bjbear
Explorer
Joined 22 years ago
User Profile
User Widgets
All Activity
Re: Oil change question
Very good advice here.... wolfe10 wrote: Agree, I wouldn't change it UNLESS you have started it multiple times without driving it far enough to get the OIL, not just coolant up to operating temperature. Yes if condensation in crankcase, I would change it. Oil is cheap-- engines, not so much.577Views0likes0CommentsRe: Onan exhaust hangers don’t last
Just happened to me a couple of days ago. Driving along and suddenly heard a dragging noise. Pulled over, and the onan exhaust was dragging. It is just in front of the front wheel so I am lucky it did not get run over. That would have been a mess!! Tied it up using plumbing strap I always carry. Will replace later with proper hanger.515Views0likes0CommentsRe: Finding non-bioDiesel
bjbear wrote: JRscooby wrote: bjbear wrote: JRscooby wrote: My '95 3406 drank.... The temp of fuel going in the tank had much more effect on MPG than percent of bio..... Can you explain a little more about you comment about fuel temperature affecting MPG? We buy fuel measured in gallons, with is volume. Most liquids, get more dense as they cool. Fill the tank up to brim on a hot day, leave it set, and pretty soon the tank is overflowing. If a station was to buy 10,000 gallons of fuel that was 60* when it was put in the delivery tanker, then let it warm up to 80*, sell 10,000 gallons, they would still have fuel in the tank. There is less energy in a given volume of fuel, if the fuel is 80* instead of 60*. Very few RVs will burn enough fuel for it to be a issue, but this has been a issue for trucking industry for a long time. The large fleets, that buy most of their fuel by the tanker load, get to use the growth in tank. When I was working if the nozzle did not feel cold after I had pumped a few gallons, I would mark my truckstop book not to fuel there. Thanks for the info. I live in Canada, but travel to the US every winter. Up here in Canada, they calibrate the fuel pumps on a regular basis and certify the volumes delivered. They actually have minions that travel around and use each pump to fill an "official" measuring container and then adjust the pump as required. I assumed they did the same in the US, but obviously not based on your experience. I'll have to pay more attention next time I am in the US (if this Covid-19 thing ever does away!!) Just some more info........ Here is the official Government statement on correcting fuel volumes in Canada. If I am reading it correctly, it does not matter what temperature the diesel is delivered at, the pump measures the temperature and corrects the volume so you get the same energy. https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/mc-mc.nsf/eng/lm04344.html That is of course assuming we can trust the government. Something that gets harder to do over time!! :)842Views0likes0CommentsRe: Finding non-bioDiesel
wolfe10 wrote: No, the point is that an exact volume of fuel at 40 degrees F will show the same exact volume if pumped at 90 degrees F. Pump accuracy is not the issue. BUT, there will be fewer molecules in that volume at the higher temperature. So, if you put 10,000 gallons in a storage tank at 40 degrees F and pump it out at 90 degrees F, you will still have those "molecules" left in the storage tank. https://www.onsitepoweradvisor.com/2012/12/03/thermal-expansion/ The coefficient of expansion for diesel fuel is 0.00046 per degree Fahrenheit, or roughly 1% per every 20°F increase in temperature.The coefficient of expansion for diesel fuel is 0.00046 per degree Fahrenheit, or roughly 1% per every 20°F increase in temperature. Thanks, I understand. The applicable standard is Values calculated as per API Standard 2540 (1980) Chapter 11.1 I am going to have to think about this a bit to understand it better.842Views0likes0CommentsRe: Finding non-bioDiesel
JRscooby wrote: bjbear wrote: JRscooby wrote: My '95 3406 drank.... The temp of fuel going in the tank had much more effect on MPG than percent of bio..... Can you explain a little more about you comment about fuel temperature affecting MPG? We buy fuel measured in gallons, with is volume. Most liquids, get more dense as they cool. Fill the tank up to brim on a hot day, leave it set, and pretty soon the tank is overflowing. If a station was to buy 10,000 gallons of fuel that was 60* when it was put in the delivery tanker, then let it warm up to 80*, sell 10,000 gallons, they would still have fuel in the tank. There is less energy in a given volume of fuel, if the fuel is 80* instead of 60*. Very few RVs will burn enough fuel for it to be a issue, but this has been a issue for trucking industry for a long time. The large fleets, that buy most of their fuel by the tanker load, get to use the growth in tank. When I was working if the nozzle did not feel cold after I had pumped a few gallons, I would mark my truckstop book not to fuel there. Thanks for the info. I live in Canada, but travel to the US every winter. Up here in Canada, they calibrate the fuel pumps on a regular basis and certify the volumes delivered. They actually have minions that travel around and use each pump to fill an "official" measuring container and then adjust the pump as required. I assumed they did the same in the US, but obviously not based on your experience. I'll have to pay more attention next time I am in the US (if this Covid-19 thing ever does away!!)841Views0likes0CommentsRe: Tow Bar Age
Over the last couple of years, there have been a few reports of Blue-Ox tow bars failing. It is always the connection to the car. Not sure if the failures where on a specific model. One thing you could do, is take your bar to a NDT company and have a die penetration test done on the connectors.492Views0likes0CommentsRe: Concrete driveway thickness??
Dick_B is correct. A typical driveway should be 4-inches. However, just as important is the strength of the concrete used AND how the base supporting it was built and compacted. The fact that whoever built the driveway skimped by only using 3 inches, might make one suspicious that they could have gone cheap in both the concrete (lower strength) and the base. Personally, I would not park a DP on it unless I got the opinion of a professional engineer first.157Views0likes0CommentsRe: Door hard to open from outside
Monaramblee wrote: If the inside handle easily opens both latches does that rule out adjustment? Isnt the long rod operated by both the inside and outside handles? The outside handle willopen both latches if i jerk the handle hard..... You would think so, but the inside handle has a larger range of movement than the outside. That means that the door will stop working sooner with the outside handle while the inside will still function.527Views0likes0CommentsRe: Out of Country medical insurance - Covid-19
Reisender wrote: spud1957 wrote: bjbear wrote: In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, have any Canadians on here talked to their insurance company about getting coverage for the 2020/21 season? Currently Medipac and Bluecross have statements on their websites that excludes Covid from being covered. If that's the case in September I guess we won't be going. Based on the way things are going down there we're not going to gamble. Yep same with us and everybody we have talked to. Even if they sort out the insurance thing many are hesitant to go until they see what happens on the election. There is a lot of pent up hate and unrest going on right now in the USA. It might be best to see how the election affects things. Our backup plan is southern Spain. You bring up a good point. Things are really crazy now. Everyone is on a short fuse. I have heard Spain and Portugal are great places, but would not work for us. My wife would never leave our dog for that long!532Views0likes0Comments
Groups
Fifth Wheel Group
Interested in fifth wheels? You've come to the right spot.Mar 07, 202519,008 Posts Motorhome Group
Join in here to discuss all things motorhomes.Mar 09, 202538,709 Posts RV Families
Activities, advice, and destinations for those traveling with kids!Oct 09, 2024501 Posts Travel Trailer Group
Prefer to camp in a travel trailer? You're not alone.Apr 19, 201944,027 Posts
