So far on this trip I've traveled 3614 miles pulling my 15000#+ Excel 5th wheel and I've added 5 (2.5 gallon) jugs of DEF. I can now see why there are so many post on this subject.

I pulled this same trailer cross-country twice with my '11 6.7 and didn't use nearly that much DEF. If I remember correctly I got about 1000 miles per gallon.

Does this seem excessive or am I wrong?.

Rob

2020 6.7 F350 LB CC SRW

 

Nope, new trucks use more DEF and less EGR.

 

Saving the environment one cardboard box & plastic jug at a time!

 

As your truck's fuel economy drops, it will also use more DEF, more load, more fuel more DEF.
I will say that my 2022 F250 uses more DEF than my 2015 RAM 2500 did.

I will also say that you could cut your DEF cost by buying DEF at the pump at truck stops, you can also fill the tank clear up, which will mean you won't have to stop as often.

DEF has its good points, it keeps things cleaner, cleaner exhaust, cleaner engine because the computer commands less EGR with DEF usage.

 

Yep even my dealership was surprised. They filled my Def tank when I ran low after a heavy long distance tow. When not towing, it lasts much longer. Supposed to save your EGR so it sounds like cheap insurance.

 

I have not filled up with anything but motorcraft Def fluid. I’ll have to look what I paid, maybe $20-25? I guess I need to look into that more.

 

DEF is DEF, it's a formulation, it's all the same, no good reason to use anything but the least expensive you can find.
There's a truck stop along one of my routes where they are selling it for $2.99 a gallon, and on another route there is a place that has it for $3.29.
The big truck stops are around $4 or more per gallon, but any of that is less than anyplace sells it in jugs for.
And, when you buy from truck stop pumps, it's always fresh, hasn't been sitting on the shelf for a year or two, and that can make a difference.
I also carry an old DEF jug with me, and refill it at those truck stops, in case the tank gets low and there is none around for cheap.

 

The last two jugs I bought at Walmart for $16 each. The highest I bad was one jug for $24.

BTW, Walmart had "premium" DEF for $21 each.

 

"Premium" DEF is just BS to try and get your money.

 

There are no specs like motor oil?

A quick google search reveled this:

You should use Motorcraft brand diesel exhaust fluid for your Ford F-250 and other Ford diesel engine vehicles. Motorcraft is owned and operated by Ford, so Ford dealers and mechanics highly recommend this brand.

However, you can use any DEF fluid that complies with ISO 22241 standards and is certified by the American Petroleum Institute.

 

You answered your own question, obviously there is a spec, but all diesels that use DEF use the same spec, and I haven't seen any out there for sale that doesn't comply with the spec, the stuff at the pumps at the truck stops does, truck stops couldn't afford the liability of selling anything that doesn't meet the specs as they sell BILLIONS of gallons of it a year to all manner of fleets and individual truck owners, and would go broke from law suits if they sold anything inferior.

Use motorcraft only if you like, my pockets are nowhere near deep enough to do anything like that!
I've been running the cheapest DEF I can find for over 10 years, since owning my first diesel that requires DEF, mostly from the pump at the diesel islands, and have had ZERO issues ever.

Your truck, your preference.
Me? I prefer to keep as much of my money to myself as I can!

 

It's like cat **** and distilled water, right? What a racket.
Maybe premium means they use only siamese cats?

 

Yeah I should have wrote Edit:

I haven’t look at who has the spec yet, maybe the all do. But I will. The pump sounds easy but I don’t know if I am ready for that leap of faith yet.

 

I buy more DEF than the average owner, hundreds of gallons a year, as I travel all over for work 70K-90K miles a year.
If jugs work for you, go for it, I can't afford to.

 

I've been paying about $8 for the 2.5 gallon jug at Wal-Mart. That puts the price at less than what I find at the truck stop pumps. I was at a truck stop last weekend that had it at the pump for more than $4/gallon. Getting it at the pump may be convenient, but I've not found it to be less expensive.

I don't track my DEF usage. My guess is that it's about 1 gallon per 1,000 miles. The 2017-2019 use a lot less DEF than the 2020+ models.