[JasonD]

I have a 2014 CTD with 28.3k miles (bought used with 16.9k). I just recently got myself a ScanGaugeII and it says I have 158 total completed regenerations... That's 179 miles per regen over the life of the car! My most recent distance between regens was 63 miles. 102 for the one before that.

My commute is stop and go back roads 25miles each way. 26-32mph average speed usually, according to the trip meter. Because of this, I expected to be on the worse end of the regen frequency spectrum.. but I would have guessed 400-500 per.

So my car doesn't currently have any codes thrown, but this seems like an outrageous amount of DPF regens. I'm worried something will finally rear its ugly head after my warranty runs out.

I had also just gotten myself a Trifecta tune, which I have removed after 2.5 days of use. I am certain it was not the cause, but I want to address this problem before I add in the variable of an aftermarket tune. If it's relevant: when testing out my new tune I didn't notice a huge difference, and I couldn't get the instantaneous horsepower reading to break above 110.

History on the car: I bought with a note in the carfax that it had been taken in for "engine computer issues". I bought it in late August '15 with 550 gal fuel used and 16.9k miles (30.7 mpg average, I've averaged 36.7 mpg for my ownership). It threw a CEL on me twice; once in December and again in February. When I checked the code through OnStar they were quite vague (I don't remember the specific code). By the time I could take it to the dealer the codes had cleared themselves.

I've run 3 different diesel fuel system cleaners through the tank, replaced the tires with Michelin Premier A/S at 25k miles (didn't need tires yet, just unhappy with the stock ones in winter conditions), oil changes every 5k at the dealer. I plan to keep this car a long time and I don't intend to skimp or skip any preventive maintenance. I have a big service planned at ~30k: oil change, tire rotate, fuel filter, intake and cabin air filters, transmission flush and conversion to Amsoil atf. I'm strongly considering installing a Perrin air/oil seperator (best design I've seen so far, by a fair margin).

I also noticed when I checked my oil dipstick today, after driving about a mile to the gas station on my lunch break, that little puffs of what looked like exhaust.

Am I screwed and experiencing massive blow-by? Is the EGR going crazy and causing poor combustion and clogging my dpf? Is my high pressure fuel pump not running at proper pressure? Soot mass sensor malfunction? All of these are just guesses but needless to say I'm pretty freaked out.

I plan on dropping it off to the dealer, but honestly they don't give me the impression of being experts on our rare LUV engine. Anyone have any ideas of where to look first?

TLDR: Regens waaay too often, possibly low power, no check engine codes thrown. I take good care of the car, don't drive like a feind. What gives?

 

[ChevyGuy]

You might want to read the thread How many hose clamps did you find under-tightened on your Diesel intake?. The theory is that loose clamps could be letting in unmetered air and creating a lean air/fuel mixture and various other problems.

Question: when your car goes though a regen, how low does the soot go? Down to zero, or does it stop before then? I'm trying to figure out if your car never completes a regen, or if it's building soot at an abnormal rate.

 

[boraz]

LUZ

not LUV

 

[boraz]

You might want to read the thread How many hose clamps did you find under-tightened on your Diesel intake?. The theory is that loose clamps could be letting in unmetered air and creating a lean air/fuel mixture and various other problems.

Question: when your car goes though a regen, how low does the soot go? Down to zero, or does it stop before then? I'm trying to figure out if your car never completes a regen, or if it's building soot at an abnormal rate.

nobody's goes to zero

 

[ChevyGuy]

nobody's goes to zero

What's the usual result of a normal, full regen?

 

[diesel]

nobody's goes to zero

Not usually, but sometimes... http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/201-gen1-diesel-technical-discussion/163698-strange-regen-events.html

I've run 3 different diesel fuel system cleaners through the tank,

This may be part of your problem. Others will disagree i am sure. Nothing but diesel fuel in my tank for 165K miles so far.

In general, stop and go driving will definitely increase the regen interval but I am not sure that the extremely short intervals you mention are normal. Do you have a way to get information from the dealer that will give you more insight into the problems listed on Carfax, like what the specific complaint was and what was done to address? Do you know for sure you have low ash oil in the crankcase? The wrong oil can definitely cause excessive regens. I would start by changing oil to a good Dexos2 oil and seeing if that changes things. There have been multiple reports of the dealers using Dexos1 in Cruze diesels.

What's the usual result of a normal, full regen?

Mine usually goes down to 3 grams and stops.

 

[JasonD]

Regen finishes at 3. I've only had the gauge on a few days so thats only my most recent 2 regen cycles.

I am certain the oil is the recommended. I made sure to point out the unusual oil to the service manager, and checked up on it after the first oil change.

I also checked the intake system fasteners. None were what i would call loose, though i did tighten one down a bit more.

I highly doubt a few fuel treatments would have caused such a high regen count.

Sorry i don't know how to quote posts on the mobile app. Thanks to all for the ideas so far!

 

[JasonD]

As to the previous issue/carfax, I called the dealership that had done that service asking about it, they didn't seem to have anything more specific in their tech notes.

