[AMA] Automotive Tech/Diesel Mech/Plant Fitter. It's AMA2, Electric Boogaloo

• 

  [Deactivated] on 06/03/2018 - 11:38

  +3

  Have you ever worked at a casino?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 11:49

    +1

    Weirdly enough, yes! True story, I was knocked back from a job in their maintenance department, so I stayed in table games! :D

• 

  geek001 on 06/03/2018 - 11:46

  How do you feel about E10 fuel? Good? Bad?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 11:55

    +1

    I don't mind the stuff. It has a place as a viable fuel option and I run it in all my vehicles. No issues, no loss of power and certainly no "100km less per tank" that gets quoted by armchair scientists.

    What I don’t like about E10 is the misinformation that is spread around by people who don’t know or "heard it from a friend" or try and compare it to 91RON on a price comparison.

    In general, it's a good thing. If you want to read more on my thoughts on E10, you can always revisit the E10 fuel thread and catch up on my rants…

    • 

      geek001 on 07/03/2018 - 16:00

      I switched to using E10 to see if it makes a difference. I find that my car runs a little rougher than before. Is there an adjustment period for the car to get used to the new fuel or do I need to get the car computer reset or something like that?

      • 

        pegaxs on 07/03/2018 - 19:09

        There can be a small adjustment window for the car to adjust to the lower density of the E10, but it should do that fairly promptly. It may take a tank or two. If it lasts longer than that, say after 3 tanks, then something else is wrong. Either the quality of the fuel you are getting is garbage, or the ethanol in the E10 has cleaned out something, for example, in the tank and blocked the filter, although that's unlikely.

        Things to try are, filling up at an alternative fuel station (not the same brand) and see if that clears it. After a few tanks worth of E10, if it still runs rough, revert to your usual fuel and see if that clears it. Make sure it's E10 and not E85, as E85 takes some tuning to get right, E10 should just re-calibrate within the parameters of the engine ECU by itself.

        I run E10 in all of our vehicles, both family and work vehicles and I have never experienced the "rough running" that people speak of. (Not saying it doesn't exist, just not experienced E10 being the cause.) I have had only a very few customers complain of it, but i just use the scan tool to reset their ECU and let it re-learn on E10.

        If it's at idle, it may need a base idle reset, if it's at higher RPM, there could be another issue other than the fuel…

      • 

        geek001 on 07/03/2018 - 19:59

        @pegaxs: Ok, thanks for that. Just out of curiosity, what brand of E10 do you use? I filled up with 7-eleven E10, supposedly Mobil brand. The rougher running is not very noticeable, I only notice it because I drive only that car normally. I will try a few tanks and see. FYI, the car that I am speaking of is a Nissan Pathfinder R52.

      • 

        pegaxs on 07/03/2018 - 20:25

        @geek001:

        I’m a brand slut. I whore myself out to whoever has the cheapest prices. To me, I don’t really care about who sells me the fuel, just so long as I get the best value for my money.

        That being said though, if I do get a bad batch of fuel, it will turn me off that place for a while.

      • 

        geek001 on 07/03/2018 - 20:34

        @pegaxs: Aren't we all? Brand sluts? Lol. I alternate between 7-eleven(location hack) and Woolworths Caltex(+5% off egiftcard) depending on who is cheaper at the time.

• 

  GangGang on 06/03/2018 - 12:03

  Your thoughts on new suv cars being built with a petrol engine compared to diesel engines, in terms of paying roughly extra 5-10 thousand extra for the diesel + extras. Do diesel engines last longer compared to normal petrol engines.

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 12:14

    +1

    Yes, a diesel engine will last longer than a petrol… BUT! there is a big caveat here. You MUST service a diesel when they say. Diesels do not tolerate long service intervals like a petrol engine can. If you can look after your diesel engine, it will look after you.

    In the top photo I posted, the T908 behind me has 1,300,000km on it. It has not had a rebuild yet. In it's life before we got it, it was doing an average of 1000km/day. Every service is accounted for and it still pulls 600+hp

    The downside is cost. I would not buy a new SUV in diesel unless I had a lot of freeway or open road commutes. You just wont make your money back and the new DPF (Diesel Particle Filter/regen) systems on modern diesels need those freeway runs to burn off the carbon.

