Def in Diesel

Truck Shop · Feb 4, 2017

Ran into my first case of DEF in a diesel tank earlier this week. I sent it to the dealer,
wanted no part of that. The owner told me the guestament is $12 to $13,000 to repair.
DD-15 injectors are $925 each plus everything else it ruined. Just happy it wasn't one
of our trucks.

Truck Shop

bushcat · Feb 4, 2017

moriboy · Feb 4, 2017

I'm curious, how did you manage to put the DEF in the wrong tank?

thepumpguysc · Feb 4, 2017

That sounds about right.. I've seen it 2x on the same machine.. rental place..
It destroyed the entire system.. inj. pump, injectors, lift pump and ALL the metal lines..

Truck Shop · Feb 4, 2017

moriboy said:
I'm curious, how did you manage to put the DEF in the wrong tank?

I noticed you said {you-I guess meaning me}. I didn't-It was a customers truck. His complaint was the fuel filter clog lite was on. The truck has three fuel filters I removed
the 482 primary cartridge and found crystals in the pleats.

Truck Shop

hvy 1ton · Feb 4, 2017

Still well short of the bill for DEF in the hydraulic system of a quadtrac. That was a zinger for somebody.

DoyleX · Feb 5, 2017

Def is basically aqua ammonia or liquid fertilizer. A very strong base to the point where it is caustic. It gets imbedded into the pores of the metal and will not come out.

pburress · Feb 5, 2017

hvy 1ton said:
Still well short of the bill for DEF in the hydraulic system of a quadtrac. That was a zinger for somebody.

Wow!

WaterDoc · Feb 5, 2017

Had an employee add a jug of DEF to the fuel tank in his truck on a 6 month old '15 Sprinter.

19k later it was all fixed up. New engine and complete fuel system including lines and tank. I still don't know how one could do something so stupid. Needless to say everyone who is not me is now forbidden to add any fluid other than diesel fuel to their truck. This includes windshield washer fluid. I'm not taking any chances.

moriboy · Feb 5, 2017

Truck Shop said:
I noticed you said {you-I guess meaning me}. I didn't-It was a customers truck. His complaint was the fuel filter clog lite was on. The truck has three fuel filters I removed
the 482 primary cartridge and found crystals in the pleats.

Truck Shop

Oh got it. What a mess!

PJ The Kid · Feb 6, 2017

Had a flying J employees talk a customer into adding DEF to a 6.4 powerstroke fuel tank, said it works great and cleans out like sea foam. Had another but it in a 6.7 PSD, that was about 20k parts and labor and the customer didn't understand why warranty wouldn't cover it.

Tractorguy · Feb 9, 2017

I've seen two cat skidders all torn apart with def in fuel. All components had to be replaced. Operators couldn't wait for salesman to show up to explain it all.

HDMRice · Mar 7, 2017

I responded to a customer who filled the fuel tank right to the top with DEF. It was on a case loader, which had the fill ports pretty close to each other. They dumped out the DEF but couldn't get it running. I did get it going again, but it had constant issues(they needed it out of the way). I told them to send it to Case, or at least change out all the fuel system components, but I'm pretty sure its just sitting in a hole some where.

Birken Vogt · Mar 7, 2017

Where did they get enough DEF to fill the fuel tank? Were they pumping from a tote or something?

Randy88 · Mar 8, 2017

Anyone that asks how it could happen to mix up and make a mistake, apparently doesn't have any kids, help, a spouse, in laws, neighbors, friends, grandkids, etc, who have the ability to pour a liquid, but apparently the inability to read and understand English.

The scariest words known to any man on earth is when anyone tells you, "its a little low, don't worry I'll take care of it and top it off", when they are referring to anything YOU own.

I've asked a few sales people what happens when someone screws up and dumps DEF into the fuel tank................have been told dozens of times, don't worry it can't happen, things are clearly labeled. Apparently they don't enough people with the ability and determination to screw up on a regular basis.

DoyleX · Mar 8, 2017

Im surprised there isnt a special fitting on the fill neck to match the applicator nozzle. Well wait, then the common idiot wouldn't have the knowledge to fill it...
Cant tell you how many times I've seen anhydrous blown into a propane system or versa visa. Same fittings, even though both smell way different and are color coded with words.
Sometimes I wish I had the lack of brains so I could sluff through life without a care.

PJ The Kid · Mar 8, 2017

The thing I learned first in this business is that the only difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. Murphy's law is always in effect. If it can be broken, they will break it (even some things you think can't be broken).

cuttin edge · Mar 8, 2017

We had a blade man with 30 plus years on a dozer. Not a strong reader, but no dummy either. Our float man picked up a new D4K at the dealer, and dropped it off on the job site. He showed the operator a few things that he was shown at the dealer, and left. First time he had to add DEF, he called shop, and said he got a bunch of warnings and had to shut down. Cat man came DEF in the hydraulic tank! Took some pictures, did a complete flush 3 times, def turns hydraulic oil pink by the way. Flushed it one more time at the first service. Cat came good for the bill. The Cat man's pictures showed no markings what so ever besides the little one on the fuel tank. Plus besides someone showing the float man how to operate the machine to put it on the float, no one came to do a walkthrough with the operator. Companies need policies in which new operator's, even experienced men are given walkthroughs on machines they have never run. I would rather have someone ask a stupid question, than try to figure it out without asking and get it wrong

Tones · Mar 8, 2017

PJ The Kid said:
The thing I learned first in this business is that the only difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits. Murphy's law is always in effect. If it can be broken, they will break it (even some things you think can't be broken).

I now run with O'Shaunasey's Law which is " Murphy is an optimist".

old-iron-habit · Mar 8, 2017

DoyleX said:
Im surprised there isnt a special fitting on the fill neck to match the applicator nozzle. Well wait, then the common idiot wouldn't have the knowledge to fill it...
Cant tell you how many times I've seen anhydrous blown into a propane system or versa visa. Same fittings, even though both smell way different and are color coded with words.
Sometimes I wish I had the lack of brains so I could sluff through life without a care.

The DEF tanks do have a small intake to match the small nozzles. The problem is the fuel and hydraulic tanks are large and the DEF nozzle fits easily.

Def in Diesel

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