Do you carry?

[dtappy3353]

Folks:

There are times each of us has nearly run out of fuel on a trip.

Has anyone carried a 5 gallon can of fuel as a spare "just in case"?

[ol_Bombero-JC]

FYI - "RDS" mgrs two sizes (13 and 18 gal) of high quality aluminum tanks avail from Northern Tool.
These are *NOT* "transfer" tanks - as there is no connection at the bottom of the tanks - but does have a vented cap and dual withdrawal tubes at the top.

I prefer this set-up (the 13 gal), and use a 12V HF (portable) transfer pump - which will empty that tank quicker than you can pour five gals from a portable container.....Yeah, it *REALLY* sucks!

Sits in front of the bed opposite the fill door (lower than the bed rails - I have a bed cover), and can easily be removed (two bolts) - as there are no fuel connections.

Why remove it?
My CTD has a (factory) 35 gal tank, and unless I'm going somewhere that fuel stops are *really* few and far between - it's just along for the ride.
Had that truck 12 years now, and only came "close" to the big "E" once - which was because I passed a lot of fueling "opportunities" due to being picky about access to the pumps w/5th in tow.

BTW - Although it's diesel for me, I wouldn't have any qualms using one of those tanks for gas w/manual (siphon) -rather than electric- pump..;)


~

[pianotuna]

I would have bitten my fingernails off to my knuckles. LOL My low fuel light is set at a couple of gallons. That gives me about 18 miles (30 kilometers). Fine for a city but not so good for rural areas.

time2roll wrote:
I have half the range and so I try to stretch it a bit more.
If I have the fuel light on with less than 30 miles remaining range I call that perfect.
Never an issue with no fuel out west.

[crosscheck]

I carry 2 x5 gallon tall, thin jerry cans strapped securely behind the rear wheel wells under a locked truck cap with no windows.Have used them a couple of times in the new truck because of small OEM tank.

And contrary to what some have said on this thread, I have run into situations in the western states and northern BC/Yukon where gas stations are either far apart ,are closed early because of winter hours or the odd time have run out of diesel.

Dave

[time2roll]

pianotuna wrote:
Time to use Gasbuddy. Plan the trip around the stations and aim at filling just below 1/2 a tank. In my RV that gives me about 200 miles to find a suitable station.

I have half the range and so I try to stretch it a bit more.
If I have the fuel light on with less than 30 miles remaining range I call that perfect.
Never an issue with no fuel out west.

[pnichols]

2oldman wrote:
and patient people behind you! Not something I'd care to do.

The people behind you don't know that you are trickle-filling ... this thus prevents any old-fogey anger build-up in them.

Also - probably all folks driving vehicles that require non-electric refueling have, by now, developed extreme patience anyway ... DUE TO FOLKS AHEAD OF THEM, after refueling, staying in their spot talking on their mobile devices or shopping inside in the mini-mart!!! :M

[2oldman]

pnichols wrote:
This trickle-fill procedure also requires a patient dog and a patient passenger!

and patient people behind you! Not something I'd care to do.

[pnichols]

2oldman wrote:

pnichols wrote:

I trickle-fill our MH's gas tank for 8-10 minutes after gas pumps automatically shut off.

by holding the nozzle? You must have strong hands.

I do this by using both hands .... the right hand holding the nozzle at just the right angle so that the nozzle's early shutoff fume detection circuit is fooled, and the left hand holding the hose at just the right angle so that the right hand doesn't have to work too hard. This trickle-fill procedure also requires a patient dog and a patient passenger!

[2oldman]

pnichols wrote:
I trickle-fill our MH's gas tank for 8-10 minutes after gas pumps automatically shut off.

by holding the nozzle? You must have strong hands.

[pnichols]

I trickle-fill our MH's gas tank for 8-10 minutes after gas pumps automatically shut off. This always gets me 5-6 more gallons into the tank.

Our family daily driver sedan and our 4X4 pickup truck fuel storage systems act the same way -> I get more gas into the tanks after automatic pump shutoff if I trickle-fill them for a few more minutes.

