Saw this at Sams today.

 

And your question is? If you meant to ask what Blue DEF is/was, it is the AdBlue exhaust treatment (see the description on the price tag).

 

I think he is pointing out that he found a decent price for it. I haven't really comparison shopped yet but as I recall that isn't a bad deal at all.

 

Pep Boys has it on sale now for $10.49 (2.5G), if you add the promo code PEAKBLUE at checkout. Purchased on line, and will pick up at local store. BTW, has anyone checked if the durametric gives fluid level of adblue?

 

I've been all through it and never saw anything about the AdBlue. Unfortunately there is a lot that the Durametric can't read about the 958s at this point

 

Ah, it gives you enough warning. Certainly enough time to go out and buy some.

 

With more diesels on the road every day, it might be a sign that wholesale prices are going down. But to be on the safe side, check the date on the box. This stuff has a shelf life, so beware of buying old stock.

//greg//

 

Important tip!

 

From a Cummings document.

Q. What is the shelf life of DEF?

A.The shelf life of DEF is a function of ambient storage temperature. DEF will degrade over time depending on temperature and exposure to sun light. Expectations for shelf life as defined by ISO Spec 22241-3 are the minimum expectations for shelf life when stored at constant temperatures. If stored between 10 and 90 deg F, shelf life will easily be one year. If the maximum temperature does not exceed approximately 75 deg F for an extended period of time, the shelf life will be two years.

 

Ironically the AdBlue MSDS link doesn't even mention shelf life. I haven't bought any yet, do the cartons have an expiration date on them?

 

If you go to Adblueonline they have all the documents including http://www.adblueonline.co.uk/downloads/papers/QAGD.pdf

See section 3.4 Because of this tendency to hydrolyze AU
S 32 has a shelf life of approximately 12 months provided the above mentioned
storage conditions are obeyed. After expiration of the shelf life the batch has to
be tested for a decision about further use.

 

The cartons I bought do not have an expiration date but do have the following lot code: GA141240052

I bought the last two cartons they had -- normal stock -- not like they had a pallet to get rid of. Each carton came with a flexible hose to connect from the 2.5G container to the tank, but doesn't have the special connector that the small bottles have that prevent a possible over filling mess. Would be nice if one could buy a hose with the special connector. Could always buy a genuine bottle from Porsche or VW, cut off the bottom and use as a funnel. Sure to be a fun experience.

 

If it degrades it produces some NH3 and CO2. Guess what it is converted to in the exhaust stream? So I am not concerned about expiration dates. However I wouldn't stockpile several years' supply and keep it in a hot garage.

 

Something to consider in this shelf life discussion is Porsche's recommendations.

The manual says to ignore it and then refill when the warning comes on.

The 5k/10k service intervals also include a note (in PIWIS) to check and add AdBlue.

There is no recommendation that I've seen (sans a contaminated tank) for the tank in the vehicle to be drained. As such, you are always going to have some amount of old fluid in there mixing with the new.

Furthermore, the temperature fluctuations that it will see in the tank are (in most normal cases) far worse over the course of the year than the bottle will see sitting on a shelf or in your house.

Finally, if there was a real expiration concern I would expect the manufactures (of the agent) to put date information on it to alleviate at least some lawsuits about "old" fluid causing problems in cars.

I picked up an overly expensive Porsche bottle this spring that I keep in my basement and take on road trips in the event I get the warning in an inconvenient location. At 10k I still haven't gotten the warning and I'll have no qualms about using it next summer if the original fill some how lasts that long. As long as it still looks good and no sign of crystallization in the bottle, then I'm good with it.

In the end it's my car though and my choice (sans a different directive from Porsche) so YMMV, but I think there seems to be too much stress about the shelf life. I'm not saying there isn't a shelf life, I just don't think it's that critical.

 

The way I look at it is this:

* You infrequently need the fluid (10k miles?)
* The car gives you fairly ample warning to refill. Suitable unless you are on LONG road trips.
* The fluid is fairly easy to find.
* The fluid is fairly cheap, and price does not fluctuate ALL that much.

Therefore....why buy it until you need it? I mean, if you're at 9,500 miles and see it being practically given away, sure. But otherwise....