I know it’s not a good idea to run a road car down to the bottom of the tank because it pulls all manner of crap through the filters and clogs them up. The question, which is operative for me as Im 100 miles from the yard with 120 miles worth of motion lotion in the tank, is how low would you run your truck on fuel? Do I need to splash and dash on the way back to the yard?
If yes, where is key-fuels on the A14 between Huntingdon and Bury?
The diesel take off pipe is at the bottom of the tank anyway and has a filter on the end of it so it makes no difference how much you run it down
Have moved a lot of volvos around and they go well under the red.
Risby is keyfuels…Junction 41 
morrisons supermarkets take keyfuels , if you have a I phone you can download a app for keyfuels sites and find a supermarket , also handy for finding a bite to eat if your passing one that’s 24hr
As a professional driver , is it worth the risk of possibly running out of fuel ■■ Should you really be asking your self that question 
As for keyfuel site, download the app if possible or try here to refuel :
Kettering Services
Rockingham Road
Kettering Business Park
Kettering
Northamptonshire,
NN14 1UE.
Site located off J7 of the A14, onto the A43 and then the A6003 Rockingham Road - Keyfuels drivers use dedicated pumps 4 and 8.
Open 24 hours
HGV/LCV
or Here :
M1
Junction 23 Lorry Park Ltd
Ashby Road East
Shepshed
Loughborough
Leicestershire
LE12 9BS01509 507479
Exit M1 J23 turn towards Shepshed, Lorry park on r/h/s just after layby . prior to Traffic lights.
trux:
As a professional driver , is it worth the risk of possibly running out of fuel ■■ Should you really be asking your self that question
Good point but sometimes it is, for instance I had a VBS (time limited dock booking for the non box jockeys reading this) that was going to be tight and stopping for fuel would have meant I was to late but a little bit of lifting and coasting / neutral gliding on the downhill stuff / forward planning etc improved my economy enough to get back and also get the fuel bonus the week after.
Why don’t I drive like this all the time I hear you cry, well to be honest I can’t be arsed and have the CC on (which ironically I can beat on MPG easily) and like to put me feet up, + I’m not paid enough to use all me skills all the time, only on the odd occasion to suit me.
I know it’s been said for years that crap gets dragged through (in many vehicles), however how does this crap get in here in the first place? Presumably the fuel is carefully filtered in he refinery?
Most Tesco stations take Keyfuels as well if needed…
bazza123:
I know it’s been said for years that crap gets dragged through (in many vehicles), however how does this crap get in here in the first place? Presumably the fuel is carefully filtered in he refinery?
Rust.
The other thing about running low on fuel is that it is possable to run out of diesel.With low fuel and the movement of the lorry and depending on position of pick up pipe when say going up or down an incline the fuel moves and could be out of reach of pick up pipe
At half a tank I’m thinking ahead of destination, park up or home distance. Quarter of a tank is probably top up at suitable place. Obviously if I know where I am and/or local then it’s different but generally I don’t let it get too far under quarter, regardless of the load or time! If I need diesel then I need it 
weeto:
bazza123:
I know it’s been said for years that crap gets dragged through (in many vehicles), however how does this crap get in here in the first place? Presumably the fuel is carefully filtered in he refinery?Rust.
In my car, the tank is plastic. Should I be worried about that running low in terms of clogging the filter?
Kaistar:
Most Tesco stations take Keyfuels as well if needed…
Thats handy in a lorry
seth 70:
Kaistar:
Most Tesco stations take Keyfuels as well if needed…Thats handy in a lorry
Just the same as Morrisons fuel stations I suppose… Besides, I’ve seen plenty of ‘lorrys’ in Tesco to fuel up, myself included. Depends on the layout.
Tankers manage to get in there ok don’t they ?
Never been on a big job ?
Well if it’s a case of filling up at a tesco or morrisons, drop the trl if need be, better than running out, obviously if you are in a ridgid you can’t, but there are other ways around it ,if you can’t get under the canopy
Try running with a Shell card. Some days I have to fuel up a 12 tonner which is 90% full, because if I don’t there are no safe Shell stations for miles unless I go off route which impacts massively on my driving time
bazza123:
weeto:
bazza123:
I know it’s been said for years that crap gets dragged through (in many vehicles), however how does this crap get in here in the first place? Presumably the fuel is carefully filtered in he refinery?Rust.
In my car, the tank is plastic. Should I be worried about that running low in terms of clogging the filter ? #
,
No not really, but rust and debris particles could come out of the garage fuel station if theyre old stock tanks or get contaminated. Regular service intervals and filter changes will/should do. :wink: Just remember sugar goes in your tea - not in the tank :sunglasses: . Coming up to winter months and through , its advisable to keep fuel tanks topped up as much as is feasibly possible to avoid condensation (water droplets) forming in the tank and fuel system. And to ensure you have enough fuel for your journey.
It`s when freezing conditions & wind chill causes the water to ice up (waxing) & blockage on those sharp -c frosty days,
normally freezes filters 1st- gooey gunge wax is a clue.
Regular filter changes assists any particle issues
Given most folks often run out of fuel because the gauge / (fuel estimator) says another 20/30 miles but the Pick-up /stack pipe is an inch or two shorter and says otherwise - often on a gradient 
add stupidity as a factor too and you have "ooh i thought i could make it "
.
Do you really want to be stuck out in -3/-5 c with no fuel any time of day middle of somewhere and no hat coat phone fuel ?
ianto:
The other thing about running low on fuel is that it is possable to run out of diesel.With low fuel and the movement of the lorry and depending on position of pick up pipe when say going up or down an incline the fuel moves and could be out of reach of pick up pipe
^^ This…
Also, modern diesel engines run VERY high pressure pumps, which create heat, any un-used diesel is returned to the tank, so when you get low, the hot diesel is then dragged through the pump, this can eventually kill the pump. Very common on HDi and similar cars. The recommendation is not to run any distance with under 1/4 tank in to prevent this.
bazza123:
weeto:
bazza123:
I know it’s been said for years that crap gets dragged through (in many vehicles), however how does this crap get in here in the first place? Presumably the fuel is carefully filtered in he refinery?Rust.
In my car, the tank is plastic. Should I be worried about that running low in terms of clogging the filter?
The tank is plastic, but the fuel gauge sender, fuel neck and maybe other bits will be metal.
And, as I just found out on 1 of my bikes (that has a plastic tank), the same can happen when the fuel sender starts to rust, then as the level goes up and down it scrapes the rust off, this then clogs the filter and you come to a grinding halt 
I made it back fine but it is good to know that Risby has keyfuels. The company has an outright ban on supermarket forecourts, don’t know if that is a fuel quality issue, (brainless stupidity) or the fact that most of the canopies don’t suit HGV.
Is there any point in dieseling up on the way back to the yard when we have bunkerage of our own though? I don’t know the exact numbers but the yard is cheaper than the card 95% of the time apparently.