Barry Lawson is the Managing Director of a thriving workshop, Lawson AutoTech based in Larbert, Scotland. Although the business has built a wealth of knowledge and expertise in DPFs, they offer other services including OEM servicing, MOTs, general repairs and maintenance plus diagnostic fault finding and tuning with Avon. The business is growing and now operates from three units, providing specialist DPF services to many surrounding workshops as well as meeting the complete motoring needs of thousands of local customers.
In this exclusive interview Barry explains why he only uses the JLM Lubricants’ DPF Refill Fluid.
1. Why is it important to use a good quality DPF Refill Fluid?
It is vital because this fluid is injected into the fuel tank every time the tank is filled. The fluid is there to aid the self-cleaning of the DPF for many vehicle manufacturers including Peugeot, Citroen, and Ford. We have recently seen the testing results of cheaper products that are still available on the market. They fall well below the EU standards of what the fluid should contain to make it fit for purpose. Hence why it is cheaper. The ‘good stuff’ that it should contain has to be cut out or it’s present in such a small quantity that it has no effect. This is bad news indeed for the mechanic putting their faith in a product that is not fit for purpose and for the motorist, trusting the recommendation of their mechanic.
2. What makes a good-quality DPF Refill Fluid?
The fluid aids the cleaning of the DPF, and it can last 80,000-100,000 miles. So, it makes sense to use a really good, fully tested product that costs more than the cheaper alternatives because it is still not expensive to refill your additive tank. And you want a product that is going to live up to its claims every time without causing unforeseen problems. The JLM DPF Refill Fluid is packed full of the chemicals that are required for it to do the job it’s supposed to do. Tests have proven it is on par with, if not better than, the refill fluids available from the manufacturers. And it costs less, even more so with the recent price drop!
3. What happens when a poor-quality product is used?
I have seen many vehicles with damage caused by poor-quality refill fluids. They can cause a blocked DPF or worst-case scenario they can damage the DPF which means a costly DPF replacement. Other faults from inferior quality or incompatible refill fluids include blocking the injectors that inject the fluid into the fuel tank and a failure of the additive tank -another costly replacement. Seen in this light, cheap products cost you dear further down the line.
4. Why do you use the JLM´s DPF Refill Fluid? What makes it better than the others?
I have been using the JLM Lubricants’ DPF Refill Fluid for 6 years. It has never let me down. It’s easy to use and unlike others on the market you can get exchangeable fitments for different tanks. It is very good value too. I was recently shown the JLM additive pouch which again looks excellent quality.
