My new car has an Adblue tank where the spare wheel should be. Emissions thingy I guess.
Anyway, the dealer says it shouldn't need topping up between services but the service interval is +/- 15,000 miles ( the car tells you if it needs a service soon )
They also said that if the Adblue does require a top up, to just pop in and they'll do it while I wait. All very well I guess unless I'm hundreds of miles away or abroad when it does.
Anyone got a car with a cow wee tank? What sort of mileages are you getting between re-fills? Is it easy to do? ( I note that you can readily buy the stuff on forecourts )
Is it a generic product, as in any brand will do, or does it differ in strength/quality?
Been googling a bit on the subject and it looks straightforward enough but anyone got any experiences?
Much rather have a spare wheel in truth.
:-(
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This week I first noticed an AdBlue pump at a petrol station, and another station where it seemed to be available in containers, like screen wash.
Seems like a faff to me. I agree on the spare wheel.
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Suppose it'd be handy enough if I was a farmer. But even then I'd be worried about aim accuracy.
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There's a Shell station between Royston and Baldock with Adblue on a pump. Never used it and don't need to but I've seen the signs.
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I have seen Adblue in ASDA supermarkets, easy to find, glad I don't need it.
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Strikes me you wouldn't want to spill any...
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Have it on wife's VW Tiguan. I guess you shouldn't drink the stuff or pour it in your eyes but if you observe normal precautions it's not generally hazardous.
It's a pain on her car as the the filler is buried in the boot. It also uses loads more than VW first claimed - they said it was a service item but now they're talking about much greater rates of use. It seems be be a few hundred miles per litre, and the tank only holds 12L. Some high mileage users have apparently rejected cars due to not being told the car would need AdBlue.
If your car is a Mercedes then they'll top up free for 12mths. VAG have a fixed price of £1.50 per litre - they introduced that after there was uproar where some dealers were charging £70 for a refill.
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I can only guess some cars will use it faster than the official figures. Why else would there be a free upgrade from 12l to 24l for the AdBlue tank on the new A4. I assume the smaller tank gets the car weight down for official figures. Similarly the smaller tank on the 2.0 diesels.
The advantage to you Runfer is this reduces NOx emissions. I wonder if that then means they can get CO2 emissions down without a side effect on NOx. Either way you can't have diesels that easily meet the NOx limits without AdBlue.
You don't say where the filler is on the car. But don't spill any AdBlue in the car. Apparently the issue with using some of the larger containers on sale is they don't come with an adapter/funnel. The smaller ones work okay. Maybe that's why it's now on sale via a pump in places.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 9 Jun 16 at 17:14
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First I had to suffer puddles of diesel around the pumps and now hold ups for them also wanting some pee.
I am glad I chose petrol power.:-)
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Can't remember if I posted this before.
Two American guests checked in to my in laws hotel in the Scottish Highlands, they had a Mercedes hire car.
They'd decided to drive to John O'Groats and coming back had the ad blue warning come up on the dash. They stopped, looked at the car's manual and worked out what ad blue was then drove to the nearest garage... that didn't have any.
After some phone calls to the hire company, they eventually worked out a garage that would have it in Ullapool, but that was 20 miles further than the range indicated.
So a nerve wracking economy drive to Ullapool, not daring to let the car stop as it has stop/start technology... and with ad blue, when it has run out, once the car stops it won't start again.
They thought they were doomed at some temp roadworks... but managed to keep the car moving at all times whilst waiting for the red to go green.
What a faff.
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At least Runfer knows he has it and his car won't go without it. A check and top up before international autobhan storming might be prudent. I am sure that he does weekly fluid level checks even if he doesn't wash it. :-)
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Forgive me if this sounds rude, but WTF is Adblue? Sounds like a racket aimed at extracting money from morons.
Something like Redex is it? At least with that you had a choice, and it seemed to do some good.
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>> Forgive me if this sounds rude, but WTF is Adblue?
>>
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_exhaust_fluid
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>Sounds like a racket aimed at extracting money from morons.
Dunno. Did you pay for it Runfer?
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Why can't they just mix the stuff in with the pump diesel?
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>> Why can't they just mix the stuff in with the pump diesel?
>>
Because it doesn't go into the engine. It goes into the exhaust system where it combines wihtthe nitrous oxides leaving harmless nitrogen and oxygen.
It is in fact the chemical Urea which is found in Urine but which is manufactured artificially on a huge scale for use as fertiliser and is therefore comparitivley cheap.
