How often do you top up your DEF?

Def saving cAlifornia one truckers income at a time. High dollar exhaust parts & def adds up = less net worth it I don't think so.

 

Every 1000-1200 miles, even if the gauge still shows full. Ive never been able to add more than 5 gallons and never seen the gauge below 3/4.

It takes all of 3 minutes to top it up so why let it go longer?.

 

I've got a question for those drivers who work for a company, why do you worry about the extra 4 minutes it takes to fill the DEF tank up?

I have my drivers fill them every fuel stop, fuel in, DEF in. no brainer. It sometimes takes them more time to get a fuel ticket than to top up the tank.

 

It depends on how the pump set ups go along with my truck set up
If it's convenient I fill it up so if I find a set up not so convenient, I don't have to.
Some def pumps pump slow or not at all, so I never let mine get real low.
If I owned my own truck, I'd never use the pump.
Think of how many tanks and systems it goes through before it gets into your truck.
A good chance you'll gather gunk and a gunky def system is time down and not a cheap fix.
Also, don't interrupt a Regen, that's just asking for trouble.

 

Also, if you have an air injected def system, drain your air tanks often.
You don't have to drain them all the way, just enough to blow out the gunk.
The psi to the def is very precise, any fluctuation will trigger the check engine light.
And if crap from the air system gets into the def system you have trouble
The def has to pass through very narrow tubes that clog easily.
While your filling up, just tug on the air drain lines for 30 seconds.
2012-13 freight shakers are notorious for this.
After 200k you may as well replace the whole system, cuz your gonna have chronic problems.
Woe to anyone who would buy one of those trucks
You'll live in repair shops

 

I have two 100 gallon tanks. I am not sure how big the DEF tank is, maybe 20 gallons. I can run four fills of the diesel tanks to one fill of the DEF. But I top it off anytime it is around half empty. Especially in winter in really cold weather. I forget if it was two or three winters ago in Chicago area that it was so cold the DEF froze in the pumps and piping in the ground! Everyone had to buy the jugs inside and there were sold out at many truck stops!

Mikeeee

 

I run super regional. Usually gone all week, home on the weekend. I have my own 250 gallon tote with a pump. I fill once a week when I get home.
I pull 140,000 lbs super b-trains. During the summer the truck will use 12-14 gals. But during the winter it will use 20-30 gallons, so I carry a couple of 5 gal jerry cans with me in the cab to make it through the week.
It is generally too cold around here in the winter so we cannot buy it at most places with pumps outside. I've had to pay as much as $24 for a jug on the road, hence getting my own tote.

 

Every fill up is a bit much I think.
Letting it go down to 3/4 has worked well for me.

I fill up the truck almost every day.
I pull reefer. I also don't fill it up every time.
Works out to every other fill up, I add reefer fuel.
And every 3 or 4 fuel up I add DEF.[/QUOTE]