Car Talk

[annv]

Add Blue is only used when car has been running for approx  50 mph for 15 minutes it flushes/cleans the catalyst in the exhaust system should be topped up at service intervals. john

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Ran a VW Caddy with Adblue once, needed refilling every couple of weeks when dashboard warning light lit up around every 2-3 thousand miles. PITA.

[grendel]

I think adblue is all manufacturer hype- they are literally extracting the adblue.

 

(can you tell my old volvo doesnt have this, or emission control, and still passes the MOT with flying colours (due no doubt to the high mileages I generally do))

[StillCruising]

I thought that ad blue was something my mother used to add to the clothes washing water in the 50's 

[ChrisB]

37 minutes ago, StillCruising said:

I thought that ad blue was something my mother used to add to the clothes washing water in the 50's 

That was "Dolly Blue"

Then Unilever or someone developed a compound called something like Thinabsorb, which remained in the washed clothing and reacted to natural UV to make whites whiter.

[BroadAmbition]

Finally this morning fitted a pair of side bars (Had them since early January) that completes the final farkle to Trevor

Griff 

 

[ZimbiIV]

Can anyone tell me, what size shoehorn I need to service this?

paul

 

 

 

 

[FairTmiddlin]

6 minutes ago, ZimbiIV said:

Can anyone tell me, what size shoehorn I need to service this?

paul

 

That will be a size child 7

Or someone with hands the size of a five year old

[BroadAmbition]

Rather you than me

Good luck with that

Griff

[grendel]

1 hour ago, BroadAmbition said:

Finally this morning fitted a pair of side bars (Had them since early January) that completes the final farkle to Trevor

Griff 

 

now you have a pair of bars on trevor, mines a pint of cider.

[BroadAmbition]

And you are more than welcome,  It'll be a pleasure to supply you with the same during the Lads week 

Griff

[WherryNice]

8 hours ago, grendel said:

 

(can you tell my old volvo doesnt have this, or emission control, and still passes the MOT with flying colours (due no doubt to the high mileages I generally do))

Tbf the MOT only checks smoke output on diesels, the standards for which are much tighter for newer models. (tested to a figure which is on the VIN plate, unless it's not there). Most of the DPF equipped VW's that I test produce too little smoke for the machine to register.

Adblue is injected into the exhaust as the catalyst to turn Nitrogen Oxide into Oxygen and Nitrogen(if I recall correctly)thus reducing that particular emission.

9 hours ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

Ran a VW Caddy with Adblue once, needed refilling every couple of weeks when dashboard warning light lit up around every 2-3 thousand miles. PITA.

How much were you topping up each time? 2-3k seems a bit low. 

[Paul]

On 23/04/2021 at 23:43, Timbo said:

Thoroughly enjoying every bit of tech on my new fully tech'd out MG HS, especially the brown trouser inducing red Super Sport button. Finally I'm enjoying driving again, something I haven't done since forced to say goodbye to my Scimitar thirty years ago!

I finished work at 7 today, just in time to nip to the chip'oyl then off to Aldi meaning I can enjoy my long weekend without having to waste half a day shopping. I have to admit to having been tempted to flick the engine and suspension modes into sport and "enjoy" the trip, roof down, engine growling, light up the 285s on the rear occasionally, then realise why I don't do it very often. 8.2 miles covered, 8.1 mpg.

Ouch 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

13 hours ago, WherryNice said:

How much were you topping up each time? 2-3k seems a bit low. 

All or most of a 2.5L container

[WherryNice]

23 hours ago, OldBerkshireBoy said:

All or most of a 2.5L container

The tank capacity is about 10 litres so if 2.5 was filling it up to the brim then that's a bit odd for the warning to come up so early. Anyhoo, moot point I guess, just curiosity on my part.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

I never thought about the tank capacity tbh, it was a company van and was told we had something like 100miles once the light lit to stop and refill. The manager at the time was a total @#$% and Adblue wasn't sold in every garage hence it was a PITA.

[ScrumpyCheddar]

Problem with Adblue is you will never get a true reading because it crystals up the sensor over time.. And always keep the tank nearly full.. that prevents longer from crystallisation.👍

[BroadAmbition]

That's good advice re crystallisation, I'll endeavour to keep MrsG's Q5 topped up.  I get my adblue from my friendly farmer / shooting mate, he keeps a stock of 1000 litres readily available and refuses to charge me for it 

Griff

[OldBerkshireBoy]

3 minutes ago, BroadAmbition said:

That's good advice re crystallisation, I'll endeavour to keep MrsG's Q5 topped up.  I get my adblue from my friendly farmer / shooting mate, he keeps a stock of 1000 litres readily available and refuses to charge me for it 

Griff

Does he "milk" the pigs by any chance? 

[addicted]

We put 10 ltrs  of adblue in our car and the guage showed 3|4 full.However after a few days it showed full. We know absolutely nothing about this stuff, what are the implications of running out

Carole

[NeilB]

I expect you will get a warning when the level gets low, if it actually runs out the engine could go into "limp" mode with reduced rpm until the tank is refilled.  As to how long the time is between the low level warning and actually running out probably varies between manufacturers but I would expect at least 100 miles or so.

[WherryNice]

42 minutes ago, NeilB said:

I expect you will get a warning when the level gets low, if it actually runs out the engine could go into "limp" mode with reduced rpm until the tank is refilled.  As to how long the time is between the low level warning and actually running out probably varies between manufacturers but I would expect at least 100 miles or so.

 

 

1 hour ago, addicted said:

We put 10 ltrs  of adblue in our car and the guage showed 3|4 full.However after a few days it showed full. We know absolutely nothing about this stuff, what are the implications of running out

Carole

If it runs out on a VW the engine will not start, however you do get plenty of warning before this happens. Not sure what happens on other brands but well worthwhile familarising yourself with your particular car's requirements.

[ScrumpyCheddar]

This is the joys of Adblue .. As the saying goes “what you can’t see won’t hurt”.. This will when you see it.. 

Keep it from paint work another metals..

This is the Add blue pump I use at work at a main SCANIA dealers garage..  imagine that building up in your add blue tank around your sender unit.. That’s why I keep it topped up.. 

[annv]

Add Blue is only used when car has been running for approx  50 mph for 15 minutes it flushes/cleans the catalyst in the exhaust system should be topped up at service intervals. john

[annv]

I have just been to see my last apprentice on this add blue conundrum,  historically add blue was as i first posted,   BUT the car makers found that by bleeding a small amount into the fuel at  injectors lowered the emissions Mercedes and VW in particular use a large amounts of additive to lower there emissions which adds to the running costs per mile,  however Ford don't do this apart from the periodically injection into catalyst to clean the Catalyst and a service top up is sufficient, he told me one of his mercedes customers uses so much that she keeps coming back when warning light came on that he showed her how to top up at home, if you run out this shouldn't stop car from starting the computer will just turn to limp home mode which is when the computer finds a fault and to keep the car running adjusts the management to add average readings to enable you to still drive but at a lower level of power to get you home/to garage,  hope this helps to explain the high usage of add blue which in my day was covered by normal servicing periods, the manufacturers don't tell the customers of this as it increases the running costs,  much like less miles per gallon another sneaky way of covering there arses like when you go for immishons test if you connect the driver's seat belt the emissions rise as the engine has more power disconnect the belt as is done on mot test,  emission will show lower but drops, more power equals higher emissions, add adblue emissions come down, costs go up. John