Trucks have been using it for years
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>> Dunno. Did you pay for it Runfer?
He's not a moron.
Redex is good stuff.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Thu 9 Jun 16 at 18:49
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In which case, Armel, it would appear that your initial assessment of adblue requires more thought.
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I suppose there is one emergency option if stuck at the side of a lonely road in the dead of night but I imagine you'd have to eat some grass first...
Yeah, the start/stop thing, quite unreasonably irritating that. You can turn it off though, although it turns itself back on again every time you start the engine ( if that doesn't sound a bit odd )
I've not done many miles yet ( less than 1000 ) but it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference to mpg whether it's switched on or not. In fact so far the fuel economy of this car is worse ( much worse ) than my old car. The old one easily got high 40s to low 50s to the gallon but this one has yet to break through 40 mpg. Hope it's just the newness of the engine and that it will get better. It's noticeably less powerful than the old 250 too, although the extra 2 gears help to disguise that a bit. Hasn't got the same lazy torque.
Nice thing in general though, lots more toys ( quite a few of which I've switched off mind )
Love having a sunroof again. Clever seats that grip you round the waist if you so choose.
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Thu 9 Jun 16 at 19:14
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Yes, that sunroof is a deal breaker for me. I may have to extend the search away from a 3 series and take a second look at other options
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Chortle chortle
V funny ....I actually know someone aeons ago who lived in Bingley, W Yorks. We were good friends and he chopped in his Sud Ti for a2CV. The area was far too hilly for the deux chevaux and it went after 2 months.
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Redex is good stuff.
Debatable really. An average light oil with oodles of detergents I believe. On the advice of an oil company chemist, I use 200:1 two stroke oil in the vintage car. Better lubrication, cheaper and designed to be burnt too.
The clouds of white smoke that come with a Redex 'treatment' lead one to think, it must be doing some good if it makes that much smoke! Although I suspect these days one would kill the catalyst trying it.
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>>The clouds of white smoke that come with a Redex 'treatment' lead one to think, it must be doing some good if it makes that much smoke
Yeah, and because snake-oil tastes like crap it must be doing the patient some good.
I wonder what a couple of teaspoonfuls of paraffin can do to help an engine that dozens of gallons of even lighter hydrocarbon with added detergents doesn't.
That's right - nada.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Thu 9 Jun 16 at 23:46
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When I was a youngster pouring small amounts of brake fluid into the carburettor was claimed to remove carbon deposits. It produced amazing amounts of smoke but was a waste of brake fluid, as I found out when replacing a head gasket. A wire brush in a power drill is much more effective.
I could not possibly comment on this as I have not tried it.
www.terraclean.co.uk
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>> At least Runfer knows he has it and his car won't go without it. A
>> check and top up before international autobhan storming might be prudent. I am sure that
>> he does weekly fluid level checks even if he doesn't wash it. :-)
>>
You can't check the level - the only thing to do is pour the stuff in. I was warned that the VW needs to have at least 5L for the system to register it's had fluid added, but I think that only applies once the first warning has come on.
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>> You can't check the level - the only thing to do is pour the stuff
>> in. I was warned that the VW needs to have at least 5L for the
>> system to register it's had fluid added, but I think that only applies once the
>> first warning has come on.
I'd imagine that once you'd worked out how quickly the car uses it, you could have some in your garage (or put it in the boot for really long journeys)... and periodically top it up.
It does seem a somewhat backward step, faff wise.
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>> I'd imagine that once you'd worked out how quickly the car uses it, you could
>> have some in your garage (or put it in the boot for really long journeys)...
>> and periodically top it up.
>>
Indeed that's exactly what I've done - I bought the filler tube and 5L (larger sizes are available too) of AdBlue from VW's Trade Parts Centre and just dropped it in when convenient.
>> It does seem a somewhat backward step, faff wise.
>>
Certainly on cars that don't bring the filler to the fuel flap it is a right faff. On Tiguan the spare (unusual these days, I know!) has to be removed. In practice with an empty boot it only takes a couple of mins, but still not something I'd want to do on a filling station forecourt.
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>> After some phone calls to the hire company, they eventually worked out a garage that
>> would have it in Ullapool, but that was 20 miles further than the range indicated.
>>
In the VW you get several levels of warning from about 1500 miles to go. I can't imagine Mercedes would be significantly different, so they must have ignored the earlier warnings (or else over-reacted).
