting flow through the DOC and DPF, as well as limiting the exhaust temperature.” WARNINGS Illumination of the DPF status lamp indicates the vehicle’s desire for a regeneration. More specifically, says FSX Equipment’s Taylor, a solid light indicates a partial DPF regeneration is required, and a flashing light indicates a full DPF regeneration is necessary. When a vehicle’s DPF is full and engine performance is limited, the driver will be informed via a flashing or solid general warning lamp or alarm. If a driver encounters a stop alert or solid alarm, the DPF is over full and the engine will shut down soon. “The driver should pull over immediately, stop the engine and seek service,” says Taylor. “Do not attempt a parked regeneration.” THE CLEANER, THE BETTER Ash buildup in the DPF also affects the accuracy of the information gleaned from its status indicator lamp on the vehicle. Taylor of FSX Equipment advises those found on Class 8 long haul trucks should be removed and cleaned to nearly-new condition at 100,000 miles to avoid continued forced regenerations and the potentially serious damage to the DPF that could come along with them (See sidebar on dealing with ash buildup in a DPF). “If you make DPF ash cleaning a standard procedure in all of your annual preventive maintenance schedules, you will eliminate 99 percent of your DPF problems,” says Taylor. The quality of the DPF cleaning process also will determine how long it will be before a vehicle begins to show symptoms of ash and soot buildup. “The worst thing to do is reinstall a DPF thought to be clean, only to find out after several hours of vehicle troubleshooting that it wasn’t and a lot of ash was left behind,” he says. “Good cleaners have a lot of power and a visible process for knowing when the cleaning is finished. They are run by conscientious technicians that take pride in their work and do the job right.” Heavy Duty | ANYTIMEANYWHERE We have you covered in the middle of nowhere A roadside emergency sets your fl eet back in time and money. The last place you want your drivers to spend downtime because of a tire failure or mechanical issue is stranded on the side of the road. With one simple call to OKLOVES you get reliable and hassle-free roadside service. LOWERINGYOUR 1-800-OK-LOVES | loves.com/trucktirecare We do some of our best work in the middle of nowhere by providing your fl eet -hour roadside service. Additionally, we now off er Great Dane AdvantEDGE trailer services nationwide. Speak with a Love’s Fleet Solutions expert today about lowering your cost per mile. VehicleServicePros.com/10710487 Go to VehicleServicePros.com/12182625 to find out when a forced regeneration of a diesel particulate filter is necessary.
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