I suspect that the above situation is the case for the fuel storage systems in most modern vehicles. Why have a fuel tank of "X capacity" ... and then never be using that full capacity?

We like to stop when we want to take pictures, go potty, eat, or top off the tank for plenty of generator fuel headroom when getting ready to drycamp - not just because the vehicle wants to drink.

P.S. I guess that the title of this discussion topic meant "Do you carry heat?" and "Do you carry enough fuel?". 😉

[pianotuna]

Time to use Gasbuddy. Plan the trip around the stations and aim at filling just below 1/2 a tank. In my RV that gives me about 200 miles to find a suitable station.

[afidel]

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Is it really that bad heading west? We will be doing a Western swing in 2019 and have to fill up every 200 miles. If it's really that bad out west, I may have to rethink this issue!

It's not super common, no. But going from White Sands to Petrified Forest is pretty much the middle of nowhere, between Alamogordo NM and Springerville, AZ it's 285 miles and there are 2 gas stations, one of which isn't going to fit any sized RV, so if the other had been closed/out of gas/etc I would have needed to use my reserve. There's also no cell coverage through most of the area as it's military bases, national forests, and tribal lands. To me it was just prudent to be ready and it literally cost me almost $0 since I already had the cans for filling my riding mower (some extremely minimal hit to fuel economy for the weight, if I was worried about that I certainly wouldn't be pulling the big sail behind me!)

[rockhillmanor]

time2roll wrote:

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Is it really that bad heading west? We will be doing a Western swing in 2019 and have to fill up every 200 miles. If it's really that bad out west, I may have to rethink this issue!

Very rare to have more than 100 miles between gasoline stops.

Especially on a major highway. Usually there is a sign says 'next services 35 miles' or some such.....

NOT true.

Maybe if you weekend/vacation RV where you are taking a well known traveled road that you were practically born and raised on and use often. And again HOW you RV. Full-time and Snowbirds will tell you differently.

1. Leaving Houston back to Chicago. Looked at map and saw a road that would be shorter. CHECKED the DOT website about that road. Fuel stations noted and that it was a new road 4 lanes. Good right?

NOT, after I got on and driving for an hour or so I soon realized there were NO gas stations. There also were NO ramps off. Night falling and the MH running out of gas. No where to even pull off.

2. Another trip traveling in the south and got tired of a scenic road I chose and crossed over on an interstate and decided to take that to Tupelo. Visually it was a 6 lane brand new road so I turned onto it.

Only thing was, is that the ramps off where barren. Empty shells of gas stations like a ghost town, no towns off ramps. And the MH needing gas.

In BOTH of these wonderful adventures the government funds to finish these roads were exhausted or retracted and further construction halted. Even though both these interstates appeared on a map AND the DOT website showed them as open and working highways. 😞

So ya there ARE incidents where you CAN run out of gas thru no fault of your own.

[BizmarksMom]

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Is it really that bad heading west? We will be doing a Western swing in 2019 and have to fill up every 200 miles. If it's really that bad out west, I may have to rethink this issue!

That's about the range on my truck. You'll be fine, just fill up when you get to half a tank. And believe the road signs when they say "next services 100 miles." When off of the interstates, I don't scout around for the best price. When I'm at 1/2 tank, I fill up at the closest gas station.

[time2roll]

Mickeyfan0805 wrote:
Is it really that bad heading west? We will be doing a Western swing in 2019 and have to fill up every 200 miles. If it's really that bad out west, I may have to rethink this issue!

Very rare to have more than 100 miles between gasoline stops. Especially on a major highway. Usually there is a sign says 'next services 35 miles' or some such.

I have my navigator check for gas on route with the Garmin. I try to hit about 25/50 miles short of my range.

Not a big deal really. My range is about 200 max.

[Mickeyfan0805]

Is it really that bad heading west? We will be doing a Western swing in 2019 and have to fill up every 200 miles. If it's really that bad out west, I may have to rethink this issue!