What are the consequences of adding a little diesel to the urea?
3 Answers
Adding diesel to urea has severe consequences. Diesel will gradually clog the after-treatment system along with the carbon smoke in the exhaust, and it may even combust or explode inside the exhaust pipe. How to deal with mistakenly adding diesel to urea: If the proportion added is relatively small, it won’t cause significant damage to the engine. However, if the proportion exceeds 2%, the fuel tank needs to be cleaned. If the engine has been started, the fuel lines must also be cleaned; otherwise, it can severely affect the engine. Usage of automotive urea: The usage of automotive urea is about 3-5% of the diesel consumption. The urea used in diesel vehicles consists of 32.5% high-purity urea and 67.5% deionized water. During vehicle operation, the added urea is continuously consumed. When the remaining urea level drops below around 20%, a warning will appear on the dashboard. Failure to replenish it promptly can affect the vehicle’s performance.
Adding diesel to urea is a big problem! I know an experienced driver whose friend tried this to save money, and shortly after driving, the malfunction light came on, completely disrupting the emission system. Diesel contaminates the urea solution, causing crystallization that clogs the nozzles and damages the expensive catalyst tank. Repairing it is a hassle—the entire system has to be disassembled and cleaned, and in bad cases, new parts might be needed, easily costing thousands. Before the car is fixed, the emissions exceed standards, harming the environment, and there's a risk of sudden power loss while driving, which is highly dangerous. So, always use only dedicated urea fluid and never mix anything else in to avoid endless trouble.
The urea system acts like a purifier for your vehicle, and adding diesel to it will definitely backfire! Diesel reacts with urea, forming deposits that clog the pipes, and over time, the pump and injector will be ruined. I've seen similar cases where the owner mistakenly added diesel, causing the engine fault light to come on, fuel consumption to skyrocket, and emissions to become dirtier—definitely failing any inspection. Repair costs usually start at a thousand bucks, which is ridiculously expensive. To avoid headaches, always check the label before adding urea and only use certified products. Also, remember to replace the filter regularly to keep the system clean. Never try to be clever by mixing diesel—it's practically poisoning your car.
