My tow vehicle has been going through DEF pump assemblies and Ford couldn't figure out why. The pump had been replaced twice and while we were towing the Excel home from the dealer, it threw the DTC for the pump again. I managed to limp it home and got it to the dealer yesterday. This time, Ford told them to drop the whole DEF assembly and inspect it. This involved removing the tank, heater assembly and pump. What they found, was disgusting. It looks as though someone had dumped a quart of motor oil in the DEF tank. It was all milky and soupy. Since it was contamination and not a defective pump, Ford won't cover it under warranty. A call to my insurance company and I found out that it is covered. They are sending an adjuster and will hopefully have it done by next week. We were planning on taking the Excel out camping this weekend... Not happening now!Here's a picture of what they found in the tank:

Looks nasty , what is it supposed to look like?

Took me awhile to figure out what I was looking at. Kept thinking I was viewing a Timbrens stop.

shepstone wrote:Looks nasty , what is it supposed to look like?Should actually be clear, with a slight tint. Not milky, with goop on top..

Was this at room temp? DEF does freeze at 12 degrees F, it might start looking milky before the temp gets down to 12.

Looks like diesel and DEF mixed. Did someone mistakenly add diesel to the DEF tank?

Someone got me/My truck good! | Good Sam Community

shepstone
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Looks nasty , what is it supposed to look like?
mich800
Explorer
Dec 30, 2014
Took me awhile to figure out what I was looking at. Kept thinking I was viewing a Timbrens stop.
EMD_DRIVER
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014
shepstone wrote:
Looks nasty , what is it supposed to look like?

Should actually be clear, with a slight tint. Not milky, with goop on top..
agesilaus
Explorer III
Dec 31, 2014
Was this at room temp? DEF does freeze at 12 degrees F, it might start looking milky before the temp gets down to 12.
copeland343
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014
Looks like diesel and DEF mixed. Did someone mistakenly add diesel to the DEF tank?
EMD_DRIVER
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014
The pic was taken at room temp.. It's not frozen.

I am the only person to add DEF, since my wife had to do it last January. I get DEF in the truck lanes at the local Flying J. I only ever have one of the caps open at a time. I'm kind of anal about the possibility of contaminating either tank. There is zero chance, that diesel was accidentally put in the DEF tank.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Dec 31, 2014
Just another reason not to own a diesel...hope you get it fixed soon and get back to camping with that new trailer!
EMD_DRIVER
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014
BurbMan wrote:
Just another reason not to own a diesel...hope you get it fixed soon and get back to camping with that new trailer!

This could have happened, no matter what kind of truck I have. If someone wants to cause problems, they will find a way. It's a shame, that people don't have personal responsibility anymore.
DutchmenSport
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014
It might cost a bit more, but I get my DEF in the 2 1/2 gallon jugs from WallMart. I absolutely do not trust the truck stops. I'd rather pay a little more and KNOW what I'm really getting than take chances a pump at a truck stop is contaminated. I stopped getting diesel from truck stops too and use regular car fuel stations. The last several truck stop type service stations I've stopped at have just been absolutely nasty, dirty, and unappealing. The truck lanes are just yuck. I'm talking Flying J and Love's ... just plain dirty. If the lots, pumps, and access areas to the pumps are a mess, it only stands to reason they don't tend to anything under ground either. Just like going into a restaurant and seeing a cock-roach run across the floor. If you see the one cock roach in the lobby, who knows what's going on in the kitchen you can't see.
ScottG
Nomad
Dec 31, 2014
EMD_DRIVER wrote:
BurbMan wrote:
Just another reason not to own a diesel...hope you get it fixed soon and get back to camping with that new trailer!

This could have happened, no matter what kind of truck I have. If someone wants to cause problems, they will find a way. It's a shame, that people don't have personal responsibility anymore.

Burbman,
It's not any different than if your gasser had something foreign dumped in the tank.