Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Note to Self When parking on an incline with a passenger side tilt, make sure you have more than 15-20 gallons of fuel.... Truck sat overnite this way... lost air.... stalled while building air..... no fuel...... Could not build enough air to release brakes to roll backward about 50' to level ground... Whoever installed last fuel filter had a gorilla grip, all I could do to loosen the filter without damaging it- Had to fill filter 3 times before I could roll truck backwards even after adding 10 gallons to the tank... Have a great day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 I bought a Davco filter wrench from the local Mack dealer for not much $. It makes life easier, especially since I have two trucks with that filter. Dad alway said to keep at least 1/4 tank so if you need to get out of Dodge fast, you can roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skp51443 Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Jim, Do you have a balance line running between the two tanks? My little IH did and it left me stranded twice when I didn't shut the valve in the line. I got to stand there siphoning fuel from the low tank into a container and then pouring it into the high tank until I got enough fuel there (about 20 gallons) that it sucked fuel and ran. I've heard of folks without a bottom balance line having similar issues when the fuel system siphoned the fuel away. Not sure where you'd put a valve to cure that. I tossed a diesel rated electric pump and a couple lengths of small diameter tubing in my storage bay for the next time I forgot to close my valve and of course drove for years without a problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Yes on the balance line, but its about 1/3 up from the bottom. Believe me, this won't happen again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted August 25, 2015 Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Jim, one other option is to back fill the air tanks with an air compressor. That will allow you to release the brakes without having to cage them. Plus on an incline you will have enough air to stop again. That also helps if you have an auto shift that you leave in gear when you shut the truck off. Can't start the truck in gear and with no air you can not shift into neutral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alie&Jim's Carrilite Posted August 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 25, 2015 Good idea Phil, except that I've gotten in the habit of using the truck air to fill everything. I did have the generator, just no compressor. I'm also thinking about putting a Fass or AirDog fuel pump and filters on. Having an electric pump would have primed the system once I dumped 10 gallons in. Had an AirDog system on the Dodge and it caught so much more trash than the standard filter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big5er Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I have an air hose connection on my truck too so I know what you mean, but I carry enough fittings to put together a double male so I connect someone else's compressor to my system and back feed it if it's ever necessary. It is kind of redundant to carry a compressor along when you have the trucks air tanks, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&K Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 17.5 trailer tires that need 125 psi if you're heavy. I carry a smallish 165 psi compressor. The truck inverter, the trailer inverter or the truck mount generator can all power it for various lengths of time. Geo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 17.5 trailer tires that need 125 psi if you're heavy. I carry a smallish 165 psi compressor. The truck inverter, the trailer inverter or the truck mount generator can all power it for various lengths of time. Geo Like George, I carry a small high psi cut-in compressor for my high pressure tires. I've had to backfill the tanks on the truck a couple of times, as Phil suggests. It is handy to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronbo Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I carry a 10 lb Co2 tank. Easier to handle and store than a compressor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICPete Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I carry a 10 lb Co2 tank. Easier to handle and store than a compressor I carry a 20-lb CO2 tank with regulator and hose fittings. NOT so easy to handle and store as a 10-lb cylinder!! Since I don't (yet) have a DROM box, I'm storing the tank in the passenger-side closet in the sleeper, tied securely against movement. I have enough air hose to reach my rear tires, but not to reach my trailer tires when disconnected and not real close by. So I tend to get a little workout each time I have to top up the 110 PSI trailer tires, lifting the heavy cylinder down from the cab, toting it over to the trailer, and lifting it back into the cab. Still, I like the CO2 solution better than running the truck engine and dealing with the PSI cycling of the governor to fill 110 PSI tires. This thread is inspiring me to add a valve and air fitting to the primary tank, to allow "backfilling" as described above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark and Dale Bruss Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 It may not just be 10-20 gallons. Once we were parked at Diamond Campground, backed up a hill with a slope to the left. It was enough to open the rear right tank outlet and suck air. No start and no way to roll down the hill. After getting a roadside assistance start, we when to the fuel station. We had over 100 gallons of fuel on board when we ran dry because of angles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G&K Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Ouch. Not fun. I've had problems with return distribution valves freezing when it gets really cold. Result is you overflow one tank and run the active tank completely dry. Geo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broncohauler Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I Carry a $99 craftsman 120 PSI baby air compressor in a storage box on my trailer takes up no room. As for fuel I know a lot of people have shut off valves on both feed and return lines on at least one tank so you can turn it off if the tank gets damaged. When I used to haul bottom dump trailers years ago we had to get scaled for a lightweight once a week. My truck was set up so I could pump all the fuel with an inline electric fuel pump from one tank to the other and turn the empty tank off. therefore caring enough fuel for the day but lot less weight meaning I could carry more dirt and be paid more per ton based on my trucks unloaded wait. The rest of the week I would fill both tanks full in order to carry more loads and work a longer day. Not exactly honest bet that was in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I carry a compressor AND a 15 lb CO2 tank!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 As for running the engine, last winter a fellow HDT'er decided to use a needle scaler and clean his frame. The truck did a nice job, at idle, supplying enough air to run it for several hours. The little compressor and Honda's didn't do so good. He didn't run his due to the heat and running fans, etc. Got 'er done though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
house Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I carry an air chuck in my truck to fill up the tires, but in the event the motor is not running and you need to put air in the tank, you can always just use the air pressure from the tires to pump up the air system in the truck... then just pump the tires back up once you get the truck started Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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