Tip Buying DEF from pump

[Joe doggs]

I just hope what you experienced is not a red herring and in fact was the DEF. But it could be a sign that something is wrong and keep close attention, have that DEF head simulator if you don't have one, etc.

Excellent advice Neal,the op mentioned the def smelled like an “overfilled cat litter box”….if any def has a strong ammonia smell…stop,do not use it…the def sensor simulator cut the whole def head problem down to little more than an inconvenience if a def head goes bad…..an additional measure of course is using the refractometer before dispensing any def…..I have felt for awhile that truck stop def is fresher than wal mart,or Napa,and likely an average cooler storage temp depending on location of course…..my x15 Cummins uses quite a bit of def under normal use(approximately 5%) so buying,rotating,storing jugs of def is inconvenient compared to truck stop def,and something that isn’t worth the hassle(or expense)to me…..and in my opinion unnecessary with a def head simulator and a refractometer to boot…..happy travels jb

 

[Rich W.]

I just hope what you experienced is not a red herring and in fact was the DEF. But it could be a sign that something is wrong and keep close attention, have that DEF head simulator if you don't have one, etc.

Lostinfla may or may not be aided by the DSS since it only works on 2016 and later emissions and 2016 coaches can have either depending on when the chassis was built. My 2016 is on a 2015 built chassis so it has pre-2016 emissions. It’s easy to check by looking at the connector on the DEF header. If it has this plug you have 2016 and later emissions:

If it has a flat plug the system is pre-2016 emissions and the DSS will not work. This the the header side of the pre-2016 plug:



I bought the parts to build a DSS when they were first developed only to find out it wasn’t compatible with my DEF header so I sold the stuff. But pre-2106 emission systems are also less vulnerable since they don’t have the “qual” sensor which was the cause for many DEF header failures. With pre-2016 emissions the main thing you can do is keep the DEF head wet with a nearly full tank and change the filter annually. Those two things along with fresh DEF will prevent most of the problems.

I recently found that the station I bought pump DEF from before my two DEF related problems stores their bulk DEF in an above ground tank. Its also a small, local, member only station, so very low volume sales compared to a busy truck stop. With a shelf life of two months above 100° and relatively low stock rotation, it seems likely that DEF stored this way in the summer could be bad. Below ground storage and high volume sales of a busy truck stop would seem to me to result in much more dependable DEF. And of course as I’ve said before it could all have been coincidence.

 

[Neal]

When I bought mine at Hoots he wanted us to bring a picture due to this. He saw my yellow connector and said I was good. 2017

 

[lostinfla]

I've got the older DEF head, thank goodness. If I had the newer unit, I probably would have been dead in the water.

 

[Joe doggs]

Might be best to use the refractometer every single time you add any def in that case,and/or if possible use high volume underground storage def…I’ve always noticed that loves,pilot,flying j are perhaps the highest volume stops…although def is the only thing I buy at the big truck stops…..

 

[Rich W.]

I’ve been reluctant to even mention this, but that 15 month old Musket jug DEF I mentioned in another thread was worrying me enough that I didn’t want to use it in the coach, so I dumped it in my impervious (or so I thought) ‘17 F250 6.7 since its emission system seemed to be more or less bullet proof.

Well! Guess what? A day later it threw its first code ever, first MIL/CEL ever, and the code was…. P2201. Yes of or pertaining to NOX levels being over limits. And what does DEF do? Controls NOX levels. Now this could all be coincidence, and I know a lot of folks have said they’ve never seen or heard of any actual bad DEF, jug or otherwise, but when I dumped 5 gals of 15 mo old DEF in my truck, I suddenly had DEF related emissions issues.

I cleared the code with my handy DLHH and maybe it will all be ok. I don’t drive it much so time will tell. But for me it’s another example of why you need to buy recently produced DEF and check those date codes. I guess I should have broken out the ol’ refracto-meter and checked it but I really didn't think there’d be any issues. Maybe I’ll take a sample and see. So TIFWIW.

This is the other thread:

A new (different) date code format for DEF

I recently bought a couple jugs of DEF (one box) from my local membership Chevron fuel station for an up-coming trip. I don’t stock it at home because I strive to use only fresh brewed DEF in the coach. When I opened the box and examined the jugs, I found that I couldn't decipher the date code...

rvforums.com

 

[team bradfield]

you guys keep costing me money!! I just ordered the components to assemble a def head simulator, looks pretty easy to build

 

[team bradfield]

wow, that was easy, less the $40.00 and 2 beers to complete

PARTS

TOOLS

(forgot to include my soldering pen in the picture)

FINISHED

 

[team bradfield]

Don't let the programming scare you, you can copy and paste the file or as I did, just move it from the download to the control board per the instructions