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$200.00 of Diesel and my needle barely moved


Vegas Teacher

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Hello all,

Yesterday I went and put gas in my 780. I put $200.00 of fuel in my tanks and the needle barely moved. In Vegas Diesel sells for about 5.49 - 5.59 per gallon. I know as far as our trucks go that is not much but for the amount of money vs. the amount of fuel, it about made me cry.

What would your advice to me be on another topic with fuel...........

I am driving my truck back to Kansas, in a couple of weeks, I will update from the road as I drive. I am leaving my truck in Dennis Kansas for a year. Would you leave the truck with a full tank of gas or around a half tank of gas. If I top off and fill up in Amarillo I will only use about a half tank. I am sure I will be putting Diesel #2 in the tank as I travel across country, it will be cold in Kansas over the winter.....

What should I do? fuel will be a decent price in Joplin Mo.

Later,

Cory O 

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Cory,

I don't have any very cold winter experience with diesel so I can't give a real good answer. Personally I would Run it down to about a quarter and put that anti-gel additive in. Then when you go get it you can top off with fresh diesel. 

As to the cost. I feel your pain. I am in Virginia. I keep mine as full as I can. Maybe a little less now that it is getting hot, to allow for expansion. It took a while to get it full. I put some in each payday until it was full. Now I don't have to add more than 20-30 gallons at a time. About once a month.

See ya,

Chuck

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I am a full timer and have spent the winter in FL. I headed north about a week ago, taking my time. The average diesel cost is about $5.65 a gallon.  I top off at 1/4 of a tank. It takes over $500 to fill up and that only lasts 2 full days of driving.  I am in VA and heading to So Dakota. Soon they will have to install a loan application machine at the diesel pumps.

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Diesel don't care about sitting, unless the ambient humidity is tropical beach like. There's no light ends to flash off. All across the Great Plains, there's farm equipment that gets used for maybe 4 weeks per year. The rest of the time, it sits. As far as cost goes, we're running $2 per litre. Bar napkin figuring, $8 per gallon. I put in 25-35 gallons every time the grocery store points let me. Hurts less, that way.

I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 

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It sounds like your question is that you will be at about half tank when you get to RVH and if you should top it off before you get there or leave it at half tank? Plus it sounds like it may be there over the winter and as such won't have winter blend fuel it in either case. 

Since fuel is at a high cost now and with luck it will come down by next year, I would leave it at half tank and then just top it off when you go to pick it up. You can buy an additive to put in the tank to avoid gelling if it should get to cold. Maybe ask Jack if it will be needed. I would at least carry a spare fuel filter just in case or have RVH change it out just before you pick it up. Hopefully you will be picking it up after the weather has warmed back up! I do carry a quart of 911 fuel additive just in case of an emergency (911 is used if the fuel has gelled up already) but we can travel to some cold climates.  

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When I let it sit I top off the tanks. That is what he was asking.

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18 hours ago, Vegas Teacher said:

Hello all,

Yesterday I went and put gas in my 780.

Later,

Cory O 

Well, there's your problem......... If you want to be around "REAL" truck drivers and stop at truck stops and talk about your truck, NEVER, I repeat NEVER say you put GAS in your truck our that you pushed down on your GAS pedal.  You put diesel in your truck, and you pushed down on your accelerator pedal.  I learned that many moons ago when I started out.

"It is better to have more truck than you need than to need more truck than you have"

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31 minutes ago, dennisvr said:

Well, there's your problem......... If you want to be around "REAL" truck drivers and stop at truck stops and talk about your truck, NEVER, I repeat NEVER say you put GAS in your truck our that you pushed down on your GAS pedal.  You put diesel in your truck, and you pushed down on your accelerator pedal.  I learned that many moons ago when I started out.

I don't see the problem.. I've been a "REAL" truck driver for 35 plus years and I don't care at all how you refer to things. I get what you're saying and I - for one - won't be correcting you or caring at all. I still call it the "gas" pedal on occasion. Jay

Edited by Jaydrvr

 

 
 
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If your truck sits for a year, that will be next summer, no need to protect the fuel from gelling. But you might need to check radiator anti-freeze.

On fuel the worst thing is Bio-diesel. Bio-diesel will drawn moisture and grow in the tank. Depending on how long the moisture sets in the tank can be the difference in one or two fuel filter changes.  If you have a concern after the truck sits for a year, put a dip stick (a dowel rod or whatever is clean) in the tank for a few moments. It should come back clean. I personally like to leave a tank half full.