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I absolutely would not buy a car which added yet another unquantified cost to my motoring. (Not to mention the faffing about).
OTH, I cannot afford a new car !
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Over the past couple of days all of the news has been about the government now deciding to tax diesels (only cars it seems) off of the road because of their health implications (switched from CO2).
Not sure if these will be retrospective to current diesel owners like me, as I've mentioned in my previous questions this could be what pushes me to end up with a petrol car when I change, not that I really want to.
So diesel cars may start to be come less common and things like Adblue at the pumps will die away as we are pushed to petrol.
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>>this could be what pushes me to end up with
>> a petrol car when I change, not that I really want to.
I made that decision ten years ago. Looking at electric now!
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>> So diesel cars may start to be come less common and things like Adblue at
>> the pumps will die away as we are pushed to petrol.
>>
Unlikely for some time; as mentioned above it is commonly used in larger commercial vehicles.
As to hazards; it is corrosive so especially if yopu have delicate skin, wear gloves, and wash your hands after handling the stuff.
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In a few years time people will be looking back and reminiscing about the old days when you had to buy blue stuff on forecourts and put it in a special tank.
Then someone here will say thank goodness they don't build cars like that any more.
Mind you, those old "Adblue" dispensers are collectors items now. :)
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If it ran out I wonder if you could put tapwater in to get you home? The AdBlue is waterbased solution so possibly.
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There is another option, and it has the advantage of containing some urea...
Edit - 5 litres might be a bit of a challenge though.
;-)
Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Fri 10 Jun 16 at 20:51
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That good is it? ( wouldn't know, not a beery sort of person )
;-)
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Not much help to you hump but to answer your original question I fill my 18tonner up every 2weeks with 24litres of the stuff.
Does about 2k miles on that but then again it is a 6.7 straight 6☺
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Suppose I should get a can/bottle of the stuff to keep in the garage or take with me if I'm going to do a long trip to somewhere inconvenient. Funnel too I guess.
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Do you get that and oil, screenwash etc on a fuel card / expenses?
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Oh yes, in theory, absolutely. Although, I've never actually got around to charging for screen wash come to think, and I've never had a company car that needed oil between services for decades. The Ablue though, I think I would ( and certainly could ) claim for. Merc dealer reckons it won't need it between services anyway but we will see.
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Would be a good idea
we fill our trucks up at our local DAF we start at 7am they open at 8 so we all carry a spare 10 litres with us in case we get back late in the evening and cant fill up.
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>> If it ran out I wonder if you could put tapwater in to get you
>> home? The AdBlue is waterbased solution so possibly.
>>
1) The water content is demineralised. Tap water will wreck the catalyser
2) There is a sensor in the tank which detects whether the correct concentration of urea is present. If the concentration is incorrect the engine will not run.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 10 Jun 16 at 21:30
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I don't what to bang on about it but from the news down here in the SE they seem to say that with in a short time all diesel cars will be taxed out of existence (both new and old) because of the 'new' health issues, and it will be only drivers with deep pockets that will be able to keep them.
I don't think that it will go on fuel as that would affect HGV's which don't seem to have been mentioned but just on new and retrospective VED.
Shame if true as my 2.0 L TDi is running at it's sweetest after 10 yrs and 100K miles.
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>> I don't what to bang on about it but from the news down here in
>> the SE they seem to say that with in a short time all diesel cars
>> will be taxed out of existence (both new and old) because of the 'new' health
>> issues, and it will be only drivers with deep pockets that will be able to
>> keep them.
>>
I'd be extremely nervous about buying a new diesel car now - by all means PCP or lease one, but sticking your own money into one would seem to be extremely risky. Plus these latest cars have horrendously complicated emissions systems.
>> Shame if true as my 2.0 L TDi is running at it's sweetest after 10
>> yrs and 100K miles.
>>
Same with my "old" C270CDi Mercedes. I've resolved to run it until it becomes uneconomic to repair (which may not be very long!). I'm annoyed with myself to have missed the "glitch" lease pricing on Passat Alltrack a couple of months ago - not that I want that car, but it would would have covered me for a couple of years and by then the diesel situation may be clearer.
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I can understand why you'd keep going with your Merc Bill, if my old one had actually been "mine" I'd have, or might have kept going with it indefinitely. At over 160,000 miles it was showing no signs of mechanical or cosmetic deterioration. Of course something would have gone wrong at some point no doubt, but even allowing for that and the potential expense, they do seem very robust cars.
