Lets talk DEF / DPF delete

2014 Freightliner (Mercedes) Sprinter 3500. 222k miles , extra tall, extra long!

I'm in the market to remove the DEF system.

I love this big sum-bitch but this DEF garbage is on my last nerve. Replacing NOX sensors, clearing codes and the dreaded start countdown.

Anyways, I'm cool with doing the mechanical side of buying the kit and replacing the exhaust , my question is on the electronic side. I've read that you can send out the ecu to be flashed or "tuned" to be able to run without the DEF system. Has anyone successfully done this with long term success? And where is the best place to go or buy from?​

I'm thinking with it having over 2 hunnid thousand miles, deleting this crap would be cheaper in the long run.

 

It will.

My welder buddy built a bad ass mobile shop out of his Mercedes van and has been having emissions/turbo problems.

I'll be following this thread for info. He loves the van when it is running right. His miller welder sucks diesel right from the fuel tank.

 

Probably worthwhile to see if the van falls under the AEM update from Mercedes. The update (not technically a recall) updates the emissions system by replacing the DPF, SCR, DPF injector, and all kinds of other emissions related items. In addition to this, you get a 48k mile 4yr extended warranty on all these emissions related parts. May be a worthwhile avenue to pursue.

Also, The EGR is probably the biggest emissions related issue with keeping these engines running as they introduce a ton of soot and such into the engine causing a bevy of failures. Just food for thought.

 

Trade some #vanlifer for a Transit.

 

What state are you in for inspection purposes? In DE, they will seize your truck immediately if it is deleted. All shops in the region will not remove anything emissions related.

 

yeah and since the emissions scandal, the feds are after the tuners, so good luck finding an ecu or tune that has what you need.

i just sold a RAM1500 Green Diesel Engineering ECU from 2016 to a guy on a forum ... it had all the bells and whistles. hot tune, EGR deleted, torquy torque, engine braking... GDE has new tunes out there, apparently legal federally, but i doubt they contain an egr delete.

 

Unfortunately avenues for deletes are disappearing fast. Quite honestly I’m not even sure one ever existed for the product you have. But as has been stated the tuners have all closed shop, it’s not worth it to get the massive fines and jail time just for the EPA to make an example out of them.

 

I want to say that RENNTech makes a tuner for your van.

Now, I am not positive as to what sort of code they are running in regards to the emissions, HOWEVER, I do know that there are some diesel tuner companies that make tuners that are emissions compliant. I spoke with someone in that part of the industry, and he informed me that the algorithms in those tuners still allow the emissions to "run" but the main thing is that they don't allow the systems to operate at the same rate as the stock ECU does. For example, Calibrated Diesel Performance makes a tuner for my truck and they will ONLY work on a truck with intact emissions. This should keep them as well as their customers out of trouble for a bit longer. TBH if I had known about this, I may have went that route instead. This way my truck would be easier to get rid of once I no longer want it...


I switched my emissions over to "Bluetooth" on my Ram 2500, and it was the best decision I have made with that truck. I used RaceME Ultra for the tuning, and I usually run the hot tune (200hp over stock) I mainly did this for reliability, and to tune the transmission. I have a 68RFE and I absolutely HAAATTEE the "torque management" The shifting was super weird with a lot of flaring up between shifts, and the converter felt like it never really locked up, or even grabbed. Now its wonderful, and after I switch the valve body out for a billet one and maybe do a few other minor bits, it will be perfect. I live in MI so we don't have inspections or anything. However, I did keep all the emissions crap up in my garage rafters just in case..

I drove it without a trailer all the way from Kalamazoo MI down to Bowling Green KY for LS-Fest in September. I crammed 4 Honda Groms in the back and a bunch of pals in the cab. We crossed the scales at 8500lbs or something.

Got 27mpg going 80mph. (I am stock wheels and tire size with the 3.42 gears.) When I pull my HEAVY ass 90's race trailer I get about 16-17MPG..

