5thGenRams Forums

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

DEF at the pump?

n8zcc

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2021
Messages
372
Reaction score
451
Location
Oakland, Michigan
Like I said, I have not delved into either claim. They could both be well-substantiated. Or not. I don't know.

But, the BlueDEF Platinum claims about what it does at least pass the sniff test, for me. I find the claims to be believable. That doesn't mean they are true. They just seem, on their face, that they COULD be true.
I don't know either. Seems every time there is a discussion on something that isn't well understood you get claims. We were using DEF long before Platinum came along without too many issues. It seems the short-hop drivers complained about getting DTCs for their DEF systems and I've read several self-help posts on how to clean the DEF injector. It has never happened to me, at least not yet.

I wonder if the DEF injector crystallization isses is a reason the Gen 3 ED flows more DEF fluid, maybe an attempt to eliminate DEF injector crystallization.
 

J-Cooz

Ram Guru
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
960
Reaction score
730
Back to the OPs question, any big truck stop will have def at the pump. You can also fill your ram with diesel with the big boy pumps, just go slow.

In Canada DEF at the pump is about 1/3 the price of what they want for it in jugs. You can usually get for around a buck a litre.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk
 

Chris3058

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2020
Messages
491
Reaction score
187
Location
44.2122N, 79.4117W
What he said ^^^^^. I get def/diesel at the local commercial card lock place all the trucks use. DEF is a LOT cheaper and diesel
Is usually 10-15 cents a litre (40-60 cents a gallon) cheaper.
 

StuartV

Ram Guru
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
1,087
Reaction score
850
Location
Lexington, SC
Back to the OPs question, any big truck stop will have def at the pump. You can also fill your ram with diesel with the big boy pumps, just go slow.

In Canada DEF at the pump is about 1/3 the price of what they want for it in jugs. You can usually get for around a buck a litre.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk

I'm the OP, and my question was actually if there are brands/chains of gas stations that are known to have pumps with DEF. Gas stations BESIDES the big truck stops. :)

Anyway.... I just bought a box of DEF, so I have it in case of emergencies. I'll use it before it gets too old and replace it, so I don't just have old, bad DEF on hand. I filled up my DEF tank right after I got my truck. I have driven a bit over 2K miles now and my DEF needle has now come down from Full and is showing something like 7/8 of a tank. I think that means I am using somewhere around (roughly) 1 gallon per 1000 miles. That seems like kind of a lot. Particularly considering at least 1700 of the miles I have driven have been on the Interstate, going around 80 MPH. All unloaded (i.e. not towing).

On a related note, I love the under-floor storage bins in my truck, but dang! You'd think those smart cookies at RAM would have made them big enough to fit a normal-sized box of DEF inside.... I'm not even sure it will fit inside one of my RamBoxes, either. :(
 

jent

Active Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2021
Messages
71
Reaction score
50
I have driven a bit over 2K miles now and my DEF needle has now come down from Full and is showing something like 7/8 of a tank. I think that means I am using somewhere around (roughly) 1 gallon per 1000 miles. That seems like kind of a lot. Particularly considering at least 1700 of the miles I have driven have been on the Interstate, going around 80 MPH. All unloaded (i.e. not towing).

The def tank does not fit a full 8 gal. initial def usage will also be higher on a new truck too. It's hard to say how much you used but I can't imagine you're under 2000miles per gal of def.
 

StuartV

Ram Guru
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
1,087
Reaction score
850
Location
Lexington, SC
The def tank does not fit a full 8 gal. initial def usage will also be higher on a new truck too. It's hard to say how much you used but I can't imagine you're under 2000miles per gal of def.

It's a '21. Like your '22 the DEF tank is about 5.5 gallons.

I bought it used with 17K miles on it. I have driven it about 2K miles, but it's not a new truck.
 

Ninety-9 SE-L

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2021
Messages
314
Reaction score
325
Location
Tampa
Back to the OPs question, any big truck stop will have def at the pump. You can also fill your ram with diesel with the big boy pumps, just go slow.

I visited a few of those truck stops along my drive from FL to NY and back. Holy Sh*t!!!
I have my 33-gal tank, plus another 15-gal titan tank in the bed, I was done in 2 minutes flat.
Far as DEF goes, I've been using the platinum blue since the start and I intend to keep using it. I only have to fill the tank every 10,000mi or so.

