DPF monitoring

[Hawthorn37]

As with others, this is a subject I’ve been concerned about. No problem for 9 months of the year - plenty of long journeys, but in winter we use the van for occasional sub 50 mile trips, so Regenerate hardly gets triggered. I’ll give this a whirl. Good info !

 

[Viktorgeorge]

When you have the app connected it showed the correct engine type in bottom left which for me was group 3. Easy enough to change groups until you get the right info.

Apparently there is a sticker showing the number but could not find on my 2021.

Got that, thanks. Mine shows, where you said, DMZA: so Group 9.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

Got that, thanks. Mine shows, where you said, DMZA: so Group 9.

After getting this running on my iPhone, CarPlay on the dash initially would not display - showing only ‘select device’ but after reselecting, in my case a CARISTA, on my IPhone I then got the full dash display as per your initial post.

I am now looking forward to selecting DPF regeneration on my CARISTA on my next longer drive - having been poodling around the Algarve for weeks and currently at 79% - and watching the process:

 

[yossarian]

One possible problem is that AFAIK the OBD port remains powered when the vehicle is shutdown. So depending on your dongle's consumption a flat battery is a possible.

 

[Viktorgeorge]

One possible problem is that AFAIK the OBD port remains powered when the vehicle is shutdown. So depending on your dongle's consumption a flat battery is a possible.

Does anyone know what a Carista dongle would consume (if left in place) when the car is shut down, and which battery(s) the OBD uses: presumably the starter battery? I can see that the dongle which the App creator Tom Wilson recommends is the Vgate ICar Pro (which he used to design the app) and this has 'fit and forget' self switch off after a short period of the car being shut down. I don't know if Carista is similar, or whether it is best always removed after use.

 

[Stu@rt]

Anyone using this with android auto?

 

[Goldi]

This intrigues me. Can someone explain the value of the above app, as I suspect i'm missing something out and that bugs me .

If DPF regen is automatic based on engine need and the fans run on shut down if mid-DPF-cycle, what's the benefit of the above?

I believe I saw a YouTube video done by California Time some time back in which he explains that on a trip to Scotland, an alert came up on their Cali dashboard saying that the oil level was too high, & if I understood correctly, it turned out to be because they had switched their engine off during one or more DPF regens, and instead of the deisel going onto the DPF to spontaniously combust for the regen process, it presumably slowly drained down past the pistons & into the oil in the crankcase.

However, to confirm this is all true, I would want to speak to a VW expert engineer. I have downloaded the app, I have the Carista dongle, & am looking forward to giving it a go .

 

[dspuk]

I believe I saw a YouTube video done by California Time some time back in which he explains that on a trip to Scotland, an alert came up on their Cali dashboard saying that the oil level was too high, & if I understood correctly, it turned out to be because they had switched their engine off during one or more DPF regens, and instead of the deisel going onto the DPF to spontaniously combust for the regen process, it presumably slowly drained down past the pistons & into the oil in the crankcase.

However, to confirm this is all true, I would want to speak to a VW expert engineer. I have downloaded the app, I have the Carista dongle, & am looking forward to giving it a go .

My recollection of the end result of this was the oil issue was because technicians were overfilling them at factory and PDI. Was a flurry of a problem for a month or so and went away as quick.

Of the OP - I don;'t think there is a benefit to the app per sey - some people like to keep an eye on it, but the management system in all normal use takes care of it. People only come on here and get confused generally because they use their Cali 4x a year and just drive to the shops and back in between.

 

[Tarquers]

I believe I saw a YouTube video done by California Time some time back in which he explains that on a trip to Scotland, an alert came up on their Cali dashboard saying that the oil level was too high, & if I understood correctly, it turned out to be because they had switched their engine off during one or more DPF regens, and instead of the deisel going onto the DPF to spontaniously combust for the regen process, it presumably slowly drained down past the pistons & into the oil in the crankcase.

However, to confirm this is all true, I would want to speak to a VW expert engineer. I have downloaded the app, I have the Carista dongle, & am looking forward to giving it a go .

DPF is after the turbos, can’t see how it could drain back through the pistons? It’s also mounted lower so unless something magical is happening with gravity…

 

[Goldi]

DPF is after the turbos, can’t see how it could drain back through the pistons? It’s also mounted lower so unless something magical is happening with gravity…

I may be wrong.........but I had formed an impression that active regeneration is caused by extra diesel being injected into the cylinders on the exhaust stroke which ends up in the DPF & ignites to burn off the soot, assuming the engine hasnt been switched off during the process, in which case it drains away into the crankcase. Could that be what the 'Post 1/2/3 injection' boxes are about on the app data display?

 

[Tarquers]

I may be wrong.........but I had formed an impression that active regeneration is caused by extra diesel being injected into the cylinders on the exhaust stroke which ends up in the DPF & ignites to burn off the soot, assuming the engine hasnt been switched off during the process, in which case it drains away into the crankcase. Could that be what the 'Post 1/2/3 injection' boxes are about on the app data display?

I agree that is how it works but no way for this excess to drain into the engine. Remember also the DPF continues to run if you switch off mid regen.