Before:
Daily Driving City/Highway combined: 17-19MPG
Highway: 23-24mpg
Towing heavy race trailer:12-13mpg

After:
Daily Driving City/Highway combined: 19-20mpg
Highway: 26-27mpg
Towing heavy race trailer: 15-17mpg

 

My brother has a 2013 that’s deleted and tuned. He used this company and bought the straight pipe system. We did the exhaust in the driveway. The ecu gets sent to Malone for tuning. Runs like a champ, no cels or anything.

https://www.rawtekinc.com/collectio...oducts/sprinter-3-0l-2010-2018-dpf-delete-kit

https://www.rawtekinc.com/collectio...ucts/malone-tunes-for-sprinter-3-0l-2010-2018

 

No idea about your van
I deleted my 2012 duramax and gained MAYBE 1 mpg
I deleted my 2014 Ram and got to look at a constant check engine light. (Came to fi d out after the fact it was a known after affect in the tunner world).

Never saw any gains.

I would not do a modern Ram again

 

Does the straight pipe drone on the highway?

 

I love my Sprinter. That said, I took a trip out west last year and got a "16 starts remaining" on day 2/9. The nearest Merc dealer was ~500 miles from me. That made for a stressful trip. On top of that, once I got home it took 6 weeks to get an appointment, as the dealer was so backlogged. If I wasn't getting the recall work done at the same time I was getting my error fixed, I guess I could have looked for an independent mechanic, but it was aggravating. My error was caused by some wire harness failure in the DEF system.

 

Alberta. Your solution lies in Alberta, if it exists. (If the solution exists. I’m pretty solid on Alberta.)

 

I haven’t noticed it droning but it is a bit louder at idle.

 

27mpg from a full size truck thats shaped like a brick and weighs 7500lbs? That's got to be some kind of a world record. Hand calculate your mileage and get back to us. Your on board is lying to you.

At 27 mpg and a 30 gallon tank that's 810 miles per tank.

 

Not sure if this helps you at all but the DPF/EGR/SCR fell off my 2021 3500 duramax with 5000 miles on it.

I bought an entirely new ecu from a source who bench flashed it. I have had no issues what so ever. I gained about 200 hp (added a larger 67mm turbo). No check engine lights and no worries about DEF.

My mpg’s went up about 3-4 without a trailer and about 2-3 with a trailer.

 

I have a friend with a 2018 Duramax equipped GMC crew cab, longbed 4x4lufted on 38s. With 4:30s ?
He was telling me mid 20s on hwy...but he was using his on board data....it was not actual. I used it for a weekend and my math was more accurate at 17 mpg.

I have a 7.3 motovan with a muffler delete, no smog equip as it's a 2003, all stock w 3:55s on 30" tires, 50 h.p. econo tune programmer,and at 65 mph I get 18 mph...his truck is over 8000 lbs, my van is 7100 lbs

Impressive w 4x4 and 38s and quick for it's size..that's a relative term...lol it's not faster than a new Honda Civic SI..but it's 8000 friggin lbs..lol
But his MPG wasnt
even close to mid 20s on his application.?
I like em, but disels are overrated IMO.
My parents towed 20-30' heavy as fuck travel trailers for years all up n down the west coast with 70s GMCs and 350 V-8s... And didn'ta 69 GMC with the 6 cyl..no shit! He had those trucks for 25 years..well past the shelf life of when most get rid of the big bad diesels after 7-10 years....m As far as ofIm concerned it's just a perceived status thing..no doubt about it.
50s,60s,70s,80s, Few "needed" a diesel..sure would have helped...but was never required.

 

Few info here who did this and DEF delete.

I owned a 2015 Sprinter and I did this AEM update/recall to get the money (I think it was $3700 lawsuit) but you are required to provide a proof that you did the Update through the dealer.

I hesitated to do the update since I had a DEF delete done ($500 dollar plug that you upload). This AEM update will basically erase the delete and reset. I did it for the money since I was planning to sell the van prior to moving to Europe.

with DEF, in my opinion, Sprinter is not worth buying. I owned it for 6 years and DEF system was pain in the ass and when something goes wrong, you will pay $2,000-5,000 or even up to $8,000+ for repairs. NOX sensors randomly going bad (2k work), DEF exhaust had to be replaced (5k work), and even if you refill DEF, low DEF lights comes on and count down of death starts. I only had about 55,000 miles on the Sprinter.

Without DEF system, Sprinter is awesome and I loved it. took it across CA to VA/GA/FL and back 6 times.

Lastly, with this AEM update, I'm hearing from Sprinter community that they are having many problems...

I currently own a Metris since living in Europe...big enough to transport one bike and small enough to drive around town.

When I get back to USA, if I buy a bigger van again like Sprinter, I will look for GAS engine only because of DEF.

 

I guess the answer is to do an LS or Cummins swap then