VAG DPF app on Android to monitor DPF

[Lucas_R]

I was only made aware of this app (Android app) the other day - thought i would share it on here because I don't think it's widely known about. VAG DPF

There is an Android app called VAG DPF that allows you to connect to an OBD dongle such as Carista or OBDLink and it allows you to see certain parameters on the DPF. I already had the Carista OBD dongle so the cost of the app is very minimal for getting this information.

I downloaded the free version of the app to try it last night. My car was not listed as being supported but it works. After playing around with the free app last night, I have now purchased the full app (only $5) which gives you much more insight into the DPF such as:

Free version:
Soot Mass (g)
Regen duration (min)
Distance since last regen (km)


Paid full version:
Soot Mass (g)
Regen duration (min)
Distance since last regen (km)
Time since last regen (min)
Oil ash residue (g)
Low pressure EGR closing (%)
DPF input gas temp (degrees c)
DPF output gas temp (degrees c)
Soot mass measured (g)
Post injection 2 (mg/str)
Post injection 3 (mg/str)
Differential pressure (hPa)

Very interested to keep an eye on this app over the coming weeks and months and would love to catch a regen in progress and see the data during this time.

Excuse the poor quality photo - using an iPhone at night to take a photo of a cheap Android phone....

[feenix74]

I have had the free version for a while, it even works with the cheap chinese Bluetooth OBD dongle I bought from ebay.

It is interesting watching a regen in progress. When I get around to it I will get the full version.

[benough]

I have a Polar FIS+

It has all of those readings available, but I just have a screen with the DPF soot value and EGT.

You know it's doing a regen b/c the DPF value hits 45. That's the trigger. The EGT's will aim to hover around 800C, but at idle they will be around 5-600C. The car will only raise the EGT when the car is boosting.

Also the Oil and Coolant temps go about around 8-9 degrees also during the regen.

The revs *sometimes* sit at 1000rpm at idle.

The regen generally finishes around 8-9 on the soot value and the EGT's go back to normal.

[Lucas_R]

I have had the free version for a while, it even works with the cheap chinese Bluetooth OBD dongle I bought from ebay.

It is interesting watching a regen in progress. When I get around to it I will get the full version.

I have a Polar FIS+

It has all of those readings available, but I just have a screen with the DPF soot value and EGT.

You know it's doing a regen b/c the DPF value hits 45. That's the trigger. The EGT's will aim to hover around 800C, but at idle they will be around 5-600C. The car will only raise the EGT when the car is boosting.

Also the Oil and Coolant temps go about around 8-9 degrees also during the regen.

The revs *sometimes* sit at 1000rpm at idle.

The regen generally finishes around 8-9 on the soot value and the EGT's go back to normal.

Good to hear some other people are using this app or something else which provides similar info. I tell you what, you really need to be on your game to know when the DPF is going a regen - as with our car there are literally zero signs of it unless you turn the engine off and you can hear the fans running an there is a smell from the exhaust (in which case i turn the car back on and go for a drive). I have never noticed the oil temp shoot up, as this car rarely gets above 90-95 degrees anyway. And i have never noticed the idle to be any different, but with an upcoming regen i will pay close attention to the idle.

I have been checking the app on my car each day since i downloaded the app mid-way through last week, and my car is due to do a regen in the next 50-80km or so (currently 88% full).

As a side note, I also checked the app on my brothers 2017 Skoda Octavia vRS TDI and it works fine.

Below is a screenshot of the paid version of the app. Note my engine is listed as being unsupported by the app developer, so im assuming thats why some of the values are not populated.

[benough]

I am driving a 2008 MK5 GT Sport TDI.

It’s the first DPF engine VW made as far as I understand, so I could see why it’s behaviour is a little less refined...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lucas_R]

I took the car out for a drive on Saturday afternoon specifically to get the DPF to perform a regen, as it has tried to do one a few days earlier when my wife was driving and was interrupted.

So it looks like my car wants to do a regen every 450-500km's or so which will be around 3 times per month for us.

This app is great to be able to monitor this stuff. The app alerted me when the regen started and i was glancing on and off at the app while driving (shh dont tell the police) and could see the the soot levels dropping as well as the percentage counter just below the image of the DPF dropping as it performed the regen. The image of the DPF also illuminates red to alert you that a regen is in progress.

I was driving on a semi rural road at the time holding 90kph but did have to come to a stop for a few seconds during the regen - there is absolutely zero indication that a regen is happening from the drivers seat (idle RPM's are normal etc) so this app get a big thumbs up from me.

1st image - regen in progress but nearly finished (soot mass was nearly 19grams before the regen)




2nd image - regen complete (notice the km since last regen has reset)

[sn809]

Yeah that is a good app, unfortunately it didn't link up to my cheapie dongle or may be I could not find my car in it but either way I had to uninstall it.

[Lucas_R]

Just a note to any users of this handy app, they have recently updated the app and made some bug fixes etc, but the main difference is the image at the top of the screen is now much clearer with a new image of the DPF. Will grab a pic soon and upload.

1st Pic - DPF regen in progress. Notice the DPF image is coloured red which indicates a regen is in progress (it also beeps at you to let you know). The regen procedure had already been running for about 8-10 mins before I took this pic.





2nd image - DPF regen still in progress but closer to being finished.





3rd image. DPF regen complete (note DPF image is no longer coloured red). Also note the distance since last regen info has reset.

[ope126]

Is there a particular OBD Blueooth Dongle that you would suggest to work in conjunction with this app?

[Lucas_R]

Is there a particular OBD Bluetooth Dongle that you would suggest to work in conjunction with this app?

The Carista dongle is what I use. Cheap enough ($46) and works perfectly. See link in 1st post.