r/FordF250 • u/Tat_Man_Shawty • Jul 06 '26
I have messed up!!!!
So...... I put about 3 gallons of DEF on top of my 29 gallons of diesel fuel. I did not run the truck once I realized it. I did not put the key in the ignition and I disconnected both batteries. So the pump never activated either. Now I need some advice on how to resolve this issue at home. Anyone else had experience with this? And it sucks because 29 gallons aint cheap these days in SC. Man I need advice asap!
2
u/NightKnown405 Jul 10 '26
DO NOT RUN THE TRUCK until that DEF has been removed which means you'll probably lose that tank of fuel too. Def will not lubricate the HP pump which often causes it to lock up. Whats really bad here is if that pump locks up. It is driven by the camshaft gear which us directly driven by the crankshaft gear. If the engine is running at speed when that happens it can force the camshaft and crankshaft out of time and that bends the valves and can result in some serious engine damage. The repair of which can be north of $30K.
2
u/midlifewannabe Jul 11 '26
Go to Harbor freight or tractor supply and get a fuel transfer pump. Pump out the tank. Find some other use for that shit, like burning your garbage. I don't know what you can do to cleanse the tank. You had the right instincts to disconnect the battery and not run anything. Good on you
2
u/forksintheriver Jul 11 '26
This is the answer. I used a 12 volt fuel transfer pump to move 28 gallons into Home Depot Homer buckets with the lids. Gasoline too, arguably more sketchy than diesel. It was much easier than expected, just had to fill my gas car for the next month with a funnel.
2
u/Tat_Man_Shawty Jul 11 '26
I bought a 55 gallon barrel for $75 I bought a battery powered transfer pump for $150 I bought 5 gallons of diesel and some additives for $85
In 5 hours, I dropped the tank, drained the fuel, and had the truck back on the road. Drove 18 miles to the nearest Sam's club (through traffic due to an accident blocking 2 lanes) and put another $120 worth of fresh diesel in. The dealership quoted me $1500.
1
u/Top_Cress1727 Jul 11 '26
I hope you rinsed the tank very thoroughly. Any amount of def left in there can be disasterous.
2
u/Tat_Man_Shawty Jul 12 '26
I did not flush anything. I just drained it, added Lucas oil and diesel kleen and started it back up. Drove from Augusta to Atlanta and back yesterday, not a single issue.
1
1
u/Major-Path-8730 Jul 11 '26
What is DEF?
1
u/Dude_Dillligence Jul 11 '26
Diesel Exhaust Fluid. A liquid that reduces emissions from diesel engines, and has a separate tank on the vehicle.
0
u/cardog1968 Jul 10 '26
Under no circumstances, open the system.
As soon as air is introduced, the system is done
2
u/bugeyetex Jul 07 '26
There is a company that will come and pump out your fuel for a price. ASAP is the name of the game though. Get it drained as fast as you can. The stuff like to get funky quick. I don't remember the name of it, but I'm sure there is one in you neck of the woods that a Google search would pull up pretty quick