AdBlue dilemma - C205 C220d

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Hey all!

I have a C205 C220d which doesn't do a lot of miles, it gets used mostly for infrequent long journeys out of the city. I've owned it for a year and half and I had a panicked thought the other day about the AdBlue. I thought 'what happens if it's old and sat in the tank for a while?' - turns out it crystallises, not great.

So this weekend I first checked the AdBlue level before deciding what to do and it looks full with a range of 6700 miles. I thought this was odd as I've never added any in, and during my last service A in May there is no mention of topping up the AdBlue, which I'd expect them to charge me for. It's done about 1500 miles in 18 months since I've owned it which I'd have thought would reflect on the range.

But the dilemma is what do I do? Do I leave it until its next service B in May and ask them to drain and refill? Do I buy a pump and drain and refill it myself maybe also putting in an anti-crystal treatment? How does one dispose of 20 litres of AdBlue? Am I panicking for nothing?

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Syphon it out , refill with fresh and ad the anti crystal. Flush the old down the loo.

 

[tode]

Probably best to change the Adblue, but everything you use must be scrupulously clean (think brain-surgery clean).
I am convinced that any crystallisation is due to dust and dirt acting as seeds for the crystallisation process.

And I wouldn't bother with the snake-oil anti-crystallising products.

Lastly, don't waste the Adblue by flushing it - dilute it and water the lawn with it - the major use of urea is as a fertilizer.

 

[W1ghty]

Probably best to change the Adblue, but everything you use must be scrupulously clean (think brain-surgery clean).
I am convinced that any crystallisation is due to dust and dirt acting as seeds for the crystallisation process.

And I wouldn't bother with the snake-oil anti-crystallising products.

Lastly, don't waste the Adblue by flushing it - dilute it and water the lawn with it - the major use of urea is as a fertilizer.

Test it on the neighbours lawn first buddy

 

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Thanks all! Looking into syphons/pumps/containers now and planning how I'll do this.

 

[W1ghty]

Thanks all! Looking into siphons/pumps/containers now and planning how I'll do this.

Have a look at the Pela 6000 buddy , good for oil changes as well

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Test it on the neighbours lawn first buddy

Well said, Sir !!

(As always)

 

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Hey guys it took me a while to get organised for this but just an update. I couldn't get the syphon pipe down into the adblue tank The pipe kept hitting a wall of some kind and no matter how I wiggled it around it wouldn't go further into the tank so I'm a bit stuck now lol. Any tips? I could try getting a thinner more flexible pipe but it kinda feels like there's a 90 degree bend in filler neck somewhere

 

[Skd884]

Tip - purchase a petrol car.

 

[W1ghty]

@OneForTheRoad , did you get a pipe down the filler neck ?

 

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Looking at pictures of the tank online, it looks like there's a sharp bend in the filler neck just before the tank itself - almost 90 degrees. It must've been that. I think I can only try getting a thin very flexible hose and see if that helps navigate all the way down D:

 

[OneForTheRoad]

@OneForTheRoad , did you get a pipe down the filler neck ?

My tank was in the boot buddy , I had direct access to it . No filler neck

 

[colinallcars]

Not every ad-blu equipped car has a problem, perhaps you’re worrying unnecessarily?

 

[Bellow]

Looking at pictures of the tank online, it looks like there's a sharp bend in the filler neck just before the tank itself - almost 90 degrees. It must've been that. I think I can only try getting a thin very flexible hose and see if that helps navigate all the way down D:

Can you find where its pipe enters the engine bay and drain from it?

 

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Not every ad-blu equipped car has a problem, perhaps you’re worrying unnecessarily?

I think it's more preventative than anything, easier to throw in some fresh adblue and an additive once a year than have to replace a crystallised injector or sensor

I've ordered some thinner tubing and I'll let you guys know if I have any luck. Out of interest does anyone know what this thing circled in red is? I wonder if that could be blocking the tube.

 

[Teego]

Test it on the neighbours lawn first buddy

When animals piss on the grass it scorches.

 

[jsnmac]

Hey guys it took me a while to get organised for this but just an update. I couldn't get the syphon pipe down into the adblue tank The pipe kept hitting a wall of some kind and no matter how I wiggled it around it wouldn't go further into the tank so I'm a bit stuck now lol. Any tips? I could try getting a thinner more flexible pipe but it kinda feels like there's a 90 degree bend in filler neck somewhere

Had the same issues on my C205 when decided to syphon the tank with a pela 6000. In the end I simply added fresh in with anti crystallising fluid. I then disconnected the adblue injector from the exhaust and cleaned the outlet and the injector itself. And boy did they need doing.

 

[FreshFromTheGrave]

Had the same issues on my C205 when decided to syphon the tank with a pela 6000. In the end I simply added fresh in with anti crystallising fluid. I then disconnected the adblue injector from the exhaust and cleaned the outlet and the injector itself. And boy did they need doing.

I'm gonna give it a try with a thinner hose tomorrow, see if it works :/ Otherwise I'll probably just do the same as you and ask them to drain and refill at my next service. Which they should do anyways. But if we can't syphon it out I don't know how they're going to syphon it out and I can't see any drain plugs at the bottom of that tank sooo. What do they do, drop the whole tank?

 

[OneForTheRoad]

I'm gonna give it a try with a thinner hose tomorrow, see if it works :/ Otherwise I'll probably just do the same as you and ask them to drain and refill at my next service. Which they should do anyways. But if we can't syphon it out I don't know how they're going to syphon it out and I can't see any drain plugs at the bottom of that tank sooo. What do they do, drop the whole tank?

Bound to be a feed pipe somewhere you can disconnect, easy for a garage on a 4 poster .

 

[Petrol Pete]

When animals piss on the grass it scorches.

There is no animal pi$$ in AdBlue...although its use in a Diesel car is taking the Pi$$.