[mw243]

Not to add confusion to the issue, but I have had issue with coolant leaking from thermostat o-ring which caused some smells. Just something to be mindful of when troubleshooting the source.

 

[cat man]

The ammonia smell is ammonia slip could be caused by bad def injector or build up under injector ,that causes large droplets to hit the scr instead of very fine ones

 

[Anomaly]

Q: Does DEF smell?
A: Due to its makeup, DEF may have a harmless ammonia smell.
ref- WHAT IS DEF? :: NOxBLUE DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid

 

[Anomaly]

After a pull up the hill to my house, I usually get a bit of ammonia smell. However, my DEF usage is slightly below normal and I haven't had any CELs, so I don't think that it's a problem. Besides, it beats diesel exhaust fumes...

 

[97hmcs]

Q: Does DEF smell?
A: Due to its makeup, DEF may have a harmless ammonia smell.
ref- WHAT IS DEF? :: NOxBLUE DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid

My DEF is odorless. BlueDEF® is stable, colorless and odorless, and meets ISO Standards 22241 for purity and composition and is an American Petroleum Institute (API) certified diesel exhaust fluid.

PEAK Commercial & Industrial | PEAKhd.com

Gene, If you get that ammonia odor when you sniff your DEF tank, it might just be your breath blowing back in your face.

 

[OiLBrnR]

My DEF is odorless.....Gene, If you get that ammonia odor when you sniff your DEF tank, it might just be your breath blowing back in your face.

LoL

 

[cat man]

True in the jug it has no smell, after you run it thru scr you will get the ammonia smell if it is getting over saturated, the excess ammonia comes out the tail pipe

 

[Anomaly]

My DEF is odorless. BlueDEF® is stable, colorless and odorless, and meets ISO Standards 22241 for purity and composition and is an American Petroleum Institute (API) certified diesel exhaust fluid.

PEAK Commercial & Industrial | PEAKhd.com

Gene, If you get that ammonia odor when you sniff your DEF tank, it might just be your breath blowing back in your face.

No.....that would smell more like fish.

 

[Anomaly]

You guys have your noses burned out from too much snorting...

What does DEF smell like?
The liquid can have a slight ammonia smell.
ref- Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)

Does DEF smell?
Yes, DEF has a harmless mild odor due to its ammonia content.
ref- Diesel Exhaust Fluid - DEF - Diesel Exhaust Fluid Smell

Does DEF smell?
DEF may have a light smell similar to ammonia.
ref- DEF FAQ - Semler Industries

Does DEF smell?
A: Due to its makeup, DEF may have a harmless ammonia smell.
ref- WHAT IS DEF? :: NOxBLUE DEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid

DEF does sometimes have a slight ammonia smell (similar to home cleaning agents), but these are not harmful.
ref- FAQ - discover Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)

 

[cat man]

Nose is fine here in Pa we don't usually sniff the jug before we dump it in. If your smell it strong enough to have to open the garage door ,you have issues

 

[CoolTech]

Wow, a lot of discussion and theories as to "what's wrong" with op's truck. I say NOTHING is wrong - everything is normal. I'm getting close to 30,000 miles now and my DEF consumption is on par with what most people report here (nothing excessive) and I have NO other anomalies - CEL's, etc. Yet, my exhaust can have a pretty good ammonia stink. This is MOST noticeable if I leave the truck idling when I hitch or un-hitch a trailer - which I am tending to do frequently. The smell, when you're bending over at the back of the truck at the receiver, can be a little overwhelming. I suppose the good news is that there's no diesel smell to speak of - but just ammonia. NORMAL!!!

 

[schmeg]

Mine smells too. More so in the cool weather. If you keep track of your DEF consumption and it works out to 1200 miles per gallon you are spot on.

 

[A-Ram]

Normal smells for the Eco Diesel. Going through Re-gen. You will get these smells if you stop driving and cut off the truck. During normal driving you will never smell anything.
I wish Dodge would put a light on the dash to tell you when your in re-gen. I use a CST Edge gauge to help me know, when the truck is in Re-gen. This is really a good device to help you see things going on with the truck.
. .

 

[CoolTech]

Normal smells for the Eco Diesel. Going through Re-gen.

The ammonia smell has nothing to do with a re-gen. The re-gen process does not involve DEF consumption.

 

[97hmcs]

The ammonia smell has nothing to do with a re-gen. The re-gen process does not involve DEF consumption.

This is true. The DEF system is actually disabled during the DPF regeneration process.

 

[97hmcs]

No.....that would smell more like fish.

That's exactly the reply I was expecting.

 

[Roc Doc]

Well the ammonia smell is stronger in the cab than it is at the tail pipe. I've tried all windows closed with fresh AC, all windows closed recirc, sunroof popped and rear window cracked, and any number of other variations and it still stinks.

I'm hoping a Ram tech will chime in and hopefully provide some info from FCA about the issue.

I have been buying DEF in the 2.5 gal jugs, and I put one in once the gauge gets below 1/2 and store the other in my laundry room, but since it can be 100* here for months on end I wonder if it wouldn't be prudent to run the DEF system on the bottom half of the tank.

 

[97hmcs]

Well the ammonia smell is stronger in the cab than it is at the tail pipe. I've tried all windows closed with fresh AC, all windows closed recirc, sunroof popped and rear window cracked, and any number of other variations and it still stinks.

I'm hoping a Ram tech will chime in and hopefully provide some info from FCA about the issue.

I have been buying DEF in the 2.5 gal jugs, and I put one in once the gauge gets below 1/2 and store the other in my laundry room, but since it can be 100* here for months on end I wonder if it wouldn't be prudent to run the DEF system on the bottom half of the tank.

I like the idea of running the bottom half of the DEF tank.

 

[Anomaly]

My truck is 13 months old and only has 5K miles on it, so the DEF tank is still just above the 1/2 mark. It seems to be stingy on DEF usage. Going on the info from the manufacturers that DEF does not deteriorate, but just gets weaker, I'm going to continue to run until the tank is at 1/4 and then fill to 1/2. For my low annual mileage, there is no good reason to drive with a full tank of DEF.