 

[diesel]

As to the previous issue/carfax, I called the dealership that had done that service asking about it, they didn't seem to have anything more specific in their tech notes.

Could you ask them if you could talk to the tech that worked on it? Maybe (s)he will remember something. I mean, (s)he probably doesn't see a diesel Cruze every day.

it seems to me that something may have happened prior to your ownership to cause this situation.

 

[diesel]

Also, have your dealership see if the rumored update to fuel trim is available.

 

[LulzT1]

I've been having pretty frequent regens lately, too. Today was at about 100 miles and the past few have been between 150-300. My commute is about 37 miles each way, mostly highway. In the morning I usually won't see any soot accumulation (little traffic) but the afternoon I always hit stop and go traffic and see soot go up. Avg speed around 30-35mph per tank.

Tuesday I regen'd and filled up on my way home. Right after I hit heavy traffic all the way home from there and accumulated about 1 gram per mile, was at 16 miles and 16 grams.

I have no CEL or anything abnormal. I will continue to keep an eye on it..

 

[JasonD]

Similar deal for me. First trip after my last regen, I went from 3g to 14g. Last few trips since then were between 1-4 increase each. I just hit another regen coming home, 108 miles.

I've ordered some Amsoil oil test kits. Will I be able to tell if the dealer used the correct low ash oil by the results?

 

[VtTD]

My car probably has maybe 60/40 highway/city driving, so it is a pretty good mix. I've noticed the regens generally seem to be every 1 and 1/8 or 1 and 1/4 tank.

 

[diesel]

I've been having pretty frequent regens lately, too. Today was at about 100 miles and the past few have been between 150-300. My commute is about 37 miles each way, mostly highway. In the morning I usually won't see any soot accumulation (little traffic) but the afternoon I always hit stop and go traffic and see soot go up. Avg speed around 30-35mph per tank.

Tuesday I regen'd and filled up on my way home. Right after I hit heavy traffic all the way home from there and accumulated about 1 gram per mile, was at 16 miles and 16 grams.

I have no CEL or anything abnormal. I will continue to keep an eye on it..

When my car had fewer miles on it, I saw things like this happen from time to time. Now at 165K miles, I am driving more highway and seeing 900+ between regens.

Similar deal for me. First trip after my last regen, I went from 3g to 14g. Last few trips since then were between 1-4 increase each. I just hit another regen coming home, 108 miles.

I've ordered some Amsoil oil test kits. Will I be able to tell if the dealer used the correct low ash oil by the results?

It depends on the testing facility. You would have to do some research. i think there are a few people on this forum who know a lot about that sort of thing.

 

[IndyDiesel]

Last few regens, was 250, today 125, and at 11 grams in last 19 miles. Pretty frustrating. Same driving I have always done, wonder if summer fuel is causing a change, have 4800 miles on oil, if it is regening this often about 8-10% of the time it's in regen mode. Using the same fuel from a station in winter I got 750 miles a regen.

 

[IndyDiesel]

Have CTD back on highway and looks like a much better Regen cycle distance, seems like if I do too much stop and go in town stuff it really effects the regen cycle. My car has 10k miles now and I am doing more wide open throttle on occasion. Have a trip to the East Coast in a few weeks, so its going to have a time to readjust to a nice long trip. Freaky to think I can drive from Indy to New Jersey coast on one tank of fuel. :grin:

 

[CruzeDan]

Guys, you all worry too much about regens. Drive the car and it will take care of the rest. I don't know why you would be frustrated about the distance between regens if everything is still working properly.

 

[IndyDiesel]

Guys, you all worry too much about regens. Drive the car and it will take care of the rest. I don't know why you would be frustrated about the distance between regens if everything is still working properly.

I can be frustrated if at times it is in regen mode close to 10% of driving time and burning extra fuel and still could have a dumbass moment and turn the car off at wrong time and have to get a manual regen, that is MUCH more likely if regen cycle is every 100 miles vs 750 plus miles. To be honest if the car is going to regen every 100 miles consistently I will sell the car. You probably think I am crazy.....I might be. I don't like frequent regens.

 

[diesel]

I can be frustrated if at times it is in regen mode close to 10% of driving time and burning extra fuel and still could have a dumbass moment and turn the car off at wrong time and have to get a manual regen, that is MUCH more likely if regen cycle is every 100 miles vs 750 plus miles. To be honest if the car is going to regen every 100 miles consistently I will sell the car. You probably think I am crazy.....I might be. I don't like frequent regens.

You can shut it off during a regen no problem. Just watch out for the pre-regen. Ever since I have been watching for it, it's not happened in 33K miles at the time I would be shutting the car off.

 

[IndyDiesel]

You can shut it off during a regen no problem. Just watch out for the pre-regen. Ever since I have been watching for it, it's not happened in 33K miles at the time I would be shutting the car off.

Thanks, I think I have a good understanding of the issues, partly to reading about your experiences with regen good and bad. My main point is if it regens every 100 miles turning car off by mistake is more likely. It's overall very unlikely but still possible.