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Old 10-18-2013, 09:17 PM   #1
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Diesel/DEF mileage.

Hi, in all fairness in comparing fuel mileage, DEF should be included in fuel mileage calculations; Therefore reducing the actual fuel mileage of these newer trucks. Has anyone included the cost per mile, or miles per gallon of DEF with their mileage of Diesel fuel?
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Old 10-18-2013, 09:27 PM   #2
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Def

We just spent $7.99/2.5gal. and the truck goes 3500 mi. before it tells us to add more. $.0023/mile. Not much to worry about.
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Old 10-18-2013, 09:53 PM   #3
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I find the Regens use a lot more fuel. When in Regen I get a 3-5mpg hit according to the dash gauges. These cycles run for 15-30 minutes at least. So yeah, not 'efficient ' as expected.
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Old 10-19-2013, 12:04 PM   #4
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My new Duramax only regens about half as many times as my old Duramax and for about the same duration, thus the regen fuel hit is about half as much as the old truck. I haven't needed to add DEF yet, but the 3.5 gallon tank is supposed to last about 5,000 miles. I have about 2,500 miles on the truck so far.
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Old 10-19-2013, 12:08 PM   #5
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My new Duramax only regens about half as many times as my old Duramax and for about the same duration, thus the regen fuel hit is about half as much as the old truck. I haven't needed to add DEF yet, but the 3.5 gallon tank is supposed to last about 5,000 miles. I have about 2,500 miles on the truck so far.
I think that's about right - maybe a little more than 5000 miles in our experience.

I'm cynical though. Isn't it just distilled cow pee? I'm sure that's not 100% accurate but I may not be far off. Seems like a bit of a racket to me.

More first world problems :-)
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Old 10-19-2013, 02:14 PM   #6
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I have only added DEF to my 2013 Dodge once. Assuming it was delivered with a full tank I used 3.44 gallons in 2100 miles at a cost $9.44 at the pilot pump ($2.79 gal)
That works out to about half a cent a mile. Less if I didn't start with a full tank.
Fairly insignificant in the scheme of things
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Old 10-19-2013, 02:41 PM   #7
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I used 3.44 gallons in 2100 miles at a cost $9.44 at the pilot pump ($2.79 gal)
I must be using a lot less than that. I'm supposed to get a warning with about 1000 miles of DEF remaining. At about 2500 miles on the truck, I haven't received the warning yet. I wonder whether your tank was initially totally full.
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Old 10-19-2013, 02:50 PM   #8
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I must be using a lot less than that. I'm supposed to get a warning with about 1000 miles of DEF remaining. At about 2500 miles on the truck, I haven't received the warning yet. I wonder whether your tank was initially totally full.
I still had 1/2 a tank when I filled it. Had not got to the point of any warnings the tank is over 7 gallons. I have heard higher mileage numbers and of course I may not have started at full
I worked to out to about 600 miles per gallon assuming I started full. It very well may not have been
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Old 10-19-2013, 08:40 PM   #9
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DEF usage is a direct function, or correlation to, fuel consumption. For example, while towing at 11 MPG you may get 5000 miles before refilling. If you drove completely without towing at 18 MPG, you may get 7500 between refills. The system looks at the amount of NOx in the exhaust stream through an algorithm, and injects enough DEF to neutralize the NOx to the inert gasses (nitrogen and oxygen). The more exhaust (more fuel burned at a given moment), the more DEF injected.

Bottom line, you will use more while loaded than empty.
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Old 10-19-2013, 08:57 PM   #10
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I have a bit of a DEF consumption track record to share. I have a 2011 Chevrolet 3500 Dmax that now has 60,000 miles on it. I am carrying a 3,000# truck camper in the bed almost all of the time. I am also towing a 7,400# Airstream about 50% of the time.

I have been consistently using about a gallon of DEF every 1,000 miles. The cost per mile factor is negligible, but the pain in the butt factor is an issue.

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Old 10-19-2013, 09:12 PM   #11
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Brian, I would expect that, given your duty cycle. That's about the norm over the long haul, while loaded. On my company trucks (2500 duramax), I get more than that unloaded....of course. At oil change time, by the oil life monitor, at about 7500 t0 8000 miles, I need about 4.5 gallons of DEF.....but that's empty. Loaded at your level, I'd expect the "change oil soon light at 4500 - 5000 miles, and a near empty DEF tank.
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Old 10-19-2013, 09:39 PM   #12
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Hi Rich. I have been getting oil life monitor change signal at about the same intervals, between 7 and 8 thousand miles. The DEF tank in the 2011's holds 5.5 gallons according to the spec sheet. I have been doing my own DEF monitoring with a log book as the DEF range warning system on the 2011's is notoriously squirrelly.