    If you do all your driving from home to work through inner city suburban areas, do NOT buy a modern diesel SUV. If you live 20 mins down the highway/freeway, then you will feel the benefit…

• 

  [Deactivated] on 06/03/2018 - 12:06

  Do you always need to put anti-seize on spark plugs ?
  do you use a torque wrench to tighten spark plugs?

  my check engine light is on and it scans as fuel bank 1 too rich
  ive changed spark plugs , airfilter , cleared the code and then it came back on
  my mechanic has no diea what to do , any help ?

  is the stabilizer link essential to change straight away ?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 12:28

    I don’t use antiseize on plugs, I just a dab of oil or some CRC/WD-40 ("Hen's Piss" for all the automotive guys out there!!) Antiseize is a bit too thick and can get on the contacts on the plugs. Oil just tends to run off or burn up.

    Torque wrench always. For almost everything I do on cars, it's torque wrench. Only butchers do it by hand.

    "Bank 1 too rich" sounds like a bad/blocked injector or a coil pack misfire. Depends on the type of ignition system, if it has plug leads, also check them. Basically it means that the fuel isn't being burnt on that side (assume it's V8/V6 due to "bank 1"), so you need to find out why. Absolute worse case, no/very low compression in one cylinder…

    Stabilizer link? As in, suspension? Depends on how bad it is. They are usually just a short rod with a ball joint at each end. It's a a quick job and parts are cheap. They are connected to the sway bar to link it to the suspension arms. If it fails, it will cause handling to change in the car, it could become dangerous and if you leave a broken one for too long, it will cause damage to other things in the suspension of possibly tear off a brake line.

• 

  bathuu on 06/03/2018 - 12:33

  I got a 1999 Holden Rodeo with bypassed heatcore because of coolant leak into dash. it kinda overheats (needle moves to the hot side 3/4) when driving with AC on for long period.(otherwise fine) What is the fix for this without the obvious of fixing heatcore?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 12:45

    I would start with getting your radiator looked at. Bypassing a heater core should have little affect on cooling, but with the AC on and getting hot, it tells me that it's possibly the radiator is partially blocked and not working at 100%.

    I know someone will chime in with "what about the thermostat??" A busted thermostat would be more likely to cause the car to take forever to come up to temp, never to come up to temp, or always be over temp. A blocked radiator will cause what you are implying. It runs ok until you ad the extra heat of the condenser in front of it adding heat to the air passing over the radiator…

• 

  ThithLord on 06/03/2018 - 13:17

  Kudos for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia reference.

• 

  battler on 06/03/2018 - 13:29

  A few mechanics I know 'ran away to the mines' 10-15 years ago. Did chasing the big $ not appeal to you?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 14:36

    +1

    Been there, done that. Don't need money now. Well, not as much. I live in the middle of Coaltown NSW! So if I wanted to work in the mines again, I would. The difference is that now, it does not pay as much as what it did when I first started working in the mining industry. It still pays well, but I much prefer my work/life balance. My days of working weekends and rotating night shifts are well gone.

• 

  Oz8argain on 06/03/2018 - 14:15

  what is your personal vehicle and do you service it yourself?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 14:46

    I drive a Holden Bogan… Errr, I meant Commonwhore Ute. SV6, 'cause the V8 was outside the budget.

    I do all my own servicing where I can. If it's covered by warranty or on a "capped price" service plan, I take it back to the dealer.

    Some of my older cars I take back to the stealership every now and then just to check for things like recalls or service bulletins. This is very important to do from time to time on any car.

    NOTE: Everyone, please take some time to call your local cars stealership and run your VIN for any outstanding recalls. This could save your life. Takata airbags is a great example, as this goes back as far as 2000. Your car may have changed hands 5 or 6 times in the last 18 years, so the manufacturer may not have your details to send you a letter to notify you of a recall. Only takes a min to ring a dealer and ask them to run your VIN for any outstanding recalls or service actions.

    • 

      Oz8argain on 06/03/2018 - 16:21

      Commonwhore Ute

      I thought you were a sophisticated man…
      what makes the v8 ute so attractive?

      • 

        pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 17:30

        +2

        Noise! Torque! And resale value to 20yo mechanic apprentices… :D

• 

  Ryanek on 06/03/2018 - 14:42

  How often do I change my headlight fluid?

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 14:48

    This should be done at the same time as replacing your blinker fluid. Elbow grease needs to be applied every second service. :D

• 

  [Deactivated] on 06/03/2018 - 15:52

  My front tires are scraping the well liners on dips (not bumps). The bigger the drop on the dip, the worse the scrapes. I have replace the liner twice already.

