BLUEDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid

[astronut]

I dont own any diesel powered vehicles or equipment but have seen this in stores and was wondering what it exactly does, if it works or is it just "snake oil". Anyone familiar with or know about this stuff?

[Matt Shade]

DEF is a requirement for newer model diesels that have the latest group of emissions control on them. It isn't an additive, or a performance improvement or anything like that, you simply have to have it for the truck to run, or pay the expense of having those systems deleted which is against federal law and will cause you to fail inspection in places that require them.

I am not an expert on how the stuff works or what they claim it does, but the basic run down is that newer diesels have a particulate filter in the exhaust system to filter out all the "soot" . When this filter becomes full, the truck has to go through a cleaning cycle, which happens while you are driving. The DEF is part of the new cleaning strategy.

My 2017 ford holds about 7 gallons of DEF and goes through about 1 gallon every thousand miles with the driving I do. The DEF tank has sensors inside it that monitor fluid quality as well as the fluid level. If were to put water or something else in it, the truck would not run properly and the computer would put it into a "limp mode" of some sort that limits your driving. If I let it run out, I get a warning light when I am 500 miles from empty, and once the truck is out of DEF the limp mode deal comes back again.

All in all its just a way to make diesels more expensive and less efficient to operate, but they claim the air is cleaner so draw your own conclusions on whether it is a good thing or not.

I have heard from other guys with other brands of truck that they go through a lot more DEF than I do. I know part of it depends on how heavy you tow and how hard you run. Larger trucks like semi's use quite a bit more and they are actually putting DEF pumps in at truck stops now. This system is also on farm tractors and construction equipment now.

[greywynd]

Yep. And the stuff freezes too, so now they are putting heaters in the DEF tanks to try to prevent it.

It’s a form of urea, some of it is made by the fertilizer companies.

The company trucks I drive have it, they don’t seem to use a lot of it, at least as far as I can tell. There’s a seperate filler cap/tank beside the fuel tank on the Fords we’re driving.


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[astronut]

Ok guys thanks for the info!

[cutter]

I think it is unnecessary shit like this that causes men to grow physically old and tired and then so emotionally sick & tired of putting up with it that we stop caring.

[moe1942]

Originally Posted by cutter

I think it is unnecessary shit like this that causes men to grow physically old and tired and then so emotionally sick & tired of putting up with it that we stop caring.

That's a dangerous place to put an old man...life in prison at my age doesn't really get my attention...

[greywynd]

That’s also why many areas that don’t enforce emissions, have most of these trucks being ‘deleted’ of all the extra emissions equipment. Most find an increase in power and mileage upon doing so.




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[Whitetrash]

DEF is required for the Catalytic convertor to work on diesels it creates a chemical reaction with the cat.

[toprecycler]

Originally Posted by greywynd

Yep. And the stuff freezes too, so now they are putting heaters in the DEF tanks to try to prevent it.

It’s a form of urea, some of it is made by the fertilizer companies.




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I remember reading when it first came out that urea was actually made from cow urine. Not sure if this is really true, but sounds good to add to the story that the shit we have to deal with to make the exhaust cleaner, never mind that we lose fuel efficiency and have to burn more fuel to do the same work. Is it really worth it in the long run? Guess it makes someone’s paycheck.


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[cutter]

Originally Posted by moe1942

That's a dangerous place to put an old man...life in prison at my age doesn't really get my attention...

I know, Moe. I know what you mean. I used to spend quite a bit of mental energy musing about it. I ran across one line that captivated my attention for a while. It said, "If an armed man ever comes to your door to take away your guns, you may as well go ahead and kill him because your time as a free man on this planet will already be over." That sounded pretty good to me when I was a younger hothead with thoughts of saving Lady Liberty's soiled garments, you know - about 5 years ago?

But I would not want to screw up my last 15 minutes of marginal serenity wasting a token solo effort in trying to help a lost generation of misinformed, unmotivated Americans-in-name-only who never will stand up for their own rights. Now, if there were a few thousand of us with a real plan and a real shot at making it count? That might be different.

It might be. But I doubt it. I doubt it because I have my thoughts focused elsewhere, dedicated to what I believe is more important than anything I can affect with this banged up little body, & right now, eternity seems more important.