Its a GAS

[MyPrevost]

On my machine, I was told not to go below a 1/4 tank on fuel, and also told the generator would cut out around a 1/4 tank so you could not suck all your fuel out with the generator while stopped, then have no fuel to hit the road.

From what I read, I have a 160 <+-> gallon capacity. I ran down to a 1/4 tank, but it would only take about 85 gallons (about half).

I don’t really want to stop for fuel more often than necessary, but darn sure don’t want to run out!

I asked the fellow @ Prevost when it was there for service, and he said that it was a built in reserve amount, and to run it until it indicated empty then look for fuel. He is saying @ empty I have around a 1/4 tank x 8mpg = about 300 miles more or less.

Is that what you guys expreience? Or do you show something different ? 

Thanks

[MyPrevost]

There’s a great product available called Mar-Hyde, sold by Bondo. It works by allowing you to scrape off any loose rust and then applying this incredibly effective, though toxic, chemical to the rusty surface. It converts the rust into a primed surface, making it ready for painting. You’ll want to look for product numbers 3510 or 3512, depending on the size you need.

Make sure to use it outdoors or in a well-ventilated area!

You can check it out here: Bondo Mar-Hyde.

Jeff you are going to need a 55gal Drum of this to fix up your current Avatar?

Gary

[MyPrevost]

Oh, that was after I did the treatment. You should have seen it before.

I’m working on the bus thing.

[MyPrevost]

I came across a product called “Rust Bullet” about a year and a half ago, and it’s absolutely fantastic. I had purchased used sheet metal to replace the tank and fenders on a new ’03 Harley. Initially, I thought I liked the centennial paint until I noticed how many were on the road—I needed something different! However, when I inspected the inside of the newly painted tank, I found rust in spots that I hadn’t seen before.

I decided to test Rust Bullet on a few rusty items, including washers and a rusty wrench, and I was amazed. Once it sets, it creates an impenetrable barrier. It’s even used in tank ships where rust often resembles bark rather than traditional rust.

It may not be cheap, but it holds up remarkably well—even inside a gas tank.

 

[MyPrevost]

I was advised not to let the fuel level drop below a quarter tank and was also told that the generator would cut off around that level. This is to prevent you from draining the entire fuel supply with the generator while parked, leaving you stranded without fuel to drive.

Based on my research, my fuel tank has a capacity of around 160 gallons. However, when I ran it down to a quarter tank, I could only fill it with about 85 gallons, which is roughly half the tank.

I prefer not to stop for fuel more often than necessary, but I definitely don’t want to run out of gas!

When I spoke with someone at Prevost during my service visit, they mentioned that there’s a built-in reserve and suggested that I could run it until the gauge shows empty before seeking out a gas station. They indicated that when the gauge reads empty, I might still have around a quarter tank left, which at 8 miles per gallon would give me approximately 300 miles of range.

Is that consistent with your experiences, or do you notice something different?

Thanks!

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

I think you’re pretty close to the mark. While my coach’s fuel gauge might not be entirely accurate, it seems to lean towards ensuring there’s a reserve. However, there are a couple of downsides to this.

Firstly, running out of fuel, whether for the road engine or the generator, is a real headache. It’s especially tricky with the generator, which typically has an electric supply pump that can complicate things further.

Secondly, I experienced a situation the last time I let my fuel level drop too low. I was cruising down I-10 in Louisiana, and the road was so rough that it caused the fuel in the tank to slosh around. This movement stirred up sediment that had been resting at the bottom, ultimately clogging the fuel filter(s). Not an ideal scenario at all.

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

I’ve run my coach down to the red fuel light a few times, and my generator continued to operate. It seems to me that it’s more like 1/8 of a tank, or even less, before the generator cuts out. Ben could likely provide more insight on this, as I asked him about it recently, but I can’t recall his exact response.

I once ran my coach out of fuel shortly after I got it while making a U-turn that put the coach at such an angle that it starved the fuel, given how low the tank was. It was a super tight maneuver, and I found myself doing the D, R, D, R thing repeatedly. Unfortunately, I ended up stalling the coach and blocking the entrance and exit of a police substation in Carlsbad, CA.

