Community Forums

wagonmaster2 · 07-03-2018, 08:18 PM

Does my 2015 4018 DS have a 90 or 100 gal fuel tank?
Reason: I have driven 142 miles, down to 3/4 tank, and have 248 more miles to go to get to a trucker's fuel station (Flying J). My current location is in a small mountain town and not sure I'd be comfortable filling up at one of the 3 small stations. And they are all tight to get into with this motor home.
Trying to tell if I can reasonably reach the Flying J without stretching my fuel supply too low.
First time I've been in this situation in over 14 years driving a diesel motor home. Usually am able to fill up at around 1/2 on fuel gauge.

TJ · 07-03-2018, 08:29 PM

Newmar's specs on that coach show a 100-gallon tank. If you went 142 miles on a quarter of a tank, it seems like you could easily make another 248 and still have a bit over a quarter tank left.

Like you, I like to travel on the top half of the tank and then refuel. I've had a couple of occasions where I had to stretch it a bit, but I wasn't comfortable doing it.

Good luck.

TJ

Mr_D · 07-03-2018, 08:35 PM

Don't forget that the last 10 to 20 gallons can't be used. That is supposed to prevent picking up trash from the bottom of the tank.

Tilzbow · 07-03-2018, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Don't forget that the last 10 to 20 gallons can't be used. That is supposed to prevent picking up trash from the bottom of the tank.

Does the computer shut off flow? I always thought picking up debris from the fuel was the fuel filters job....

wagonmaster2 · 07-03-2018, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_D

Don't forget that the last 10 to 20 gallons can't be used. That is supposed to prevent picking up trash from the bottom of the tank.

That's what my Dad, who was a mechanic all his life, always told me as soon as i started driving about letting a fuel tank get too low.

wagonmaster2 · 07-10-2018, 09:12 PM

UPDATE: Appreciate all the replys and support. Even tho it did take the top 1/4 tank to get 142 miles I still had just a hair less than 1/2 tank after completeing the next 248 miles. It took 57 gal to fill up at the Flying J.
My main concern was I knew that going over Monarch Pass here in Colorado would take a bunch, but then the rest would be mainly downhill.
Not sure what could have happened at that top 1/4 of the tank unless I quit filling up and submitted to the constant foaming at that previous fillup.

redbaron73 · 07-10-2018, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wagonmaster2

UPDATE: Appreciate all the replys and support. Even tho it did take the top 1/4 tank to get 142 miles I still had just a hair less than 1/2 tank after completeing the next 248 miles. It took 57 gal to fill up at the Flying J.
My main concern was I knew that going over Monarch Pass here in Colorado would take a bunch, but then the rest would be mainly downhill.
Not sure what could have happened at that top 1/4 of the tank unless I quit filling up and submitted to the constant foaming at that previous fillup.

My coach is very difficult to get the last 20 gallons in. I have to use the air adjusters and get the front driver side high and the rear curb side low. Doing this I can get more fuel in, as long as I manually hold the trigger and feather it.

This can easily add 10 minutes to fueling, and for that reason I usually don't go thru the hassle. My normal fuel operation is to kneel the coach to the curb side with air adjustments and then fill on the driver side using the first click of the auto pump . Doing this I will show full on the tank, but within 120 miles I am already down 1/4. 1/2 tank is around the 400 mile mark, and by 700 miles I am starting the process over. I usually end up putting in 95-110 gals, which I consider my usable tank out of the 150gals I have.

The most i have ever put in is 124 gallons, and I thought i was going to need a tow truck that time :(

jerry davis · 07-10-2018, 11:25 PM

My 2017 DS4018 holds 100gal. I have put as much as 83 in and that wasn’t fun as I had a low fuel alarm go off for the last 20 miles or so. I have no reason to believe that the engine wouldn’t run just fine until it used the tank dry....if you don’t mind the alarm going off. Usually I use 400 miles as my mark to refuel.

GaryKD · 07-11-2018, 06:27 AM

Consider making a mental note for how many miles and over what terrain you use fuel. For me I forget the fuel gage, except as a general overview, but nothing more. I go by the trip odometer and what kind of miles I have traveled.

Sky_Boss · 07-11-2018, 07:36 AM

Perhaps it is the pilot in me but I never trust a fuel gauge. I go by miles driven and average fuel burn. With my previous coach with 150 gal tank, at 600 miles it was time to get fuel but there was no need to panic. I wouldn't worry about going another 100 miles as needed.

I set my fuel stops at about 600 miles during my trip planning. In reality, from the day I bought it my average MPG was 6.4 but that also included fuel used by the generator.

I've not seen evidence of much difference of how full the tank gets. I don't do anything to get extra fuel in the tank. If I saw that the passenger side being higher (leaning to driver's side) I would consider using that pump.

With the new coach I have been told to expect slightly better MPG. I haven't had to fill the tank enough times to see how it goes so I will stick with the same benchmark expectations until I see the difference. I do admit that the new coach comes off the "full peg" faster than the old coach. Perhaps that is an indication that I'm not getting the tank as full but it could simply be a difference in fuel gauge/sender performance.

Sky_Boss · 07-11-2018, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Consider making a mental note for how many miles and over what terrain you use fuel. For me I forget the fuel gage, except as a general overview, but nothing more. I go by the trip odometer and what kind of miles I have traveled.

That sorta depends. LOL

If it is up and down and I start and end at nearly the same altitude I consider that a wash and not a significant difference.

However, consistent head winds just kinda suck fuel.

If I was planning to run long before refueling I might take that into consideration.

flyfishidaho · 07-11-2018, 09:11 AM

It's been my experience that the top half of the tank goes faster than the bottom half... Just my casual observation

tom chelbana · 07-11-2018, 09:48 AM

Important to remember to NOT RUN OUT OF FUEL. When we went to Alaska the wagon master said to us to Drive On The Top side of fuel gauge. What that means is to start plan your next fuel stop as soon as you get to the 1/2 point on the gauge. Running out of fuel in many times a lot more then just adding fuel and starting back up.
Newmar Man