DEF tank leak and nasty smell in sleeper

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by TravR1, Oct 13, 2018.

  1. TravR1

    TravR1 Road Train Member

    3,691
    9,511
    Nov 9, 2017
    TX
    0
    Well a couple days ago I was behind a strip mall doing my job routine in cheap hole NJ and went to leave and went down a huge pothole. I could not back up out or go around. It was muddy water wet so could not see how deep. Went through it and it threw me into arm rest. It was such BS.

    Went on down the road and smelled pollution in cab. Thought just the northeast. I didnt see drip because of pre trip in dark and wet rainy pavement.

    Last night 10PM I had two bars of DEF. At 5AM for 30 minute only had one yellow bar. Then later I park to get shower and with sunlight and dry road I saw def leaking.

    Cab smells like cow #### and sulfur. Did google def fumes to see if its harmful and I got every answer... It's harmless.. Also if I take one good whiff and I will be vaporized immediately.

    Is this something that can wait a week til we get back to the yard for home time or call breakdown asap? I want to report the issue, codriver wants to wait til Monday and work with someone in the office he knows well.

    I am worried the fumes are harmful.
     
    D.Tibbitt and Oldironfan Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. 25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    18,676
    43,100
    Sep 18, 2006
    the road less travelled
    0
    It's ammonia, not hydrogen sulfide, unpleasant, but not considered life threatening.

    If you have a sulfur like smell coming from the truck, it may be something else that was damaged.

    You need to keep enough DEF in the tank for the SCR to work, otherwise it will derate and also could damage the system further.

    Work it out with your co-driver but if it needs a tank, you might be out of service until it's replaced.

    Smaller leaks are easier to deal with, can be put off until it's more convenient.
     
    TravR1 and Oldironfan Thank this.
  4. Manny328

    Manny328 Light Load Member

    71
    58
    Jul 6, 2018
    0
    I got the sulfur smell in my truck
    When one of my batteries went bad
     
    fargonaz and Oldironfan Thank this.
  5. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

    8,775
    14,727
    Mar 5, 2012
    Ontario Canada
    0
    If you bottomed out enough to damage the def tank look at the other side see if dpf/doc/etc. have damage.

    Sulfur doesn't really make sense considering it's not in the fuel anymore. Battery?
     
  6. Oldironfan

    Oldironfan Road Train Member

    5,777
    5,538
    May 22, 2017
    0
    Never go below 1/2 def tank.
    Hope you have DEF take heater if you drive north in the winter.
     
  7. loudtom

    loudtom Road Train Member

    1,637
    2,601
    Aug 26, 2016
    0
    Can you track down the leak? Home depot carries some decent plastic/epoxy repair in the paint section, just make sure your company is ok with you patching it up. Check the cap for the filter, check all of the lines, and check the pump housing. It sounds like something that a company would send the truck to the dealer to replace anyway. All of the parts related to the DEF tank are expensive, so they'll probably want it replaced under warranty.

    Even if you don't call breakdown, you're going to have to tell your dispatcher why you need DEF purchases so often, or purchase DEF out of your own pocket until you get home.
     
    TravR1 Thanks this.
  8. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

    8,775
    14,727
    Mar 5, 2012
    Ontario Canada
    0
    It won't freeze until 11°f and has coolant lines running through it. Mine shuts the def system off around 0f. The needle never moves I thought it's frozen in there but I guess epa has said below a certain temp it doesn't have to function, too hard to keep it liquid. No codes related to cold def in my experience.

    The big problem is between where truck shuts off demand for def and def pumps are frozen. So you are using it but can't pump it. Always carry extra jugs for this. Cuz they sell fast when this happens.
     
    Oldironfan Thanks this.
  9. Oldironfan

    Oldironfan Road Train Member

    5,777
    5,538
    May 22, 2017
    0
    So at 0 degrees ecm stops saying dose DEF. That is interesting.
     
  10. Oldironfan

    Oldironfan Road Train Member

    5,777
    5,538
    May 22, 2017
    0
    I think on a side note most egrs stop needing to function at 8500 ft elevation.
     
  11. gokiddogo

    gokiddogo Road Train Member

    8,775
    14,727
    Mar 5, 2012
    Ontario Canada
    0
    I don't know what temp it actually cuts it off at, or if it says to dose it and it thinks it is and just doesn't throw a code. I just know in winter if it's very cold I can do a much longer distance and it doesn't use any. When it eventually warms up I figure it will take lots, but not so.

    Egr is a similar animal. I think it cuts off at high elevation or very cold. The only reasoning I have is the engine sounds different under heavy load in very cold weather. To describe it..... can hear the air flowing very fast, then a marked closing of a valve, power and boost remains the same. It doesn't do that much any other time. It's usually a very smooth operation and I don't notice it at all.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.