Clay

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I'm in So Cal and dropped $175 on fuel 2 days ago and it got me less than 30 gallons.  I am hoping that with what I had in the tanks and this added, it will get me out of Cali and to some better)maybe only slightly better prices but that will on my way to the WCR.  Who knows what prices will be then.  The forecasted cost of fuel to do that rally is mind shattering.  But I am going to do it because tomorrow is not promised.

Marcel

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Picked up some fuel for the tractor other day.  Spent $100, got 18 gallons.  My truck is going to sit for quite a while.  Never had problems with old diesel, fired up a tractor last year with 20 yr old fuel in it, ran just fine.  I drop some anti-gel in when temps get to 30f but otherwise, I don't worry about it.

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Diesel will jell in the cold but it un jells when it gets worm again so no need for winter mix unless you are going to run it. I always try to store with a full tank there is less condensation. I have a old farm tractor that likes to produce water, it was seldom left full, some times I would get half a cup by spring. That was in Vermont so far in Arizona not a drop.

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On 5/21/2022 at 8:40 AM, dennisvr said:

Well, there's your problem......... If you want to be around "REAL" truck drivers and stop at truck stops and talk about your truck, NEVER, I repeat NEVER say you put GAS in your truck our that you pushed down on your GAS pedal.  You put diesel in your truck, and you pushed down on your accelerator pedal.  I learned that many moons ago when I started out.

Please don't reprimand the guy. This terminology and way of referring to diesel fuel as 'gas' and the footfeed or throttle as a 'gas pedal' is just one of the ways we can differentiate between hobbyists and professionals, and then provide an appropriate answer or solution.

Edited by podwerkz

Nothing to see here. 

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21 hours ago, podwerkz said:

Please don't reprimand the guy. This terminology and way of referring to diesel fuel as 'gas' and the footfeed or throttle as a 'gas pedal' is just one of the ways we can differentiate between hobbyists and professionals, and then provide an appropriate answer or solution.

I sure didn't mean to reprimand anyone.  I guess if I was as good of a teacher that Cory is I could have worded it differently.  I was taught at the school of "hard knocks", not really liking it at the time, but it seemed to really sink in when taught that way.  The guy that taught me how to shift his truck was sitting in the passenger seat and said clutchs are expensive and If I see you touch the clutch pedal except to start or stop, I'll tap you on the head with this winch bar he had in his hand.  I really think he would have done it just to prove his point.  
Quoting Dolly Troller,  DRIVE ON, but dont put gas in your diesel truck..................

"It is better to have more truck than you need than to need more truck than you have"

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3 hours ago, dennisvr said:

,  DRIVE ON, but dont put gas in your diesel truck..................

Years ago I remember a USA Today article 'explaining' trucks to the readers. Half page article with a diagram. The large aluminum fuel tanks had a tag and arrow calling it a 'Gas Tank' and the sleeper bunk had a label calling it the 'Bedroom'....

The fifth wheel was called a 'Trailer Hitch' and the shift lever was called a 'Transmission'. If you don't drive truck for a living, I guess those terms make sense!

Many of our members here never had a trucking mentor or trainer and come from diverse backgrounds not related to trucking.

I sure don't mind helping now and then if I can. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by podwerkz

Nothing to see here. 

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2 hours ago, podwerkz said:

Many of our members here never had a trucking mentor or trainer and come from diverse backgrounds not related to trucking.

Thus the "new names" for many parts of the vehicles.  I've been around trucks all my life, but never heard of a "johnson bar" except on this forum.

Ya learn stuff every day.....

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The proper answer is to leave it with the tanks full on account of less condensation.

The correct answer might be to leave the tanks mostly empty to prevent the unauthorized disappearance of high dollar fuel.

Cory as we told you the other day, put some fuel treatment in it. It can get cold in KS, but generally doesn’t stay that cold. I’d be willing to bet the guys at the shop are bright enough to wait for it to warm up before starting the truck if it is that cold.

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20 hours ago, rickeieio said:

Thus the "new names" for many parts of the vehicles.  I've been around trucks all my life, but never heard of a "johnson bar" except on this forum.

Ya learn stuff every day.....

I assume that is the same as a 'trolley valve'. I've heard the term but it's been so long ago I'm not sure I remember. 

And there are some terms that are '*regional*'. For example, 'cartage' and 'cross-dock' are sometimes used interchangeably in the WWT (wide world of trucking) but they don't always mean the same thing. Depends on what part of the country you are in. 'OTR', '48 state', 'Long Haul' and 'Cross Country' all mean about the same thing to a truck driver, but the terms '*regional*' and 'local' can have different meanings depending on who you are talking to. 

And on and on.

Might be fun to start a thread that lists and defines all the industry terminology in one place as a quick reference. 

Edited by podwerkz

Nothing to see here. 

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