Looking for a tip or three.
Our 1990 FT GV fuel inlet is a bit small to accommodate the larger fueling nozzles at truck pumps, which is where we wish to pump to get the TSD discount. We can use a funnel but it's messy and very slow.
What gave any of you with the same problem done to overcome this, short of modifying our rig? We're just starting out on our first trip in this. (Wish us luck! :o )
Gayle Fischer
Many of the truck islands have the auto nozzle. Not sure why your fill tube is too small for the bigger nozzles. Tue. we had to use the smaller nozzle at a Maverick truck island as the bigger one was out of order, took forever to fill. On a side note the max the cashier could put on the pump was $900.00 had to go back in the store to finish topping off. If you are going to have to use the bigger nozzles and want the TSD maybe modifying the filler neck would be the route to go.
Who would of ever imagined having a $1000 bucks in fuel in a motorhome. Curious that the big nozzle doesn't fit. Hopefully someone with a similar coach can chime in. Anything you put on the end of the nozzle will cause the auto shut off to sense full fuel.
Scott
Not sure how your '90 GV differs from our "93 GV in the filler inlet area. I know ours is pretty tight getting the big truck nozzle inserted, but we have never had a total failure to mate. On our coach, the real problem is the top of the bay opening is too close to the filler neck hole. The pump nozzle hits the ceiling frame above the tank. It would take some major reconstruction of either the fuel tank inlet or the bay opening frame to make inserting the nozzle easier. Big Bucks most likely $$$. (Photo of our tank below)
Back in the day when they changed to larger pump nozzles at gas stations and put anti-siphon gates in the car filler necks, they sold "nozzle adapters" to make everything work. Perhaps a similar tool would help in your case? Example below, but shop around online for different styles and best price:
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/diesel-fuel-nozzle-adapter/000072709/
Fueling on the California coast on our trip would have cost $1125 @ $7.05/gal if empty.
No problems so far at the truck island but it's close.
Pierce
Here is one source.
Got it from Old Phart Pfred a couple years ago.
I just hold the larger nozzle away just a little bit so the air doesn't burp back fuel on me. Tedious but necessary if you don't want to change a bunch of stuff.
I often wondered why someone didn't come up with a sleeve reducer that one could slide onto the large nozzle and have a smaller end for the small filler neck on old coaches.
Snug fit with o-rings and a set screw, along with a chain reminder to take the darn thing off when done filling.
Or is all this illegal?
So unlike our tank you have a removable filler? That would be very hi on the list for me to change out and if we had this issue. I for sure would of changed fillers when I had the tank out, our 2001 fills quite nicely other than paying for it. Several truckers have commented on my coach listing way over during filling to over fuel. 8)
Same as Scott, I raise the side I am filling on it does make a significant difference.
Only time I lean coach over is when dumping waste tanks. Filling with fresh water or fuel I try to be level. Had a fuel spill in my driveway one time with thermal expansion exhausting through the vent. Leaned the coach over and siphoned off 5 gallons from the high side and all was good when leveled. Related it to topping off tank on a cool day with the rear of the coach low and parking after a 6 mile drive home
Never fill up just before getting home if you tilt. Bought fuel at the Arizona border in Jan. @2.97 drove home from there 275 miles drove from there to Redmond Or. 825 miles then to Gardnerville Nv. 452 miles filled up there tilting and now sitting at June lake 102 miles and don't intend to fill up in Ca. Try that without tilting.
I understand the reasoning for tilting the fuel tank. Ran Yuma to Portland on much smaller tank back in the day fuel sky rocketed for some reason. Unless you have a fuel cooler your running on some hot fuel to save 50 bucks.
All of the ORED s that I have seen , have the small filler port.
It look like a hassle to enlarge the filler. You would have to remove it from the tube and die
grind the hole larger.
Also on the top ORED the pipe is about 6 feet long and enters the tank about half way from the top so once the tank gets 1/2 full it is pushing the fuel up. That was not a very good design.
I filled mine level until it was ready to run out the neck then had DW tilt the coach raised fill side and lowered other side. I was able to put in an additional 12 to 15 gallons. Personally I have never had a problem filling just before I get home, I like to keep the tank as full as possible to avoid condensation adding water to fuel
Chris
X2
I tip and fill to the brim and drive about three miles home and park level . Im confident it is above the caps. I've never noticed any expansion leaks to date.
Scott
I lift the side I'm filling on and it makes a big difference.
I use to do that also until the perfect storm. In the IH 45 the fuel tank is in the middle between the rails and they have pipes that goes from the tank to the fill cap. There is a special clamp that attaches the two metal parts together. I had filled up when it was cold outside and the fuel was cold. Summer came to Texas early this year. I am walking in the garage and notice a puddle under the coach. Turns out about a gallon of diesel leaked through the seam where the two pipe are tied together. Diesel was all over the compartment (one without carpet) and garage floor. Took me a few days to get everything cleaned up.
Now if I fill up and going to be using it right then I will tilt, If going to the garage I will not.
On our 1989 GV ORED the fuel tank is located between the frame rails, up within about 1-1/2" of the coach floor, and directly behind the front axle. The fill tube enters the fuel tank right below the frame rail so, about mid-level on the tank.
Now, knowing all that, and having seen all the rubber hoses, metal tubing and radiator hose clamps that FOT engineers specified in the design, I found it imperative that I crawl under the coach EVERY spring and verify that the hose clamps are tight and doing their thing.
Otherwise I could lose about 50 gallons x $5.18/Gallon (or about $259.00 worth of fuel plus cleanup). Cheaper to crawl under with a 5/16 wrench and check snugness.
