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In case you were wondering what running out of fuel in the Prevost is really like:
Jeff Bayley has posted a nice little story in this thread, and Merle and Louise have asked that he write a book. I think if we all contribute our chapters the 'book' will be a lot more interesting, and after all, isn't that what POG is all about?
So here is my story. My name is Peter and I am a Run Out Of Gasoholic.
Our bus is a 94 XLV and I was told it had a 208 gallon tank. So, based on 7 mpg you should be able to get 1400 miles on a tank, right? We had owned it for a year or so, and I had always filled it before it got too low, but I was never able to get more than 160 gallons in on a fillup, and besides, the red low fuel light had never come on and when it did there must still be a little reserve, assuming Prevost designed it like the rest of the coach.
Well, one Sunday we were returning from a trip and I calculated we could make it to the Flying J in Troutdale Oregon, which is the last one we pass on the way home. I was watching the gauge carefully for the last few hours, and it looked like it would work out about right. We would be at about 1240 miles since the last fillup when we got there. The needle never reads steady, rather it jumps back and forth about 3 needle widths, but as long as it was moving I figured it still had fuel sloshing around. On we went. It was a nice sunny day. Things are looking good.
About 50 miles from the Flying J the red low fuel light went on. Well, if it has but 7 gallons left I reasoned, we would make it fine. They must have designed the low fuel light to give a person 50 miles to find a station, right? On we went. Things are looking good.
About 40 miles out I noticed a very minor hesitation, nah, it can't be low fuel yet, but maybe we should look for a diesel station. None in the area. Then more sputtering. Things are looking bad. It kept running enough to get to the next offramp and as I rolled off the freeway the engine died, but I was able to continue downhill for a half mile and rolled to a stop at the curb in front of a Shell station that sold diesel in the friendly town of Cascade Locks, Oregon. Only about 25 miles from the Flying J. Things are looking good. Bought a 2 gallon gas can, and proceeded to make 15 trips back and forth so as to put enough in to be sure it would start since we were on a bit of a slant. Took about an hour. "Are we having fun yet?', my dear wife asks? I admit she has been along on several previous run out of gas excursions.
Time to start the engine. Crank a while, no luck. Call Prevost, the answerman tells me the procedure to prime the system, basically, unscrew the fuel filter and fill it with diesel, then try again. If that does not work, remove the fuel line and fill it with diesel then crank. Well, I did all that but was not able to make the engine run. I decided to try it all just one more time. By now the 1 inch wrench that fits the fuel line is slippery with diesel, and oops, it slipped out of my hand and landed with one end on the starter terminal where the electric cable attaches, and the other end on the chassis. Sparks ahoy! Things are looking bad. The wrench turned bright red because the current flow was so high and the thing basically became a welder. I grabbed another tool and banged the wrench hard enough to dislodge it, things cooled off and did not start a fire. Things are looking good. I inspected the batteries, and one battery post had melted 80% off, again, due to the rapid discharge of the battery. Things are looking bad.
At this point I decided to throw in the towel and call for professional help. I called a mobile truck repair guy, he showed up pretty quick, and he used a nifty electric pump to prime the system. Then we cranked ( the melted post did not seem to affect the engine cranking at all) , but it would not start. He tried all his tricks, no luck. Then he shot some ether in the intake and it fired immediately, but would not run on it's own. He finally gave up, and charged me Zero$ since he did not succeed. Things are looking good or bad, depending on your point of view.
My next call was for a tow truck. Found a great one, he showed up an hour later, and we were towed to the Detroit Diesel dealer near my home. He disconnected the drive shaft, and picked up the front axle with a cradle on his truck. He tapped into the air system to keep the emergency brakes off and the airbags up. He knew what he was doing. The tow was about 65 miles and the charge was $540. I call that tuition and I think it is deductible with the IRS, whereas those towing insurance policies are surely not deductible. Things are looking good.
OK, so now the bus is at the dealer, they are closed for Sunday, we went home. Went to see the dealer first thing Monday morning and they said the coach was running fine, it just needed new batteries. I asked them how they got it started and he said there was just one breaker tripped in the engine electrical panel.........Things are looking good again. I suspect the electrical sparks caused the breaker to trip during my priming experience. Later that day the bus was finished and I went to the station for a fillup. I can't remember how much it took exactly, but after it was full, the low fuel light remained on. It remained on for about 125 miles, then went out. I have only seen it on one time since then ( while within 2 miles of the station I was driving to), and it exhibited the same behavior after the fill. I never want to see that light come on again!
I have learned not to ever run out in the bus. I have previously learned that in my airplanes too. In cars, well, heck, what's the use of having a big gas tank if you don't use it all once in a while? I admit when we were at POG II we were driving back from Taos and trying to get back in time for the final dinner, and well, we made it to 1 mile from Santa Fe Skies resort when the toad ran dry. Thanks to my good friend Brian who was also there, we were rescued in a matter of minutes and made it to the dinner.
Like I said, I am a Run Out Of Gasoholic! But I am trying to reform, really!