I don't really see the controversy, here.
I'm very particular about what fluids and filters I buy, just as I'm particular about tires, brakes, and shocks.
We're all aware of "top tier gasoline" and different cleaning agents and seasonal mixtures of different fuels.
We're all aware that different oils are different quality, even when they all meet the same standards.
We're all aware that DEF crystalizes in our exhaust systems and eventually can clog the system up, is it so otherworldly that different brands have different formulations to do a better job?
DEF has only been around for about 15 years or so, let alone particulate filters and regens.

I highly doubt they're making false claims about using a small amount of additives in their DEF in order to reduce crystallization, which we all know occurs.

If you're skeptical, get a small amount of DEF from your local truck stop, get some blue and platinum blue and see what happens when you let it dry on a hard surface.
 

TSL

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2021
Messages
226
Reaction score
231
Location
Oregon
I visited a few of those truck stops along my drive from FL to NY and back. Holy Sh*t!!!
I have my 33-gal tank, plus another 15-gal titan tank in the bed, I was done in 2 minutes flat.
Any risk of spillage or anything ? Just wondering if the neck of our truck's tanks is wide enough for that fast flow from the truck stop pumps ? I guess it's fine or you'd have commented.
I just filled up at a TravelCenters of America fuel place, although I used the "consumer" side, but I was looking right over the concrete divider at all the big rigs filling up and thinking to myself "I should have gone over there" !
 

Ninety-9 SE-L

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2021
Messages
314
Reaction score
325
Location
Tampa
Any risk of spillage or anything ? Just wondering if the neck of our truck's tanks is wide enough for that fast flow from the truck stop pumps ? I guess it's fine or you'd have commented.
I just filled up at a TravelCenters of America fuel place, although I used the "consumer" side, but I was looking right over the concrete divider at all the big rigs filling up and thinking to myself "I should have gone over there" !
Oh, I had to throttle it back, and yes, I was on the trucker's side. I topped off at several sites, mostly because certain states had really decent diesel prices, also because I was traveling with a gasoline Silverado that needed gas much more often. One place asked for my company name and truck number, but they accepted "none" and "1" as an answer.

I don't think I had any spill, it just kept stopping at full flow. I found a good halfway point that didn't choke up the filler neck, but still, I was watching the gallons increasing at the rate I'm used to the tenths place moving. 1gal, 2gal, 3gal, 4gal.....almost as fast as you can read my comment. You do have to monitor it, especially towards the end.
 

J-Cooz

Ram Guru
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
960
Reaction score
730
Any risk of spillage or anything ? Just wondering if the neck of our truck's tanks is wide enough for that fast flow from the truck stop pumps ? I guess it's fine or you'd have commented.
I just filled up at a TravelCenters of America fuel place, although I used the "consumer" side, but I was looking right over the concrete divider at all the big rigs filling up and thinking to myself "I should have gone over there" !
It won't spill, just go slow.

Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk
 

Malodave

Ram Guru
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Messages
1,113
Reaction score
604
Location
Rindge NH
I fill up DEF at a CirckeK off the interstate in my area. It's they only pump in my city, but not out of the way from where I live. My last ~5gal fill in May was $21. I do remember filling once in 2020 for less than $15, so apparently DEF has been hit by the inflation bug, too. Have the jugs gone up in price this past year, too?

I got the Walmart stuff for $8.50 Jug, Then it went to $11.50, and now it is about $14.50 for a 2.5 Gal Jug.

I went to a truck stop that had DEF at the Pump. The Pump was down for maintanance. The told me I could buy the 1 gal jugs at $19.95 each.
I left and went to the nearest Home Depot and bought 2 jugs because I was at less than 40 miles to limp mode.

Malodave
 

StuartV

Ram Guru
Joined
Jun 27, 2019
Messages
1,087
Reaction score
850
Location
Lexington, SC
Far as DEF goes, I've been using the platinum blue since the start and I intend to keep using it. I only have to fill the tank every 10,000mi or so.

I've had my truck for 1 month now. Driven it almost 4000 miles. Filled up with DEF the day I got it. That was at a DEF pump at Buc-ees. I filled up with DEF again over the weekend (another Buc-ees DEF pump - $3.29/gallon!).

Hand calculated, I am getting about 1100 miles per gallon of DEF. With a 5.5 gallon tank, that would have me totally out by 6000 miles.

If you are filling every 10,000, that is telling me that BlueDEF Platinum is really reducing the amount of DEF used.

I think I will run my DEF down to near empty and then start filling it with Platinum and see if I get DEF mileage similar to yours.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top