AdBlue filling newbie questions

[GiveMeABreak]

Yes, it has a lower level limit equivalent to the miles remaining before the engine start is disabled. You can usually see this when checking the Adblue status using the appropriate fault or check button depending on car and model. The miles remaining range display remains fixed at the specific figure until the adblue reservoir actually hits the low level and then the countdown is initiated.

[CitROeNALD]

Just reviving this,

I have the boot location in my C4 Grand Spacetourer.

I was wondering if anyone had used the domestic car adblue pumps at garages. I note the warning about the commercial ones above, but ones at the normal petrol pumps are meant for normal cars are they not.

I was musing using the hose via the back door to fill the tank that way? Seems much easier then messing with funnels and 10 litre bottles.

I assume the flow rate is low enough that I can neatly fill it.

Also, visually how full do people take the tank? Do people often fill to overflow?

Visually looking into the spout, is it best to level it to just below the spout?

[PaulC5]

If the garage pumps use a nozzle similar to a petrol pump then when you stop adding and pull the nozzle away you might get some drips. If so take a bucket to catch them to save having to clean the boot.

Our Cactus has the adblue filler in the boot and I pour it from a 10 litre container into a 1½ litre bottle and from that in to the car but use funnels to avoid spills. I can see the level in the tank as it gets nearly full so do not put any more in so below the tank neck. This way it is easy to do and no need to lean into the boot with a heavy container. The spouts that come with these containers do not seem to give a good seal and I have found they can leak so for the Cactus do not need to use them.

[CitROeNALD]

Thank you appreciate your reply.

Yes, I think the adblue fillers at the normal pumps are like small petrol pumps. seems like an easy reach into the back of a C4 Grand.

I think the flow rate is quite low too, which was another concern.

As an experiment, I made use of a plastic straw to make a crude dipstick to measure how low my tank is. It's the first time I have tried to work out what level it is at.

From the bottom of the spout, I have currently got a 9cm gap until the straw touched fluid. So it will be interesting how much I need to fill it by when the time comes.

Have you ever used the anti-crystallisation fluid/additive?

[PaulC5]

If you dipped the tank to the bottom you would have an idea of the depth of the tank and how much is left. Our cars are about 17 litres capacity according to the handbooks and the tanks are quite shallow so a level 9 cm down could be a lowish level remaining.

As a guide to the amount of adblue used, our 1.6 hdi Cactus uses about 1 litre every 1000 miles and the 1.5 hdi 308 about 1½ litres per 1000 miles.

[CitROeNALD]

Thanks for the replies.

If anyone wanted to know....

Filling the C4 Grand’s awkwardly placed AdBlue port (or any boot location one) seems far easier using a petrol‑station AdBlue pump through the back door than using 10‑litre bottles.

I folded both rear seats flat, sat on them, positioned the pump and gently half‑pulled the trigger. The pump can be pulled back slightly, letting you see the AdBlue trickling down the spout. It is a very controllable method. I wanted to have a little air gap too as I filled. Half pulling the trigger you means you get a nice slow flow. I avoided full flow because I wasn’t sure the auto‑stop would trigger.

I added 7 litres until the level seemed to be near the bottom of the filler neck. It might have taken another half‑litre, but the pump timed out as I was taking so long doing it. I did not want to brim it anyway.

So it appears it was not as low as I thought. I was probably measuring more spout neck than I realised when using my straw dip stick. It was not long enough to dip to the bottom.

I did dribble a bit. Interestingly my dribbles didn’t crystallise at all, even after 10 minutes. Maybe they have started adding anti-crystallisation additives or maybe it was just the fact it was evening and cool temperatures.

Overall, for anyone with a C4 Grand Picasso/Spacetourer, the garage pump seems a much easier and more controllable way to fill AdBlue.