Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
I am down to 1/8 of a tank of DEF on the Def gauge and trying to plan out my summer in terms of when should I add DEF.
I found some 1/2 gallon containers of def for sale on EBay that are VW/Audi/Mercedes brand.
I messaged one of these EBay marketers to inquire if there was a date code or legible manufacture date on the bottles so I would know how close to expiry the DEF they are selling is. The seller responded that the bottles were not at his/her location to look at. So I have decided just to buy gallon containers from the local auto supply store. But will probably wait a few weeks or month to do so.
The ebay bottles were a bit more expensive..... understandably so because they allow you the flexibility to add small amounts of DEF at a time which is a luxury in these hot summer months. I was planning on buying 3 bottles of 1/2 gallon size def portions and putting one bottle in the truck, & throwing 2 of these bottles in the freezer.
The attached article from Ford is interesting and gives me more info on DEF than I previously knew.
I didn't know that in very cold climates DEF shelf life can be extended to 36 months. I didn't know that in hot environments, shelf life can be as short as 2 months. Although since even desert temps can cool down at night, the shortest def life you would see in the US would be 6 months.
I never worry about DEF life in the winter even tough I live in sunny Miami Florida because average winter temps are in the high 60's.
But I really hesitate to put 2.5 gallons in the tank in June because I just finished a 2000 mile summer trip, and will not be using the truck much this summer.
That's why the 1/2 gallon bottles were so appealing.
I also didn’t know that the DEF system adjusts itself depending on the quality of DEF in the tank. The attached document says that if the def system detects partially degraded DEF, it just squirts more DEF into the exhaust stream. Unless DEF is of such low quality that it just gives you an error message. That would be when the system detects it can't compensate for low quality def.
Might this be why some are seeing higher DEF consumption periodically?
I have decided to go with 1 gallon bottles for the summer from my local auto store even though those 2.5 gallon and 1/2 gallon bottles have nice drip free spouts. I did find a 1 gallon def bottle reusable tube/cap/dispenser that I bought for $6 on ebay so I am less likely to make a ness on my truck with a spill.
I found some 1/2 gallon containers of def for sale on EBay that are VW/Audi/Mercedes brand.
I messaged one of these EBay marketers to inquire if there was a date code or legible manufacture date on the bottles so I would know how close to expiry the DEF they are selling is. The seller responded that the bottles were not at his/her location to look at. So I have decided just to buy gallon containers from the local auto supply store. But will probably wait a few weeks or month to do so.
The ebay bottles were a bit more expensive..... understandably so because they allow you the flexibility to add small amounts of DEF at a time which is a luxury in these hot summer months. I was planning on buying 3 bottles of 1/2 gallon size def portions and putting one bottle in the truck, & throwing 2 of these bottles in the freezer.
The attached article from Ford is interesting and gives me more info on DEF than I previously knew.
I didn't know that in very cold climates DEF shelf life can be extended to 36 months. I didn't know that in hot environments, shelf life can be as short as 2 months. Although since even desert temps can cool down at night, the shortest def life you would see in the US would be 6 months.
I never worry about DEF life in the winter even tough I live in sunny Miami Florida because average winter temps are in the high 60's.
But I really hesitate to put 2.5 gallons in the tank in June because I just finished a 2000 mile summer trip, and will not be using the truck much this summer.
That's why the 1/2 gallon bottles were so appealing.
I also didn’t know that the DEF system adjusts itself depending on the quality of DEF in the tank. The attached document says that if the def system detects partially degraded DEF, it just squirts more DEF into the exhaust stream. Unless DEF is of such low quality that it just gives you an error message. That would be when the system detects it can't compensate for low quality def.
Might this be why some are seeing higher DEF consumption periodically?
I have decided to go with 1 gallon bottles for the summer from my local auto store even though those 2.5 gallon and 1/2 gallon bottles have nice drip free spouts. I did find a 1 gallon def bottle reusable tube/cap/dispenser that I bought for $6 on ebay so I am less likely to make a ness on my truck with a spill.
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I'm just letting it run all the way down, and just adding a 2.5 gallon bottle at a time.