  The tire in current configuration is -5 offset from OEM. All strictly road and CAMS legal. The tire has a wide shoulder typical of semi-slicks. I have no problem with wet tires that have rounded shoulders.

  Is there a way to offset the well liners or an alternative that will not significantly impact road noise, water sealing nor change the cosmetics of the car? I want it to look as stock as possible so definitely no fender rolling or bolt ons.

  Ps. I've thought of custom making my own liners then I realise I don't know the first thing about soft plastics precision manufacturing.

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 15:59

    Stiffer springs or better dampened shocks. Raise the height of the vehicle. -5 is not a lot of offset, so I would suggest there is something else you did. Lowered the vehicle, perhaps? If the wheels have the same rolling diameter as standard and are touching, the car is too low or your front shocks are in need of replacing/upgrading.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 06/03/2018 - 16:04

      It is lowered. Springs and shocks are ToTL. I can rebuild it with stiffer springs but it's going to cause a whole lot of other issues. I've raised the car back but doesn't seem to be the issue either.

      It seems to be the shoulder. The curvature of the liner must be very unforgiving for flat shoulders. All else being the same, if I swap to wet tires, problem solved (except wet tires are horrid to drive on).

      Ps. Actually, not ToTL. The difference in price for the next step up will cost more than AMG Kid's ride… And probably my marriage.

      PPS - if I negatively camber it, problem gone… But I'm no kebab shop speedy boi (and tire life, track times)

      PPPS - I guess I'm really asking if there's a way to change the shape of the liner, do away with the liner and compensate with something else to stop water and sound ingress.

• 

  sahh on 06/03/2018 - 19:15

  Are there any females in the industry? I find it interesting that there are some industries where the govt/industry (e.g. IT/engineering) is pushing for more female reresentation but some occupations we’re happy to leave to the blokes.

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 19:54

    +1

    When I first went through, there were no women in the trade. Now, it's a different story.

    I attend TAFE doing another trade course and where I am, there is a light automotive trade school right below us. I am happy to say that in each of the classes I have seen, about 1/4 of the students doing automotive trades are now girls/women, so it is slowing becoming more of a balanced workplace for women to enter and take on roles they previously wouldn't have even looked at.

    I have found though, in the heavier trades, Diesel Mechanic or Plant Fitter, there are very very few women due to the nature and size of the vehicles we deal with.

    So, in light vehicles, yes, I can see women taking a much larger roll, but in the heavy industry segment, not so much.

    As for engineering and IT, that doesn’t count to me, because anybody can sit at a desk and filling pieces of paper with maths and drawings. I feel that gender doesn’t really factor into that.

• 

  iforgotmysocks on 06/03/2018 - 21:43

  Any bargains???

  • 

    pegaxs on 06/03/2018 - 23:08

    +1

    Coming into winter, I might do a special on changing your tyre air over to winter air, or we have the cheaper 80% nitrogen mixed air.

    Free muffler bearing inspections with every service.

    • 

      gimli on 11/03/2018 - 13:32

      is the nitrogen air really worth it?
      My worry was that then you can't refill your tyres yourself afterwards.

      • 

        pegaxs on 11/03/2018 - 14:00

        +1

        The irony of it is that normal compressed air is made up of mostly nitrogen.

        There is no harm in doing it, but there isnt much point to it. And if you fill with nitrogen only, then there is no problem topping up if you get a leak with normal compressed air.

        OzB’s favourite automotive guru has a great video on why filling tyres with nitrogen is a waste of time and money.

        That being said, we used to fill large earthmover truck tyres with nitrogen, because these tyres can catch fire internally if filled with air, so they fill them with nitrogen simple to stop tyre fires. Cars don’t really suffer from this problem.

• 

  Zachary on 08/03/2018 - 03:32

  Are all trucks turbo charged?

  • 

    pegaxs on 08/03/2018 - 08:47

    +1

    No, not all "trucks", but it's how you define truck. Smaller trucks, like say Isuzu and the like are a mix. Some are, some aren't.

    If you're talking trucks like Kenworth, Mack, Freightliner, the big heavy haulage stuff, then yes. I have never worked on a HR/HC/MC type truck that wasn't turbo charged.