Just as a note, when the engine starts and stops regen you do get an alert on the phone which was great today as I was driving and wanting to park, but regen happened. Let me know it was finished and I stopped. Starts at 30g and went down to about 9g.

 

[pluc99]

Oh for a Tsi California. Oh but wait, the California Concept has a Tsi variant.

"Oh but wait" being the operative phrase here

 

[WelshGas]

"Oh but wait" being the operative phrase here

Not long now. T6.1 production line will soon be closing.

 

[Stu@rt]

Remember also the DPF continues to run if you switch off mid regen.

I'm not sure that the regen continues to run if you switch off mid regen??

My understanding was the fans roar up in a bid to cool things down quickly after it gets aborted. Otherwise there is 700 degree heat festering under your van.

 

[yossarian]

I'm not sure that the regen continues to run if you switch off mid regen??

My understanding was the fans roar up in a bid to cool things down quickly after it gets aborted. Otherwise there is 700 degree heat festering under your van.

This was my understanding too. @CampervanTime did a video a while ago with a useful tip: if a regen is in progress your start stop system will be disabled. So to test you can apply the brake -- if the engine doesn't stop that's probably due to a regen and it might be preferable to idle a few minutes before shutting down.

 

[66tim99]

$4.99 one time purchase. Seems like an excellent investment. Found myself turning off the motor mid regen without realising. I want to avoid a repeat performance and this will give a headsup when region will occur or as Tarquers says an opportunity to force it during a longer run.

Amazing its not built into the onboard electronic systems, when its only $4.99?

 

[Tarquers]

I'm not sure that the regen continues to run if you switch off mid regen??

My understanding was the fans roar up in a bid to cool things down quickly after it gets aborted. Otherwise there is 700 degree heat festering under your van.

That is what I was trying to say but rushed the post. Thanks for correcting

 

[Viktorgeorge]

After my posting #30 above I contacted Carista about leaving a Carista plugged in and the response was:

"We do not recommend leaving the adapter plugged in all the time due to power-saving and security issues. Power consumption-wise, the adapter draws around 45mAh + exactly 12V, so depending on the frequency of driving the car, you likely won't have battery drainage issues.

If you need further assistance or have more questions, feel free to reach out!

Anaida Antonova
Head of Support + Carista"

In the meantime I have found the Tom Wilson's DPF Monitor APP for VAG (see #6 above etc.) very interesting and useful too, through CarPlay.

Tom posts on his website that he set up the APP using one of these (which the product details say can be left in full time):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071D8SYXN/?tag=vwcalifornia-21

So I have just bought one and plugged it in. All works fine without any other APP for the DPF monitor.

Any suggestions welcome, from the experts here, on other useful 'layman' APP's that will provide additional services/results from the Vgate iCar Pro BLE 4.0 OBD2 Diagnostic Tool.

 

[chockswahay]

OK, I was curious so I bought the app…….. just tried it and it works but tbh I have no flippin idea what I’m meant to do with these figures! For what it’s worth I assume the last regen must have been driving home yesterday? (fan was on when I parked up)




 

[chockswahay]

I agree that is how it works but no way for this excess to drain into the engine. Remember also the DPF continues to run if you switch off mid regen.

Just as a note, when the engine starts and stops regen you do get an alert on the phone which was great today as I was driving and wanting to park, but regen happened. Let me know it was finished and I stopped. Starts at 30g and went down to about 9g.
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@Tarquers did you have to have the Carista plugged in for the regen message?

 

[Tarquers]

@Tarquers did you have to have the Carista plugged in for the regen message?

Hi yes I keep the Carista in all the time, it provides the canbus communication for the app.

You get a “bong” when it starts and stops.

For info I find not using the van on long runs I get approx 300 km between regens but on a long drive back from Denmark saw over 600km so the engine management clearly thinks it knows what it is doing.

 

[Tarquers]

OK, I was curious so I bought the app…….. just tried it and it works but tbh I have no flippin idea what I’m meant to do with these figures! For what it’s worth I assume the last regen must have been driving home yesterday? (fan was on when I parked up)

View attachment 118838


View attachment 118839

Have you got the right engine selected? Your EGR showing 110% open and status at 48% should have about 15 g of carbon. I had to mess around to get the right engine selected.

 

[chockswahay]

Have you got the right engine selected? Your EGR showing 110% open and status at 48% should have about 15 g of carbon. I had to mess around to get the right engine selected.

My engine is CFXA on the sticker (inside manual 1st page) so group 7. The engine was cold when I did this….. would that affect the numbers?

 

[California Rob]

Ive been using the DPF Monitoring app for a few weeks now and i find it very useful.
My iphone hotspots to my infotainment when i get into the van so i can use the carplay without plugging the cable in. Every now and them i check the app via carplay just to see where the filter is at.Very useful.

 

[RockinNRollin]

I’ve just ordered a Carista OBD2 with a view to getting this app as it seems a no brainier! Plus as the van gets older the Carista will probably become handy for fault codes (we hope not but it’s likely!!)