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Old 10-20-2013, 02:48 AM   #13
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I just drive my 2012 F-250 Power Stroke and love every minute of it :-) I agree with Rich. We purchased the truck and did a lot of heavy towing and DEF had to be topped once. Since then it has been light loads and a year later I just now got the 500 mile warning to add. I don't see the DEF as being a big issue. But we are still a year away from retirement and I'm sure once we retire and start doing a lot more travel, I'll be much more concerned over the expenses :-) ........ steve
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Old 02-27-2014, 06:36 PM   #14
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From what I have read the DEF consumption is about 1% to 2% of fuel consumption. Put in another way, for every 100 gallons of fuel you will use about 1 to 2 gallons of DEF. GM claims that the 5.3 gallon DEF tank should last between oil changes, therefore that is why they didn't put a DEF gauge on the instrument cluster.

DEF is 33% urea and 67% deionized water. When a fine mist of DEF is sprayed in the SCR it converts to ammonia and this breaks down the exhaust to water vapor and nitrogen.

Did you know that the Chevy 2500 qualifies as a ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle)?
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Old 02-27-2014, 07:36 PM   #15
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Quote:
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I have only added DEF to my 2013 Dodge once. Assuming it was delivered with a full tank I used 3.44 gallons in 2100 miles at a cost $9.44 at the pilot pump ($2.79 gal)
That works out to about half a cent a mile. Less if I didn't start with a full tank.
Fairly insignificant in the scheme of things
Just to update, apparently the truck was not delivered with a full DEF tank as it indicated 1/2 when I filled it after 2000 miles.

I now have 2000 miles on the second fill and the gauge is just moving off the full mark. Almost all towing miles with a 5000 lb trailer
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Old 02-27-2014, 08:36 PM   #16
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I drove a 2650 mile round trip to Sarasota, FL with the Airstream. I had a DEF warning with 750 miles remaining just before Pennsacola on the way there. I put in 2 1/2 gallons at Pennsacola. About 2/3 of the way home, another DEF warning. Towing obviously uses a lot more than running around town. I burned 200.5 gallons of diesel on the trip.
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Old 02-27-2014, 09:18 PM   #17
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I drove a 2650 mile round trip to Sarasota, FL with the Airstream. I had a DEF warning with 750 miles remaining just before Pennsacola on the way there. I put in 2 1/2 gallons at Pennsacola. About 2/3 of the way home, another DEF warning. Towing obviously uses a lot more than running around town. I burned 200.5 gallons of diesel on the trip.
I think we have the same exact truck. Mine seems inconsistent too. I can't get the "rhythm" of usage, though towing definitely drains it faster. The lack of a gauge isn't helpful either. The DIC just indicates it's ok until you get to 20% remaining but even then, you have to intentionally search for that info - or wait til you get the warning.

GM should upgrade the software to at least track the actual % available so you don't have to guess.
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Old 02-28-2014, 08:37 AM   #18
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You all might find this fun for comparison

We figure at about 180-200 miles per DEF gallon on the Peterbilts at work (Cummins 15L engine 435HP/1650TQ). Or, 2,700-3000 miles per tank (15-gl). Trucks average a little above 5-mpg overall (4.5 mpg loaded, and nearer 6 empty). There is nothing "aero" about these rigs.

I ran a 1,070-mile trip over a day and a half. I expect to top up the DEF tank at the shop with somewhat over 5-gls when next called out.

The companies that are strictly OTR, have reduced engine idle hours due to an APU and use engine auto shutoff, likely do better than us as we run oilfield loads where fuel economy is not the same concern.

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Old 02-28-2014, 09:46 AM   #19
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I have 2011 F250 with 43K miles. To date I have used 38.75 gallons of DEF which computes to a little over 1100 miles per gallon. Minor hassle but worth it for better emissions. I've also been told by the dealer that long idle periods affects DEF consumption.
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Old 02-28-2014, 10:30 AM   #20
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Our 2011 Chevrolet Duramax 3500 now has almost 70,000 miles on it. We are always running with the 3,000# Outfitter truck camper in the bed and we are towing the Airstream about half the time. We average about 1,000 miles per gallon of DEF.

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