Blue Def Usage 2021 Ram 2500

[sgjrealtor]

So my father has a ram 2500 2021, he never tows anything. He does work out of his truck and does alot of driving (roughly 50K miles a year), but he is using so much Blue def. My 2017 2500 I will almost forget that I need blue def between oil changes, but he is filling up his Def tank every other diesel fill up. Is this the new normal? Is there a way to fix this usage? Does a mod chip help? Can you reset the computer software?? Any help would be great!

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

The 19+ use way more DEF than the 17 Does. but your 17 uses way more EGR than his 21 so leave it be EGR is worse for the engine so leave it be. But don't waste your money on expensive DEF the cheap stuff is the exact same

 

[AH64ID]

My 2022 uses 40% more DEF than my 2018, it’s just how they are with less EGR.

 

[flan]

If he is using a full tank of def to 2 tanks of diesel, then yes that is excessive. Def is relevant to fuel usage and typically is 3% def to diesel ratio.

 

[H3LZSN1P3R]

If he is using a full tank of def to 2 tanks of diesel, then yes that is excessive. Def is relevant to fuel usage and typically is 3% def to diesel ratio.

Depends on the tank if its a 50gal tank and he is only putting one jug in that makes perfect sense

 

[diesel_driver_3500]

I have a 2021 3500, HO, shortbed 4x4. Everything is stock, including the tires. I have 18,000 miles on it and track all my fuel and DEF usage using exact quantities. My average DEF usage over the 18,000 miles 480 MPG. The breakdown between towing a 5th wheel and running empty is 600 MPG when empty and a little over 300 MPG when towing.

 

[AH64ID]

@sgjrealtor Is your dad tracking DEF mpg? Or just adding it when it’s low? How much does he add? How many miles between adding? What’s his average diesel fuel economy?

I have a 2021 3500, HO, shortbed 4x4. Everything is stock, including the tires. I have 18,000 miles on it and track all my fuel and DEF usage using exact quantities. My average DEF usage over the 18,000 miles 480 MPG. The breakdown between towing a 5th wheel and running empty is 600 MPG when empty and a little over 300 MPG when towing.

Very close to what I am seeing. 510mpg average. ~350 mpg towing and ~700 mpg empty.

 

[tnpete]

my 22 ram 3500 drinks DEF. I wish I had the amount's for sure. But I have to put in a jug about every time I go anywhere. West Tn empty to Mid Fl and back to West Tn with a 6000 lb truck camper in the bed. I had a full tank of Def when I left. I had to put in 2.5 gallons before hitting the Fl line coming back home. Then from the state line home it was 2.5 gallons. So I think its around 660 miles one way.
So I would say around 250 miles per gallon if I'm lucky. That's half the miles empty and half loaded down. But mine is also one of the trucks that was shipped without a sensor to know when to do a regen. Or I think that was what it was. I had to sign a paper for them to sell me the truck without it. Then when and if they get the sensors they will do a recall and put it on. Been way over a year, still no recall.

 

[AH64ID]

my 22 ram 3500 drinks DEF. I wish I had the amount's for sure. But I have to put in a jug about every time I go anywhere. West Tn empty to Mid Fl and back to West Tn with a 6000 lb truck camper in the bed. I had a full tank of Def when I left. I had to put in 2.5 gallons before hitting the Fl line coming back home. Then from the state line home it was 2.5 gallons. So I think its around 660 miles one way.
So I would say around 250 miles per gallon if I'm lucky. That's half the miles empty and half loaded down. But mine is also one of the trucks that was shipped without a sensor to know when to do a regen. Or I think that was what it was. I had to sign a paper for them to sell me the truck without it. Then when and if they get the sensors they will do a recall and put it on. Been way over a year, still no recall.

All the 22’s were missing the sensor. Currently the C&C’s have a recall to add it back, but nothing for the pickups.

The reported DEF mileage for 22’s matches that of 19-21’s.

DEF usage has nothing to do with regen.

When you say full before you left, was that full on the dash? Or filled with a pump until full?

What level was it at when you added a jug?

 

[jebruns]

my 22 ram 3500 drinks DEF. I wish I had the amount's for sure. But I have to put in a jug about every time I go anywhere. West Tn empty to Mid Fl and back to West Tn with a 6000 lb truck camper in the bed. I had a full tank of Def when I left. I had to put in 2.5 gallons before hitting the Fl line coming back home. Then from the state line home it was 2.5 gallons. So I think its around 660 miles one way.
So I would say around 250 miles per gallon if I'm lucky. That's half the miles empty and half loaded down. But mine is also one of the trucks that was shipped without a sensor to know when to do a regen. Or I think that was what it was. I had to sign a paper for them to sell me the truck without it. Then when and if they get the sensors they will do a recall and put it on. Been way over a year, still no recall.

My 22 2500 CTD seems to use the same amount of DEF that my 18 2500 CTD did. Just did a trip of 750 each way, towing an 8K enclosed double axle trailer. Used a 2.5 gallon jug each way. So about 300mpg. That seems normal to me. Not towing, it hardly uses any, but it's pretty unusual we do unloaded road trips with it.

 

[AH64ID]

My 22 2500 CTD seems to use the same amount of DEF that my 18 2500 CTD did. Just did a trip of 750 each way, towing an 8K enclosed double axle trailer. Used a 2.5 gallon jug each way. So about 300mpg. That seems normal to me. Not towing, it hardly uses any, but it's pretty unusual we do unloaded road trips with it.

Pretty close to what my 22 gets, at ~350 mpg towing, and 750 mpg empty . My 18 got around 500mpg towing and 1000 mpg empty.

I expect the 19+ SO to use slightly more DEF than the 19+ HO towing due to the higher compression ratio, but that’s just guess with nothing to back it up.