[JamJar]

2011 318D N47 once warm (20 min of high rev driving) plumes of blue grey smoke when at 1.5k revs and over when constant pressure on the accelerator is maintained.

known fault: DPF is blocked, and I’ve read it could be the failing regen causing excessive pressure and pushing oil into the cylinder or hot exhaust (I don’t know).

I just want to know if anyone else has/had the same issue, and what caused it. I can’t make the car regen as the DPF by now is surely full of oil.

 

[Doug Huffman]

Inability to regenerate the DPF suggests deeper problems, like a failed thermostat preventing the high coolant temperatures necessary for regeneration.

 

[dharmabmw]

Does the regeneration of the DPF use additional fuel injected into the cylinders to burn off the soot? Is the blue smoke coming out of the tail pipe or some other part of the exhaust?

I'm thinking that if the DPF was truly clogged, the engine power would be severely limited. There must be some BMW specific codes present, that could give you more information.

 

[JamJar]

Does the regeneration of the DPF use additional fuel injected into the cylinders to burn off the soot? Is the blue smoke coming out of the tail pipe or some other part of the exhaust?

I'm thinking that if the DPF was truly clogged, the engine power would be severely limited. There must be some BMW specific codes present, that could give you more information.

according to what I’ve read, yes the regen injects more fuel to burn off soot, the smoke is coming from the tail pipe. It doesn’t feel like power is limited, but I bought the car with the dpf issue.

The last codes I’m yet to fix
480A dpf blocked
452A dpf exceeded lifespan

but I still don’t think the blue/grey smoke is the dpf burning off, I imagine it’s not totally blocked as the amount of burning oil smoke making it through is impressive.

I have a feeling it’s a gasket somewhere as the smoke is seemingly infinite.