As stated, I drive a big yellow people mover. It's not a bad gig, a few hours in the morning and a few in the evening. And, any activities that get thrown my way. The worst part, is that during the rest of the day I try and find things work off my boredom.
If only that was all year round.
Winter has settled on to my part of the world. Which, is alright by me. As I do enjoy the seasons for different reasons.
However, winter bit back rater unexpectedly this morning.
It's a Tuesdays, just like any other. My alarm sounds at 6, and I'm usually out the door soon after. I'm usually at the bus yard (we don't have a barn here) around 6:30, with my bus roaring to life shortly after I arrive.
Today though, my bus was not happy. During the night, its DEF tank had frozen solid. This was not a total engine shutdown, but it does put a limiter on the speed. I had to take the only sub bus we had, because I need the ability to drive highway speeds for my route.
Now, what is DEF?
DEF stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid. It was been a mandate for diesel engines since 2010. DEF is supposed to reduce diesel pollution by around 90%. Which is all fair and good. But, many of the people I've talked to (drivers, part dealers, mechanics, and the such) are not overly impressed by the stuff. First off, it's rather pricey for a 5gl. refill. (my bus can hold 15gl.) But, I guess that a once a month fill up can balance that.
Next, the DEF was been implanted so far into the power train, that if the tank falls bellow a certain percent(I think around 10% or so for my bus), then the computer puts a speed limiter on the vehicle. I'm not completely sure, but I highly doubt that a vehicle in such condition will travel faster then 10 mph. I don't let my DEF tank fall below 50% so I don't know for sure. It may differ from vehicle to vehicle.
Lastly, I don't think that the people who concocted the DEF formula (urea, and deionized water) took in to effect cold temperatures. I've driven my route bellow zero quite a few times. And, that's what got me this morning. My DEF tank was a solid block of ice, and the bus computer was going nuts with warnings and red lights, the stop engine lights. Now the DEF tank does have a heated, but it's not the some as a block heater or a frost heater for a engine. The only way that the DEF heater will work is if the engine is running.
So, you may say that I could have started the engine and waited for the DEF to unfreeze. Well, in the 25 ,or so, minutes I have to warm up a chilled engine, heat the inside of a large empty space, chip ice off the bus door and stop arm (The one, that extended, traffic is required to stop for), and do my final checks (There is a work book for just that.). I don't think that the tank will be liquid enough of me to operate the bus. Why do I only get around 25min? Well, the school starts paying me at 6:30, I think.
Just so you know, at high idle it may take between 15min and 20min for the engine to warm up. This does not take into account the time it takes for the heaters to heat the bus. I have a Cummins engine in my bus if anyone was interested.
I'm not the only driver effected by this cold weather. Yesterday, and today, another driver was trying to brake free of the ice that had frozen the drum brakes of her bus. let me tell you, there was a loud pop when she finally got free.
Hopefully there will be a few warmer days in a bit. This cold snap is unexpected, but not unwelcome. There is plenty of snow piling up in the mountains.
Thanks for sitting through my rambling. And as always, talk to you later,
Yeti
If only that was all year round.
Winter has settled on to my part of the world. Which, is alright by me. As I do enjoy the seasons for different reasons.
However, winter bit back rater unexpectedly this morning.
It's a Tuesdays, just like any other. My alarm sounds at 6, and I'm usually out the door soon after. I'm usually at the bus yard (we don't have a barn here) around 6:30, with my bus roaring to life shortly after I arrive.
Today though, my bus was not happy. During the night, its DEF tank had frozen solid. This was not a total engine shutdown, but it does put a limiter on the speed. I had to take the only sub bus we had, because I need the ability to drive highway speeds for my route.
DEF stands for Diesel Exhaust Fluid. It was been a mandate for diesel engines since 2010. DEF is supposed to reduce diesel pollution by around 90%. Which is all fair and good. But, many of the people I've talked to (drivers, part dealers, mechanics, and the such) are not overly impressed by the stuff. First off, it's rather pricey for a 5gl. refill. (my bus can hold 15gl.) But, I guess that a once a month fill up can balance that.
Next, the DEF was been implanted so far into the power train, that if the tank falls bellow a certain percent(I think around 10% or so for my bus), then the computer puts a speed limiter on the vehicle. I'm not completely sure, but I highly doubt that a vehicle in such condition will travel faster then 10 mph. I don't let my DEF tank fall below 50% so I don't know for sure. It may differ from vehicle to vehicle.
Lastly, I don't think that the people who concocted the DEF formula (urea, and deionized water) took in to effect cold temperatures. I've driven my route bellow zero quite a few times. And, that's what got me this morning. My DEF tank was a solid block of ice, and the bus computer was going nuts with warnings and red lights, the stop engine lights. Now the DEF tank does have a heated, but it's not the some as a block heater or a frost heater for a engine. The only way that the DEF heater will work is if the engine is running.
So, you may say that I could have started the engine and waited for the DEF to unfreeze. Well, in the 25 ,or so, minutes I have to warm up a chilled engine, heat the inside of a large empty space, chip ice off the bus door and stop arm (The one, that extended, traffic is required to stop for), and do my final checks (There is a work book for just that.). I don't think that the tank will be liquid enough of me to operate the bus. Why do I only get around 25min? Well, the school starts paying me at 6:30, I think.
Just so you know, at high idle it may take between 15min and 20min for the engine to warm up. This does not take into account the time it takes for the heaters to heat the bus. I have a Cummins engine in my bus if anyone was interested.
I'm not the only driver effected by this cold weather. Yesterday, and today, another driver was trying to brake free of the ice that had frozen the drum brakes of her bus. let me tell you, there was a loud pop when she finally got free.
Hopefully there will be a few warmer days in a bit. This cold snap is unexpected, but not unwelcome. There is plenty of snow piling up in the mountains.
Thanks for sitting through my rambling. And as always, talk to you later,
Yeti
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