2019 Dodge story- DEF in fuel

NorCalBusa

NorCalBusa

Member #294
Off Calguns;

I have a 2019 Ram 2500 diesel. I went to the fuel station and fueled the truck. Then I went to the DEF pump to fill up. When I started the pump, it backflushed out of the filler neck and made a huge mess. As it turns out, about a 1/2 a cup of the fluid went down the diesel filler neck. I didn't think that much would be a problem. I left the station and within 1 mile, the water in fuel light came on.

I was in my nice clothes so I went to a Dodge dealer about 2 miles away to see if they could drain the water separator on the fuel system. When I explained what happened, I was met with a huge shock. Turns out, if so much as 1 tablespoon of DEF fluid mixes with the diesel fuel.....wait for it....... the ENTIRE fuel system has to be REPLACED!!!! From the tank to the injectors! Both fuel pumps, all fuel lines, both fuel filter housings, injectors, fuel rail....everything for a grand total of........$15 to $20 THOUSAND dollars!
 
Climber

Climber

Well-known member
Wow, that sucks!
At first I thought they might be playing you, but that doesn't seem to be the case from a quick google search.
 
GAJ

GAJ

Well-known member
Dear lord.

For a second I thought it was the OP but now I see it was some other poor soul.
 
cheez

cheez

Master Of The Darkside
Sounds like a reason to get a fuel filler cap for the diesel fill port. My 2019 RAM has them very close together and if cross-contamination is that big of an issue probably wants some protection.
 
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KooLaid

KooLaid

Hippocritapotamus
How did any def at all make it into the tank? the top flapper is spring loaded and I'm pretty sure fluid tight. Plus my red cap is always in unless fueling. And then there is the bottom flapper that allows stuff to dump out the overflow.

I never use the def pumps or even diesel pumps where the semi trucks fuel up. Many of them just don't give a damn and I've found sand and other crap inside the nozzles from being dropped in the crap on the ground used to soak up fluids. I just buy two 2.5 gallon jugs and it is the perfect fit when my ram's def light comes on and stays on, exactly 5 gallons
 
S

Stix

Well-known member
99% of the general public have no idea what a new diesel pickup costs to fix. If they did they would run screaming. Theses are not the trucks of 20 or even 10 years ago. Ferrari repairs pale in comparison to the fuel system on a new diesel. Lol. Most people would be better served by a gas 3/4 ton.
 
Kornholio

Kornholio

:wave
99.5% of the general public don't even need a large-displacement diesel engine. But 'Merica... :rolleyes

Small-displacement diesel engines cost a fraction of their larger brethren to both operate and maintain. Also, since they're generally required to work harder than the larger displacement versions which means their exhaust gas temperatures are higher, then typically use a lot less DEF...if their design even requires it at all.

Now if the brodozer crowd did more towing/hauling cargo instead of posing, they'd probably use a lot less DEF too. :twofinger
 
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S

Stix

Well-known member
The financial hardship that a newer diesel truck can put upon its owner is scary. Local guy, 2020 ford f550 got a bad dose of diesel here somewhere local. Took out the cp4 (injection pump). Particles from that went stem to stern on the truck. Ford gave him the finger and quoted him 18k to fix. A set of injectors on a new diesel would put a new motor in most gas trucks with money left over. I look at them like I do Audi’s. Lease then dump.
 
NorCalBusa

NorCalBusa

Member #294
UPDATE:
First off, the insurance company initially denied the claim. They said it was operator error. Then I sent them pictures of the filler area. They are reconsidering there decision.
Now for the truck. It turns out there is a second flapper valve in the bottom of the filler tube and it caught most of the DEF fluid. They removed about 4 ounces of fluid and speculated that about 1-2 ounces got past and into the tank. Then the water separator in the first fuel filter caught the rest (about 1 ounce). The repair is to drain and remove the fuel tank and clean it out, flush all fuel lines to the primary pump, replace both fuel filters and refill with clean fuel. The original estimate of as much as $20k for repairs is now down to $1600!!!
We'll see how it goes. They said the truck should be ready by next Tuesday. Still not cheap but that’s a lot of money for something I would call a design failure.
 
NorCalAthlete

NorCalAthlete

O_o
Kornholio said:
99.5% of the general public don't even need a large-displacement diesel engine. But 'Merica... :rolleyes

Small-displacement diesel engines cost a fraction of their larger brethren to both operate and maintain. Also, since they're generally required to work harder than the larger displacement versions which means their exhaust gas temperatures are higher, then typically use a lot less DEF...if their design even requires it at all.

Now if the brodozer crowd did more towing/hauling cargo instead of posing, they'd probably use a lot less DEF too. :twofinger
Click to expand...

To be fair, most of the bro-dozer guys I know DO have ATVs, wakeboard boats, etc. The 'dozer just gets used as a daily the rest of the time too is all.
 
bojangle

bojangle

FN # 40
Staff member
This looks a lot cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/Dodge-green-diesel-aluminum-magnetic/dp/B0885YXZ9N

61eoTsR2iJL._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 
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