I did agonise ( well, consider ) opting out of having a company car and just buying the old one from my employer but the lure of a shiny new one won out in the end. At over 35,000 miles a year it would soon have been on huge miles, but if my circumstances changed and I was doing a more average annual mileage, I might well consider going back to private motoring and a well cared for Merc would be high on my shopping list.
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>> Same with my "old" C270CDi Mercedes. I've resolved to run it until it becomes uneconomic
>> to repair (which may not be very long!). I'm annoyed with myself to have missed
>> the "glitch" lease pricing on Passat Alltrack a couple of months ago - not that
>> I want that car, but it would would have covered me for a couple of
>> years and by then the diesel situation may be clearer.
>>
I saw that deal - I think they honored the early orders, but many had them cancelled. If I'd been quicker I would have tried for one, although I reckon leasing deals are getting cheaper at the moment - some pretty good deals about if you are flexible
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>> If it ran out I wonder if you could put tapwater in to get you
>> home? The AdBlue is waterbased solution so possibly.
>>
In a word; no. In HGV's, the engines have a NOx sensor which detects if the Adblue is of the correct strength and if it isn't, puts the engine into "limp" mode. I would presume cars have similar.
Also worth noting that the water content of Adblue is purified, tap water may contain impurities which clog up the sensors, could prove expensive.
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>> In a word; no. In HGV's, the engines have a NOx sensor which detects if
>> the Adblue is of the correct strength and if it isn't, puts the engine into
>> "limp" mode.
Allegedly significant numbers of trucks are running electronic Adblue defeat devices. Haven't seen them for cars yet, but I guess they'll appear.
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Why bother - Adblue doesn't cost much, and as it is injected into the exhaust post combustion presumably it has no adverse effect on fuel efficiency.
Add to that a lorry failing emissions testing because there was a 'defeat device' on it would lead to a whole world of whoop-ass on its owner.
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Probably more a case of not worrying about the tank level. While I'd hope the tank was nice and big, a lot of car ones are nowhere near big enough.
And how often do they surprise test truck emissions? MOT time, you'd have a defeat turn off somewhere.
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>> Probably more a case of not worrying about the tank level. While I'd hope the
>> tank was nice and big, a lot of car ones are nowhere near big enough.
>>
Neither, for that matter, are some of the ones on lorries; ideally they should be big enough to cope with a week's work and mine will only do about four days, three if I'm on serious distance. To make it even more damned irritating, on mine the Adblue tank is on the opposite side to the diesel tank which necessitates turning the truck round to fill both tanks since both pumps are next to each other at our mill.
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How? RTFM? Should tell you in there, although perhaps MB drivers would not get their hands dirty with such stuff...:-)
When? difficult to say, depends on your useage profile I think. In your case, you should pretty quickly establish the interval. If it's easy enough to refill then I would stick a 1l bottle in the boot so you've got back up when it does ping up the first couple of times, after that you will know how many miles you are going to get.
I believe it's all the same stuff 32% (IIRC?) Urea in distilled water.
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Adblue sounds like a big hassle to me. More work for the consumer - do we really want to start monitoring an additional tank (as well as fuel)? Can't honestly believe that more people haven't complained at this wonderful step forward in technology!
I'd be seriously pee'd off if I had to turn round a large HGV as Haywain describes above!
No Adblue tank in SWMBO's 2015 Mitsubishi diesel. No stop-start technology either. And a real handbrake too. Do we really need some of the crap that (European) manufacturers are foisting upon us in their race to differentiate their higher-priced product?!
Reckon they are taking the micheal, No wait, we consumers are, literally :-) They are selling us urine and distilled water? wtf?! :-)
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 14 Jun 16 at 10:18
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>> If it's easy enough to refill then I would
>> stick a 1l bottle in the boot so you've got back up when it does
>> ping up the first couple of times.
The Peugeot handbook says not to store Adblue in the car but doesn't say why and it also says that you need to add at least 3.8ltrs before it will register though I presume that not all cars will be the same.
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>> The Peugeot handbook says not to store Adblue in the car but doesn't say why
1) Because it's corrosive. You cannot store it in metal containers (rots them through in no time) so you don't want it leaking onto the metal of your car.
