Gassing up Diesel

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johnaye said:
One downside of truck stops is the fuel is usually more expensive due to taxes.
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With all due respect, all stations in a particular state are subject to the same state and federal taxes.  It is true that the major truck stops often charge more, but that's a business decision and has nothing to do with the taxes. 

There are some states where truck diesel pumps are subject to higher taxes than pumps at gas stations intended for automobiles.  I believe OR and/or AZ are two of those states.  But, technically, it is illegal to use an automobile diesel pump to fuel a heavy vehicle in those states even though lots of people do that.
 
Some stations charge a higher $/gal but the penalty is because you do not have one of their fleet cards, or are not using cash. Its not a tax thing.
 
This isn't any help, but it is one of the several reasons we are getting rid of our Silverback and F-250 PSD and getting a small Class A gas.  Diesel fuel planning is a headache I will be glad to be rid of!  Some people see it as no bother and others see it as a puzzle to be solved and enjoy it.  Not me.
 
FenderP said:
Diesel fuel planning is a headache I will be glad to be rid of!  Some people see it as no bother and others see it as a puzzle to be solved and enjoy it.  Not me.
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No offense intended but my 112 gallon fuel tank represents about 900 miles of range.  I usually start to consider refueling when I have about half a tank left.  I've never encountered a situation in which I've ever had to drive to below a quarter tank before I could find a place to refuel. 
 
When we first owned this coach, I used to stress over diesel stops. But several factors helped me relax:

- I discovered that diesel 'foams' while filling, helping reduce the amount of fuel that could be added. Slowing the fill near the end allowed me to add an additional 10 gallons.

- The fuel gauge didn't provide an accurate measurement of fuel on board, or how far we could go without topping up.

- Connecting a laptop to the diagnostic connector (under the dash), and installing Silverleaf/VMspc software, allowed me to predict the next fill within a gallon.

FWIW in 14 years, we've only discovered one gas station that didn't have a diesel pump. Yes, a few (rare) truck stops have a long line.
 
I have had the good fortune at some auto fill ups to pull in between two pumps and fill from each side.  I have a 36 footer and usually a tow but some new stations are laid out pretty well.  I don't block anyone in but if a Civic has to drive around me I don't feel bad either.  They will be fine! :D  Oh and I am out of there ASAP and being able to get two cards started means less time with nothing going into the tank.
 
[quote author=KandT]I have had the good fortune at some auto fill ups to pull in between two pumps and fill from each side.[/quote]
OK if you have separate tanks on each side. We have two fills for the same tank and, if I tried to fill from both sides, I'd risk the possibility of overflowing from one side, depending on 'level' of the coach.
 
docj said:
No offense intended but my 112 gallon fuel tank represents about 900 miles of range.  I usually start to consider refueling when I have about half a tank left.  I've never encountered a situation in which I've ever had to drive to below a quarter tank before I could find a place to refuel.
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No offense taken.  I did not have a 112 gallon fuel tank on my F-250.
 
I have an 17 F350, 48.5 gallon tank.  Pulling a 39' fifth wheel.

Truck stops are .30 higher than a Sams Club.  Use the GasBuddy app.  I have been known to unhook, fill up and re-attach.

I may not actually save money when it's all over and done, but I feel better about it.

I use a 5% cash back on gas card - Sam's Master card.  Also sign up for My Pilot or Good Sam top get fuel discounts on top of the 5%.
 
Wow my freightliner can handle an 18 wheeler pump.  Takes about 1 minute to get to $100.  Not sure how many gallons a minute they pump but what a difference!  A little nervous it might slip out or something so I kept my hand on it the whole time.
 
Just started out, so I can only speak from limited experience. I have an '06 F-250 diesel, pulling a 30' fifth wheel; unfortunately, until my aux tank/toolbox arrives, I am stuck with a 24 gallon range, which isn't that far... lol

I use the GasBuddy app, and so far have not found a truck stop that has cheaper diesel than a 'regular' station; sometimes convenience is worth it, sometimes not. Clearance has yet to be an issue at any station, but it can be a bit tricky when the pumps are close to the building, and manuvering around to get into position. Luckily, I've driven large trucks with trailers before, so I feel pretty comfortable with that already, where some might not.

