AdBlue. Any tips?
Comments
-
I really can't get my mind around the concern being expressed with getting access to somewhere to top up AdBlue on a 6000 odd mile continental trip.
All parts of Europe I have travelled to has been set up to cope with modern automotive transport, it's not the remotest of places after all.
0 -
I really can't get my mind around the concern being expressed with getting access to somewhere to top up AdBlue on a 6000 odd mile continental trip.
We by choice do go to the remotest places in Europe in this case to the NordKapp and we do prepare very thoroughly. Two years in the planning but academic now until next year for medical reasons.
1 -
Fair point re remoteness but if your vehicle is like ours we can simply check the endurance of the AdBlue remaining. Plus, if failing to exercise that check we have, I understand, but have yet to run into it on any vehicle, a warning should come up some thousand(s) miles prior to running out. In my cars case at least three refuelling needs prior.
As said I feel there is a bit of fear here about the unknown which is understandable if also realistically unwarranted.
0 -
AFAIK it is not practicable to use truck Adblue dispensers to fill up a small vehicle at filling stations for technical reasons. Perhaps in time filling stations in the UK will have van/car Adblue pumps. I don't know if these already exist in Europe but the best plan seems to be to leave UK with a full tank.
I tried filling a 10 litre container from the pump at our local filling station and it wouldn't dispense the Adblue. The attendant told me that there is a sensor/interlock in commercial adblue tanks (presumably to prevent mis-fuelling?) so I had no alternative but to pay twice as much for a ready filled container.
1 -
Today we went to the storage site and checked the van and it is as MichaelT and Mikeandclaire say. The thing that I took to be a filler cap is just a raised disc which is continuous with the surrounding area and can't be opened! So BoleroBoy and Aspenshaw are right! I apologise unreservedly and feel rather stupid.
In my defence we parked the motorhome on the storage site and brought the handbooks home to mug up on things and the Fiat handbook gave instructions about AdBlue without saying only some models used it. It seemed as if it was needed by them all, so reading the handbook didn't help me either Tinwheeler!
I can only thank everyone who has given their opinion because without your advice I would have been very confused indeed!
I'll now go and hide behind the sofa and wait for your replies
Thanks again and happy camping!
1 -
I steadfastly believed the OP was correct in his/her assumption that the AdBlue filler was real and that the handbook was correct in stating a warning light would be activated when the AdBlue only had 1200km left in the tank.
The evidence at that point suggested the OP was correct and I proceeded to take the Micky using plenty of smileys in much the same way as others often do. However, it is now clear that the OP was actually incorrect so I apologise if I offended although I'm sure your sense of humour coped.
0 -
I'd say it all ended well, no one got hurt during this thread-jobs a gud un. Camperval-it takes a big person to admit they are wrong. No one is immune from making mistakes. You admitted it, I'd say it's a good move on your part. Power to you & your honesty. PS-thanks for the giggle
0 -
The trouble with motor home manuals be they base vehicle or component is that they are very very generic so it is not surprising that mistakes are made by applying the wrong model or version information so don't beat yourself up about getting it wrong. You have usefully ventilated info about Adblue which will be helpful to others.
0 -
thanks for coming back with an update.
some vans do have 'blanking' plates inside and outside, where options (or variants, as in this case) dont get taken up, its easy to be fooled when a vehicle has to cope with so many different 'rules'...
at least we have now solved the mystery
0 -
Camperval, that's put your mind at rest now! You were always clear as to why you thought your van needed adblue and to be honest, if I was in your new shoes I would have drawn the same conclusion from the manual and filler. You can come out from behind the sofa and bathe in my admiration for your confession.
There are reports in the German motorhome media that the 2018 Fiat Ducato will have AdBlue [probably affecting 2019 motorhomes]. This is for two reasons. One is that the emission tests will be changing and the current engine will not pass these tests, second is that Fiat is auditing the performance of their engine in real life and the current Ducato engines may fall short of the test results. Time will tell whether the reports are true or just tittle tattle.
Hope you enjoy your motorhoming and continue to raise stimulating issues. Regards.
0 -
I think this just proves what us blokes knew all along and the manual should be locked away and never looked at as it only confuses things. Should only come out of hiding when A. Something goes wrong/does not work or B. A warning light appears what we do not know what it means. Apart from that like asking for directions it is not required!!
0 -
Bit like the cars at work............
The manuals were carefully retained by the Fleet Department for the eventual re-sale of the vehicle, whilst for three years or so a multitude of users thrashed the living daylights out of the cars without any reference to the manual........
In the main most of the cars and vans worked fine.....!
0 -
Although not a motorhomer I tow a caravan with a VW Touareg that uses adblue. The tank holds 19 litres and needed refilling initially at 4700 miles and I have just done it again at 11,000 miles so it will need refilling between services. This is a higher consumption then I expected but appears to be normal especially if engine is working hard. I get a VW dealer to refill it as they charge around £1 litre and do it for free so if I ever ran short whilst abroad, I would try to find a dealer to refill it. I believe the filler tank connections are to a European standard so you could probably go to any garage or dealer for a refill. Also, my VW dealer did not refill the tank as part of a service, they seem to regard it like the fuel tank and it is the drivers responsibility to keep these tanks supplied.
