It may well be that the system was designed/setup
using a particular fuel and it's not as robust as the thought
to cope with variations.

It's all a bit of a cheat in terms of the problem it is meant
to resolve IMHO.

It's not just Alfas that are having issues either.

 

Reminds me, must clean the flu' on our oil-fired central heating boiler, before winter sets in.

 

I'd love to know what percentage of people are having DPF problems, since, if you read this forum, you'd assume I'm one of the few.

As I've said before I ran my car on BP Ultimate for a full year (before the fuel price hike) and now use Wynn's additive and I've never had a problem.

 

Fraser,

It is a well known problem according to the Service team at Mangos - and it affects the 2.4 JTDm both 200 and 210 bhp. They have had numerous issues with Breras and 159s - Hunter's is probably the most extreme. Count yourself lucky.

BTW - just done Manchester to Inverness (A9) via Glasgow in the GT -stunning scenery.

166Lover

 

Is it only people on the South coast who are having DPF issues?

 

I havent had any issues

 

Me neither.

 

There is a refinery here on Teesside, 2 on the Humber and one in the NW Ellesmere port way. Also here on Teesside they import shed loads of petrol from the European market. I would think it extremely difficult to ascertain which refinery a particular tank of fuel is from.

That said on a similar thought, what about premium diesel?

 

Not the same but similar.

If I use V Power, the tailpipes are as clean as a whistle & MPG is better.

Using standard Tesco petrol, the 'pipes are a bit sooty and consumption isn't as good.

Spend over £50 on your shopping at Tescos and you currently get 5p a litre off though

 

I have had no issues in my 6 weeks and 4000 miles of ownership. Previous owner mentioned nothing in this regard either.

 

I think maybe I'll get a 159 when I'm 30 and look into removing the DPF. Maybe it can just be bashed out like a cat converter?

 

Then you'll be leaving a smoke trail behind you Pud

My old 156 20v was smokey at the best of times on full boost. Post remap it was extreme!

 

Fraser, I'm convinced it affects all cars...its just how the car is used that causes it. I don't know how you drive your car but do you ever do short 5-10 min journies for 5 or more days in a row?

 

Dont know about Fraser but I do. 6 miles to work in the morning, 6 miles back at night - Monday to Friday.

 

As 166 says, my case is probably worse case scenario with clogged DPF.:cheese:

On this 2nd 159, I've needed new injectors, perforated manifolds, forced DPF regen twice, new sensors, engine resets/updates etc basically a new clean exhaust system. This has had knock on effects. Wild stuttering, surging on full boost, oil leaks, crank shaft issues and 2 sets of swirl valves (probably not blamed on the DPF, but that kind of hesitation 'off and on' boost in rapid succession does no good to an engine's working parts!)

I don't drive slowly, as some of you can testify first hand and I drive all over the UK motorways at semi-legal speeds, so in theory I have sampled most of the UK's fuel quality. My journeys are often long, sometimes 5 hours non-stop at high speed, but yet it still clogged. Really wierd.

My many many limp modes caused by DPF clogging have happened in different geographical places with different fuels. BP, Shell, high cetane, normal cetane, forte diesel additive, redex additive etc etc etc and there seems no pattern what so ever.

So in a typically long winded way Rick, I don't have a clue why Perhaps someone should make a poll sticky and we can test Fraser's theory.

Having said that, I agree with Fraser that a disproportionate number of 159/Brera/Spider owners come onto AO to report problems and whatever results we get can't be classed as gospel.
Would be interesting though

 

Managed to sweep that stove pipe, accessed through the damper/flu' hatch. Boiler fired up, and the system runs as sweet as a nut now.: Shame you can't stuff a few stiff bristles up a cars exhaust.:

 

De Sell, very well at the Mo' though?:

 

Mines very noticeable depending on driving style. You can almost rule out the refinery issue as I've spent most of the last 3 months in France/Switzerland with the same issue. The only thing that appears guaranteed to avoid issues is to drive it like you stole it - letting it coast is the thing that appears to cause most issues. My drive to work is 10 miles with an 800m elevation into the alps whereas the drive home is an 800m drop. By the time I get to the bottom its coughing and spluttering like an asthmatic yet Swiss speed limits don't allow me to clear it out. Almost every morning the DPF then regenerates on the way back up the hill.

 

200 hp Brera - suffered from this problem for months now. Still no resolution after three trips to the dealership. Much worse after a few days of commuting short distances at slow speed.
Two alleviations - £15 of Redex + a full tank of V power (totalling over £100!!) and a driving style like Mr Bean. First option expensive and second not great in rush hour!
This is really starting to irritate.
Third solution yesterday was to test drive a 2.2 159 TI which I have to say was pretty impressive. Any thoughts on the 3.2?

 

Thoughts of sweet smelling Benzine enter my head? Sorry chaps,but they will get the oil burners sorted, shortly, I'm sure.:

 

Im in the same boat as K3. I buy my fuel all over Europe and the car is spanked up and down the mway at 3 digit speeds for hrs at a time (Autobahn )

I have needed new injectors and perforated manifolds and the coughing/hesitation problem is beginning to show its face.

My DPF seems to regenerate at the most random moments and IMO regens very frequently.