Okay, let's talk about this DPF filter cleaning machine I got my hands on.

So, my truck started feeling real sluggish, you know? Like it couldn't breathe properly. The warning light popped up too, the dreaded DPF light. Took it to a guy, and he quoted me a fortune for a new filter. No way I was paying that.

Getting Started

I'd heard about these cleaning machines. Did some digging, found a place that had one I could use. Figured I'd give it a shot myself. What's the worst that could happen, right? Save some cash, maybe learn something.

First pain was getting the DPF filter off the truck. It’s tucked away up there, heavy piece of kit. Lots of rusty bolts. Needed some penetrating oil and a good breaker bar. Took me a good couple of hours wrestling with it under the truck. Finally got the beast out.

Using the Machine

Alright, so I had the filter, now for the machine part. Looked kinda complicated at first, but it's mostly just hoses and clamps.

• Hooking it up: I had to figure out the right adapters to connect the filter to the machine's pipes. Clamped it down tight so it wouldn't leak everywhere.
• Running the test: Before cleaning, the machine did a flow test, or back pressure test, they called it. Just to see how blocked it really was. Yeah, it was bad. Hardly any air getting through.
• The Wash Cycle: This was the main event. I punched in the settings – basically just hit the 'start' button after selecting the right cycle. The machine started pumping water through the filter, backwards first, I think. Then it started pulsing air through it too.
• Watching the Gunk: Man, you wouldn't believe the stuff that came out. The water turned black instantly. Just pure soot and ash pouring out into the machine's collection tank. It ran for quite a while, flushing and blowing, flushing and blowing.
• Drying Phase: After the washing, it ran a drying cycle. Basically just blew hot air through it for a good long time to get all the moisture out. Don't want a wet filter going back in.
• Final Check: Once it was done, I ran that back pressure test again. Big difference! The readings were way down, almost like new. Looked clean inside too, peering down the ends.

Putting it Back Together

Okay, cleaning done. Now I had to wrestle that heavy filter back into place on the truck. Lining it up was tricky, getting the bolts started again. Took another hour or so, fiddling around. Made sure everything was tight.

Fired up the truck. The DPF light was off! Took it for a spin. Felt much better. More responsive, like it used to be. Definitely breathing easier now.

Was it Worth It?

Absolutely. It took a chunk of my day, and getting the filter off and on wasn't fun. But compared to the cost of a new one? No contest. Plus, I know it's properly clean now. Seeing all that crud come out was pretty satisfying, gotta say. If it clogs up again down the line, I know what I'll be doing.