2) Because it goes "off"; I think I'm right in saying that the active ingredients separate . More to the point like any organic substance it has a "best before" date and using it after that runs the risk of screwing the system up. All very well saying you'd use it and refill it regularly but in practice that don't happen does it?
Last edited by: Harleyman on Tue 14 Jun 16 at 09:14
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Urea decomposes to carbon dioxide and ammonia to give that 'school toilets' smell. Ammonia isn't something you want concentrating in the confines of a car.
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After posting that I found some more info.... says it can decompose to ammonia at above 30°C which it could reach in the car in the sun. Also not to use it if opened as it could be 'contaminated'. So scrub keeping it in the car.... Runf could get a 5l container and refill it after say 10k miles to see how much it takes, that will give a benchmark as to how much it's using and whether it will make it to the nice chaps at M-B filling it for him.
Presume the Mitst is E5 not E6 - I don't think there's a way of meeting the E6 NOX requirements without Adblue tech yet.
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>> Presume the Mitst is E5 not E6 - I don't think there's a way of
>> meeting the E6 NOX requirements without Adblue tech yet.
IIRC Auntie Lockbrakes is an NZ resident so presumably an A&NZ market exists with different rules to Europe or the US.
Perhaps, with fewer big cities the issues with Nox are less pronounced.
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We only have to be Euro4 compliant here in NZ at present. NOX isn't the principal concern over here; emissions from livestock and volcanoes are a much greater problem!
That said, according to Autocar, the Mitsi 2.2 diesel engine (as released in 2012) is Euro6 compliant. Yet no Adblue tank...
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>> Runf could get a 5l container and refill it after say 10k miles..
Dream on - it'll use 5L in something like 2K miles!
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OK..... it's more than I thought! consumption about 3% of diesel use. Say you get 40 MPG that's 3.4l AB / 1000 miles; 45mpg = 3l/1000 miles; 50 mpg = 2.7l/1000 miles.
So your 2k miles on 5l is about right. Tank must be huuuuuge if they think it will run to 15k miles!!
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Well, we'll see. Like I mentioned before, the MB dealer was at pains to say that I should just pop in anytime if it needs filling. Which is good, but not very handy if I'm far away when it needs it.
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>> Well, we'll see. Like I mentioned before, the MB dealer was at pains to say
>> that I should just pop in anytime if it needs filling. Which is good, but
>> not very handy if I'm far away when it needs it.
>>
I presume you can take it to any MB dealer - at least for its first 12 months.
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>> Tank must be huuuuuge if they think it will run to 15k miles!!
>>
This is one of the issues VAG had in the US - on Audi's equipped with Adblue it was disabled during highway use, so they hardly use any.
During the time we were buying our Tiguan, the VW page on AdBlue changed everytime I looked at it. At least our dealer knew the car would have Adblue, although they did tell us it would last between services. Many dealers were telling customers the cars definitely wouldn't have AdBlue leaving customers dismayed when it turned out they did.
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>> and it also says that you need to add at least 3.8ltrs before it will
>> register though I presume that not all cars will be the same.
>>
Yes - our Tiguan says at least 5L (tank only holds 12L). However I think (but am not sure) that only applies once the first low AdBlue warning has come on. But (at least with VW) once that's happened you're on a slippery slope to eventually the car not starting.
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Do Mazda diesels (with their low 14:1 comp ratio) still not need Adblue to meet Euro6 ?
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£7.50 for the 1.5 L bottle in the Livingston ASDA Superstore.
Or more here -
www.wilcodirect.co.uk/product/diesel-additives/redex-adblue-1-5L
At least they sell a 10L size.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 14 Jun 16 at 13:36
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>> Do Mazda diesels (with their low 14:1 comp ratio) still not need Adblue to meet Euro6 ?
When I looked at the Mazda6 diesel in 2014 it was Euro6 and did not use AdBlue. Probably the same now.
So if it's the case AdBlue will deteriorate over time... what about the AdBlue in the tank? For example, the Audi A4 can be had with a 24 litre AdBlue tank.
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Do you know what affects the consumption of adblue? What might make it use more or less?
Also I presume that when they top it up they make a note of how much they put in?
And they reckon it'll be ok for 15,000 miles?
So I would go in at a convenient moment around 10k miles, tell them that you're sure the adblue warning light came on and went off and see what you find out about how much it needs, doesn't need or still has in the reservoir.
