Out of Petrol

[Dyn Blin]

I let my motor spirit run too low today.

I've been tuning and preparing for my county's bi-annual smog cert (the proposed exemption legislation is dying a slow death in state committee): Oil & filter change, air filter change, new park plugs & wires, dizzy cap and rotor, and replaced some aging vacuum lines, adjusted idle, cleaned the carb- although it didn't seem to need it. The Sad Ox been running really well, and I've (thought) noticed better mileage incrementally with each set of work.

Today I needed to run some work kit to the other side of the bay, about 180 mile round trip. Although I didn't top off before I left, it's within 20 miles of full-up range.

Traffic was very poor, stop and go. I kept glancing at the gauge, and thought, "Well, that tune up really helped!" Normally, I'd need to stop and fill up, but I tarried on, proud of myself for facilitating the efficiency.

I was humbled just under 5 miles from home. At first, I thought I must have another problem, because the gauge showed just over the 25% mark. A quick look under the hood didn't show anything obviously amiss, and I had a bystander crank while I looked down the carb, and couldn't see any liquid moving. Luckily, I was within a short distance of a station and figured I should start with at least trying the simple stuff first. $25 later for a small gallon container and a bit of fuel down the carb and I was running again.

Much to my dismay, the gauge quickly dropped to "E" as I looked at it.

Two lessons learned:

1. I will return to resetting the trip odometer after a fill up and not trusting the tank float or gauge.

2. I'm not *that* good at a tune up.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Bummer! Glad you were close to a petrol station and got some easily. But the lesson has been learned, I'm sure.

[Rembrant]

Two lessons learned:

1. I will return to resetting the trip odometer after a fill up and not trusting the tank float or gauge.

2. I'm not *that* good at a tune up.

What is this trip odometer you speak of?...lol.

Since I travel a lot with my work (and get paid mileage for it), I'm used to taking a picture of my odometer before and after so I've been doing the same with my Bullnose. I saves me from having to write it down

 

[Gary Lewis]

Two lessons learned:

1. I will return to resetting the trip odometer after a fill up and not trusting the tank float or gauge.

2. I'm not *that* good at a tune up.

What is this trip odometer you speak of?...lol.

Since I travel a lot with my work (and get paid mileage for it), I'm used to taking a picture of my odometer before and after so I've been doing the same with my Bullnose. I saves me from having to write it down

The tach clusters are the way to go, if for nothing else than the trip odo. I really love that feature.

[FuzzFace2]

The tach clusters are the way to go, if for nothing else than the trip odo. I really love that feature.

And that is why I added the 2nd tank out back on my flare side, flip a switch and I have a full tank again

Now the picture thing is great as I would not think of that.

Because I don't plan on using the truck much I think till I get to know the truck I will keep a little note pad in it, yep no trip counter. This way I can keep track of MPG from each tank and total of both.

Dave ----

[Dyn Blin]

Two lessons learned:

1. I will return to resetting the trip odometer after a fill up and not trusting the tank float or gauge.

2. I'm not *that* good at a tune up.

What is this trip odometer you speak of?...lol.

Since I travel a lot with my work (and get paid mileage for it), I'm used to taking a picture of my odometer before and after so I've been doing the same with my Bullnose. I saves me from having to write it down

Although the paint on the numbers is long gone, I like using the trip meter. I finally found a decent cluster "window" on another truck at the P&P last year that was better than my pitted original. It had what looked like half a shaft of a bic pen replacing the reset button!

I had no idea the trip odometer correlated with the presence if a tach, Gary. Did I miss that in the documentation pages somewhere & they came as an option package?

Cory, that's a great idea, and I usually snap a pic on all the family fleet when fluids are changed to track.

However, to Dave's point, I still buy the Rite in the Rain's by the dozen. My kids give me a hard time for carrying them around, but my memory banks long ago adjusted to accommodate a maximum of 3 items. They come in orange now, too, so they stopped wandering off from my pocket as often.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Although the paint on the numbers is long gone, I like using the trip meter. I finally found a decent cluster "window" on another truck at the P&P last year that was better than my pitted original. It had what looked like half a shaft of a bic pen replacing the reset button!

I had no idea the trip odometer correlated with the presence if a tach, Gary. Did I miss that in the documentation pages somewhere & they came as an option package?

Cory, that's a great idea, and I usually snap a pic on all the family fleet when fluids are changed to track.

However, to Dave's point, I still buy the Rite in the Rain's by the dozen. My kids give me a hard time for carrying them around, but my memory banks long ago adjusted to accommodate a maximum of 3 items. They come in orange now, too, so they stopped wandering off from my pocket as often.

Sorry, I forgot this one. Yes, the tach and the trip odometer came together as part of that package. You can use either by itself, but they were a pair.