    • 

      Zachary on 08/03/2018 - 22:38

      Yeah I was talking about the big ones… I would have thought just an engine by itself would be enough or perhaps a supercharger because, unless I'm incorrect, turbo chargers are for when you're going faster than 200km/hr and what truck goes 200km/hr or faster? hahahaha…. And superchargers are meant for slower speed but gives about the same kick only requiring not to go as fast for the boost to kick in….

      • 

        pegaxs on 08/03/2018 - 23:19

        Lol @ 200km/h…

        Not quite. Any super chargers job (turbo or blowers) is to increase the amount of air jammed into a cylinder. The more air you can get in there, the more fuel you can burn. The more fuel, the bigger the bang. The bigger the bang, the more torque an engine produces.

        There are two basic ways to get more torque. One is by increasing the size of the engine, say, from 5lt to 10lt in capacity. But, bolting two 5lt engines together takes up too much space.

        Another way to do it is if you can jam 10lt of air and fuel into a 5lt engine. The way they do this is using a boosted system. This is where turbos and blowers come into the frame.

        The other big difference between cars and trucks is that trucks produce vast quantities of torque at low RPM. My Kenworth only has 400hp, and people will say, yeah, but my LS1 has 600hp. The difference is, my truck produces about 1200ft/lb of torque @ 1600 RPM. The LS1 produces about 500ft/lb @ 4800 RPM. (NB: And for any petrol heads out there, these are not true figures, just example numbers.)

        And if you really want to read about interesting forced induction engines, read about the old Detroit Diesel 2 strokes. They were turbos that feed into blowers that feed the cylinders.

      • 

        Zachary on 10/03/2018 - 00:12

        @pegaxs: Oh I guess I'm way off then! Hahahaha so much for playing arcade/sim racing games…..hahahaha…

        So if you could, you could effectively build a W16 engine(which I believe basically can either be two bolted together V8 engines or just a big ass solid W16 engine…unless there's no such thing..) equivalent power from a single V8 engine with some superchargers and or turbo chargers connected so that it forces the engine to take the equivalent air as if it was a W16 engine? ….cool….

      • 

        JIMB0 on 10/03/2018 - 11:29

        @pegaxs: Those old Detroit 2 strokes make a fantastic sound.

      • 

        pegaxs on 10/03/2018 - 12:21

        @Zachary:

        Two V8's bolted together make a really long V8, (see this photo of 2 8V149 engines bolted together) not a W.

        W style engines are different again. Or look up Volkswagen "W" engines.

        But yes, at 1ATM (or 14psi of boost), you have effectively doubled the capacity of the engine. If you boosted a 2lt 4cyl to 1ATM, it would have roughly the same power as the same engine but in 4lt size.

        @JIMB0:

        There is something about the sound of an 8V92 at full load that just says "I AM POWER!!". I miss that the old 2 stroke diesels just faded out of existence due to pollution regulations. It's all about inline 6cyl 4 stroke engines in trucks now…

      • 

        Zachary on 10/03/2018 - 18:45

        @pegaxs:

        Two V8's bolted together make a really long V8, (see this photo of 2 8V149 engines bolted together) not a W.
        W style engines are different again. Or look up Volkswagen "W" engines.

        Oh…I thought you meant bolting them side to side, not length ways…and my W style engine type was imagined …differently….. where if looked flat front of the block, it should represent the letter W, not the letter V with a line in the middle of the V….

        Just took a look at one of those detroit 2 stroke engine sounds on youtube, I suppose they sound alright…..still doesn't beat the beastly grunt of a V8 engine though…mmmmm… :P

• 

  cloudy on 19/03/2018 - 09:52

  A recent thread someone asked if they don’t drive much can they wait longer before servicing their car. Manufacturers guide clearly says 12000km or six months.

  So why does a car with low kms still need a service every six months if it only gets driven, say, 3000 kms?

  • 

    pegaxs on 19/03/2018 - 10:22

    +1

    Yeah, I saw that thread and replied to it as well.

    It all really depends on your driving situation and your climate. Most of Australia is pretty good climate wise. As an average car owner in Australia, we don't get really bad winters here or constant humidity or dirty conditions, most of us live in city or semi-rural areas.

    What I suggest to people is to follow their car makers km advice. This is usually between 10~15,000 km. That's about the average km per year. If someone does a lot less, I advise them to follow a 12 to 18 month service schedule, because it may take 3+ years to get to the recommended km interval and oils, coolant and other fluids can break down over time from just sitting around.

