DPF Forced Regen Tools - What works and What does not

[Neal]

For those of us that choose to get this tool, after you learn and validate it (do a regen) I suggest just monitor soot level. That's my plan. If anyone sees anything other than "normal" please speak up. I believe in letting the system manage itself but I don't want to get into the situation I was in again and in a remote area at that. It can be a great tool for monitoring. Hopefully we'll see even better info on soot levels with firmware updates.

 

[redbaron]

Using bluefire, you can monitor PGN 64891

Soot is SPN 3719
Ash is SPN 3720

 

[ARD]

Using bluefire, you can monitor PGN 64891

Soot is SPN 3719
Ash is SPN 3720

I can see where I can monitor the soot and ash percentages in the AfterTreatment Data under Drive, but can't figure out how to monitor PGN 64891. I thought SPN 3719 was a fault code for high soot level. Help please.

 

[redbaron]

I can see where I can monitor the soot and ash percentages in the AfterTreatment Data under Drive, but can't figure out how to monitor PGN 64891. I thought SPN 3719 was a fault code for high soot level. Help please.

Your method is better!!! Holy cow @ARD ... i feel dumb for the method I was using.

 

[ARD]

Your method is better!!! Holy cow @ARD ... i feel dumb for the method I was using.

Well I still don’t know how you were doing what you were doing but I’m guessing that’s ok?

 

[Rich W.]

I can see where I can monitor the soot and ash percentages in the AfterTreatment Data under Drive, but can't figure out how to monitor PGN 64891. I thought SPN 3719 was a fault code for high soot level. Help please.

I’m not sure I understand the question, but it seems like you are getting further down in the weeds than necessary. Maybe I’m missing something here.

PGN stands for Parameter Group Number and includes several SPNs (Suspect Parameter Number) in that group (see example below). In the example, the SPNs relate to various engine temp measurements. PNG 64891 covers several SPNs relating to the DPF.

So while SPN 3719 would be important to address, the PGN that it falls under doesn’t provide any specific information. Its just a grouping used for data transmission.

SPN 3719 (Neal, this helps answer the % soot load question):

Aftertreatment 1 Diesel Particulate Filter Soot Load Percent

Indicates the soot load percent of diesel particulate filter 1. 100% is the level at which active diesel particulate filter regeneration should be triggered.100% level is the active regeneration trigger level (and if conditions are not favorable for regeneration, soot loading can continue beyond 100%). During normal operation and regeneration a value 0% will indicate a fully regenerated diesel particulate filter. Values of 25%, 50% and 75% will indicate the general level of soot prior to the 100% level where an active regeneration is needed.

Does this clear things up or am I missing something?

 

[ARD]

I’m not sure I understand the question, but it seems like you are getting further down in the weeds than necessary. Maybe I’m missing something here.

My question was with regards to @redbaron’s post on how he was monitoring soot and ash levels with his BlueFire, as I was accessing the information differently. It’s moot now, but thanks for the additional information. That is always helpful.

 

[redbaron]

My question was with regards to @redbaron’s post on how he was monitoring soot and ash levels with his BlueFire, as I was accessing the information differently. It’s moot now, but thanks for the additional information. That is always helpful.

Under advanced settings there is a monitor where you can input the pgn and see data raw.

Settings->system->advanced functions

 

[redbaron]

I’m not sure I understand the question, but it seems like you are getting further down in the weeds than necessary. Maybe I’m missing something here.

PGN stands for Parameter Group Number and includes several SPNs (Suspect Parameter Number) in that group (see example below). In the example, the SPNs relate to various engine temp measurements. PNG 64891 covers several SPNs relating to the DPF.

So while SPN 3719 would be important to address, the PGN that it falls under doesn’t provide any specific information. Its just a grouping used for data transmission.

SPN 3719 (Neal, this helps answer the % soot load question):

Aftertreatment 1 Diesel Particulate Filter Soot Load Percent

Indicates the soot load percent of diesel particulate filter 1. 100% is the level at which active diesel particulate filter regeneration should be triggered.100% level is the active regeneration trigger level (and if conditions are not favorable for regeneration, soot loading can continue beyond 100%). During normal operation and regeneration a value 0% will indicate a fully regenerated diesel particulate filter. Values of 25%, 50% and 75% will indicate the general level of soot prior to the 100% level where an active regeneration is needed.

