What's up with the DEF Delete?

[way2roll]

In my search for a truck it seems like any 2015-2016 F350 SRW is gone the day it hits the lot. I did find a very nice lower mileage in great shape but the salesmen told me it had the DEF delete done. From what I understand it removes all the mechanical parts for the DEF and re-programs the computer. He says it's a service his shop offers and has become fairly popular. Claims to still pass emissions etc but offers better MPG and HP, but frankly, it makes me nervous. I feel like I'd rather have a stock truck. I called my mechanic and he didn't know much about it. Is this something to stay away from?

[blofgren]

way2roll wrote:

4bearhug wrote:

way2roll wrote:
In my search for a truck it seems like any 2015-2016 F350 SRW is gone the day it hits the lot. I did find a very nice lower mileage in great shape but the salesmen told me it had the DEF delete done. From what I understand it removes all the mechanical parts for the DEF and re-programs the computer. He says it's a service his shop offers and has become fairly popular. Claims to still pass emissions etc but offers better MPG and HP, but frankly, it makes me nervous. I feel like I'd rather have a stock truck. I called my mechanic and he didn't know much about it. Is this something to stay away from?

What exactly are you looking for? I'm looking to trade my 15 Silverado 3500 SRW CCSB 54k miles one owner. Can give you more details if interested.

Thanks for the offer. Looking specifically for a 2015 or newer F350 6.7l with under 100k miles. Heading to a dealership today which has about 4 on hand.

My 2007 f150 has been fairly trouble free for 250k miles so I've become brand loyal. Nothing at all wrong with Chevy or Dodge, but it has to be a Ford for me.

JMHO but be careful with brand loyalty. I was a die hard Ford man too and my last Ford diesel turned me on to the truck in my sig, which I'm very happy with. Your F150 is a completely different animal than a 2015 and up F350.

[BB_TX]

Don't know about other states, but in Texas it is illegal to sell or offer for sale any vehicle with modified emissions systems.

[Grit_dog]

Deleted trucks are for sale everywhere. It's called America!!! Lol
OP I understand why one would want to remain stock, and I would as well if buying a truck that should have warranty. I also understand that tier Iv emissions vs no emissions controls and the nuances and differences.

[mich800]

way2roll wrote:
Thanks for the replies. It's a perfect truck otherwise but the last thing I want is problems especially being stuck with a truck that either won't pass emissions or be difficult to sell. I saw a comment on another post I had that went something like - look for something adult owned not adulterated.

The search goes on.

Another thing to consider. Deleted trucks are very often also tuned up pretty good. So no telling how abused it was prior to putting a tame/stock level tune back in before selling to a dealer.

Another thing, I was not aware dealers were allowed to sell vehicles knowing they have defeated emission systems. Much less a dealer admitting they are performing illegal emission modifications.

[4bearhug]

Totally understand. I've had all three brands so I understand that each has their strong points. Good luck.

[way2roll]

4bearhug wrote:

way2roll wrote:
In my search for a truck it seems like any 2015-2016 F350 SRW is gone the day it hits the lot. I did find a very nice lower mileage in great shape but the salesmen told me it had the DEF delete done. From what I understand it removes all the mechanical parts for the DEF and re-programs the computer. He says it's a service his shop offers and has become fairly popular. Claims to still pass emissions etc but offers better MPG and HP, but frankly, it makes me nervous. I feel like I'd rather have a stock truck. I called my mechanic and he didn't know much about it. Is this something to stay away from?

What exactly are you looking for? I'm looking to trade my 15 Silverado 3500 SRW CCSB 54k miles one owner. Can give you more details if interested.

Thanks for the offer. Looking specifically for a 2015 or newer F350 6.7l with under 100k miles. Heading to a dealership today which has about 4 on hand.

My 2007 f150 has been fairly trouble free for 250k miles so I've become brand loyal. Nothing at all wrong with Chevy or Dodge, but it has to be a Ford for me.

[4bearhug]

way2roll wrote:
In my search for a truck it seems like any 2015-2016 F350 SRW is gone the day it hits the lot. I did find a very nice lower mileage in great shape but the salesmen told me it had the DEF delete done. From what I understand it removes all the mechanical parts for the DEF and re-programs the computer. He says it's a service his shop offers and has become fairly popular. Claims to still pass emissions etc but offers better MPG and HP, but frankly, it makes me nervous. I feel like I'd rather have a stock truck. I called my mechanic and he didn't know much about it. Is this something to stay away from?

What exactly are you looking for? I'm looking to trade my 15 Silverado 3500 SRW CCSB 54k miles one owner. Can give you more details if interested.

[pitch]

Not really Germaine, but New York, all emissions equipment needs to be physically present. So even if it did clear emissions with the delete, it would still be a no go.

[eHoefler]

Alot of state's inspections will not pass a vehicle with any emission mdifications that do not meet or exceed factory specs.

[bucky]

New Hanover county NC does have diesel emission testing. You'd be screwed if it really was deleted. That said private sellers and punk salespeople always claim "bulletproofed" or "deleted" but they don't even know what that is.
If you really like the truck walk back to the service department and ask straight out if they do in fact do that service. I'd be very surprised if they did. Have them do an emission test at their expense if the dealership is in your county of New Hanover. Most of the deletes involve egr and dpf, not def.

[way2roll]

Thanks for the replies. It's a perfect truck otherwise but the last thing I want is problems especially being stuck with a truck that either won't pass emissions or be difficult to sell. I saw a comment on another post I had that went something like - look for something adult owned not adulterated.

The search goes on.

[Me_Again]

My BIL has a 2008 RAM that was deleted and Az would not license it when moved there. So they made the trip to SD to become residents there and have to return every 5 years, and have the option to skip the return once.

DEF is not a big deal, I just stop at a WM when I get to one half a tank add added a 2.5 gallon box of Peak Blue DEF.

[Grit_dog]

The folks who “don’t understand” why you’d delete a diesel pickup exhaust “don’t understand “ the benefits of it.
Emissions, emotions and convictions aside, deleting let’s newer emissions laden engines breathe like older pre tier IV engines. And for the cost of deleting, it eliminates any future emissions system issues which are also expensive to repair out of warranty.

As I think I said previously in one of your threads, I wouldn’t turn down a deleted truck. Actually I’d find value in it on an out of warranty rig.
Just try to verify that it hasn’t been tuned way up and beat on.

[ktmrfs]

It's not clear to me at all why deleting DEF would improve mileage or HP.

And my duramax with DEF and more HP gets better highway mpg unloaded by several mpg than the one I had w/o DEF.

DEF just injects urea into the exhaust stream to change NOx into N2 and O2. It's a process that has been used for decades with little problem in stationary power plants to clean up exhaust.

I'll keep mine intact.