Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaning

Diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning keeps your fleet moving instead of waiting in line at an outside vendor. PCPC's Controlled Pyrolysis® ovens break down trapped soot and ash out of clogged DPFs right in your own shop, restoring full flow in hours instead of days. Shops running our equipment regenerate filters on their own schedule while competitors ship theirs out and lose the truck for a week. Every filter you clean in-house is money and downtime you keep for yourself.

How DPF Regeneration Works Inside a Controlled Pyrolysis Oven

A Controlled Pyrolysis® oven loads your clogged DPF into a sealed chamber and raises the temperature until trapped soot and ash decompose into gas instead of burning off as open flame. That gas passes through a 1500°F afterburner, which destroys it completely before anything reaches the exhaust stack. The filter's ceramic substrate stays intact through the entire cycle. This same burn-off technology has cleaned metal parts for decades; PCPC engineered a dedicated basket and airflow pattern to apply it to DPF channels specifically.

A DPF Cleaning Machine Built for Your Shop Floor

PCPC’s diesel particulate filter cleaning ovens fit into an existing bay without new plumbing, ventilation work, or extra hires to run them. Load a full basket of filters, start the cycle, and move on to the rest of your queue. Custom oven configurations size the unit to your daily filter volume, from small independent bays to full fleet operations alike. Here’s why:

• Loads and processes a full basket of DPFs at once instead of one filter at a time
• Self-adjusting controls run the complete regeneration cycle without an operator watching over it
• Requires no acids, solvents, or hazardous waste storage on-site
• Sized for single-bay independent shops up to full fleet maintenance operations
• Runs on the same schedule as the rest of your shop, not a vendor's turnaround window

Why More Shops Are Bringing DPF Cleaning In-House

PCPC has built thermal cleaning ovens since 1971, with more than 8,000 installations running in 45 countries today. Diesel shops and fleet operators choose our equipment because every filter gets cleaned on their own timeline, not a vendor's. That control turns a slow, unpredictable outside service into a same-day process your own crew handles from start to finish.

Diesel Particulate Filter Cleaning FAQs

How long does a DPF cleaning cycle take?

Most cycles run a few hours from load to finished filter, depending on soot load and filter size. Shops typically get filters back the same day instead of waiting on outside turnaround.

How often should a DPF be cleaned?

Most fleets clean filters every 100,000 to 150,000 miles, though duty cycle and engine condition shift that number. Rising backpressure or a derate warning are signs a filter needs cleaning sooner.

What’s the difference between DPF cleaning and DPF regeneration?

Regeneration burns off light soot buildup, often automatically through the truck's own exhaust system. Cleaning removes the ash that regeneration cannot touch, which only builds up over time and needs a dedicated oven cycle.

Can a DPF be cleaned too many times?

A filter can be cleaned repeatedly as long as its ceramic substrate stays free of cracks or physical damage. Most filters handle multiple cleaning cycles over their service life without issue.

Experience the Difference with Our Free Test Cleaning!

Curious about the cleaning process? Request a free test cleaning today! Simply send us a small batch of your parts (between 3 to 12 pieces, depending on their size and type). Once we receive them, we'll measure, weigh, and photograph your items. You'll have your results ready within 3 to 5 days, offering you a firsthand look at the quality of our services.

Ready to see for yourself? Contact us to start your free test cleaning!

Free Test Cleaning