Does this clear things up or am I missing something?

View attachment 14890

Rich: what reference do you use for SPN and PGN mapping / lookup? I spend too much time scouring a variety of sources and want to obtain a better solution.

 

[Rich W.]

Rich: what reference do you use for SPN and PGN mapping / lookup? I spend too much time scouring a variety of sources and want to obtain a better solution.

That description of 3719 was from this SPN table: https://www.xee.com/fr/spn-list/
I have several that I go to depending. I haven’t found any PNG lookup tables - just exhausting descriptions of how they are used which I find interesting but not useful for my purposes since I don’t have any devices that use them.

 

[Rich W.]

My question was with regards to @redbaron’s post on how he was monitoring soot and ash levels with his BlueFire, as I was accessing the information differently. It’s moot now, but thanks for the additional information. That is always helpful.

I thought it might be something like that but I didn’t know you could dig deep with Bluefire. Thanks.

 

[redbaron]

That description of 3719 was from this SPN table: https://www.xee.com/fr/spn-list/
I have several that I go to depending. I haven’t found any PNG lookup tables - just exhausting descriptions of how they are used which I find interesting but not useful for my purposes since I don’t have any devices that use them.

Thanks, thats similar to how I am doing my lookups too.

 

[ARD]

Your method is better!!! Holy cow @ARD ... i feel dumb for the method I was using.

It doesn't work. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Was driving from Spartan to Newmar and went to Drive to look at the AfterTreatment Data and all the values for % soot, % ash, etc were N/A.

 

[Rich W.]

For those of us that choose to get this tool, after you learn and validate it (do a regen) I suggest just monitor soot level. That's my plan. If anyone sees anything other than "normal" please speak up. I believe in letting the system manage itself but I don't want to get into the situation I was in again and in a remote area at that. It can be a great tool for monitoring. Hopefully we'll see even better info on soot levels with firmware updates.

This is my new little 38hp John Deere - if they can do it…..

Edit - it also has a regen button right on the dash. Easy!

 

[Neal]

It doesn't work. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Was driving from Spartan to Newmar and went to Drive to look at the AfterTreatment Data and all the values for % soot, % ash, etc were N/A.

I got Bluefire and have been having a heck of a time to get it to work. Very unstable. I installed a firmware update (again) yesterday, now on 3.22.1 and it looks like it may work, also did a repair adapter to reset it. With trying to get this to work I've had communication with Mark at Bluefire to inquire about Soot % and how it's showing N/A for us. For you techies that know this stuff maybe reach out to him to try and get it working but here is his response. @redbaron @flyboy013

Hi Neal,

The App is querying PGN 64891, Byte 0 (SPN 3719, Soot) and Byte 1 (SPN 3720, Ash). A data byte value of 0xFF indicates no data is transmitted.

It is possible that the data is elsewhere but I have no means to test other PGNs. If you can use the Advanced Functions feature and explore other PGNs that could help.

It’s totally up to the OEM engineers to program the ECMs to transmit the data, so is it possible that yours is just not programmed?

We started off with over-the-highway 18-wheel trucks and their ECMs are pretty much fully programmed. However in the motorhome market it’s been very hit and miss (lots of older engines in newer motorhomes, etc.).

Mark.

Mark Fredrickson
Founder & CTO
BlueFire LLC
www.bluefire-llc.com

 

[JRW-NAW]

I've driven 35K+ miles using BF as my dash...something like 95-98% stable. HOWEVER, after the 3.22.1 firmware update and the 9.6.6 & 9.6.7 App updates, the App will not connect to the adapter. Very disappointing as we leave on a trip in two days.

I've done the troubleshooting steps (including reseting the adapter). I have also sent event logs to Mark but have not yet heard back.

Anyway, BF has been great for me...hopefully this is just a bump in the road.

Safe travels.

 

[Neal]

Good to know as I'm about to return this. Today was another fail with 3.22.1.

 

[Neal]

Mark from Bluefire suggested I set 300 in the "Adapter Minimum Interval" setting and this appears to have resolved and stabilized the app for me.

 

[JRW-NAW]

I know what I did wrong, but wasn't able to fix it via my Win11 laptop...I'll try when we get home. Really missed my BF dash on this trip. Will definitely be using BF in the new coach.