    If a dealer is telling you "every 6 months, regardless", they are just lining their own pockets. Unless you're doing 40,000km+ a year, there is no point to half yearly services…

• 

  ahly92 on 11/04/2018 - 15:47

  recently after turning on the aircon and driving for a few k's, I would sometimes get a burned smoky diesel/fume smells that would make me cough. What do you think that might be from? (Merc. R300). Cheers

  • 

    pegaxs on 11/04/2018 - 19:46

    When you say air con, do you mean the fan? Or is the fan running and then you turn on the air con to cool the air? They could be different problems.

    If the fan is off and you turn it on and smell the fumes, it could be an engine bay problem. Oil leak or fuel leak that is being picked up when the fan starts as the air is sucked in from around the front of the cars windscreen area.

    If the fan is already running and the smell only occurs when you press the air con button, it could be something like the aircon drive belt dragging over a failed tensioner pulley.

    The only other thing I can think of off the top of my head is that if your vehicle has pollen filters, these filters may have something on them or may need to be cleaned. It could be bacteria build up from in the inlet ducting from wet leaves and dead insects in there over time…

    The problem is, without seeing the car in person, I can only throw out ideas to check.

• 

  maybeamacy on 13/06/2018 - 20:03

  How come diesel is 150c/L when it was like 125c a few weeks back? :(

  • 

    pegaxs on 13/06/2018 - 23:02

    You’ll have to ask the fuel companies that question. I would like to know as well…

• 

  Zachary on 13/06/2018 - 23:11

  Quick question, what could cause the heater to not work even with the temperature dial all the way in the red and or flashing lights(and sometimes the lights doesn't even turn on) on the fan modes(ie face, feet, face + feet, windscreen, etc.)?

  • 

    pegaxs on 13/06/2018 - 23:27

    Quick answer: Lack of water. Your cooling system has a leak and/or is out of or low on coolant. There is possibly air in your heater core, usually caused by a blockage or by low coolant.

    This would explain the over heating engine and no hot air from the heater…

    Sometimes, heater cores will leak inside the car, so when people sell them, they will do it in summer and plug the heater core to stop coolant going through it and leaking. Sell the car and 6 months later in winter, your heater doesn’t work.

    • 

      Zachary on 14/06/2018 - 00:38

      awww foookkk I got jibbed!? -_- That bastard…..!!! Hahahaha……says everything is mechanically sound….and no issues whatsoever…my ass no issues! hahahaha It was fine when I had test drove it before buying it off the guy, I guess…..but now I see why it was so cheap….they lure you in with first impressions then says cya laterz when they've pulled you in and have your money…hah gg no re…

      Does that also apply to A/C too as I don't think that uses the coolant to cool your air inside the cabin, does it? Because that doesn't seem to work either and the light just flashes on and off or not even on at all sometimes…?

      That might also explain why I need to top up the reservoir every week or at least every fortnightly; but thought that was the norm since water dry up when boiled and evaporate away anyway, right?

      Well the engine hasn't yet overheated, the temperature needle hasn't gone passed half-way point so far anyways; but I guess that could also be a faulty gauge faking the actual needle target where it's shows half way between cool and hot(maybe the guy I bought it off from hacked the needle gauge so that it wouldn't go pass halfway point?) but in actuality it's at the red overheating point? How would I tell if the engine is overheating or not assuming that I can't rely on or have a faulty temperature reader? I'm guessing smoke coming out of the bonnet? Or…something else before that? I haven't seen smoke come out yet so I should be good, right….? 😅

      • 

        pegaxs on 14/06/2018 - 08:59

        Does that also apply to A/C too as I don't think that uses the coolant to cool your air inside the cabin, does it?

        The A/C systems works independent of your cooling system. You can have a totally functioning A/C and a non functioning heater or vice/versa. If your A/C isn’t working, that is a separate issue. Most of the time, A/C not working means it just needs a service and a regas.

        That might also explain why I need to top up the reservoir every week or at least every fortnightly

        I'd say so. :D
        but like i said, it sounds like your heatercore is blocked or worse still, not even connected.

        the temperature needle hasn't gone passed half-way point so far anyways

        There may still be enough water in there to keep it cooled enough. The other issue is that the temp sensor, depending on its location, may not be the temp of the water, but of the air in the system. If your engine is low on coolant and below the temp sensor level, it may be giving you a reading of the air bubble in the system, where the water may be much, much hotter.

