DEF consumption, normal?

[J-Cooz]

‘

No I don’t think so… The loves brand is API approved and I only use loves in my semi trucks. The Freightliner I had used less DEF than the Volvo I currently drive. The way a lot of things are manufactured nowadays it’s quite possible it all comes from the same facility one gets poured into a peak bottle the other gets poured into a loves bottle. Kind of like the NAPA motor oil… that comes from Valvoline.

How many gallons of def does a big rig hold?

 

[gorilla57]

The way a lot of things are manufactured nowadays it’s quite possible it all comes from the same facility one gets poured into a peak bottle the other gets poured into a loves bottle.

You are 100% correct. I went to TSC (tractor supply company) because I needed a propane refill and noticed their DEF was on sale. So, I went inside and took a look at their own brand of DEF and noticed the packaging looked very similar to the Peak sitting next to it....... Yup, produced in the same factory....

 

[Zoompastu]

How many gallons of def does a big rig hold?

It depends on the truck but it’s usual around 20 gallons.... My Volvo holds 18. I use about 5 gallons every 1500 to 1000 miles. So about every 2-3 days.
12.8L Volvo in-line 6 Cylinder
405HP 1,750 Torque
12-speed Transmission
2.47:1 rear diff ratio

 

[SilverSurfer15]

I was talking about the packaging guys, not the product. The box the peak fluid comes in worked fine with no leaks. I was just commenting on the box jugs working well from peak, not sure if all the other brands use the same container or not.

 

[Zoompastu]

Either way I’m done messing with the bottles… I’ll just get DEF at the diesel island at the truck stops.

 

[Chris3058]

I'm now at 1200 kms at 7/8 DEF. So that jives to around 9500 kms. Whats the DEF tank hold anyway?

 

[J-Cooz]

I think it's like 5.2 gallons or something

 

[c3k]

On the smaller end of the scale, I have a 2015 VW Passat TDi. It has a 2.0L turbo-diesel. Mine has already been "fixed". One of the dieselgate fixes increased the DEF consumption. The DEF tank holds 18.5L/19.5 qt.

That ~5 gallons will last me 15-18,000 miles. (I'll add just under 2.5 gallons every 10,000 miles.)

Sure, different engines, different payloads, etc. But, I'm surprised what I'm reading here for the amount of DEF being consumed by this truck.

 

[Rossum]

But, I'm surprised what I'm reading here for the amount of DEF being consumed by this truck.

FCA does not wish to be accused of cheating again.

Seriously, part of the motivation to cheat, at least among the European manufacturers, was to keep the DEF tank reasonably small and while not needing to be refilled between oil changes. In Europe most of the diesel cars run on "flexible" or "long life" oil change intervals, which can be as long as 30,000 km.

 

[Gattington]

2020 RAM DT 3.0L Ecodiesel with 33 Gallon tank has a 5.5 gallon DEF tank.

I haven't seen it posted and the manual did not offer up the information, this seems a good place to mention it. I found this by letting the DEF gauge get to ~empty, indicated by it telling me it would not restart in 50 miles and the needle riding the empty line. I added 2x 2.5 gallon Blue DEF boxes, and used a single gallon container and deep funnel to add little sips until I could see the top of the fluid with a flashlight down the funnel. She took just under .4 gallons from the bottle, based roughly on the little measuring lines on the side, which suggests to me the tank is 5.5 Gallons. Now that I've risked the dangers of urea spillage and filled her more than is probably wise, you won't have to.

 

[gorilla57]

Welp, added 2.5 gal again today. Calculated out 2.6% DEF usage again!! Went 2318 miles this time, fuel usage is averaging 24mpg, which is 927mpg of DEF this time. Kinda surprising that DEF % usage was exactly the same, but glad it isn't drastically different.

 

[bill-e]

I've been driving the EcoD since Apr 2015 and I don't pay any attention to def. When the needle hits the red mark I swing by Walmart and pickup one 2.5gal box of Blue Def and dump it in.

 

[gorilla57]

I've been driving the EcoD since Apr 2015 and I don't pay any attention to def. When the needle hits the red mark I swing by Walmart and pickup one 2.5gal box of Blue Def and dump it in.

Yeah, I did that with my 2015 Ram 3500 after I calculated out DEF consumption a few times. So, now that I know roughly how many miles for 2.5gal of DEF on this truck, I'm gonna stop keeping record. There were just so many people on forums (Ram and Jeep) complaining about their DEF usage in the 3.0L, I figured that I might wanna keep close track for a while.

 

[Aseras]

it depends on how you drive. If you do a lot of highway or very light engine load it uses very little def. If you do heavy hauling or floor it at every chance it uses def much quicker. You can get 2.5 gallons for $7.50 at Walmart, or about $2-$3 a gallon at any truck stop. I've only put def in my truck once and I'm over 11,000 miles.

 

[Rebelguy2020]

2020 RAM DT 3.0L Ecodiesel with 33 Gallon tank has a 5.5 gallon DEF tank.

I haven't seen it posted and the manual did not offer up the information, this seems a good place to mention it. I found this by letting the DEF gauge get to ~empty, indicated by it telling me it would not restart in 50 miles and the needle riding the empty line. I added 2x 2.5 gallon Blue DEF boxes, and used a single gallon container and deep funnel to add little sips until I could see the top of the fluid with a flashlight down the funnel. She took just under .4 gallons from the bottle, based roughly on the little measuring lines on the side, which suggests to me the tank is 5.5 Gallons. Now that I've risked the dangers of urea spillage and filled her more than is probably wise, you won't have to.

I took this from the FCA online manual for my 2020 Rebel eco diesel

 

[Gattington]

I took this from the FCA online manual for my 2020 Rebel eco diesel

Awesome! 5.74 I was pretty close! Sure enough, I must have missed it right there on page 433. Thank you for doing the reading!

 

[Rebelguy2020]

On my way to work this morning my Rebel gave a message to fill the DEF or the vehicle won’t start after 800 km, the truck has 7,079 km and I put 17 litres of DEF so just over 400 km/litre of DEF, does anybody know if the DEF
consumption changes much in the winter? I live 1000 km north of the border and the temperature goes down to -40C or -40F. I am a bit worried about the DEF freezing, the fluid freezes at -11C or 12F, I do park in an insulated garage at home and the truck will be plugged in at work.

 

[Gattington]

@Rebelguy2020 I live in New Mexico where we get only a few days of snow a year. Just don't pee in the DEF tank.

 

[Sascwatch]

The def system will disable at -10c from what I’ve read and will resume using def when it thaws out.

 

[gorilla57]

DEF consumption is based off of fuel consumption. So, if your MPG goes down with idling, then your DEF use will go up.