skromfols

I purchased my 2011 CPO E350 Blutec about 6 weeks ago and I'm still learning about the vehicle. I have no idea if the dealer topped up the ADBlue tank before selling me the vehicle, so I'll just wait to see when the warning light comes on. The vehicle has just over 13,000 miles on it and if I understand what's recommended here, the tank would normally be topped off at the next service, which I believe is at 20,000.

I don't plan on allowing MB to fill my ADBlue tank with their expensive fluid when I can purchase it so much cheaper at a local truck stop, but my question is " do I just unscrew the cap on the tank and use a funnel to add the fluid"? That seems way too easy.

And by the way, our last vehicle was an 05 CLK 500, which was a great little sports car, however, we love the comfort, looks and features of this Blutec. And up here in the foothills we're getting 37 - 38 MPG, which is fantastic for a full size luxury vehicle.

Mbenz260e

Buy the half gallon container from Mercedes Benz, VW or Audi for around $10. The container has a special neck which screws on and makes it very difficult to spill or overfill. After you add the half gallon, cut a hole in the bottom of the container and use it as a funnel going forward with the DEF you buy from anywhere else. The container stops you from overfilling but just be conscious of how much you are putting in you don't end up with a lot of left over in your "funnel". If you do a search some members have posted better descriptions with pictures. It's an easy enough job just take your time.

skromfols

Thanks. That sounds like the right way to go, and I think your description was clear enough that even I should be able to do the job now. Thanks again.

SiGe35

I have used the funnel method, but for my last fill up at 40K, I bought a battery operated fuel transfer pump. It makes it easy to control how much you are filling at the push of a button. It is basically the same price as buying a MB refill bottle. I was hoping to use it to drain the DEF tank, but the solid extraction tube does not fit in the fill of the DEF tank.

skromfols

Please excuse my lack of knowledge, but what is the DEF tank ?

SiGe35

DEF is diesel exhaust fluid, AdBlue is the trademark name, I think from VW since they really invented this system and it is sold / licensed to the whole diesel / trucking industry.

MB wants its owner to empty the tank every 20K and refill it. I had read their concern is the fluid over the 20K period will evaporate over time and possibly throw off the concentration in the tank. Not sure how true this is but it does out gas / evaporate; because I have opened the cap and received a strong waft of the urea when I fill it up every 10K.

Here is a video about it, towards the end there is an actual MB engineer servicing the system.

skromfols

Thank you for the information. It doesn't look all that difficult to do so hopefully I can avoid the MB service charge and keep the tank filled myself.

H@Bii

AdBlue has a shelf-life and will eventually crystallize causing damage to bluetec injection components. The reason Mercedes service guidelines suggest complete replacement of the fluid every 20k.

skromfols

If I understand this correctly, diesel trucks also have to have this fluid. Since the long haul trucks rack up miles very quickly my guess is that they must have pretty large tanks for this stuff, and I just don't imagine them stopping to empty their tanks and refill them every so often. While I can understand that we certainly don't want this stuff to crystallize in our tanks, emptying the tanks of any remaining fluid every so often just doesn't seem to be the right way to maintain them.

H@Bii

You make a good point. I'm sure the commercial long haul manufacturers have a service schedule with similar guidelines. AdBlue dries into a sticky residue rather quickly when exposed to the atmosphere. I'm sure this product can seriously clog and damage system components if proper maintenance isnt done.

skromfols

Don't you think that adding more every 20,000 miles would mix with or dilute what was left enough that it wouldn't coagulate or get thick. I'd really like to hear from some owners who have gone through this process.

VicLaw

I need to add fluid every 10,000 miles in the E (each service interval). Understand the tank hold 2.5 gallons. Imposable to see the fluid level in the tank. Because it's corrosive I did not use a dowel or something to check the level. When low, the message will say you have 20 starts remaining of fluid remaining and will count down with each successive start. We were traveling when it happened so I bought a small container, i gallon, and plastic funnel.No problem in adding. Then I confessed to the dealer that I added the gallon because he said they can't measure level.

coda1970

Check Your owners manual for fluid capacities, my GLK 250 is more like 7.4 gallons. I use a small flash light to monitor the tank level, you can fill it to the very top.

