What does a DPF do?
by FTE Published on Thursday, February 12th, 2026
What does a DPF do? Ever wondered what happens to all that black smoke your diesel engine used to puff out?
Since founding Fuel Tech Experts, I’ve seen how Diesel Particulate Filters keep our air cleaner by trapping soot.
A DPF captures soot from your diesel engine’s exhaust, preventing it from reaching the atmosphere.
As it fills up, the DPF needs to burn off the soot through a process called regeneration, which happens when the exhaust gets hot enough during a drive.
The ECU monitors when the DPF needs regenerating. It checks exhaust pressure, back pressure, and temperature to trigger the process.
If conditions aren’t met, the soot stays, potentially causing blockages.
Have you noticed your DPF light coming on more frequently?
Get the engine up to full operating temperature and keep the revs above 2500 for 10 minutes or more to force an active regeneration.
I hope you find this explanation helpful and let me know if you have encountered any DPF issues.



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