Walmart DEF recall

[Dutch Star Don]

I bought the ATC refractometer from Amazon. This model....https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got it today and the instructions are brief and easy to understand. The kit has the refractometer which looks and feels like a pretty good quality product. It comes in a foam protected case with a small screwdriver and three disposable eye droppers.

Here is the unit in the first picture. The rubber button on top covers the calibration screw. There is a plastic plate that flips back so you can then put the sample on the window. Once you have the sample on the window, you simply flip the plastic plate back over the window and it spreads out the sample. It's like smearing a sample between two glass plates before you place it under a magnifying lens.



Here is the plastic plate flipped back, so you see the blue plate where the sample is placed.



Calibration is really simple. You place a few drops of distilled water on the blue surface and then close the plastic plate over it. Look in the eyepiece, which is adjustable for your eye. You'll see the top half of the view is blue, with a calibration scale from 40 at the top, to zero at the bottom. At the bottom, you'll see the screen is white. The white needs to meet the blue at "0". If it doesn't you adjust the screw on top. Mine was right on.

In this last photo, I had placed new DEF from Walmart on the refractometer and closed the plastic cover. All three bottles I bought registered at the 32.5 for DEF.



I was hoping this tool would be easy to use, so I would actually use it. It takes about a minute to test the DEF, wipe it off and put it away. Great tool for piece of mind. I see no need to use it at the pump, but I will test all bottled DEF.

[NLOVNIT]

Originally Posted by redbaron73

My guess is it is coded this way so that it appears to be much fresher than it really is. THere is no excuse for coding it this way, as it is very deceptive at first glance.

That sounds about right. Unless I had read this thread & saw your explanation for the coding, I would think I've got 1 year newer DEF than I actually do. I'll bet a lot of people who buy DEF don't know this.

Lori-

[RJ51]

Thanks Don for the instructions on the use of this product. Got mine yesterday and it did not have the instructions with it. I will print yours out and use it for future use.

[Dutch Star Don]

Ralph...did you look under the foam, of the storage case lid, for the instructions?

[RJ51]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Ralph...did you look under the foam, of the storage case lid, for the instructions?

Yes I looked under the foam pads, top and bottom but only the cloth was there.

That's ok I downloaded the instructions online, but I like yours better with the pics.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

Ralph...did you look under the foam, of the storage case lid, for the instructions?

Thanks for the heads-up, Don, on where to look for the instructions. My refractometer should be here today.

Edit: Darn! Just looked at my e-mail and my Amazon "Prime" delivery has "been delayed" until Monday. That's the second time in the past week I've had things delayed. Must be a "Montana thing!"

TJ

[Edd505]

Originally Posted by RM travelers

Sam’s & WM really don’t keep track of date or storage temp. DEF has temp range to store & I believe 1 1/2 yr to 2 yr shelf life. I don’t see Sam’s & WM people really concerned about that. Have 2011 duromax, in 2014 bought Blue DEF at Sam’s, within a day & less than 50 miles had DEF problems. Was under warranty so GM changed everything. Don’t know if it was bad fl & or bad GM parts, differently bad timing. Don’t buy fm Sam’s or WM anymore.

Do you really believe the 8 or 10 boxes of DEF will be on a shelf at any Walmart for a year 1/2 or more? They can't keep the shelves full for a week.

[Murnane2000]

I don't see anything on the Walmart recall list.
Besides they shouldn't allow you the return it.
And if thats is going on it won't be long they won't except it.

[Dutch Star Don]

"Murnane2000"....I believe corporate Walmart would be responsible enough to not take back and resell a tainted product, but unless they have it installed in their return registers to NOT ALLOW RETURNS, I don't trust them.

If you get an employee at the return register that knows nothing about DEF, probably most if not all, they'll take the return, put it in a basket and a dutiful employee will place it back on the shelf.

[Ricci]

Hi - I've bought more DEF that I can count, mostly from Walmart. I do check the seals to see that they are intact. Never have I gotten a bad container (although some with loose seals that I did not buy) and the stock was generally no more than 30 days old. They sell a ton of that stuff and I feel safer getting it there than out of some tank at a truck stop where it has been filled and refilled, mixing old with new, and exposed to all sorts of contaminants including ground water unless the tank is above ground. In that case it may be exposed to summertime air temperatures. Most retail stores are a pretty reliable 70 or so degrees. Also look where the coach DEF tank is, right next to the engine and road heat. Placement makes sense on over the road trucks, but on RV's the placement of the tanks is a real issue.
Regarding the recall, I'm not convinced that it isn't just another urban legend being repeated by well meaning folks. Nothing shows up in the official places where this information is distributed.



Tom

[crowleytj]

Went out to the Walmart recall site. No info on a DEF recall, guess it's just more fake news. Not sure why any of the other posters didn't check for a recall.

Yes, always check the container to make sure the cap seal is intact

[SteveNSue]

I heard about people "borrowing" DEF fluid and then returning the partly used container. Before our last trip we picked up a blue jug at WM and when we decided to top off our DEF tank found that the jug fluid level was below what you might expect in a new jug. The fill tube was still clear and did not appear to have been used. But can you trust what the jug actually contains? No thanks.


From now on we will check under the cap. No seal, no sale.

[marksanders]

Originally Posted by willipaul

i just buy it at the pump in the truck fuel island.....easier, quicker, and high turnover product....

why bother with the jugs ?

We have no bulk locations where I live...

[BamaBob]

I just bought 4 Jugs in outside Boston, MA - no Problems I can see
I *always* use Walmart DEF - the $7.88 a jug non-boxed DEF. Been using it for 2+ years - Up and Back to Alaska and currently on the way to the Maritimes with no problems at all.

(Like others, my DEF tank is on the worng side and it is a REAL PITA to swing arounf and go in backwards to fill the DEF - not to mention that if it is busy, it REALLY pisses off the truckers!