Diesel Techs I Need Your Help

I did a really stupid thing Wednesday. In a rare moment of head up my arse, I put about a gallon of DEF fluid in my diesel tank. I could give all my excuses on how it happened, but bottom line is I screwed up. It was about a half box. I did Not start the truck . Not knowing what it does in the fuel system, I thought maybe If I have a full tank it might be diluted enough. I cycled the accessory button on to check the fuel gauge and then back off. Again, I did not start. I called local Ford dealer. They explained do not start. I had the truck towed in the following morning. I could not get a tow truck that afternoon in time to get over to rent a vehicle also. So, it was about 18-20 hours after I did that when they got the truck.

I talked to service advisor today. They removed fuel filters . He says they are no signs of crystallization in the secondary fuel system but it is giving them a couple codes. He said it is sort of like getting mixed signals. He is giving me two options. Roll the dice that it did not go into secondary system and get out for about $2500 or replace everything.

This is a 2017 Ford F350. What does experience tell you guys? Am I screwed and the $2500 fix will only delay the inevitable? Or are they trying to sell me on a huge repair order? And honestly, he is not hard selling. He just payed out the option. If it sits another day or two will contamination of the secondary fuel system become more evident if it is there? I know no way for anyone to diagnose with complete accuracy from a been post. Just looking for some advice . Thanks

 

If you never turned the key and cycled the fuel pump the DEF would be in the tank only.

If you did cycle the key, I would *think* that flushing the lines from fuel tank to injector pump to injectors would be more than sufficient since the contaminated fuel would not have ever made it past the injector pump without the engine cranking.

If you cranked it over…ouch!

 

What are the codes specifically?

IMO, they would have had to run the engine for codes related to this issue to show up.

 

They didn't tow it into the service bay I suspect so now it has codes.

 

If it has not been cranked or run, just drain ,refill and replace filters. Maybe add some power service fuel additive.

If you have access to a scan tool and want to be extra careful , disconnect the fuel supply line @ the engine and pump a gallon of fuel into a bucket with scan activation of fuel pump.

So what codes? And what is the 2500.00 charge for?

 

For a split second the other day I thought I did the same thing. F@CK them for putting the Def fluid on the same pump as diesel and making it look the similar.

 

I disconnected both batteries before it was towed. So if they drove it into the bay, they reconnected to start. Hmmm

 

For sure find out if they ran it or drove it in...if you can.

 

If they were dumb enough to drive it into the shop I'd say they just became responsible for any damage.

 

Smart on your end. If the dealership hooked the batts back up and drove it in the bay then they would be responsible for the damage to the fuel system, in a perfect world.

 

Had a similar issue at my shop

Go to tractor supply and get one of those plastic tubs for feeding pigs

Put it under your fuel filter area and pull the filter

Cycle the key forward and back for an hour or so until it empties the tank. This makes the fuel pump prime the system

Refill tank with fresh diesel apex 1/3. Purge this as well

Put new filters on, fill tank and run the truck

If you really want to speed up the process, pull the wire harness going to the fuel pump, run voltage to it, then reconnect when done

I had a battery charger on while I did this also, can use quite a bit of juice

Every trucking company in north America has had a dumbass put DEF in a fuel tank

 

https://www.aopa.org/training-and-s...sel-exhaust-fluid-contamination-in-jet-a-fuel

 

If you cycle the key you activate the fuel pump...

 

Every truck stop that I have been to, since I got my newer diesel truck that requires DEF makes it a pain in the ass to 'accidentally' grab the DEF handle. Many have a cover over the pump handle. Then there's the skinny nozzle for DEF. Way smaller than even a gasoline pump nozzle. You must have been really distracted by something, @wsmc42

Best of luck to you, figuring this all out successfully!

 

For those that don't pay attention, I don't know how you put a half box of DEF in the tank from a dispenser at the fuel pump.

 

In the middle of a move to a new house 40 miles away, deadlines to be out of current house, a boss who is being uncooperative with time off, closing a $3m house at work …. Yeah, a few things got me distracted. It was an extra box in garage that I usually keep around. Heading back to work from lunch at home, I thought I’ll put that in the truck so I don’t have to haul it to new house. Thinking more about what else I needed to do that afternoon to make progress and keep boss pacified and I fucked up.

 

Yes

And an open filter housing is before the motor and injectors

 

He was supposed to email the repair quote today and did not. I will post up codes once I get the quote

 

Have not seen written quote but he said it was to drain tank and clean, replace fuel pump and filters. And to run scan I’m guessing

 

My RV doesn't use DEF thank god, but I've just got done with about two weeks of maintenance and general dicking around on its fluid lines, including fuel lines and filters and pumps and etc.

Like others have said, if you didn't turn the engine on, you didn't cycle the pump, and so the DEF would only be in the tank. If you turned your key left to accessory mode, you didn't turn the engine on. The pump will only run in the "ON" or "START" position.

You said you disconnected the batteries - they obviously reconnected them, because you can't read codes without powering the ECU, and you can't power up the ECU without turning the key to ON. Turning the key to ON to power the ECU... will have powered the pump as well.

Soooooo, that immediately makes me wary of what the codes are. Drill the service manager very specifically: What codes is the truck showing? Did the service technician disconnect the pump and/or fuel lines before turning the vehicle on? Did they examine it in a service bay? How did they get it in to the bay?

From your description of your actions to us, the DEF would never have left the fuel tank. And it also sounds like you were extremely clear in your description of the problem to them.. so if the DEF did leave the fuel tank, I'd ask to the service manager to explain how.