DEF (diesel exhaust fluid) in my fuel tank - we're stranded

[steveblonde]

My trucks computer shuts it down gradually as the DEF gets down low in the tank. It will get to a point where it will not run at all.

Fords and Rams do the same but GM has a warning your low not a gauge like the others one of my pet gm peeves

 

[grashley]

My Ford has no DEF gauge at all!  No way of knowing the level except OK or LOW.  When it gets low, a warning shows up every time you start the engine, like 500 miles until out of DEF.  When it gets down to some point, maybe 200 miles left, it will no go over 50 mph. then lower, then 5 mph then shut down and not start.

My DEF light came on last week for the first time - 6000 miles - and the Oil Change warning came on 2 miles after I bought 2 1/2 gal of DEF.

 

[Boonieman]

I?m pretty sure the info center on my Chevy shows the DEF level. Also gives a ?miles til out of DEF?warning.

 

[steveblonde]

I?m pretty sure the info center on my Chevy shows the DEF level. Also gives a ?miles til out of DEF?warning.

it may be different on the 16s but Ram and Ford have a real gauge

 

[H5-Phil]

After nearly killing my motor I became a bit paranoid about it happening again. Then, I found out today that my insurance wouldn't have covered it if I had destroyed it!! That's when I got REALLY paranoid! So, the bottom of a red Dixie Cup now covers my fuel cap!!

 

[Gizmo]

Thank you for sharing your dreadful experience, some good and helpful tips for us diesel owners to know.  Glad you had the smarts not to start and the diesel mechanic was able to help your situation and minimize the cost with no apparent damage.

 

[RedandSilver]

Thanks! I'm glad my engine is too old to require the additive.

Me too.

But this post now has me thinking it might be possible to add DEF to my Diesel fuel tank.

Some of the pumps have diesel on one side and DEF on the other side.

Are the DEF pump spouts a different size (smaller) then the Diesel spouts especially at truck fueling stations? 

 

[SargeW]

Yes, the DEF fill spouts are much smaller than the diesel spouts. You couldn't get diesel in the DEF tank, but you could easily put DEF in the fuel tank. 

 

[nibroc]

some nozzles are smaller and ya can put diesel in the wrong tank

 

[RedandSilver]

Yes, the DEF fill spouts are much smaller than the diesel spouts. You couldn't get diesel in the DEF tank, but you could easily put DEF in the fuel tank.

Thanks for the info.

If they (DEF) are indeed smaller then that should set off alarm bells in my head,  to know I grabbed the wrong hose.

 

[SargeW]

I guess that is possible, but the only places I have ever seen DEF at the pump is at truck stops with their large high flow nozzles.  Either way great caution when fueling is a good thing!

 

[Mr.Mark]

We use DEF also in our coach and both fillers are behind the same door.  We have duel fills for diesel but the DEF filler is just on the driver's side.  The DEF filler has a large blue cap whereas the diesel has a brass cap.  We hold 230 gallons of diesel and 16 gallons of DEF fluid.

It is my understanding that DEF requires a magnet to get the flow of DEF to start from the truck pumps.  The gas stations have a magnet ring if the car/coach doesn't have one.  Apparently ours is built-in.  If someone 'in the know' understands this differently, I will stand corrected.

In my opinion, using DEF is a small price to pay for the huge pollution savings that we see.  We have no diesel fume smell at all from our exhaust.

Safe travels,
Mark