Once upon a time, I was driving a T600 with a 3406A Cat. My first trip with this company and the driver I was with had been fighting with his wife on the phone everytime that the truck stopped. Seems that they ran as a team and my being there cut their pay by half and they didn't give them any notice. (Lots moving behind the scenes I didn't know about) We stopped in Salisbury NC and he refused to get fuel telling me that we didn't have time.
About 2 hours later we stopped on the side of 460 in the Va mountains (out of fuel). He was asleep and then he got mad at me for running out of fuel. He then spent 15 minutes trying to crank the engine and killed the batteries. After getting a ride to make phone calls, he came back with a mechanic and 25 gallons of fuel. Then the mechanic spent 20 minutes trying to charge the batteries, but still wouldn't crank turn over and determined that the starter was melted down.(actually melted inside) Then after a trip to get a starter and replacing it, it still wouldn't start even with a back fill prime on the fuel line (new trick learned) Still wouldn't start. (Still air somewhere). So, I went to a trick and did a hot start with (very carefully) ether. When we got back the mechanic had already called the shop and told them about how the driver was acting (he didn't deny not getting fuel and said that had I been a better driver we could have made it). Needless to say, I got called in, but when the checks came out, he got a $0.00 and a note telling him that he still owed over $300.00 for starter and road service, plus the reason it wouldn't start was damage to the fuel pump from running it out. Later I was working with a towing company and had to go many times to put fuel in and start a diesel, and learned many tricks which have benefited me greatly over the years. The biggest trick I have learned if the gauge gets to 1/4 tank, stop and get fuel, and if it isn't down to 1/4 tank and that little voice is in the back of your mind, stop anyway. You can't run out of fuel if you are full of fuel or if you do, that's another problem.
In response to a question from SWMBO while reading this, when he came to pick up his check and was then getting his stuff out of the truck we were driving, I was putting my stuff in a new T600 to run solo.
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