Warning: Rotella def, don't buy or use

[Edensob]

Over the summer I bought some Shell Rotella DEF fluid and thought I got a good deal since it was on sale at my local Runnings store. I topped my tank while winterizing the Sprinter. I thought I'd also mark the remaining container contents with the disposal date. Long story short the date code could not be decoded so I called Shell and found out they had a third party provide the fluid to them (they don't yet manufacture it themselves) and it got marketed without them having any clue how to decode the manufacturing date! Thus, they had no idea how long it was on the shelf and suggested just disposing of it. Pressing them on reimbursement was useless. So I siphoned the tank and got some new Peak Blue DEF. Lesson learned, you get what you pay for.



Side rant: WTH is wrong with marking a simple manufacturing date on this stuff like other products, rather than using the Julian calendar to figure out when it was made?? What a PITA.

[simidrm]

I carry a def refractor in the motor home or my p/u when fueling you can put a small sample on the refractor and it will tell you if the def fluid meets minimum requirements of 32.5. % urea, I got mine from Amazon and it also does coolant, def, washer fluid, battery acid and it was about 20.00 just check it because they sell them in Celsius or Fahrenheit, I have never seen def fluid go bad from age, but the vehicles I work on don’t set long enough for that.

[Jimbo56]

WTH! DEF is ammonia. Urea. Old. Hell I used whatever in my F350 dually. Probably could piss in the DEF tank and make it work. Ford would not reset unless you completely filled it. I was sorry I got rid of my ‘01 F250 with the 7.3.

[The Gritz Carlton]

It was "on sale" for a reason. If diesel sells, DEF sells along with it. Don't buy DEF from a retailer that doesn't sell a train load of diesel daily, such as truck stops. Taste it...if it tastes like piss, it's good. If it tastes like water, don't use it.

[Edensob]

good point Gritz

[Judge]

I have bought DEF from Tractor Supply, Rural King, WalMart, Convenience Stores, etc. I have DEF that has sat a year in my temperature controlled garage before it got used.

I have run it my 2018 GMC Canyon Denali, my 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 and my 2020 Magnitude SV34.

I've never had an issue in any of my vehicles.

Just saying.......

[MJC62]

[QUOTE=The Gritz Carlton;..."if it tastes like piss, it's good."

Now that there is funny !!

[GTM41261]

Originally Posted by Judge

I have bought DEF from Tractor Supply, Rural King, WalMart, Convenience Stores, etc. I have DEF that has sat a year in my temperature controlled garage before it got used.

I have run it my 2018 GMC Canyon Denali, my 2021 GMC Sierra AT4 and my 2020 Magnitude SV34.

I've never had an issue in any of my vehicles.

Just saying.......

Same here. DEF should last around 2 years can't believe any of it will sit on a self that long.

[lwmcguir]

DEF is carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen in a 32.5% Nitrogen blend

In a sealed container, what exactly goes bad?

They simply dilute carbamide aka urea and sell you high priced fertilizer

[racefan]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

Taste it...if it tastes like piss, it's good. If it tastes like water, don't use it.

I’m proud to say I don’t know what piss tastes like🤔
I think I’ll skip the taste test and just keep buying from a high volume retailer 😆