DEF Disaster

[jstchilln]

We used DEF in our fire engines but my driver took care of it and I never paid it any attention. This summer I bought my F350 (my first diesel) and got caught short on our first tow and had to buy cheap DEF on the road but I wont be making that mistake again. The age and temperature stored info in the two YouTube videos should be in big bold letters on every jug of DEF.
Thanks to all who contributed to this post, I learned a lot today.

[Janiceknight1]

Part two of my previous post:

So, following that thinking, all we have to do is fool the computer and we don't need the DEF system at all. That's the easy part. The hard part is the ethics of removing a system that does something good. I won't address that, but there are legal implications as well. There are stories that getting caught with a DEF delete can result in large fines. While that may or may not be true, that is a good thing. People need to "encouraged" or scared into doing the right thing. The next step if too many people get away with deleting the DEF system is that we will all be required to go through emissions testing again. (Pretty inconvenient...)

The reason that diesels don't need to be tested is because the States believe that the onboard computer will enforce the law.

Again, I am not promoting one course or the other but understanding the game is important.

Roll...obviously you are lucky enough to be a resident of some other state than CA. My Ram 2500 has to be tested every other year. There must be other states that require this??

[grassmaster]

Check this out.


https://www.thedieselstop.com/thread...ed-def.306167/

[Roll With The Changes]

Roll...obviously you are lucky enough to be a resident of some other state than CA. My Ram 2500 has to be tested every other year. There must be other states that require this??

I think it's funny that all the vehicles I have owed, have made some kind of statement that they comply with CA emissions standards. Seriouly, bravo to CA for that one.. In MD, diesels are exempt so far. Gas engines are tested every two years.

They used to put the probe in the exhaust pipe and actually test it. When OBD II came out they stopped that. Now they walk around the car with a mirror to see if the catalytic converter is there. Then they plug in to OBD port and ask the car if it is ok. If the car says it's good, all is good. I think that is why diesels are exempt; because the vehicle won't run if there is an emissions control fault.

[Bradski]

Interesting thread.
First, thanks especially to LV Naturist and Minnow101 for your excellent and informative posts!

The only thing I have to offer here regards "dribbling" DEF containers. So far, I've added two Blue DEF jugs in my recently purchased 2017 F250. I found it almost impossible to tighten the nozzle that comes in the box down tight enough with my fingers only so as to avoid "dribbling" if you leave the jug in the box as instructed on the box. However, when I tightened the nozzle cap with a pair of pliers, this both stopped the dribbling and allowed the cap vent to be centered over the top of the nozzle. When nearing the bottom of the jug, I pulled it out of the box to completely empty it and to recycle jug and box separately.

Also, for reference of other late-model Ford SD owners, I bought the first jug soon after the low DEF message appeared. That 2.5 gals brought the gauge to about half. A couple hundred miles later, I bought the second jug (of "Platinum," which I'd bet is mainly marketing BS), which brought the gauge up to about 7/8 full.

[telder4]

The dreaded 5 mph engine derate in 200 miles is not as bad as indicated. When it happened to me for a 3 rd time my first rv trip out with large toy hauler, the dealers mechanic informed me if the engine derates the speed, all you have to do is kill the engine then start it back up and it will travel at any speed again. Also, get a engine diagnostic tool and when the code come on, clear the code. It will not come back on many of the times. Eventually, my entire catalytic converter, Def injector and def pump was replaced and the ammonia sensor was removed, all under warranty. No issues since then with the exception if I let the def go below 1/2 full it will throw a def fault code, which I simply clear and add more def. I only use def out of a jug since it has the manufacture date on it. The 6.7 Cummins def system is the pits. I think you got screwed by the dealer. All 3 times I had to take the truck to a dealer with the def fault code they tested the def fluid to see if it met specs. Any time you take a truck to the dealer with a def code, please top of your def tank with fresh def before going into the dealer, so you will get a decent result of the test.

[Gregor]

Recently, we traveled from Florida to Gatlinburg and back. We got to Valdosta, Ga on the way home. Needing fuel in our 2019 Ram 3500 diesel, we pulled into a Pilot and fueled. As we were leaving a message popped up on the dash telling us we had low def and would be limited to 5mph in 200 miles. We returned to the pumps and attempted to add def from the pump. The message would not go off. We called several emergency numbers and all said get it to a garage. We found a nearby campground and headed for the garage the next morning. They analyzed the problem and told me our def was contaminated with diesel. The solution...replace the entire def system to the tune of $3000. This Pilot was the only place we purchased def and a Ram fuel filling setup makes it impossible for me to cross contaminate. I filed a complaint with Pilot but, of course, they said their system was infallible and I couldn’t prove that it was their fault.
Needless to say, I’ll be buying my def in containers so that I can personally fill my def.

I have been through a pain with DEF issues. 2015 ram
I had 4 different codes come up: Incorrect DEF,
Missing catalyst, nox sensor, and DEF system failure.
They all related to a bad nox sensor. (We think, so far anyway)
I do not trust the dealer to diagnose correctly. Finally had the tech contact Ram engineers
and after 2 hours with them it was determined the nox sensor was sending these incorrect codes.
So.... after 2 catalytic converters, testing the DEF twice and 2 manual regens the nox sensor which finally showing an intermittent failure was replaced and so far so good an it’s been a month.
It’s not just ram by the way.
Can you get an independent test of the DEF.?
I would ask to see the written results of their test.
Good luck.
I go to Phillips ram in Ocala.
Good luck.

[AmokTime]

Where I worked (before retiring) we used the DEF from a large tank, in all equipment. We kept getting contamination in and around the nozzle and the DEF would get old. Then would have emission problems caused by the contaminated DEF. We started using DEF from the 2 1/2 gals jugs and I don't remember any problems after that. At least I know the equipment I operated every day (truck and backhoe) had no problems. So I always get DEF in the 2 1/2 gal. jugs and I check the date on them. Even when I get it serviced at a dealer I don't let them put DEF in it, I do it myself, because they have a tank. Maybe to cautious but that's how I do it.

[huntindog]

Where I worked (before retiring) we used the DEF from a large tank, in all equipment. We kept getting contamination in and around the nozzle and the DEF would get old. Then would have emission problems caused by the contaminated DEF. We started using DEF from the 2 1/2 gals jugs and I don't remember any problems after that. At least I know the equipment I operated every day (truck and backhoe) had no problems. So I always get DEF in the 2 1/2 gal. jugs and I check the date on them. Even when I get it serviced at a dealer I don't let them put DEF in it, I do it myself, because they have a tank. Maybe to cautious but that's how I do it.

This is my approach as well. Those that are proponents of using pump DEF always rave about how much cheaper it is.... Well for the amount our trucks use, it is peanuts compared to the bill contaminated DEF could cause.... Heck even if the pump DEF was free, it is still a bad deal.

[Second Chance]

Y'all have convinced me. I've gotten by with pumping DEF at the truck stops for over 7 years... but it only takes once, right? I, too, am going back to the 2.5 gal jugs!

Rob