What is ADBLUE and why do you need to know?

rockylizard · Guru

What is ADBLUE and why do you need to know?

Tony Bev · Guru

Certainly food for thought, John

It does seem to be here for the long term, so we may as well get use to it

I wonder how many will be caught out, by running out of AdBlue, and then finding they can not restart their vehicle

It is interesting to know, that you can not just add water to the AdBlue tank, when you run dry, as the sensor/s can tell the difference

PeterInSa · Guru

To me its Ad Blood'dy Blue

Had a phone call after midnight a month or so ago, daughter and hubby in a Ford Everest had a warning about adding Adblue as they passed a Fuel station and decided to fill up at the next station 10Km+ away.

Pulled in, this large Fuel stop had No ADBlue, tried to start his near new 4x4 Turbo Diesel vehicle, wont start. Called the SA Road Service Organisation, about their problem, Road Service arrived said he had no ADBlue on board ( some available back at base and he was not going back) and pis... off.

Rang me, I suggested she ring local Fuel stations and so will I. Daughter rings me back and tells me she has found one on the way to their breakdown, drop in and buy a 10lt container + ADB., (container should come with a funnel) on my way to them.

I get dressed, drive down, walk into the shop and ask where is the ADDBblue, the guy shows me the Bowser, near the Truck diesel bowsers, shop has no 10Lt containers of ADDBlue, I walk out to the bowser its 99c a lt. Walk into the Fuel shop again and look at available containers, only has a 20lt container for $56.95, I tell him that outrageous I can buy these at BCF for $22, he says he can buy at Bunnings for $10. I ring daughter and tell her the costs and say I'll drive back towards Adelaide to another Fuel station of the same brand and see what they have.

This station has ADDBlue 10Lt in a container with no Funnel for $50.50 and No funnels in stock, so look at just buying 2 x 5Lt empty Tins, these are $15.95ea. Phone D. again explain costs and I tell her I will go home get a 20Lt fuel container, fill up at the first station and travel down to them and we will add the AddBlue... Which is what I /we did, got back home after 2am.

Am Glad our Sprinter does not need ADDBlue.

If you have a newish Turbo Diesel Mh maybe it would be wise to have 5lt of this stuff somewhere in your vehicle, because it does not appear to be a common item at fuel stops or if they have it in a 10lt container its expensive.

Peter

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Peter, I must admit that would be one of my fears if my vehicle utilised AdBlue.

However, the article suggests -

How long does a tank of AdBlue last?

That depends on the driving you do, but the general rule of thumb is around 1-2L of AdBlue per 1000km travelled. Most AdBlue tanks hold less than 20L of fluid. Most vehicles running AdBlue will warn you when youve got around 2000km of fluid left.

On those figures, let's say 15ltr of AdBlue, consumed at 2ltr per 1,000Km = at least 15,000Km between fills ... and a warning with 2,000Km (or so) to go.

I guess the Ford Everest has less range and obviously doesn't have give that warning - of it does - not with such latitude.

Thankfully, it seems AdBlue is available in 1ltr bottles, so that would/should give 1,000Km or so of peace of mind after the warning activates.

It seems the info is in the Owner's Manual - sure hope it was for her particular model -

https://www.ford.com.au/owners/service/ad-blue/

Cheers - John

Pete49 · Senior Member

I have heard its only urine. Make of that as you will.
Pete

Whenarewethere · Guru

So going off the big green store price, roughly $2.20 per 500 km or tank, in addition to the cost of a tank of diesel. So as a rough guide 0.2 litres or 44 cents per 100 km. Or about 4.4 cents of AdBlue per litre of diesel if you are using 10 litres per 100 km.

It might be worth keeping a spare litre in the spare wheel well somewhere, as a backup.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Pete49 wrote:
I have heard its only urine. Make of that as you will.
Pete

After filling up will diesel I'm not standing at the AdBlue tank with all the cameras around these days!

You could fill up with a 6 pack in the evening & top up tank in the morning, but urea is only about 9%. Before modern explosives urine was collected from people & farm animals. It's pretty potent stuff!

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Just be very careful with Add Blue because a very good friend of mine early in the days of AB being set up at Servo's pulled up to fill his motor home with diesel and not thinking filled the fuel tank with Add Blue. He went in to pay and nothing was said, headed off and didn't even make it out the drive. He had to be towed to a repair place and many $$$$$$ later he was on his way.

Some places have the nozzle in the shop and some have it locked I have noticed. I have also noticed a blue handle and much better signage around so it may have happened to others. I am very careful if Diesel and Add Blue are next to each other. I even try to not go to the bowser with both but sometimes can't.

Just be careful is what I am suggesting.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

I also offer the following -

AdBlue is urea, which is like urine. Therefore, I can piss in my tank. Right?
Probably not. AdBlue is 32.5% urea and 67.5% water, where the stuff that you wee out is (depending on your diet) 91-96% water and around 2% urea (plus heaps of other stuff). So, AdBlue isnt just fancy piss despite your most romantic notions. You cant really stick your willy in the filler, relieve yourself and call it all good.

http://unsealed4x4.com.au/can-piss-adblue-tank/

Pertinent to the Ford Everest -

The Everest has an AdBlue status display in the instrument cluster. The cluster will provide a warning, and a warning light, indicating that there is 2,400km of range before AdBlue needs replenishing. Even in the vast continent that is Australia, 2,400km is generally within distance of civilisation. There will be further warnings every 800km before the tank is empty. In the Everest, its an 18-litre tank.

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Saturday 15th of December 2018 08:10:47 AM

dave48 · Senior Member

Thanks John for that information. I'd heard about Adblue of course and now thanks to you. I know all about it.

Dave

PeterInSa · Guru

John Re (The Everest has an AdBlue status display in the instrument cluster)

I think with a new vehicle daughter had not come across the "add Adblue" display light B4 and probably thought all was normal and only when the warning sounded realised a fill up was needed. Do not know if there were multiple warnings... and Do not want to know.

rockylizard · Guru

PeterInSa wrote:
John Re (The Everest has an AdBlue status display in the instrument cluster)

I think with a new vehicle daughter had not come across the "add Adblue" display light B4 and probably thought all was normal and only when the warning sounded realised a fill up was needed. Do not know if there were multiple warnings... and Do not want to know.

Gday...

I can very much relate to all that Peter. Particularly with a "new/modern" vehicle.

All these bells and whistles and alarms and beeps and other electronic 'sensor driven' noises.

Hopefully, all the alarms and warnings are now working in her vehicle and you will not suffer the 'diligent father' problem.

cheers - John

Whenarewethere · Guru

A bit like the wall of alarms going off on QF32 while trying to save a plane from falling out of the sky.

When I back out of the garage, front sensors one sound, rear sensors another sound. Door chime if I hadn't closed it properly as I have to get out. Seat belt alarm, but the radio does reduce its volume automatically a bit so one can hear all the alarms.

It does your head in & it makes if difficult to concentrate on not actually running over a kid while backing out!

LLD · Guru

Thanks John for the ADBLUE bit. I had no idea what it was.

Whenarewethere. Added to all the suff you mention my wife's car has an electric handbrake which will not release unless the driver has a seat belt on. Even if you only want to move the vehicles 6".

Greg 1 · Guru

You need Adblue due to the particulate filter on the exhaust. It helps in the combustion process and helps keep particulate build up to a minimum. Cars without a DPF usually don't need Adblue. All about keeping the centres of cities clear of smog.