Does anybody with the locked fuel access door still use/have the universal #752 key to lock and unlock their fuel door? Seems this key is almost universal and almost everyone has one. Check your key ring. Bet it is there.
I went on the Internet and bought a new door lock that uses the round key shape for about $16.
The TSD fuel card discount today at Baytown TA Express is only $1.06 at $4.28. $5.319 retail. Still high but better.
Ok, we haven't crossed the tilting bridge, yet, as this is our maiden voyage and haven't yet filled the tank completely.
First fuel add we did was at a regular vehicle pump. Nozzle fit the filler neck fine. We didn't yet have our TSD card requiring fueling at the truck pumps. We didn't do a complete fill. Credit card shut the pump off at $100. Enough fuel to get to the tire shop 50 miles away for a new (yes $$$$!!) set. Got the TSD card before our trip so found the filler neck issue when trying to top off the tank as we started out. The opening of the filler neck is fine. About an inch in is a lip that made the opening just a bit too small to accommodate the larger nozzle. We didn't do a complete fill but got to about 3/4. Frustration & fuel splashing got the better of him!
Pretty sure Andy has fixed the problem now. He took a larger screwdriver, notched a few places around the lip, then bent in the tabs he'd created of the lip. We haven't hit another truck stop yet, will do so once we hit Georgia (a good $0.30 cheaper than Tennessee) and that'll be the test.
Thanks for all the input & I'll keep the tilting thing in mind in case that also becomes an issue!
Glad you were able to detect a difficult problem to find. What was the resolution to the leak. Could of gone on for years undetected.
Scott
The metal clamp was tight. I have not taken apart to see if gasket or o ring is between the parts. I have not had a problem since I had overfilled and had the expansion. I keep watching to see if any kind of drip or such and have had nothing.
On the ORED it is completely different from the unihome or unicoach. You don't have the HWH air level system so can't lean the coach.
HUH??? I can lean our coach left or right. HWH hydraulics, you know. I only lean it so the waste tanks drain completely.
I don't bother leaning for the fuel tank. The float gauge doesn't work so we drive until we decide we have used half a tank of fuel, then we pull in and fill up the tank to almost overflowing the filler neck.
I'm happy for you that you found the issue.
You guys are killing me pointing out how expensive it is to fill up, I have just used the last of my tank having filled up before storing for the winter, I am driving 10 mph slower and enjoying it, will pay with the fuel card so I cannot see how much real cash money it cost, I will wonder why my checking account is been drained and wonder if I can buy cheaper beer, and then we will spend another long weekend traveling to a new destination in our classic motorhome, life is good!
20% discount is pretty darn good. My highest discount was at the I-17 exit to Prescott, Az. before TSD lost that company (flying J I think) was $1 per gallon off.
I hate to point this out but the price of cheap beer has gone up also. I genuinely think it all costs the same just our money doesn't hold the same value. Not good at all
Scott
Here is a link that will show the comparative prices around the world for various fuels. You can select from menu near the top.
jk
Gasoline prices around the world, 16-May-2022 | GlobalPetrolPrices.com (https://www.globalpetrolprices.com/gasoline_prices/)
I too have a 1990 GV Unihome. This is easy. Used a large drift punch to expand the stock filler which of course would not work with the large fill nozzles in the truck lanes. Used a piece of 1" x 12" smooth rod that we tapered down on a machine lathe. Just kept working the opening until it was big enough. No particles of ground metal to deal with etc. See pic below. You are on the right track. Truck lanes are straight pull thru so no screwing around with all the folks out front wanting a hot dog. You will be happy you did this. If you need more help do not hesitate to PM me. in the meantime I will see if I can find the punch and get you a picture.
And it depends on what the taxes pay for. In Germany, the Autobahn roadbed is 29" thick instead of 22", no public toll roads or bridges, CCTV on every inch of the Autobahn with control centers monitored 27/7, helicopters flying over the Autobahn on weekends for rapid evacuation of the injured to trauma centers every few KM, overhead signs with the speed limit for each lane during congestion and the center divider replanted with attractive flowers along with bags of mulch every spring. Limited on and off ramps so vehicles are not constantly trying to come on and crowd their way in. The rule is drive right, pass left. Look long and hard in the rear view before pulling out and get back in the right or middle lane because someone will be be faster, usually much faster.
Pierce
Pierce,
You wish they were 22" over hear but the sad truth is it's closer to a foot thick, we've only just lately figured out that powder coating the rebar slows down the rust. What we don't do here is require a guarantee, maybe 12 months in some places. As an example Sweden used to require 25 years. When I worked around highway construction the asphalt crew was commonly referred to as " the never look back " paving company.
22" is closer to runway spec.
Depending on the area, a 20 or 30 year bond is mandatory. This eliminates mom and pop or as you say, "fly by night" paving companies. I did watch the special on powder coating the rebar. An eye opener.
As I remember, Roman roads went down 12 feet so still in good shape thousands of years later.
Pierce
Diesel fuel in Missouri is $ 5.18 a gallon.In case anyone is passing through.
My diesel price in MO is in the $4.30s, not $5.00+ That is 80 cents per gallon
TSD card is the best. Let me know if you need help getting one
Would this work?
I'm a little under two thirds of a tank and will be filling up on Thursday when I move the coach to an RV park next to a TA Petro. I also never tilt my coach to fuel up. Maybe if I had somebody driving with me but it's too much of a hassle to go back in mess with that while at a truck stop. I would be quite concerned if I couldn't use the larger nozzles on my coach. Takes too long otherwise. However, if I was interested in getting the most out of my tank then tilting it is definitely an option.
The price of fuel now is a concern of course. But there's a lot more going on in the coach than just the price of fuel...