Cruising distance?

[heathnlaura]

I know some people talk about mpg's. If by myself, I'm comfortable getting to under a quarter tank in a regular car/truck. Driving the bus, with the family, when I get the chance, I think I'll be more inclined to fuel up between 1/2 and 1/4 tank. We've only had one trip to the Jackson Rancheria RV park (very nice by the way) so the trip was 100 miles round trip.

Do you fuel up based on miles driven, fuel gauge, when you can't feel your backside any more, when all passengers start getting stir crazy, etc...?

[crazycal]

First, let me say that I don't like you. Haha, just kidding. I have that reaction when I see someone else's bus with a DT and a MT643.

Unless you know what your fuel guage reads when you are sucking fumes, I wouldn't go less than 1/3 of a tank before filling. When I came back from New York and Tennessee, i filled up whenever i came across cheap diesel. I used an app called gas buddy and scout out the prices ahead of time. I was saving anywhere from $0.30 to $0.60 per gallon. In a bus, that adds up pretty fast.

[bansil]

I always fill up when I use 17->35 gallons,depends on weather etc

I can go 600 miles(75 gallon tank) this fall on our trip up and down the NC coast I topped off everyday we moved.
Why?
It was hurricane/storm season; I wanted to be able to hit the road and not have to screw with thousands of idiots needing fuel and food....we had it all with us

Most of my trips are 170 miles away(radius due to kids,parents and work) that's about 16/17 gallons.

When I get home I top of 16/17 I used to get home $65 at a time is physicalogically better than $250

Besides after 3hrs driving a break is nice

[inkblots84]

Long distance trips we get gas at every 1/2 tank. Putting around locally we'll let it get to 1/4 but try to stay with 1/2 tank.

I have gas buddy alnd myDATtrucker apps for gas prices.
We get 1100 miles on an 80 gal tank so we really don't have to stop very often. The urge to pee always comes long before the need for gas.

[bapos]

I am dreading on how often my bus will have to be filled up. I know the trip from the previous owner to my house I could watch the gas gauge move when driving down the road. But would like to know what people are getting. I know most will be diesel but if some of the gassers can chime in it would be appreciated.

[crazycal]

I forgot to say that I tried to filled up before I reached a half tank.

[browncrown]

It all depends on what I have in the bank account With an 85 gallon tank, it can be costly. BC has a range of about 700 miles on a tank, depending on the terrain, wind, and evertyhing else that might reduce the mpg.

[wmkbailey]

My bus has a 60 gal tank. I have not filled it yet but plan to today. I'n told these newer Cat 3126's can get up to 11 mpg. Right now since the bus is stripped and feels powerfull (because it is so light) I have a heavy foot. I have a 1500 mile round trip over the holidays (going back home to Lafayette In) I will get a better idea of mileage. I too plan to fill around half a tank, easier on the mind to put $100.00 in over $200.00. . I will post results when I get back.

[turf]

howdy all,

this is a kinda related question, with cruising distance.....

my fuel gauge is wired pretty inaccurately. to the benefit of the driver, and i was wondering if this is my set up or if this was pretty standard with skoolies.

i have a 60 gallon tank. the gauge on the speedo says "E" when there is still 20 gallons in the tank. the bus was plumbed with a diesel generator directly into the tank. So, perhaps the mechanic set it up that way. IDK, just curious.

each time it was on empty, i expect a big shock at the pump, but am surprised how much is still in the tank. is it just me?

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by turf

howdy all,

this is a kinda related question, with cruising distance.....

my fuel gauge is wired pretty inaccurately. to the benefit of the driver, and i was wondering if this is my set up or if this was pretty standard with skoolies.

i have a 60 gallon tank. the gauge on the speedo says "E" when there is still 20 gallons in the tank. the bus was plumbed with a diesel generator directly into the tank. So, perhaps the mechanic set it up that way. IDK, just curious.

each time it was on empty, i expect a big shock at the pump, but am surprised how much is still in the tank. is it just me?

I have not run my tank down to empty, but at the half tank mark, I can only get about 22 gal in. So if would be close to 45 on empty, that would leave about 15.

[profbrady]

On a related note, it might be worth mentioning that you don't want to go for extended periods of time without filling the tank all the way to the top. Especially when you may not be driving a vehicle for a while, moisture can build up in the empty part of the tank and turn into rust and corrosion. Nothing worse than watching those dollars rolling higher and higher on the pump... BUT, it will make your tank last longer!

[lapeer20m]

On cross country trips, we like to change drivers as needed but only stop for fuel about every 250- 300 miles. We limit fuel stops to 30 minutes.

We were able to drive 2000 miles in under 40 hours multiple times. We rarely drove faster than 60 mph.

[gusbus]

I've only driven my bus twice so I'm not sure what the mileage is; I've not checked it. When I bought it the gauge showed 1/4 tank. I put in 10 gallons diesel in and drove it 120 miles. Second trip was to get spray foam insulation sprayed on the underneath side of the floor. I put in 20 gallons and drove it 80 miles. I see unless I drive it further I'll have to quit putting fuel in it. At the end of the last jaunt it had 3/4 tank left. I'm not sure on the tank size.

[Das Mel]

Originally Posted by profbrady

Especially when you may not be driving a vehicle for a while, moisture can build up in the empty part of the tank and turn into rust and corrosion.

That sounds dreadful.

And I have proof that I have spent WAY too long on boat forums, because I saw "Cruising Distance" and could only think "Pretty sure we won't be allowed to have wind sails on the buses....hmmmmm, that's not a bad idea...."

[gbstewart]

when I was checking mpg I would fill the tank and run till I had about a 1/4 left of the gauge, I filled it again to the same spot on the filler neck, and ran till I had a 1/4 tank all most the same place as before, this way everything is consistent, worked out to low end 10.2mpg to 10.8 high end,(cdn gallon) this was over 9400km trip,
I found filling up at half a tank didn't give me consistent mileage.
gbstewart

[wmkbailey]

Just ran the tank down to 1/4 and got 8.9 mpg. Half my driving was around town, thought it would be worse. I put 37 gals in which means at empty it would only use 50 gal, So either I have 10 left after empty or I can't get a full 60 in there. Not sure I want to run it past empty to see.

Looks like I can go between 370 - 330 miles before a fill up.

[gusbus]

Sheesh William; that's pretty good!!!!

Originally Posted by wmkbailey

Just ran the tank down to 1/4 and got 8.9 mpg. Half my driving was around town, thought it would be worse. I put 37 gals in which means at empty it would only use 50 gal, So either I have 10 left after empty or I can't get a full 60 in there. Not sure I want to run it past empty to see.

Looks like I can go between 370 - 330 miles before a fill up.

[wmkbailey]

Originally Posted by gusbus

Sheesh William; that's pretty good!!!!

Remeber my bus is totaly gutted now. We will see what I get when I put all the stuff back in.