If you ’re a hobby James Leonard Farmer , your chief farm machines are probably powered by petrol . Smaller machine such aslawn tractors , snow blowersandATVsare in the main powered by petrol . More powerful tractors tend to be powered by diesel fuel , which can represent an extra layer of complexity for hobby farmers seek to upgrade . Modern diesel tractors are a turn more complicated than their gas counterparts .
In late years , efforts have been made to reduce the amount of harmful emission produced by diesel engines . Tractor manufacturers made changes to follow withTier 4 of the Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule , which take full burden in 2014 .
In many cases , the solution has been the introduction of a novel locomotive fluid : diesel exhaust fluid , or DEF for short , which let the engine turn nitrogen oxide ( air pollutant ) into nitrogen and body of water .
What is DEF?
Diesel exhaust fumes fluid is pretty aboveboard — it ’s a careful portmanteau word of 32.5 percent synthetical carbamide and 67.5 percent per centum de - ionized urine . This simple and basically harmless combination is released into the selective catalytic decrease , or SCR , of the diesel railway locomotive , where it produce clean fumes .
In unforesightful , DEF is another fluid a tractor motive to run . The DEF armored combat vehicle is check with a puritanic detonating machine , a gloss universally chosen to differentiate the DEF tank from the fuel tank ( it is crucial that you not confuse the two ) . While the engine wo n’t burn through DEF as promptly as diesel fuel ( generally using a few gallons of DEF for every 100 gallons of diesel ) , busy Fannie Farmer still must refill this armoured combat vehicle from time to time .
There are a few key factors to keep in intellect when using a tractor with DEF :
1. DEF Freezes in Cold Temperatures
Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel exhaust fluid is mostly water and freezes if the temperature dips below 12 degrees F. This is crucial to moot when storing DEF on your farm , as containers should n’t be filled so full that they burst when DEF freezes and expands . DEF can also vaporise , so you should keep containers sealed .
On the bright side , the opening of DEF freezing in your tractor is n’t really a concern . Engines are design with this in nous , and upon starting , your tractor heat the tank and thaw the DEF .
2. Avoid Storing DEF in Hot Locations
While freeze and thawing wo n’t hurt DEF , the fluid mixture can break down if reveal to temperatures in excessiveness of 86 degrees F. When salt away in ideal condition , the usable life-time of DEF is two years . Periods of hot weather shorten this lifespan .
3. Do Not Let DEF Get Contaminated
It ’s important to keep DEF costless of any contaminants . Even a small amount can tip over the careful commixture of the fluid and reduce its effectiveness , peradventure even damaging the tractor ’s railway locomotive . Store DEF only in O.K. containers , as it can corrode sure metal and thus contaminate itself . Keep DEF containers sealed to prevent accidental contamination , and do n’t add any other fluids ( say , antifreeze ) to the variety .
DEF creates another layer of complexness to hightail it a diesel tractor , so for hobby farmers working a mild farm , a small petrol tractor might be less hassle . That enounce , DEF is not as intimidate as it might first appear , and the aspect of getting clean emissions from a knock-down diesel engine is something we can all apprize .
