Interesting and informative video on DEF
Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) - How it works. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQHvi2Lgnac)
OK! Sure is sophisticated. Before we know it, there will be EPA regulations requiring that we pee drinking water!
More interesting and informative would be "the rest of the story".
- The cost and availability of the exhaust injection liquid that must be carried and used at all times (or you can't move, though interlocks or irreparable damage to converter components ).
- The multifaceted increase in cost due to Cummins turbo failures, due to the restricted exhaust and the greatly increased exhaust manifold outlet temperatures
- The extreme heats generated by the new catalytic components process
- The number of hours spent sitting beside the road regenerating the converters when they reach the mandatory regeneration set-point
- Once regeneration is started, the vehicle can't be moved at more than a crawl until it is completed. The regeneration heats are even higher than the operating temperatures and the diesel must run at fast idle throughout the long process
- The cost of replacing catalytic components, when they will no longer regenerate/reach their fixed number of life-cycles
- The loss in fuel economy and time on the road
- Not to mention the increase in initial costs to be "privileged" with all this new technology (and water vapor)
I don't know how serious all of these negatives really are or much at all about the technical details, but it seems to be serious enough to drive CAT and Detroit out of the trucking industry and now the EPA has their off road diesels in their sights for 2014.
Also, small trucking outfits are "specing" out new tractors without engines, in order to install remanufactured, older engines, get them warranty inspected and certified by the tractor manufacturer and thus legally avoid all of the pitfalls inherent in all this new technology and headache.
I believe it all makes a decent case for protecting and preserving what we have, and to be thankful for IT.
FWIW
Neal
My brother drives for a national trucking company and you don't want to hear what he says about this urea system. He has spent a lot of time in the shop getting it repaired and serviced. His comments when he calls me about it will almost melt a phone.
You G'mint at work protecting you. >:D
The only good thing about the Particulate is that it is made in the USA.
Little late, but I just found this DEF posting and thought would add my 2 cents, I have a 2011 F350 SRW, with service body, and since 1999 Super Duty 7.3, then 6.0, 6.4 and now the 6.7 Ford build engine. Certainly the final results are not in yet, however, a few comments I have found.
1-Very quiet, near gasoline engine sound level
2-A lot more HP and Torque than and earlier models
3-Fuel mileage is up slightly over the 6.0 and 6.4 engines, not as good as the 7.3 before the govt made the change to the timing requiring it to be retarded for emissions, it burns more fuel with retarded timing. I asked how does burning more fuel improve the emissions, just get the dumb looks. >:(
I only keep the truck for 2-3 years, keep it under 90 k mileage and buy the top of the line with all the bells and whistles because they are a lot more valuable at trade time.
Since the 99 model, had the 01, 04, 06, 08 and now the 11 model
The other major changes is internal to cab, everything is now computerized,many many choices on the LED display between speed and tach. Takes a good while to get used to the info available on that LED.
FWIW
Reflecting on Horace's comment, I pondered that seeing as how human urine is full of Urea and the water in urine is sterile, why can't one just pee into the DEF tank, add a little Urea and and meet the 32.5% requirement?
Of course, I have no idea whether or not the water content is deionized.
I suppose beer drinkers would have the upper edge, eh?
Regards,
Jon,
Mid-stream works best :).
DEF- Whats all the fuss about ? does'n't taste all that bad . dont like it with coffee , but goes ok with a slice of EPA ! ops , that thing just keeps jumping up in our face . we need more Gov in our lives . seems like a guy in germany did stuff like this [ sorta ] back in the 1940 s time . the USA went to war over some of this stuff , and now USA is doing it ? its a head scratcher fror me .maybe were are just helping China whip our butts a bit faster . don't see an end to this type of thing .
Maybe it is because our Govt supposedly knows more about what is best for us than we do.......