About an hour later, after we got some diesel in, I managed to restart it, but there were about ten patrol cars—some with prisoners—waiting on me. Strangely, not a single officer asked for my registration or driver’s license; they mostly seemed to be laughing at my predicament.

Restarting the coach was a bit of a hassle, but I didn’t need to prime it from the engine bay. I just had to be cautious not to burn up the starter, especially with the officers tapping their fingers while waiting. It took around 20 or 30 tries, but it eventually started. So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, just know you won’t necessarily need to call a mechanic.

Of course, if you exhaust the coach batteries in the process and the generator isn’t running to power the onboard 24-volt charger, you might need some external juice to get things going again.

I guess this post could fit into the “I admit I’m a meatball” category or whatever that section of the forums is called. I’m sure I’ll have more stories like this to share!

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

Is it possible that your tank is larger than you think? Mine holds 160 gallons, and based on my experience, I generally get about 40 gallons for each indicated quarter tank.

I’ve only taken mine down to 1/4 tank before, hearing the same advice as you, and at that point, I filled up with around 120 gallons. The downside with the 8V compared to the Series 60 is that I reach that level at about 600 miles instead of 800 miles!

[MyPrevost]

Jeff,

Have you ever considered writing a book?

Tuga & Karen Gaidry

2012 Honda Pilot

[MyPrevost]

Jeff,

Did you ever think of writing a book!

I’d buy that book for sure !

I know I gots lots to learn !!!!!!

[MyPrevost]

My 40′ Liberty has a 160-gallon tank, and I never let it go below 1/4 tank. The most I’ve ever put in was 105 gallons. I usually rely on ProDriver to track my usage and refill when I hit around 100 gallons.

Lee

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

It’s safe to assume that your coach has at least a 160-gallon capacity, and if you have an auxiliary tank, you might even have a total of 250 gallons. One of the worst days you could face is running out of fuel. While Jeff’s experience may seem amusing now, I’m sure it was anything but at the time!

Until you’ve had your coach long enough to gauge its fuel capacity and consumption rate, it’s definitely worth keeping track of your mileage and the amount of fuel you add. Relying on your odometer for scheduling fuel stops can be more reliable than trusting the fuel gauge. My fuel gauges have been fairly accurate, but if yours isn’t, you definitely don’t want to depend on it.

Most coaches are designed so that the generator cannot deplete the fuel supply completely, meaning you should still be able to drive to a fuel station even after your generator shuts down.

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

Just a heads up—my generator tends to run out of fuel when my gauge hits the 1/4 mark. Don’t ask me how I know this, but let’s just say I’ve experienced it twice. My guess is that when the installer at the converter shop sets up the generator and fuel line in the tank, he probably eyeballs the cut length, which ultimately determines when your genset will run out of fuel.

Keep that in mind as you plan your fuel stops!

[MyPrevost]

Warren,

My Marathon has the same 160-gallon capacity, and like you, it takes about 85 gallons when I hit the 1/4 tank mark. Do you have the Pro Driver system? I find mine to be quite accurate, usually within a few gallons. I’d love to take it down to the point where the light comes on to see exactly where I’m at, but I’m not brave enough to do that!

Tom Chilcote
Trans-Specialists RV Batteries

[MyPrevost]

Jeff Bayley has shared a wonderful story in this thread, and Merle and Louise have suggested he should write a book. I think if we all contribute our chapters, the ‘book’ will become a lot more interesting, and isn’t that what POG is all about?

So, here’s my story. My name is Peter, and I’m a Run Out Of Gasoholic.

My bus is a 1994 XLV, and I was told it has a 208-gallon tank. Based on 7 mpg, that should allow for about 1,400 miles on a full tank, right? We had owned the bus for about a year, and I always filled it up before it got too low, but I could never get more than 160 gallons in during a fill-up. Besides, the red low-fuel light had never come on, so I assumed there was still some reserve when it did. After all, Prevost must have designed it similarly to other coaches.

