DPF Clean Team has developed a method for uncovering cracked or broken diesel particulate filters (DPFs), which could deliver huge savings to fleet managers.

The nationwide automotive reconditioning specialist has been working with a European university research team to develop a unique new way to identify cracked filters on DPFs, catalytic converters and silencer units, without the need to cut open the filter. It means that the company can now diagnose a cracked filter far more quickly than before, helping to return vehicles to the road quicker than ever.

Previously, the business had no way of telling whether or not a filter was damaged, without opening up the component, which took both time and skill. This new method will identify any internal damage, and enable the team of specialist DPF engineers to determine whether or not a unit is damaged as soon as it is delivered to them.

The new method has also enabled the business to start offering an exchange service for new, reconditioned components, allowing fleet managers to part exchange their damaged or broken DPFs when purchasing a new, reconditioned unit from DPF Clean Team’s online store. The business claims that this new technique is not only faster, but is also more accurate than any other method available on the market.

Cameron Bryce, managing director at DPF Clean Team, said: “Previously the only way of detecting a cracked or damaged component was to open up the filter, or do an external check, looking for soot in the engine exhaust, or low back pressure. These methods take more time and are not always accurate, making it difficult to determine the cause of DPF failure.

“With our new method, we can immediately detect any damage, enabling us to offer fleet managers an alternative component from our network of European suppliers, always at a fraction of the price of a full aftermarket replacement.”

A cracked or damaged DPF, catalytic converter or silencer unit cannot be cleaned, as a component must maintain its integrity in order for the diesel exhaust to pass only through the fine-filtering walls of the ceramic material. Most often, damage is caused by mechanical failure, or by a driver knocking a DPF during a difficult journey.

DPF Clean Team’s news is particularly good for owners of heavy goods vehicles, including buses and coaches, after the RAC revealed that the cost of having vehicles off the road for fleet managers is up to £7,000 a year. This is exacerbated further by the typical price of an aftermarket replacement, which can exceed £12,000. DPF Clean Team is already working with businesses including Arriva and JCT600 to deliver more cost effective reconditioned replacements for a fraction of this cost, when a clean cannot be possible.

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