Last tuesday I used my diesel pickup to go pay some bills--had to put in some fuel,so I put in the usual $10 worth,which is around 2.5-3 gallons,and is enough to get me where I need to go and home OK...
I only put in $10 at a time because the fuel tank weeps at the seam if I fill it more than half full...very slow drip,but enough to stink up my garage and be a hazard..
I went to a station where big rigs fill up often,it was on my way--went to put in the fuel,when the pump got to about the $8 mark,the fuel gushed out of the filler neck,some got on my shoes and my coat..
..
I managed to squeeze in the rest of the fuel,but had to wait for it to stop foaming and settle down..
I chalked up the splash back to the high volume fuel pumps they have there,that will probably pump 50 gallons a minute...figured the fuel foamed up,and the tank couldn't burp enough out of the vent to keep up with the flow..
I then went and paid my bills,did some errands,and put about 40 or so miles on the truck...the following Saturday, I went for a ride to get some pallets for firewood,and put another 10 or so miles on it...it was very frigid cold here during these days I used it,so I expected the fuel mileage to be kind of lousy...plus I leave it running while loading the wood...
Yesterday I had to go buy some groceries--so I assumed my $10 worth of fuel I added last week would be long gone or close to it...even if I was getting 20 mpg,(highly doubtfull in this weather)...
So I go to the corner gas station,and put in another $10 worth..
Again,I got to the $8 mark,the pump shuts off,and fuel splashes back out of the filler neck...I tried pulling the trigger on the pump handle ever so gently,hoping to get the rest in,but no--the tank was chock FULL,right up to the gas cap!..
...WTF?...
I know the tank was close to empty not long ago,I felt the engine start starving for fuel on a hill when I was stuck at a red light about a month ago--fuel will run to the back end of the tank when its low of fuel,and let air get sucked in the lines!...and every time since then, I've only added $10 worth at a time,and driven the truck 40 to 60 miles before buying more fuel!..
The only thing I can figure,is I was only using about 1.5 gallons of each $10 "fill up" of 2.5 to 3 gallons,plus the fact the price of fuel has dropped roughly a buck a gallon,so I was getting a bit more fuel for my money...so each time I added more,I was using maybe only half of it--and eventually,the tank got fuller and fuller!...
A pleasant surprise,I must say...but I'm still in awe of how many MPG the old 6.2 must be delivering--even with me driving the truck for at least 30 miles with it refusing to shift out of second gear and winding it out,unless I hit 45 mph,which wasn't possible in most of my trips in it the past 2 weeks,till I got that issue taken care of,in 20 degree or lower temps!...
...
I only put in $10 at a time because the fuel tank weeps at the seam if I fill it more than half full...very slow drip,but enough to stink up my garage and be a hazard..
I went to a station where big rigs fill up often,it was on my way--went to put in the fuel,when the pump got to about the $8 mark,the fuel gushed out of the filler neck,some got on my shoes and my coat..
..I managed to squeeze in the rest of the fuel,but had to wait for it to stop foaming and settle down..
I chalked up the splash back to the high volume fuel pumps they have there,that will probably pump 50 gallons a minute...figured the fuel foamed up,and the tank couldn't burp enough out of the vent to keep up with the flow..
I then went and paid my bills,did some errands,and put about 40 or so miles on the truck...the following Saturday, I went for a ride to get some pallets for firewood,and put another 10 or so miles on it...it was very frigid cold here during these days I used it,so I expected the fuel mileage to be kind of lousy...plus I leave it running while loading the wood...
Yesterday I had to go buy some groceries--so I assumed my $10 worth of fuel I added last week would be long gone or close to it...even if I was getting 20 mpg,(highly doubtfull in this weather)...
So I go to the corner gas station,and put in another $10 worth..
Again,I got to the $8 mark,the pump shuts off,and fuel splashes back out of the filler neck...I tried pulling the trigger on the pump handle ever so gently,hoping to get the rest in,but no--the tank was chock FULL,right up to the gas cap!..
...WTF?...I know the tank was close to empty not long ago,I felt the engine start starving for fuel on a hill when I was stuck at a red light about a month ago--fuel will run to the back end of the tank when its low of fuel,and let air get sucked in the lines!...and every time since then, I've only added $10 worth at a time,and driven the truck 40 to 60 miles before buying more fuel!..
The only thing I can figure,is I was only using about 1.5 gallons of each $10 "fill up" of 2.5 to 3 gallons,plus the fact the price of fuel has dropped roughly a buck a gallon,so I was getting a bit more fuel for my money...so each time I added more,I was using maybe only half of it--and eventually,the tank got fuller and fuller!...
A pleasant surprise,I must say...but I'm still in awe of how many MPG the old 6.2 must be delivering--even with me driving the truck for at least 30 miles with it refusing to shift out of second gear and winding it out,unless I hit 45 mph,which wasn't possible in most of my trips in it the past 2 weeks,till I got that issue taken care of,in 20 degree or lower temps!...
...
..
...haven't got the ambition to drop the tank to change it in this weather--if I ever do,I may as well put a new tank in too..
