Diesel Exhaust Fluid FYI

[connerm]

I saw an ad in American Hunter magazine and was curious...

Diesel exhaust fluid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

At first, I thought it was like muffler grease or a right handed hammer.

[Zulfiqar]

very standard nowadays

[vstech]

look for adblue, bluetec, etc.
pretty much every diesel powered vehicle in the current year lineup requires it.

[1project2many]

Diesel makers seem to have settled on the SCR as the best means of cleaning exhaust emissions. Anyone who's dealt with diesel EGR systems recognizes the maintenance involved long term in keeping these systems effective. Additionally, meeting current diesel emissions standards with an EGR strategy is becoming more and more difficult.

However, there are already stories of high costs and unexpected maintenance needed for the converters and associated particulate filters. My opinion is that this technology as it applies to vehicles is still in development and many people will learn the hard way what is and is not acceptable in maintenance and operation.

Now, as someone that appreciates a good bit of irony, I wish to point out that DEF is urea, a component of urine. However, the urea we buy in a bottle of DEF is synthetic because the process of removing urea from urine is much slower than manufacturing it. So, not only have engine manufacturers begun selling us urine for our cars, but they're arguing that our own urine is not good enough to use and they must make it for us.

[rscurtis]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

Diesel makers seem to have settled on the SCR as the best means of cleaning exhaust emissions. Anyone who's dealt with diesel EGR systems recognizes the maintenance involved long term in keeping these systems effective. Additionally, meeting current diesel emissions standards with an EGR strategy is becoming more and more difficult.

However, there are already stories of high costs and unexpected maintenance needed for the converters and associated particulate filters. My opinion is that this technology as it applies to vehicles is still in development and many people will learn the hard way what is and is not acceptable in maintenance and operation.

Now, as someone that appreciates a good bit of irony, I wish to point out that DEF is urea, a component of urine. However, the urea we buy in a bottle of DEF is synthetic because the process of removing urea from urine is much slower than manufacturing it. So, not only have engine manufacturers begun selling us urine for our cars, but they're arguing that our own urine is not good enough to use and they must make it for us.

DEF is not at all related to urine, that's an urban myth. It is made from natural gas.

[dkveuro]

Originally Posted by rscurtis

DEF is not at all related to urine, that's an urban myth. It is made from natural gas.

So...could we phart in the tank?


.

[Diesel911]

Originally Posted by dkveuro

So...could we phart in the tank?


.

The way the EPA is going you might not even be able to phart into the Atmosphere without a Converter added to your Tail Pipe.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by rscurtis

DEF is not at all related to urine, that's an urban myth. It is made from natural gas.

Hmm. DEF is a urea solution. Urine contains urea. So, in a way they are related.

Urea is actually made from Ammonia and Carbon Dioxide. But, it is true that synthetic ammonia plants use natural gas as a feedstock and produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct. For that reason, urea plants are usually adjacent to ammonia plants.

I bought a jug of DEF at Mercedes dealer recently. Showroom sales guy says to me as I am leaving - Buying more deer piss eh? I don't think its a misconception, just a common joke.

[pawoSD]

The question is would the system know or care if you just filled it with regular urine. We could be onto something here.

[charmalu]

Drink more beer. .

Charlie

[compu_85]

The system is able to test to be sure the correct fluid is in the tank. It needs to be a specific concentration.

Our Passat uses DEF / Adblue. One 5 gallon tank will go about 15,000 miles. Refilling it at the 10k oil changes makes it a non-issue. It works out much better than the non SCR / Adblue system the Jetta & Golf use, and is cheaper to run too!

-J

[curtludwig]

Whats wrong with the system the Jetta uses? I'd been considering buying a Jetta...

[compu_85]

It uses more fuel and runs the exhaust a bit hotter.

On an unrelated note the Jettas have also had problems with the high pressure fuel pumps and with condensing the post-cat EGR into water which pools in the bottom of the intercooler. Passats have an air to water intercooler, and don't have fuel pump problems They get better MPGs too, even thought they're a bigger car (as big inside as a LWB W126!!!)

-J

[tjts1]

Too bad VW doesn't see fit to sell us the Passat wagon anymore.

[curtludwig]

Hmmm, I'd thought the Passat wasn't available with a manual trans but on second look it would appear it is.
I'm surprised the Passat and Jetta don't use the same HPFP...

I test drove a Jetta last spring and liked it, maybe I'll have to try a Passat now.