Hey Engine Man -

[ECIN]

I brought a 2012 - IH - 6130 combine last winter - It was not used in the harvest of 2013 - This combine runs DEP in it . I have heard there is a shelf life on DEP , But when I ask the dealer , fuel supplier - nobody can give me a answer on , just how long DEP is good for , It has a 41 gallon tank on it and as I get ready for this years harvest - I'm going to dump whats in the tank and put new in , btw I have changed all the filter on the DEP system .

So what is the the deal with DEP ? How long is the shelf life and what about winter time storage ? Anything else I need to know ?

One other thing - when the dealer told me there was shelf life , I asked them how old there NEW stuff was - which I got a blank look - lol

Thanks

Ken

[EngineAnswerman · Accepted solution]

Dear Sir,

Thanks for contacting SF and  the Engine Answerman for your question about DEF and your combine.

SF did publish a two part series on DEF that I authored in the ??? issue. I believe that you can find it also on the website for Agriculture.com. You need to go to Machinery Insider and then click on SFEngineman. It should pop up. It will provide a good overview of what you need to know about DEF.

I will now address your question so that you can move forward with your harvest.

When stored properly DEF in theory has a shelf life of approximately one year when seeing a temperature range of between 10 degrees F and 90 degrees F. If it never goes above 75 degrees F then it has a life of two years.

Contrary to what the dealer and supplier said all API Certified DEF has a date code on it when made. This will be somwhere on the label or bottle. It is important, especially with a combine, to purchase the freshest DEF possible since the machine is only used once a year.

When the DEF gets old it degrades and becomes less effective. If the 41 gallon tank is full then you have about  $120.00 worth of product. In theory, it should not hurt anything but if the engine has a system that monitors quality of the DEF it can cause a problem during harvest. I believe that you are wise by putting in fresh product. No one likes to waste $120.00 but it is much cheaper than a repair or lost time in the field.

If you need to speak to me in person please e-mail me at SFEngineman@agriculture.com with your phone number and I will be happy to call you and answer any questions you may have.

Thanks for reading SF. I wish you a safe and bountiful harvest.

Ray T. Bohacz

Successful Farming magazine

[ECIN · Accepted solution]

Thanks Ray !!!!!!!!!!

Ken