Also recommend buying a cheap fluid transfer pump and keeping it for adblue use only. They are great, you can use it to fill the tank and to empty out the tank, all for $8.

http://www.harborfreight.com/multi-u...ump-66418.html

skromfols

I bought a 2.5 gal container at Wally World. It came with a plastic tube that was easy to use. When it was time for my 20,000 mile service I had my wife hold a funnel and I poured. Using a small flashlight showed that the fluid was very close to the top, so I consider it done until the next service interval.

VicLaw

coda1970, your right, the book said 6.5 gallons for the 2011 E.

skromfols

Since 2.5 gallons put me right back up at the top I must not have been even close to empty.

jeepdoctor

I thought about making an AdBlue bottle into a funnel, but didn't care for the possibility of contamination and the need to return left-over DEF fluid to the DEF container. I got a couple of empty AdBlue bottles from a dealer, unscrewed the check valves from the bottles and refilled them from a 10 quart DEF container. The problem I ran into is that when I tried to remove the bottle and check valve from the tank nipple after filling, the bottle would unscrew from the check valve. There wasn't enough clearance to get a good grip on the check valve with the bottle attached. I bought a couple of 1-1/2 plastic plumbing fittings at Lowe's, their stock number 23903. This fitting has a 1-1/2" male pipe thread, wrench flats and a cylindrical section. I cut the cylindrical section off and beveled the cut edges. I skived some material out of the bore of the threaded section (the end opposite the wrench flats is smaller because of mold draft) until it was a light press fit over the check valve assembly. I roughed up the check valve OD and fitting ID with emery paper and put a light coat of epoxy resin on the check valve OD and plumbing fitting ID. I pressed the fitting onto the check valve, with the wrench flats facing the check valve cap, until the dimension from the plumbing fitting shoulder to check valve end was one inch. Now, I can grab the wrench flats with my fingers and remove the bottle and check valve as an assembly!

jeepdoctor

I thought about making an AdBlue bottle into a funnel, but didn't care for the possibility of contamination and the need to return left-over DEF fluid to the DEF container. I got a couple of empty AdBlue bottles from a dealer, unscrewed the check valves from the bottles and refilled them from a 10 quart DEF container. The problem I ran into is that when I tried to remove the bottle and check valve from the tank nipple after filling, the bottle would unscrew from the check valve. There wasn't enough clearance to get a good grip on the check valve with the bottle attached. I bought a couple of 1-1/2 plastic plumbing fittings at Lowe's, their stock number 23903. This fitting has a 1-1/2" male pipe thread, wrench flats and a cylindrical section. I cut the cylindrical section off and beveled the cut edges. I skived some material out of the bore of the threaded section (the end opposite the wrench flats is smaller because of mold draft) until it was a light press fit over the check valve assembly. I roughed up the check valve OD and fitting ID with emery paper and put a light coat of epoxy resin on the check valve OD and plumbing fitting ID. I pressed the fitting onto the check valve, with the wrench flats facing the check valve cap to a depth of one inch. Now, I can grab the wrench flats with my fingers to remove the bottle and check valve as an assembly!

jeepdoctor

jeepdoctor

Clarification: The plumbing fitting flats face away from the check valve assembly cap. I.E., toward the bottle end of the check valve.


Comment: I scored a line above the check valve locking ring with a snap blade knife and deepened it with a very thin pull saw blade from Hobby Lobby. Then I broke the locking ring off with needle nose pliers.

chsu74

Here is my DIY from a few years back.

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...art-adblu.html

erichohn

I have a 2014 mercedes GL-350 Bluetec diesel. What are the specs for the DEF fluid? Where can it be purchased?

chsu74

Walmart, Autozone, Pepboys, Napa or any autopart store near you.