0 -
I have just bought a new Fiat, Elddis Autoquest (rebranded Explorer by Knowepark Caravans). Hi, while I find the answers helpful....I have examined my handbook and the info is pretty sparse. Firstly, it does not tell me what capacity the Adblue tank is, secondly it does not tell me how many miles or Km grace I have once the warning light comes on. which, is pretty poor I think.
The guy from Knowepark when doing the handover mentioned that the tank would need topping up before 1000 miles. Perhaps like the fuel, they only put some Adblue in and not fill up the tank. With all the info I had to absorb at the time I didn’t ask more questions......
Is it best that I contact a Fiat dealer? (which in my case, living in Edinburgh, is an Arnold Clark dealership).
Can anyone offer any help please?
0 -
I can’t give you hard and fast answers, SS, because fuel tank sizes and, consequently, AdBlue tank sizes vary from van to van and the miles per tank of AdBlue will vary with driving styles.
The info should be in your handbook (ours is for 2020 model) but your Fiat Professional dealership should be the people to ask. Generally, MH dealerships are not the most expert of people concerning base vehicle info.
0 -
“Generally, MH dealerships are not the most expert of people concerning base vehicle info”
When collecting our new Q5 in 2013 I saw the AdBlue filler cap so asked the salesman what it was.
He replied he had no idea and suggested checking the handbook.
As many have said I was told driving style influences consumption but it does feel odd that a system that is so important has no way of measuring the level however, on my car you get a warning 1500 miles before it will run out,
I have used my local Audi dealer to do the top up and bought 10 litre containers from filling stations, including in Spain.
1 -
My Merc ML requires Adblue. In the last 18 months or so of owning the car I've done around15000 miles and added about 3 or 4 gallons of Adlbue. If I was you Sonsie, I'd buy a couple of gallons from Tesco, add it to the tank & drive until your motor home asks for some more. As motorhomes don't normally do much mileage, I'd bet a couple of gallons will be more than enough for a good while.
0 -
I`ve had a Merc and Volvo (cars) with Ad Blue the Merc used less than the Volvo, I find topping up is a bit hit and miss as you can`t determine when it is full without risk of overflowing, so topping up at a garage is the better option with the auto cut off. Find Toolstation is the cheapest for 10 Ltrs.
1 -
Thanks very much all! I’ve figured out that around Edinburgh there are NO fuel stations that do Adblue at the pump so my best option is to buy 5/10 litres at my local Halfords and use a watering can to top it up.
It’s all a learning curve but great fun at the same time!On another note.... my van has an underslung LPG tank - again, the capital of Scotland has NO fuel stations that do this at the pump, (apparently Shell had a fall out with Calor Gas and all their garages have withdrawn its sale.... Shell still advises however that they do still sell it, I had a few wasted journeys finding out the hard way!!)
The nearest filling station to me that does sell LPG at the pump is in Livingston. This makes sense of course as Knowepark Caravans are in Livingston and they have to put some in the tanks of new vehicles to test the system out and show buyers it all works, Of course a full tank of 25 litres will last me a long time so it wasn’t too much of a hardship.
Hoping that travel restrictions are lifted and COVID-19 will soon be under control so that we can all enjoy our special way of life as soon as possible. 🙏🏼
Take care all.
0 -
The AdBlue containers have pouring spouts so no need for the watering can. Tip - don't buy one of a size/weight you’re unable to hold up long enough to decant the contents. You can buy it in containers at any service station.
There is a sticky thread in How to make Touring cheaper with a list of LPG sellers with pumps.
0 -
As Tinwheeler says re pouring it from the gallon container. The filler spout on the container is made to be a reasonably water tight fit between the AdBlue tank so that it doesn't spill everywhere ... you'd not manage to fill the tank using a watering car without spilling down the side of your vehicle. Split AdBlue will apparently crystallise. Tesco petrol stations sell AdBlue
0 -
Bit late joining this thread, but I got here as quickly as I could ...
My towcar is a VW Tiguan and it gives 1500 miles warning of needing Adblue for its 12 Ltr tank. The Warning Light & Audible Alarm ping every time the engine is started and the countdown of Adblue left is restated at 100 mile intervals between 1500 miles and 1000 miles, and then every 50 miles thereafter.
I bought a VW 1.89Ltr Refill that has a threaded connection to the Adblue Tank + a pressure push valve that only dispenses when the connection is secure. I decant the Adblue from a 5Ltr or 10Ltr container to the 1.89Ltr Filler and that protects the car paintwork. Of course, I did this decanting in the house porch 10 days ago and forgot that I had left the tailgate open when the hailstorm started. Took about 2 hours to remove the hailstones and dry the boot area out. I know now ...
Steve
0