That should enable planning and a replenishment strategy.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Tue 14 Jun 16 at 22:54
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The posts about why you don't want to spill it on metal makes you really not want a VAG car with the AdBlue filler in the boot!
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>> The posts about why you don't want to spill it on metal makes you really not want a VAG car with the AdBlue filler in the boot!
Surely it's no different to topping up the brake fluid reservoir under the bonnet. That liquid is corrosive and will eat away at the paint. I'm sure more people top up their brake fluid level than they do their AdBlue tanks.
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The instructions for AdBlue say to rinse away any spills with water. Probably the same for brake fluid. But how do you rinse spills of AdBlue in the spare wheel well?
But how many on here top up brake fluid levels - I've never had to on any car.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 15 Jun 16 at 02:10
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Interesting to see how you get on Runf. It certainly seems an additional potential worry to the long-distance high-mileage driver, IMHO. When the Adblue light pings on at 5am on the M6 north of Shap you might be biting your fingernails....!
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The same could be said for "You have a flat tyre" light if you don't have a spare wheel.
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>> The same could be said for "You have a flat tyre" light if you don't
>> have a spare wheel.
Humph doesn't have a spare wheel - the AdBlue tank is where is spare wheel should be on his car. So he'll appreciate you reminding him that this useful AdBlue tank is not only an inconvenience but means a flat would be even more so.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 15 Jun 16 at 09:01
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>> The instructions for AdBlue say to rinse away any spills with water. Probably the same
>> for brake fluid.
Water will not wash away brake fluid, as it's an oil based product.
>> But how do you rinse spills of AdBlue in the spare wheel well?
You absorb it with something like tissues, then once mopped up, wipe the surface clean with more tissues (or a rag).
>> But how many on here top up brake fluid levels - I've never had to on any car.
You've probably not kept one long enough to let the levels get low, or the garage has topped it up when it's being serviced. The latter can be quite annoying, because if you change your own brake pads (as I do), a certain amount of the brake fluid has to be extracted from the reservoir before pushing / winding the brake pistons back into the callipers, else it overflows and gets spilt everywhere.
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>>Water will not wash away brake fluid, as it's an oil based product.
Is it? It absorbs water and I've always used water to flush any spills.
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DOT 3 and DOT 4 will mix with water, DOT 5 silicone stuff doesn't.
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>> DOT 3 and DOT 4 will mix with water, DOT 5 silicone stuff doesn't.
>>
To add to that (apologies for topic drift but it's useful info) you must not mix DOT 5 with ANYTHING else. Dot 5.1 is NOT the same stuff though many car accessory shops don't know this, which has caused no end of grief to the riders of modern Harleys, which use DOT 5.
In the (admittedly unlikely) event that you come across a vehicle whic h uses DOT 5 brake fluid, it pays to ensure that nobody else has made this mistake. The result of mixing the fliuds is that the seals can disintegrate with predictable and potentially dangerous consequences.
The only good thing about DOT 5 is that it does not affect paintwork.
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>>The only good thing about DOT 5 is that it does not affect paintwork.<<
The other good thing is that it is NOT hygroscopic and will maintain an acceptable boiling point over time.
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You've probably not kept one long enough to let the levels get low, or the
>> garage has topped it up when it's being serviced.
I've never had to top up brake fluid either. How long do you need to keep a car before it needs topping up?
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>>But how many on here top up brake fluid levels
Not since I started driving cars I wasn't ashamed to park outside my own house.
I SO do not miss brake bleeding.
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And adjusting and centring trailing and leading shoes, and their laughable 'self-adjusters', and replacing slave cylinders in situ, and getting rid of all the old brake fluid and perished rubber, and so on.
Very strong springs in drum brakes, you have to learn the knack, and have the right strong old screwdriver, to get those on and off at all easily.
These days it's just a new disc and caliper at each corner, dead easy give or take a finger or two and deep filth.
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I'm sure more people top up their brake fluid level than they do their AdBlue tanks.
>>
I thought that brake fluid was only a problem if spilt on cellulose paint and not the acrylic they use now - I could well be wrong though !
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I can categorically state I've never topped up the Morgan three wheeler, and never will. It's cable brakes...
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>> The posts about why you don't want to spill it on metal makes you really
>> not want a VAG car with the AdBlue filler in the boot!
>>
There's a hole (with a cover that you remove) so the filler is under the floor. The small (1.5 litre) bottles have a mechanism built in that should stop drips. I used a filler tube (£7 from TPS) which screws to the filler and the 5 litre and bigger bottles.
