Community Forums

brobox · 07-15-2020, 01:57 PM

Refractometer just arrive. Now I wish I would have saved some of the DEF I drained to test to see if it was bad. I have 1.5 jugs that was just given to me, so the refractometer will get to be used to see if that DEF is any good.
Overall it worked for the best. It least the DEF head quit in the hanger and not half way to NIRVC.

zman62 · 07-15-2020, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Refractometer just arrive. Now I wish I would have saved some of the DEF I drained to test to see if it was bad. I have 1.5 jugs that was just given to me, so the refractometer will get to be used to see if that DEF is any good.
Overall it worked for the best. It least the DEF head quit in the hanger and not half way to NIRVC.

Are you trading it in on the 21? If so i would think nirvc can just take the trade and fix it themselves. I would make your life easier

brobox · 07-15-2020, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zman62

Are you trading it in on the 21? If so i would think nirvc can just take the trade and fix it themselves. I would make your life easier

It's 600 miles to NIRVC, I can't make it with a bad DEF head. Spartan is short on them again, so I am waiting for one to be shipped.

zman62 · 07-15-2020, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

It's 600 miles to NIRVC, I can't make it with a bad DEF head. Spartan is short on them again, so I am waiting for one to be shipped.

That stinks. Sorry you are having to deal with this especially when you were trying to be proactive

Gasman 2 · 07-15-2020, 07:41 PM

Chuck, has Spartan indicated why they are experience so many bad DEF heads?

As posted on this forum some of the replacement heads go bad in a short time,

You had a 14 Entegra, we had a 13 and never had any DEF head issues.

Kind of holding my breath on this 16.

Hope things work out for you.

Richard

Milford 47 · 07-16-2020, 05:11 AM

I have worked around and tested Urea for nearly 40 years

The only way it can concentrate is in direct sun in an open vessel over time

Dilution with pure water to make DEF would allow the pure water to evaporate again only if exposed and open to the atmosphere

Having used DEF since it was forced on us and never an issue the equipment is always the first suspect

Very few issues have been documented due to someone messing with the DEF

Quality control is lacking in many areas and reading the forums proves that every day

brobox · 07-16-2020, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasman 2

Chuck, has Spartan indicated why they are experience so many bad DEF heads?

As posted on this forum some of the replacement heads go bad in a short time,

You had a 14 Entegra, we had a 13 and never had any DEF head issues.

Kind of holding my breath on this 16.

Hope things work out for you.

Richard

Yes, they are on order again. They had a couple and were trying to save the for roadside breakdown emergency. Since the 21 had not been delivered they asked if I could wait. Apparently these things are still popping like popcorn. It's not just our chassis, it's all of them from what they told me and why they are always out.

The 14 was radiators, rear ends, steering and shade motors. I haven't had a problem free coach since the Travel Supreme.

"Third one will be a charm."

Piros1 · 07-19-2020, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

The other day I drained 2 year old DEF from my tank and refilled it with fresh DEF. I now have the check engine light on, DEF gauge is Amber (digital dash) and will not show a DEF level

I cycled 12v power both house and chassis, no change. Started the coach, no change. Called Spartan and they told me to drive it before it would register. I am having a problem with that, nothing has changed in the system, only the tank drained and filled. Has anyone experienced this?

I don’t think your problem was from changing your fluid but fro leaving your coach set with old fluid. We use to buy DEF in bulk for our fleet and started having issues. What we found is the shelf live of DEF is about 12 months so your problem was inevitable after such a long period of non use. If you don’t use your coach much it is best to change it and refill before it gets to old. Also you have to run your coach enough to purge the old out of the system. We have had this issue with our trucks too and we go through it enough that it is cycled several times s year. Unfortunately we don’t know how old the product we are purchasing is. The fresh off the shelf stuff causes less issues than the bulk product did.

ABSwift · 07-19-2020, 04:18 PM

Just wondering what brand of def your running? I was also thinking that the shelf life on def was about two years depending on how it’s stored...

RichRI · 07-19-2020, 04:29 PM

I may sound stupid but what is DEF.

wingnut60 · 07-19-2020, 04:47 PM

Diesel Exhaust Fluid

DeWat · 07-19-2020, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichRI

I may sound stupid but what is DEF.

DEF = Diesel Exhaust Fluid. Used by diesel engines made after 2010 to meet EPA emissions laws. There was a manufacturer or two that made post 2010 diesels that did not require DEF, but I don't that that worked out for them.

Gary.Jones · 07-19-2020, 06:12 PM

DEF is required on all diesel engines manufactured after ~ 2008 I think. DEF is Urea and water at an exact concentration that is squirted into the diesel particulate filter (essentially the catalytic converter on a car), which greatly reduces the "Soot" that used to be common coming out the exhaust pipes of a diesel truck or buses..... no soot with DEF. However, the concentrations and application is a very complicated process with lots of sensors to ensure that it is doing its job, and if not, then the system forces a truck or coach to run even hotter than normal to burn out the soot (called regeneration).

The addition of a DEF system was great for the environment, but added an additional thing to deal with on a coach, an additional product to purchase and have on the coach, and as you are reading, the need to keep on top of and not age too much. If you are using your coach on a regular basis, then it is not something you have to worry about. if you are in a situation where you have to let it set up for a long period, then it can become a problem.

Gary

Diesel-Lover · 07-19-2020, 07:45 PM

Hi,

Instead of draining the DEF would it work if one adds new DEF while siphoning out or vacuuming out, the GUNK at the bottom of the tank with a tube? Making sure the level of DEF in the tank is always at half or so to keep the sensors happy and intact! If the drain opening is at the bottom then perhaps fill up first let things settle and then drain out the bottom an adaptation of decantation!

Have done the vacuum or siphon out of the bottom layer on various tanks but not a DEF tank yet! Some sensors once allowed to descend to the bottom will not work well due to Gunked up mechanism, but the dilute the gunk and remove has kept me out of trouble several times. Any suggestions would be great for us do it ourselves when possible types.