[Jinx]

it must be stupid expensive in the jugs, never really looked at the price. Typically buy the DEF BLUE at Sam's club. Today I bought 2 2 1/2 Gal. jugs for $26 bucks and change. This will fill my wife's jeep which warned her yesterday she was down to 150 miles.

Same here it was reasonable at first but I started seeing up $18.00 a gallon, and this is for distilled water and a couple table spoons of Urea ? Now I just wheel into the truck stop and buy say $10.00 or $12.00 worth just ball park it, the pump doesn't kick out like fuel pumps so I don't care $10.00 I can run for 4 or 5 months so no biggy. I'm not cheap but I can't have ever increasing costs it's that simple.

 

[97hmcs]

I prefer the 2.5 gal. containers. I use about 3 per year (10-12,000 miles) for a total cost of about 24 bucks. I put in 2.5 gallons when I get the 500 mi. to no start message. I prefer to keep the tank low.

 

[John Bartley]

I prefer the 2.5 gal. containers. I use about 3 per year (10-12,000 miles) for a total cost of about 24 bucks. I put in 2.5 gallons when I get the 500 mi. to no start message. I prefer to keep the tank low.

I do exactly the same mileage and usage and fill as you. Our only difference is that I buy mine from the dealer and log the use and receipt.

 

[jec2018ram1500]

I would avoid ever using DEF from a filling station pump. There have been numerous fleets that have had total SCR failures traced back to contaminated DEF from bulk public supplies. DEF is very reactive. It will dissolve metals which will contaminate your system and potentially damage the SCR package. Dirt will also cause harm. For this reason all DEF systems and dispensing systems are made of plastic and a specific alloy of stainless steel.

DEF has a shelf life and is degraded by UV (sunlight). In the very hottest environments in the US DEF has a shelf life of nearly 6 months if kept out of the sun. Longer in cooler temps.
I also do not keep opened jugs. Manage your system so that you know you can fit the whole 2.5 gallons into the truck. Open it, pour it in, seal the truck tank and toss the jug. Don't leave a partial jug around to collect dirt and dust on the filler neck.
There is only one standard for DEF, ISO 22241. With that said I only use DEF from know quality sources like Valvoline, Peak, Prestone, etc. I have an on and off road fleet with over 4 million hours of service using Valvoline with NO DEF related failures. All from 2.5 gallon totes.

One other thing. Some places are selling nice aluminum caps for the fuel fill and the DEF tank, nice blue and green. I have a green one for my diesel fill but I would never, ever put an aluminum cap on my DEF tank. DEF corrodes aluminum and it will contaminate your system. I know, the DEF will never get up there. Right? Sure, said the guy who is now bitch'in his truck blew up.Just a heads up.
Hope this helps!

 

[phprof]

The truth about who "makes" DEF.

DEF certified manufactures.

Peak and Kleen are made by Old World Industries. I use Kleen DEF from Menards ($8.88 per 2.5 gallon) since it is about $7 cheaper per jug than the overpriced "Peak" brand. I like John Force as much as the next drag racing fan but they can calm it down. I did, however, see my local Wal-mart is carrying Peak DEF for $12.47 for 2.5 gallons ... right next to SuperTech for $7.88. The DEF from O'Reily's, AutoZone, Advanced, etc, etc, are all going to be made by someone on this list.

Personally, I have run Kleen DEF from Menards, SuperTech from Walmart, and ... well, I guess that is about it.

Valvoline and SuperTech (Walmart) apparently have their "own" manufacturing facilities.

Then again you can buy one yourself if you have the cash. AdBlue at it again ... milking the public since elected officials.

As for at the pump or in large containers, it depends on volume of use. For a trucking company with the facilities to handle it, they can get a tank and a truck fills it up on demand. For the home user no where near a reliable truck stop, the jugs are the least efficient, most expensive, and hardest on the environment way of getting DEF to the end users truck. I refer you to Lucky Dog's post in this thread The art of confusion by the eco-nuts.

Edit: The "real" nut buster is the fact if I do get some "bad" DEF, the eco-nuts have coded it in to shut my truck down until I have it service by the stealership. If you need proof that big companies have their fingers everywhere, well here is some more. It doesn't take a rocket scientists to pull the plug on a tank and drain the DEF out. It's liquid fertilizer so I suggest spreading it real thin on your garden or lawn. Yes. Urea is fertilizer. My in-laws use it. Flush the tank with clean water, flush the lines. Let it dry. Refill and move on with life. NO! Instead they design a tank with built in sensors, no drain plug, and built by one frack wit of a company that can charge whatever price they want for replacement parts. Sounding like the public is getting taken for a ride they won't have fun on? Oh, yeah. All to save some NOx from escaping when I probably breath in more toxins from my neighbors with their bags of fertilizer they have no clue how to properly apply.

 

[Bigt88]

Mas ...Your Truck is TUNED , Most likely You didn’t realize you can run distilled water perfectly and never throw a code your exhaust sensors are tweaked , Basically you should be running distilled water to keep your def injector and scr Clean from crystallization build up and clogging ..You never know you might have been buying water from Walmart for 4 dollars a gallon and passed off as def ......The OP’s truck is NOT TUNED = Brand New with very a sensitive Emissions compliant exhaust system.. Again all def is the same , the only difference is if you ever have a warranty issue with the def system....

so those that have the hot tune from GDE, can they run distilled water?

 

[Captainmal]

so those that have the hot tune from GDE, can they run distilled water?

Yes!

 

[phprof]

Yes!

Cavet ... if you live where it freezes then you might want to consider DEF during the winter. DEF freezes at 11F while water at 32F. I do not know when the DEF heaters kick on. For sure at or around 11F.

 

[Pretty Pushy]

Yes DEF is all the same , Now if you purchase your def in 2.5 jugs always check the seal to make sure it’s not slightly pulled back and placed back down , There’s been reports of folks buying jugs from Walmart which the def fluid was replaced with water ...

Myself when I purchase def fluid,I purchase it from my local ram dealership.Its 6 dollars per jug more ,but if you ever have def/scr warranty issues you have documentation your using what FCA is selling again if you still have warranty this eliminates the bad def no warranty claim, customer pays...

This happens with a lot of products at Home Depot. I have learned never buy the top boxes. Employees always put the returns on top. By grabbing one lower your chances of getting a return are greatly reduced.