CLEANING DPF FILTERS
A CLEANER SOLUTION: DPF REGENERATION
There is a new cost-effective solution for diesel pickup owners to have their DPF filters cleaned. FSX Reconditioning (fsxinc.com; 360-691-2999) designs, engineers and manufactures DPF filter cleaning equipment for Ford, Chevrolet and Ram pickups. 
The procedure is two-fold, depending on the condition of the DPF:
- A blow-out system that cleans most pickup filters uses highly compressed air to blow through the filter in an FSX specially designed machine. The filter is then flow-tested to ensure it meets the company’s stringent guidelines to return the filter back within original OEM specs. This procedure is a same-day or one-day turn-around and costs about $250.
- If the filter does not pass, it moves on to stage two: thermal cleaning. It is placed in a special kiln and backed for 12 hours, after which it is again subjected to the blow-out process. The burn-out is similar to what the new diesel pickups do on “regen.” The DPF filter is again flow-tested. This procedure takes about two days and costs around $400.
The Chevrolet/GMC filters have to be cut open to access the filter. The Ford and Ram don’t. Cutting open and re-welding the GM DPF adds around $400 to the cleaning costs listed above.
Formed in 2007 in Granite Falls, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, FSX has cleaned more than 20,000 DPF filters to date.
FSX sells or franchises its cleaning system and has dealers nationwide. The FSX Service locator map is featured on its website. Customers can also ship their DPF to the Granite Falls facility. Shipping by UPS runs about $100 each way.
FSX Equipment offers the pickup fleet owner substantial savings over replacement OEM DPF filters.
With the DPF filters costing more than $1,500, plus the cost of new sensors and labor to install, the FSX cleaning procedure can save owners around $1,000 per pickup.–Bruce W. Smith
