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Scangauge, Soot load, and Regen

1744 Views 8 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  Smokewagun
Now that Linear Logic has provided new x-gauge commands for my Scangauge II, I'm able to see the soot load percentage, how many miles since last Regen, and when the engine is in Regen. The Regen happens exactly at 300 miles (I've seen approximately 6 Regens since the Scangauge was updated). It's interesting that the soot load does drop when the Regen is complete and the lowest I've seen was 5% -- but most the time in the 20-30% range (highest I seen after Regen was 45% which was when I was driving slower and in the city). Interesting it doesn't make any difference how low (or high) the soot load shows after the current Regen, the soot load percentage creeps up to 100% which is "exactly" at 300 miles and starts again. 95% of my mileage is highway at 65 to 70mph so not sure if it would be different if I had more city miles. What mileage are you seeing between Regens?
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Update to this post. The above post was when all my driving was road miles, but now that I'm driving a little more in the city (prob 50/50), I'm finding that my regens happen more often and the mileage between regens is much lower. What I'm seeing on the scangauge is that if I shut off the motor during a regen, then when restarted the soot load percentage just starts going up again where it was interrupted (with the shut off) on the way down. An example, I had to shut off during a regen when the soot load percentage was going down and at 85%. When I restarted, the regen did not start again but the soot load percentage start counting up again until it reached 100% (maybe only drove about 30-50 miles or so) then the regen started again. Of course I had to stop and interrupt again, so the cycle continued which results in a "cycle of frequent regens." Wish there was a way when I am on the highway and for a longer drive period that you could manually start a regen if your soot load percentage was near 100%. Is that possible in Forscan?
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Wish there was a way when I am on the highway and for a longer drive period that you could manually start a regen if your soot load percentage was near 100%. Is that possible in Forscan?
I wish it was possible. I was at 100% and started a 20 mile trip to wife's sister. Got to 75% and wife asks to stop at Dollar General. I kept it in neutral, never shifted to park, still no good- regen was over at 75%. My driving pattern is mostly in town and regens are frequent and usually incomplete.
I wish it was possible. I was at 100% and started a 20 mile trip to wife's sister. Got to 75% and wife asks to stop at Dollar General. I kept it in neutral, never shifted to park, still no good- regen was over at 75%. My driving pattern is mostly in town and regens are frequent and usually incomplete.
Been there, when this happens to me I usually just drop wife off at the door, and keep driving until it's done. If you stop for too long I think it kills it.
Update to this post. The above post was when all my driving was road miles, but now that I'm driving a little more in the city (prob 50/50), I'm finding that my regens happen more often and the mileage between regens is much lower. What I'm seeing on the scangauge is that if I shut off the motor during a regen, then when restarted the soot load percentage just starts going up again where it was interrupted (with the shut off) on the way down. An example, I had to shut off during a regen when the soot load percentage was going down and at 85%. When I restarted, the regen did not start again but the soot load percentage start counting up again until it reached 100% (maybe only drove about 30-50 miles or so) then the regen started again. Of course I had to stop and interrupt again, so the cycle continued which results in a "cycle of frequent regens." Wish there was a way when I am on the highway and for a longer drive period that you could manually start a regen if your soot load percentage was near 100%. Is that possible in FORScan?
What you describe is what I have coined the "DPF Regen death spiral" where something interrupts the Active Regen cycle and you start filling the DPF back where your aborted Active Regen left off.

No option in FORScan to start an Active Regen before 100%, as I have wasted a lot of time and miles going for a blow-out run at 95% full only to drive an extra 5-10 miles to get to 100% to start the 20 mile blow-out run.

My tactic now is:
  1. Disable Active Regens via IPC (after enabling option in IPC via FORScan) when I am close to 100% full
  2. Wait to get the DPF Full message in IPC
  3. Take into account I need to make a blow-out run the next time I drive
  4. On next drive get truck up to operating temps (EGT11-13 > 560F and Coolant Temp > 195F)
  5. Enable Active Regen via IPC
  6. Commence 20 min/20 mile "blow-out" run until DPF Full % back to 0%
I have this routine down pretty good, where I am < 2 mile away from my house when DPF Full in IPC hits 0%

This technique does cause you to add some miles to DIST_TRVL_EXFUL (Distance Travelled while Exhaust Filter Full) PID but there is some buffer there before you add to DIST_TRVL_EXOL (Distance Travelled while Exhaust Filter Over Limit) PID so I use that buffer to avoid the unknown mileage/time required to get from 95% to 100%

Non-OCR Active Regens will only commence when following conditions are met:
  • EGT11-13 > 560 F
  • DPF (100%) Full
    or
  • 300 mile MAX for DIST_LAST_DPF (Distance Travelled Since Last Diesel Particulate Filter Regen)
Here is a FORScan screen capture of some of the PIDs I referenced above:
1995
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No option in FORScan to start an Active Regen before 100%, as I have wasted a lot of time and miles going for a blow-out run at 95% full only to drive an extra 5-10 miles to get to 100% to start the 20 mile blow-out run.

For all the extra miles and such you might as well do a forscan driveway regen. I started mine at 85% and my theory is it gives you a great full regen, at a cost of 20 or so minutes in the driveway. At least you start your next cycle at zero percent. :)
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I need to get the guts up to try and do the Forescan thing. Where is the best Forescan for Dummies post?
@Smokewagun - The best guide on the internet is right here, our own administrator started it, it is a great read: START HERE: New FORScan user education
@Smokewagun - The best guide on the internet is right here, our own administrator started it, it is a great read: START HERE: New FORScan user education
THANK YOU!
Looks like some fun over Christmas Break!
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