It would have been better if the tube was longer - I was only just able to keep the container outside the car and couldn't get a non-dripping seal on the container the the stuff dripped onto the ground. No issues at the filler end though.
In reality, it probably would have been much less faff with a simple funnel, although the tube (it's one within another) stops filling when the tank is full, with a funnel it would just overflow.
There's a pic here: www.fleetnews.co.uk/cars/reviews/our-fleet-volkswagen-tiguan-20-match-tdi-150-car-review-february-2016
New Tiguan has it under the fuel flap.
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Our next car will need the add blue.Citroen C4 G Picasso.
I soon find out where it needs topping up I ask the mechanic.Supposed to be at the service,but if the level is to low engine cuts out I believe.
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>> if the level is to low engine cuts out I believe.
It will keep warning. When it runs out (i.e. not low but empty), if you stop the engine it will not restart.
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Thanks so something else to keep a eye on.Mind you I don't mind if it stops people breathing in rubbish I am responsible for.
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Yes it seems a fairly minor inconvenience for the benefit to the environment.
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I notice that it is usually the city dwellers who complain about the quality of air and life in general. I have little sympathy, if you don't like it, move, there are vast areas of clean clear country. We had the ultimate horror recently, a passing driver dumped a coffee cup out of his window, someone removed it within an hour, I would have put it in my bin when I returned after seeing it but someone beat me to it.
On second thoughts don't move we like our bit of the country as it is.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 08:04
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>> What a silly post.
It's Friday, he's had a hard week.
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>> What a silly post.
Absolutely. It's not exactly easy for a city dweller in social housing and with all work, family connections and kid's education to up sticks and move to 'the country'. I'm not sure whether ON really lacks social insight or whether he's trolling.
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>> I'm
>> not sure whether ON really lacks social insight or whether he's trolling.
Well what is he usually doing?!
Hook, line and sinker he will be thinking.
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Trolling is a bit strong, putting the cat amongst the pigeons would be more like it. But ON is honest about that and has said so several times before. He posts to get a reaction and by and large does so.
Last edited by: sooty123 on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 09:50
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I'm well aware that he posts for effect but his posts tend to lack any humour or sense of irony and just making an outrageous statement for the sake of it is er, well .....silly.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 10:07
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>> and just making an outrageous statement for the sake of
>> it is er, well .....silly.
>>
He's not alone in that department, is he?
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A gentle prod seems to wake a few people up. :-)
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OK then ON we have woken up.
Do you have any views on reducing diesel pollution? Do you believe, as I do that, its worth a little cost and inconvenience?
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Try traveling the world, the UK is not going to change anything pollution wise regardless of politicians taxes and grandstanding plans.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 12:32
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>> Try traveling the world, the UK is not going to change anything pollution wise regardless
>> of politicians taxes and grandstanding plans.
>>
What on earth has travelling the world got to do with it?
The issue we are talking about is the addition of AdBlue to of reduce the level of nitrous oxide emissions right here in the UK.
The process undoubtedy lessens pollution and that particular form of pollution undoubtedly injures and kill people particularly in our cities. Why would you not think that this is a good thing or does the view you first expressed actually reflect what you really think?
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 13:07
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My car is a 1.4 diesel put put that has an exhaust filtered to within an inch of its life. I also use a Boeing 777 (or equivalent) a couple of times a year. I suspect that the 777 pollutes more during take off than my car ever will. My next car will be petrol powered, it will produce smaller and more dangerous particulates than my current diesel car. Do you want everyone to stop driving and flying or just UK residents? Try that one on the Americans or Chinese.
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Nitrous oxides from diesel oil cars are dangerous. They kill people. It is possible to virtually eliminate the problem with technology . The cars are still perfectly driveable. it seems to me eminently sensible to implement the technology.
You on the other hand for reason I don't understand don't. You ramble on about Boeing 777s and diesel particulates which have nothing to do with the issue being discussed.
I will try again.
Why do you think it is not a good idea to implement a technology which drastically reduces nitrous oxide emissions and will save lives and reduce the level of illness in the UK?
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>> Why do you think it is not a good idea to implement a technology which
>> drastically reduces nitrous oxide emissions and will save lives and reduce the level of illness
>> in the UK?
>>
Do keep up, the technology has been introduced, it is called AdBlue. :-)
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>> Try traveling the world, the UK is not going to change anything pollution wise regardless
>> of politicians taxes and grandstanding plans.