One Sunday, while returning from a trip, I calculated that we could make it to the Flying J in Troutdale, Oregon—the last station we’d pass on our way home. I watched the gauge closely for the last few hours, and it seemed like we’d make it. We’d traveled about 1,240 miles since the last fill-up, and while the needle fluctuated a bit, I figured we still had fuel sloshing around. It was a nice sunny day, and things looked good.

About 50 miles from the Flying J, the red low-fuel light came on. I figured if there were still about 7 gallons left, we’d be fine. They must have designed the low-fuel light to give you at least 50 miles to find a station, right? So we continued on. Things were still looking good.

About 40 miles out, I noticed a slight hesitation. I thought, “Nah, it can’t be low fuel yet,” but perhaps we should look for a diesel station. Unfortunately, there weren’t any nearby. Then came more sputtering. Things were starting to look bad. The engine kept running long enough for me to get off the freeway, but it died as I rolled off the exit. Luckily, I managed to coast downhill for half a mile and came to a stop in front of a Shell station in the friendly town of Cascade Locks, Oregon—only about 25 miles from the Flying J. Things were looking good.

I bought a 2-gallon gas can and made 15 trips back and forth to put in enough fuel to ensure the engine would start, considering we were parked on a bit of a slope. After about an hour, my dear wife asked, “Are we having fun yet?” I had to admit she had been with me on several previous “run out of gas” adventures.

It was time to start the engine. I cranked it for a while, but no luck. I called Prevost, and the helpful representative instructed me on how to prime the system—basically, unscrew the fuel filter and fill it with diesel, then try again. If that didn’t work, I was to remove the fuel line and fill that with diesel before cranking. I followed all the steps, but the engine still wouldn’t start.

Just when I thought I had it figured out, the wrench I was using slipped from my hand, landing on the starter terminal and creating a spark. Sparks flew everywhere! My wrench turned bright red from the heat, and I managed to grab another tool to dislodge it before it caught fire. After cooling off, I noticed that one of the battery posts had melted 80% due to the excessive current flow. Things were looking bad again.

At this point, I decided to call for professional help. A mobile truck repair guy arrived quickly and used a nifty electric pump to prime the system. We cranked the engine, but it still wouldn’t start. He tried everything, but then he sprayed some ether into the intake, and it fired immediately, though it wouldn’t run on its own. After a while, he gave up and didn’t charge me a dime since he didn’t succeed. Things were looking good—or bad, depending on your perspective.

Next, I called for a tow truck. The driver arrived an hour later and expertly disconnected the drive shaft, lifting the front axle onto his truck. He tapped into the air system to keep the emergency brakes off and the airbags up, showing he knew what he was doing. The tow was about 65 miles and cost me $540. I considered it tuition for my education, and I figured it might even be deductible by the IRS, unlike those towing insurance policies!

Now my bus was at the dealer, but they were closed on Sunday, so we went home. I visited the dealer first thing Monday morning, and they informed me that the coach was running fine; it just needed new batteries. I asked how they got it started, and they mentioned that only one breaker in the engine electrical panel had tripped. I suspected the sparks had caused the breaker to trip during my priming attempts. Later that day, the bus was finished, and I went to fill it up. I don’t recall the exact amount, but after fueling, the low-fuel light remained on for about 125 miles before finally turning off. Since then, I’ve only seen it on once more—while driving to the station just two miles away. I never want to see that light come on again!

I’ve learned my lesson not to run low on fuel in the bus. I’ve learned this lesson in my airplanes as well. As for cars, well, what’s the use of having a big gas tank if you don’t occasionally use it all? I admit, during POG II, we were driving back from Taos, racing to make it in time for the final dinner, and the toad ran out of gas just one mile from the Santa Fe Skies resort. Thankfully, my good friend Brian was there to rescue us in no time, allowing us to make it to dinner.

So, as I said, I am a Run Out Of Gasoholic! But I’m trying to reform—really!

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