just bought a carton of DEF.

[Newsa]

Had a choice of PEAK or "gumout". PEAK had a date code and I looked up on my phone how to read it. It was manufactured in April 2014. Couldn't find any date code on the gumout. I did once fill up at a bulk def pump. But I really wonder if they ever fully drain or syphon those out. They just keep adding new def to the old. My gauge is just above empty, but my CELL is on and I'm taking my truck in Wed. Code reader gives me a NOX sensor error & DEF regeneration frequency error code. But when I talked to the service guy (who isn't a mechanic), he asked me if my DEF was low. I said "Not that low that it would give me an error message". I was hoping to run this DEF tank almost completely out of reserve so I'm not adding new to old. My plan is to run it empty annually.

 

[Newsa]

Sorry, auto correct changed my CEL to CELL. And DPF to DEF

 

[zmos]

I bought 3 boxes of peak (on sale at Amazon) before i realized that temps affect the product. I think the date is ok, just don't keep in the Garage in the summer in Oklahoma.

 

[Newsa]

Yeah, I bought my first carton on sale. That was before I realized there was a shelf life. I think it was at the end if it's life and they were trying to move it off their shelf. Will never try to save $2 again.

 

[Newsa]

How to read PEAK date codes.
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php?topic=73092.0

 

[TCDiesel]

Generally you do want to drop just below 1/2 Tank DEF, BC if you have no problems with the 1/2 tank adding 2.5 Gallons most likely will not trigger a code (Mix's), now add 5 gallons of DEF that's bad will trigger a code.

 

[Newsa]

How does adding DEF trigger a code?

 

[EDankievitch]

Bring your truck in to the dealer, what ever you do DO NOT tell them you used Peek DEF or another brand. If you do tell them they will automatically blame the non Chrysler DEF fluid. There is an up dated flash that deals with Check engine codes and Cat below thresholds . Chrysler replaced a whole bunch of Cat's and doser systems before the up dated flash came out. They replaced my Cat this past winter then did the re flash. My truck has never ran better since the flash and I've been used Peek brand DEF for the last 4 or 5 top offs with no issues.

 

[Newsa]

I wanted to wait until January to put in the Peak DEF. But I don't want the stealership (service center) to charge me $200 to do it.

 

[jacknife]

Def is Def. Chrysler Def is made from the same crap and in the same amounts as all other Def. It is just **** and water not mystery fluid.

 

[Newsa]

I read an article about several ways that people abuse their cars. One thing they mentioned that I hadn't thought of is this: "Letting your fuel tank get down to empty is hard on you try fuel pump because the fuel pump must work harder to pump fuel." They also mentioned that if your fuel tank is near empty and you make a quick stop or acceleration, your fuel line pick up could ingest some air bubbles. The fact that the fuel running through the pump also cools the fuel pump could cause it to run hotter." Would the same philosophy apply to the DEF pump? I thought (and suggested to others) that it is best to let the warning messages come on for low def before filling with fresh DEF. But wondering now if that is the best strategy? I don't expect the DEF pump runs continuously like the fuel pump does. So I doubt it would overheat. I haven't yet let my DEF run completely out, but have had it go below 1/8th tank twice.

 

[denviola]

Was time for my first DEF refill, and having read the cautions from other users on the forum decided to stay away from Peak DEF and use Gumout DEF - about $3 more for the carton at Advance Auto. Got it to the register and it rang up $1 less than Peak. The cashier told me the price difference was that Gumout DEF was discontinued. He could not tell me if it was D/C by the manufacturer or just no longer restocked by Advance Auto. Added it, worked just fine.

 

[Bob4x4]

How does adding DEF trigger a code?

There are parametrs that only get looked at after the def gauge goes up

 

[Newsa]

Was time for my first DEF refill, and having read the cautions from other users on the forum decided to stay away from Peak DEF and use Gumout DEF - about $3 more for the carton at Advance Auto. Got it to the register and it rang up $1 less than Peak. The cashier told me the price difference was that Gumout DEF was discontinued. He could not tell me if it was D/C by the manufacturer or just no longer restocked by Advance Auto. Added it, worked just fine.

I chose PEAK over gumout because there was a date code and it had only been manufactured 8 months before I bought it. Still good for over a year. Gumout had nothing stamped on it that I could find.

 

[Newsa]

I think PEAK stopped putting date codes on their DEF. Now none of them do it.

 

[JPalachuk]

2014 850 # aisin 3.73 gears

8000 miles and 13 gals of peak

No problem

13000# artic fox 5th wheel in tow
john

 

[AlFischer]

If there are any chemists in the group could they please explain how DEF can expire. Sounds like marketing BS to me.

 

[AlFischer]

Bring your truck in to the dealer, what ever you do DO NOT tell them you used Peek DEF or another brand. If you do tell them they will automatically blame the non Chrysler DEF fluid. There is an up dated flash that deals with Check engine codes and Cat below thresholds . Chrysler replaced a whole bunch of Cat's and doser systems before the up dated flash came out. They replaced my Cat this past winter then did the re flash. My truck has never ran better since the flash and I've been used Peek brand DEF for the last 4 or 5 top offs with no issues.

Any details on what the flash was clled and to what it applied?

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

I'm not a chemist at all, but I'll chime in on this one.

If there are any chemists in the group could they please explain how DEF can expire. Sounds like marketing BS to me.

I'm thinking that it has more to do with the urea concentration. DEF is mostly water and it is affected a great deal by heat when water evaporates and leaves the remaining suspended solids to crystallize and plug up filters, pumps, etc. Old DEF may have had the urea settle out of the water completely over time and would yield the same problems with it.

Picture a teaspoon of salt added to a gallon of water... As time passes, the water evaporates away and you are left with the same teaspoon of salt in the end.

Def is Def. Chrysler Def is made from the same crap and in the same amounts as all other Def. It is just **** and water not mystery fluid.

^^^
Same applies for ALL gasoline sold in the US! It doesn't matter which refinery produced it or what country produced the crude... The final product is the same (sans the propitiatory additives of course) :-laf:-laf

FYI... DEF doesn't have any additives.

 

[AlFischer]

I'm thinking that it has more to do with the urea concentration. DEF is mostly water and it is affected a great deal by heat when water evaporates and leaves the remaining suspended solids to crystallize and plug up filters, pumps, etc. Old DEF may have had the urea settle out of the water completely over time and would yield the same problems with it.

Picture a teaspoon of salt added to a gallon of water... As time passes, the water evaporates away and you are left with the same teaspoon of salt in the end.



^^^
Same applies for ALL gasoline sold in the US! It doesn't matter which refinery produced it or what country produced the crude... The final product is the same (sans the propitiatory additives of course) :-laf:-laf

FYI... DEF doesn't have any additives.

If it is in a SEALED container how would it evaporate? Questionable requirement.