Community Forums

Ready2Travel · 06-12-2017, 07:05 AM

Just filled with DEF after letting the level get to only one light and it took only 9 gallons? Previously had filled it when it got to 2 lights and it took 7-8 gallons to fill.

Wondering how much it will take if it gets down to no lights? Must be a large amount of reserve when all lights are out to give one time to find DEF?

brobox · 06-12-2017, 07:30 AM

JMO but they are called "idiot lights" for a reason.

I still look at the side of the DEF tank, that I know is accurate.

hawgguy · 06-12-2017, 07:45 AM

I've noticed this too. Definately not a a linear relationship between the number of lights and the amount of DEF. I usually start manually checking when it hits 2 lights. I have a 15 gallon tank, and when it hits 1 light it will usually only take 8-9 gallons.

Matt D · 06-12-2017, 09:15 AM

I pushed it once, never again. Unlike our previous Freightliner, once the Entegra hits amber it is a very quick progression to red and then a CEL.

We went from amber to red to a CEL for DEF inside 50 highway miles.

Our previous coach was a much more linear process.

My suggestion is that if you trigger the amber light, refill. I don't let it get below one green segment ordinarily.

-Matt

Gary.Jones · 06-12-2017, 11:16 AM

I ALWAYS carry two 2.5 gallons fresh DEF cans on the bus, passenger side, just in front of the drive axle (on classics). And I try never to go down below 2 illuminated bars.

Now, my indicator is certainly non-linear and I check the tank actual level visually when putting on lots of miles and not just the dash idiot lights.

I just bought two 2.5 gallon Walmart DEF jugs and they have changed the color and they have changed the seal type. The new seal is much better. It is the sort of seal that you find on medicine bottles which makes a very positive seal. The crummy paper and adhesive seals that were on the old Walmart jugs were part of the problem where they often didn't make a good seal and you always worried about whether you were buying DEF or instead buying 2.5 gallons of water from some creep that poured the DEF out and refilled with H2O.

Also new, the new jugs are clear, and not the dark blue plastic that has been the case for the past several years. Look for clear plastic now. Price is the same. You can buy PEAK for about $11.50 a jug or WalMart for about $7.80 a jug. Much easier than dealing with all of this at a truckstop...... carry 5 gallons with you and add it whenever you feel the need.

Gary

Rollin101 · 06-12-2017, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

I ALWAYS carry two 2.5 gallons fresh DEF cans on the bus, passenger side, just in front of the drive axle (on classics). And I try never to go down below 2 illuminated bars.

Now, my indicator is certainly non-linear and I check the tank actual level visually when putting on lots of miles and not just the dash idiot lights.

I just bought two 2.5 gallon Walmart DEF jugs and they have changed the color and they have changed the seal type. The new seal is much better. It is the sort of seal that you find on medicine bottles which makes a very positive seal. The crummy paper and adhesive seals that were on the old Walmart jugs were part of the problem where they often didn't make a good seal and you always worried about whether you were buying DEF or instead buying 2.5 gallons of water from some creep that poured the DEF out and refilled with H2O.

Also new, the new jugs are clear, and not the dark blue plastic that has been the case for the past several years. Look for clear plastic now. Price is the same. You can buy PEAK for about $11.50 a jug or WalMart for about $7.80 a jug. Much easier than dealing with all of this at a truckstop...... carry 5 gallons with you and add it whenever you feel the need.

Gary

Gary I too just bought two 21/2 gal jugs of the Walmart def. Mine had the new type seal, but were still in the blue jugs.

Victory Blue · 06-12-2017, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rollin101

Gary I too just bought two 21/2 gal jugs of the Walmart def. Mine had the new type seal, but were still in the blue jugs.

Same here. I've used several of the blue jugs with the new seal and have yet to successfully remove the seal without resorting to a sharp pointy object. The center pull tab on the new seal seems to be more weakly glued to the seal than the seal is to the bottle.

This is not a new type of seal just poorly implemented so far. Maybe it's better on the clear bottles Gary mentioned.

brobox · 06-12-2017, 01:25 PM

Checking for Peak coolant at my local Walmart yesterday, the new DEF jugs were also blue. A little different label but the same blue jug.