>>
I take it you don't vote?
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>> I take it you don't vote?
>>
Believe it or not I do.
What brings "The UK can save the world" home to me is seeing some of Scotlands hundreds, (probably thousands) of wind generators standing stationary on a windless day. (Thanks Salmond) I read recently that a company had refused to build any more wind generators onshore in Scotland as it is not windy enough to be cost effective. The biggest coal fired power station in Scotland has recently shut down, another is being demolished which makes me wonder where the power is coming from. Gas generation? (don't bother asking for sources, it is all in the public domain)
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>> >> I take it you don't vote?
>> >>
>>
>> Believe it or not I do.
>>
Yes I'm genuinely surprised that you vote.
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>> What brings "The UK can save the world" home to me is seeing some of
>> Scotlands hundreds, (probably thousands) o
CO2/warming is an international issue.
Diesel particulates and NOx emissions by contrast stay close to where the exhaust belches them out. Both are at worst in cities. NOx (IIRC) tends to breakdown with action of sunlight but concentration in (eg) Central London is too high for that process to keep pace. As the NOx is unarguably harmful to those living in clouds of it we have an obligation to do something.
Until something better comes along Adblue is the answer.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 14:17
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>> not sure whether ON really lacks social insight or whether he's trolling.
>>
Well, I worked in Social Services for ten years after I left the Navy, so I might have a bit more insight than you think. It does not mean I have to share your outlook on life. As for trolling, if you think a gentle wind up is trolling you need to get out, or online more. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 12:23
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My view (perhaps fanciful) is that ON was having a go at the 'learned helplessness' many get sucked into.
The people in ghettos need to be given the education and confidence to get away and start somewhere that isn't making them ill.
You'd soon see the value of London properties fall if the underclass who do the cleaning moved somewhere else.
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ON is, perhaps wilfully, mixing up emissions of carbon dioxide - which act globally to trap solar energy and change the climate, and to which aircraft and other countries make contributions - with emissions of oxides of nitrogen, which accumulate close to the source and are known to cause or exacerbate breathing problems in some people.
Lygo, meanwhile, seems to have pulled on Norman Tebbit's boots and armband and is suggesting an on-your-bike solution for those affected. Not sure what that's about, to be honest. City living, like it or not, is the future for most of us, so we need to keep the cities habitable (and affordable) for everyone.
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>> so we need to keep the cities habitable (and affordable) for everyone.
Good luck in London
I was following on from ON's (largely, but not entirely, TIC I felt) post further up that Bromp took exception to:
I notice that it is usually the city dwellers who complain about the quality of air and life in general. I have little sympathy, if you don't like it, move...
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 17 Jun 16 at 14:21
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>> You'd soon see the value of London properties fall if the underclass who do the cleaning moved somewhere else.
I've lived in several valuable London properties in which I acted as my own underclass, cleaning the place half-heartedly from time to time when I couldn't bully or persuade a visitor to do it.
You have to be adaptable and capable if you aren't rich.
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It is all down to disposable income, you can live cheap and spend big, or live expensive and rough it with pollution, congestion, and quality of life. My car is two years old, must get round to replacing it. :-)
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While paying for diesel I noticed the ASDA £7.50 bottles of Redx AdBlue in the Tesco filling station priced at £10.
That must be the distressed purchace price. :-)
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Quick update - just clocked up 10,000 miles. Hasn't needed an AdBlue top up yet. So far so good.
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If I had a car that ran out of Adblue and I was in the middle of nowhere, id be inclined to wee in the tank myself.
should be good enough to get me home.
if it was a hire car, I would certainly be inclined to fill the adblue tank. after all it's not my car nor my problem
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>>id be inclined to wee in the tank myself.<<
It wouldn't work.
Almost every lorry on the road uses Adblue now and do you really think lorry drivers haven't thought of that solution:)
More to the point, haulage firms keen to turn a profit haven't thought up a bonus scheme using driver's wee as an incentive?!
Pat
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>> If I had a car that ran out of Adblue and I was in the middle of nowhere, id be inclined to wee in the tank myself.
... and it would be your own fault because you ignored the warning hundreds or even thousands of miles earlier.
But I thought they keep going if you run out of AdBlue. But the engine will not restart if stopped. I presume that includes stop-start.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Wed 31 Aug 16 at 20:09
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Adblue - Alanovich
