Iveco Stralis repeated AdBlue contamination

Anyone have any experience with engine oil or diesel finding its way into the AdBlue tank on a Euro 6 Iveco Stralis? We have this recurring problem on our MY14 with an oily residue in the adblue system and I know it is not someone intentionally contaminating the adblue tank. Iveco are refusing to pay for the consequences of this repeated contamination and I would like an opinion on whether a mechanical defect is known to cause this or if it is even possible. Someone suggetsed to me that the Adblue system could be drawing in fumes or engine oil is this possible?

If left unattended then we going to EML and eventually limp mode which is a right PIA…

Sorry that I can’t help with the technical aspect, but the first place I’d be looking is the source of your ad blue. If you are buying it from different places nationwide I’d rule out ad blue contamination but if you’re filling at one particular place then I’d start digging there.

redford9000:
Anyone have any experience with engine oil or diesel finding its way into the AdBlue tank on a Euro 6 Iveco Stralis? We have this recurring problem on our MY14 with an oily residue in the adblue system and I know it is not someone intentionally contaminating the adblue tank. Iveco are refusing to pay for the consequences of this repeated contamination and I would like an opinion on whether a mechanical defect is known to cause this or if it is even possible. Someone suggetsed to me that the Adblue system could be drawing in fumes or engine oil is this possible?

If left unattended then we going to EML and eventually limp mode which is a right PIA…

Your thick driver has filled the adblue tank with oil/diesel and is now denying all knowledge of it. Not surprised Iveco are showing you the door. The adblue system is basically only connected to the end of the exhaust so it’s physically impossible for the tank to have diesel or oil in it unless your driver has put it in there. Don’t rule out the utter stupidity of most drivers. Big logisitcs place I worked at it was a regular occurrence for drivers to fill up the diesel tank with adblue, screenwash with adblue, oil in the coolant, screenwash in the oil and pretty much every other variation.

DCPCFML:

redford9000:
Your thick driver has filled the adblue tank with oil/diesel and is now denying all knowledge of it. Not surprised Iveco are showing you the door. The adblue system is basically only connected to the end of the exhaust so it’s physically impossible for the tank to have diesel or oil in it unless your driver has put it in there. Don’t rule out the utter stupidity of most drivers. Big logisitcs place I worked at it was a regular occurrence for drivers to fill up the diesel tank with adblue, screenwash with adblue, oil in the coolant, screenwash in the oil and pretty much every other variation.

Have to agree. Can’t think where in a legit system the adblue would meet with the engine oil/diesel other than at the filler caps. May not need to be a huge amount.
I’d look at the long haul of removing and clean out the adblue tank, refill with a known clean supply of adblue and see if the problem returns. Yes there is a cost, but beats waiting on the dealer to solve it for you, and if they do, you can bet they will charge rather than accept a warranty issue.

Upon reflection I think that the above two posts are probably closer to the truth. Stupidity knows no bounds. We had one guy put 250 litres of ad blue into the fuel tank (God knows how long that took!). He realised his mistake but instead of walking the 30 feet to the workshop he compounded his stupidity by topping the tank up with diesel and setting off for Kent. 30 miles and £15k later he was probably ruing his decision.

the maoster:
Upon reflection I think that the above two posts are probably closer to the truth. Stupidity knows no bounds. We had one guy put 250 litres of ad blue into the fuel tank (God knows how long that took!). He realised his mistake but instead of walking the 30 feet to the workshop he compounded his stupidity by topping the tank up with diesel and setting off for Kent. 30 miles and £15k later he was probably ruing his decision.

Don’t doubt it, but the AdBlue tanks on trucks have magnetic collars to match the nozzles on dedicated AdBlue dispensers. These do cost a few quid more than an IBC with a hose of course. What does your depot have?
I’m not saying the driver is question is innocent of course, but more than one thing has gone wrong here I’d guess?

Tbh both oil and diesel would be a struggle to get into the adblue tank. A diesel nozzle would be too fat and oil poured in from an oil jug wouldn’t go in without slopping everywhere either but again don’t rule out the stupidity of many drivers. Other possibility could be that the adblue neck is knackered and missing. Had a few trucks where the narrow plastic “guide” to insert the adblue nozzle in hasn’t been there and the nozzle just kind of waggles around.

But the hows and whys aside, it still doesn’t alter the fact that there’s no connection to the adblue system from the engine or diesel supply side. If you haven’t got engine oil or diesel dripping out of the end of the exhaust then it isn’t getting contaminated from that side.

What about foul play by the driver to destroy the truck so you buy him something better? Iveco Stralis isn’t a truck which features on many drivers’ wish-lists… :bulb:

Franglais:
These do cost a few quid more than an IBC with a hose of course. What does your depot have?

We don’t fill from IBC’s unless there’s a problem with the supplied ad blue tank. The magnet thingymabobs may have worked when it was first installed but constant use means that I can hold the nozzle outside of the tank and still get fluid from it.

Hows about topping the hydraulic oil tank with 50+ litres of fuel :unamused: , so yes there are some idiots out there entirely capable of mixing fluid fillers up.

Its good for operators that these chumps are about, a few 4 or 5 figure bills ought to make them appreciate the decent staff they have.

If the ad-blue tank has been “accidentally” filled with anything else, the tank needs to be replaced,or cleaned out with a water soluble degreaser, then washed out with ad-blue, the system then needs cleaning out, and possibly the sensors replacing…