Tall Tex · 06-13-2017, 09:13 AM

If you're traveling through south Texas, look for a Buc-ee's. They have DEF in 2 gallon jugs for $4.98 each. Their shopping carts hold 8 jugs. Their fuel is cheaper than anyone else and since they have about 100 pumps there is almost always a delivery truck restocking their supply.

Gary.Jones · 06-14-2017, 07:28 AM

I dont think that anyone is going to have it in jugs for less than the Buc-ee's price. Thanks for the information. I have fueled at a Buc-ees the last 3 fill-ups. Diesel prices have been the best around.

Gary

Ready2Travel · 06-14-2017, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

I pushed it once, never again. Unlike our previous Freightliner, once the Entegra hits amber it is a very quick progression to red and then a CEL.

We went from amber to red to a CEL for DEF inside 50 highway miles.

Our previous coach was a much more linear process.

My suggestion is that if you trigger the amber light, refill. I don't let it get below one green segment ordinarily.

-Matt

So after getting down to one green it will then turn amber, then red?

If so going to fill before it gets to amber but it appears that after 1st hitting one green it will be a long time before it gets to amber?

Don't plan on carrying any DEF jugs, it has been below $2 per gallon and available at all Loves, Flying J's, and Pilots as well as at some Pacific Pride cardholders stations. With the drivers side fill it is no problem to refill.

Matt D · 06-14-2017, 07:19 PM

Actually, I hit one green segment I'm adding some DEF.

My point is that the process of going from one green to a Check Engine Light was NOT proportional or consistent, in our coach.

That is merely my policy regarding DEF, and when to add.

Regarding the wisdom of carrying even a small amount of DEF in reserve, well that is entirely up to you.

My perspective is that for one reason or another, if I have a small quantity of spare DEF, I won't have any issues. In the one time I chose to run without DEF, I really got in a jam, bad.

Ultimately, a $10 (2.5G) container of DEF would have saved me from an absolute nightmare. Top that off with the fact that I eventually had to pay 3X the going rate for DEF, because I didn't buy any at the previous stop, because it was 1.5X the going rate. Add that to my nightmare situation and ultimately that choice resulted in getting into one of the worst situations with any RV, boxed in with problems on both ends of the coach. It took a couple of hours to fully sort out the mess resulting from pulling into an unplanned stop without the proper planning.

My advice, earned from a very hard lesson: Buy a 2.5G container and leave it in the basement. If you don't use it in six months, drop it in the tank when it's time and get another 2.5G jug as a fresh spare.

I don't mind losing a gamble worth placing, but losing a gamble over such small stakes so easily avoided is simply a sign I have a long way to go before I achieve perfection.

If you have it, you won't need it. If not, good luck.

-Matt

Gary.Jones · 06-15-2017, 06:57 AM

We all have different trigger points... for me it is 2 green bars. As soon as I see only 2 bars, then I'm filling the tank near full the next time I stop the coach. Since I tend to avoid being ripped off at truck stop fuel stations, I carry 5 gallons of DEF in the basement and they are replaced as soon as they are used. At $7 a jug, that is pocket change when we think about keeping these things humming.

Different strokes for different folks.......

Gary

Ready2Travel · 06-15-2017, 11:02 PM

Gary, agree on the 2 light trigger point. Have only had to fill the DEF 3 times in the 8000 miles I've driven since getting the Entegra. The 1st two times filled at 2 green lights, the last time it got to one because no DEF was available at the Pacific Pride cardlock station I filled up at. After it got down to 1 light filled it even though I did not need fuel.

It was however interesting to me that it only took 9 gallons of DEF at one light? That means that it is not a big worry when getting down to one light as long as you fill it soon, tank is 40% full at one light.

I tend to push it occasionally with gasoline and learn with each new vehicle how far I can go after the empty light comes on. It's been since 1982 since I have run out of fuel. That said I never have pushed it with the Diesel Vehicles I have owned and my airplane. A Diesel vehicle is something that you do not want to run out of fuel in and more so with the airplane. Have never not refueled in the diesel vehicles when it got to 1/4 tank. In the airplane have never had less than an hour of reserve (even though legal is only 30 minutes).

Will refill the DEF at 2 lights if possible but even if it gets to one light it still will have 40% DEF remaining, well within a reasonable margin of safety.

Don't carry extra diesel and don't plan on carrying extra DEF.