Especially when I start using the aux tank (55 gal), I plan on buying less expensive fuel whenever possible. On our last (okay, first) trip, pulling into a town in Nevada, there was literally a 50 cent price difference in diesel, a truck stop and a grocery store station within 5 miles of each other. On an 80 gallon fill up, I just don't see the point of paying that much for convenience, when sometimes it isn't even all that convenient, in terms of time...
 
We use RV pumps when we can find them, truck pumps when we can?t. This is why we never get below a quarter of a tank of fuel, and frequently start looking about half a tank, just to have options.
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Speaking about gas only. We have an 80 gallon tank and usually start looking for gas at a half tank. That's about 300 miles for us. We use Flying J almost exclusively because they have RV pumps.
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what is an RV pump?  A gas pump with more space and clearance around and over it?
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what is an RV pump?  A gas pump with more space and clearance around and over it?
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Pretty much. They also (hopefully) have longer handles on the window squeegie thingy, and pumps on both sides so you can pump from either side. One disadvantage to using them if you have a diesel motor home is they have the narrower nozzle, so it takes longer to fill than a pump in the truck lanes. The advantage to using them is they take credit cards at the pump where some truck lanes make you go inside to pay.
 
FenderP said:
Pardon my ignorance, but what is an RV pump?  A gas pump with more space and clearance around and over it?
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Flying J (and perhaps a few others) often have a row of pumps labeled for RVs specifically, and they are generally laid out so that an RV can enter and exit more easily than at most car pumps, while allowing you to avoid (if you're diesel) the truck pumps.
 
Larry N. said:
Flying J (and perhaps a few others) often have a row of pumps labeled for RVs specifically, and they are generally laid out so that an RV can enter and exit more easily than at most car pumps, while allowing you to avoid (if you're diesel) the truck pumps.
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cadee2c said:
Pretty much. They also (hopefully) have longer handles on the window squeegie thingy, and pumps on both sides so you can pump from either side. One disadvantage to using them if you have a diesel motor home is they have the narrower nozzle, so it takes longer to fill than a pump in the truck lanes. The advantage to using them is they take credit cards at the pump where some truck lanes make you go inside to pay.
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"some truck lanes make you go inside to pay."  Oh, yeah, that is a PITA, Caryl.  Thanks for the education, y'all.
 
Larry N. said:
Flying J (and perhaps a few others) often have a row of pumps labeled for RVs specifically, and they are generally laid out so that an RV can enter and exit more easily than at most car pumps, while allowing you to avoid (if you're diesel) the truck pumps.
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Flying J in our neck of the woods only have a couple facilities with RV Pumps within a few hundred miles of one another, but they have a policy of allowing RVs in the commercial lanes no problem.
 
One caution on diesel pumps ... I've only seen this once, but we pulled into a truck stop some years ago, and the pump had a warning sticker saying "Caution, high speed pump". I ignored it, thinking it was just like any other truck stop diesel pump, but I soon found out that wasn't the case. I can't recall where this was, but I vaguely recall we were en route to Moab.
 
Tom said:
One caution on diesel pumps ... I've only seen this once, but we pulled into a truck stop some years ago, and the pump had a warning sticker saying "Caution, high speed pump". I ignored it, thinking it was just like any other truck stop diesel pump, but I soon found out that wasn't the case. I can't recall where this was, but I vaguely recall we were en route to Moab.
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When I filled up in Alamo, NV the pump was a high speed pump...they are quick, don't walk away.
 
John Beard said:
Flying J in our neck of the woods only have a couple facilities with RV Pumps within a few hundred miles of one another, but they have a policy of allowing RVs in the commercial lanes no problem.
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For those RVs using gas like me, there are no gas pumps in the commercial lanes.
 
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