        Engine over heating is a hard thing to recognise without a gauge. Firstly, you will notice a major drop in power and the car will feel really slugish. By that time, it's usually too late. Other signs are things like smoke from under the bonnet (bonut for some!) This is the oil being burnt up. Another sign is steam and lots of it, as high coolant temps usually result in high pressure and this pressure ends up blowing hoses off or bypassing the radiator caps.

      • 

        Zachary on 15/06/2018 - 00:48

        @pegaxs: > The A/C systems works independent of your cooling system. You can have a totally functioning A/C and a non functioning heater or vice/versa. If your A/C isn’t working, that is a separate issue. Most of the time, A/C not working means it just needs a service and a regas.

        ok fair enough

        but like i said, it sounds like your heatercore is blocked or worse still, not even connected.

        Well to my surprise the heater came back working again! So I guess it must have unblocked itself…….though the lights on the fan mode buttons still flashes sometimes…. Well at least I can keep nice and warm during my morning trips……

        I've noticed some coolant stains on the engine block when I open the bonnet up…..cleaned it up though assuming it was a one off or spilt coolant from a refill….somehow…where the reservoir was like 50cm away from the stain location….

• 

  maybeamacy on 13/06/2018 - 23:57

  How reliable are modern day European diesels? Eg. Euro 5/6 standards with DPF's, EGR's, Ad-Blue systems, etc.?

  also, is it rude to supply my own parts to a mechanic and just pay for labour? How do you know that work has actually been done on your vehicle that you can't see, eg. fluid changes and what not?

  • 

    pegaxs on 14/06/2018 - 08:43

    Modern diesels are still reliable, but they are just more highly strung and require more attention and maintenance. With the rise in technology also comes a rise in the risk that issues will arise. The engines themselves are still the same technology, but all the added requirements and systems just means there is a greater chance for something to go wrong. DPF are a classic example of new diesel systems that go wrong if not taken care of in a particular fashion.

    And no, it’s not rude to supply your own parts. But just this as a word of warning, talk to your mechanic first, because the amount of people that supply parts to us that are wrong are almost at 100%. They order it off eBay and when it comes in, it’s for a 2007 not 2008 or something else. I’m happy to fit supplies parts, but dont get all butt hurt if I can’t fit it because you ordered it wrong. No amount of yelling at me is going to make a wrong part fit. Te guy on eBay just sells the parts, I’m the guy who fits them, if I’m telling you it won’t fit, it won’t.

    As for checking work done, like servicing, check fluid levels and colour. Engine oil will be very dark or black when old and a nice honey type colour when new. Brake fluid is similar. Very light (usually) yellowish colour to almost clear to brown, darkish colour when old. If your auto trans can have its oil changed, the oil will most likely be a really bright red colour. Old auto trans oil will look a dirty, burnt brown colour.

    As for replaced parts, look to see if the part they replaced looks brand new. Look for spanner marks on the heads of bolts. Look for fresh/clean looking gaskets or gasket goop around parts that hold back water or oil. Look for things like the area where the new part has been fitted to look cleaned up.

    • 

      maybeamacy on 14/06/2018 - 21:18

      Cheers,

      Anything I can do to ensure I don't have DPF issues in the future besides highway driving it often? I do about 4x 50 minute trips a week @ 110km/hr but my rev's always stay at about 1k RPM as the engine isn't exerting itself that hard. Should I drop down a gear by putting my car into sport mode so it holds RPM's at 2k? There's conflicts online as to whether or not it will burn off the soot if RPM's aren't high enough.

      Is it still okay to drive my car 1 minute away to the local shops and back home once or twice a week as well (without the car being warmed up) provided I do those long highway trips?

      • 

        pegaxs on 14/06/2018 - 23:52

        Best to consult with your vehicle manufacturer. It driving it on the highway is a good idea. If you were always using it for the trip to the shops, that would eventually kill the DPF. But have a read of your owners manual, as different car makers suggest different things and usually the DPF regen is a computer controlled thing, so it may not care what gear you are in, just the fact that it is running at highway speed.

        As for driving your car to the shop and back, no problem. So Long as you do a mix of other driving, it should all be fine. Just don’t drive to the shop like an F1 driver if the engine isn’t warmed up fully.

      • 

        maybeamacy on 15/06/2018 - 01:18

        @pegaxs:

        Cool! I see that DPF removal mods are common on the 4x4 sites although not legal. Do you come across many of these cars/is it noticeable when they don't have a DPF?