Back in the Deep Freeze

[Rev.Vassago]

Not to worry Any Pete I have ever drove is exactly as yours...matter of fact my 2007 uses the same. The problem I have is that stupid little check valve keeps freezing up when it gets really cold then it only draws off one tan, then I have to get out shut off the tank that's nearly empty & run down the road for about 20 minutes till they equalize by the fuel return lines.

Are you referring to that little breather tube on the top? I had that freeze up on mine once too. Apparently, it is a big problem with Pete's, and the solution they came up with was to cut the tube at a 45 degree angle, which makes it more difficult to freeze.

[wildkat]

Not to worry Any Pete I have ever drove is exactly as yours...matter of fact my 2007 uses the same. The problem I have is that stupid little check valve keeps freezing up when it gets really cold then it only draws off one tan, then I have to get out shut off the tank that's nearly empty & run down the road for about 20 minutes till they equalize by the fuel return lines.

Are you referring to that little breather tube on the top? I had that freeze up on mine once too. Apparently, it is a big problem with Pete's, and the solution they came up with was to cut the tube at a 45 degree angle, which makes it more difficult to freeze.

No, this stupid thing is a mandatory check valve, the purpose of it is if you roll your truck the fuel doesn't all go to one tank & leak out. Goddam thing drives me insane in winter, cause at 40 below it freezes, it's on top of the tank, um there's a thing that kind of looks like an old style fuel filter for a car (?) (sorry I'm not so good a written descriptions of mechanical parts ....it's a blonde thing! )near the fuel return lines (all my lines are on the top of the tanks), I*think* it's on the draw line...don't quote me on that tho...

[Windwalker]

Not that I am aware of Windwalker, but mine does have heaters in the tanks, another Arctic necessity I'm afraid

I also use a very good fuel conditioner, made by Kleen Flo, Howes is just garbage IMHO, no good for up here, only good to -40...that's WARM in this neck of the woods!!

Seems to me that my Cat has a "primer pump" sort of thing right in front of the main (I have 2) fuel filter. It seems to me that everytime my fuel filters get changed it gets "primed" when you first start it up again.

Also, our winter fuel is, in reality, home heating oil...Diesel 50 we call it, will not gel until 50 below, your premium deisel is our summer fuel...Diesel 20, good to 20 below.

I've tried Howes a couple of times when I could not find anything else. I've had good luck using the red bottle of 9-1-1, but then I don't get into the -50 ranges...

I take that back... -55 once in Quebec City. But that was back with the mechanical injectors and we could use alcohol in the tanks. Half a gallon of anhydrous isopropyl in each tank was what kept me going then. Oh, yeah... That one had a cross-over from one tank to the other that was even with the bottom of the tanks.

[wildkat]

I've seen that 9-1-1 stuff in a couple of the truck stops up here, but I'm afraid I prefer to stay with what I know works & that's Kleen Flo, they also make a superior Arctic grease among other stuff that's a must for where I run...we have a couple of Flying J's now....WOW we have finally arrived!...Am gonna post some pics of the one & only truck stop in the Arctic when I head up tomorrow....LMAO it's really just a collection of ATCO trailers! But ya take what you can get up there...at least it's a pee stop anyway...

[Windwalker]

I'll have to look. I don't recall seeing Kleen-Flo down here. Of course, I don't get up into your temps either. Or should I say down..... :?:

Flying J is not a bad truck stop. Not the best, but they DO try to cater to the drivers. Hope you don't graduate DOWN to a PILOT. I have much more respect for equipment than to take it into one of them.

[wildkat]

I'll have to look. I don't recall seeing Kleen-Flo down here. Of course, I don't get up into your temps either. Or should I say down..... :?:

Flying J is not a bad truck stop. Not the best, but they DO try to cater to the drivers. Hope you don't graduate DOWN to a PILOT. I have much more respect for equipment than to take it into one of them.

I have no issues with Flying J...always had good luck with them when I ran stateside, just up here there really is no such thing as a trucksop...at least not by your standards anyway. But they have bought out all the Shell fuel stations in Alberta at least, so we are finally getting some REAL truckstops where there should have been some 50 years ago!

[Windwalker]

I have no issues with Flying J...always had good luck with them when I ran stateside, just up here there really is no such thing as a trucksop...at least not by your standards anyway. But they have bought out all the Shell fuel stations in Alberta at least, so we are finally getting some REAL truckstops where there should have been some 50 years ago!

WOW. All the Shell Stations? I'll have to see about getting a load up to Edmonton. It's been quite some time since I've been up there. Maybe it's about time to see what kind of changes have taken place.

You folks have a good night. Time for me to go to work.

[COLT]

I would agree with Windy about drawing and returning to both tanks.

I would also agree about those frigin vent lines icing off, :evil:

I cut one line short at a 45, maybe 65 degrees... But I'm too tired to figure out if it's not returning because of pressure, or not sucking because of vacuum... I got other things to think about :?

At least my Pete has the toggle for tank to tank readings, the 07 trucks do not...

I have 7 air actuated valves on my train for loading / unloading.... :evil:

Try and keep them working @ - 42 :shock:

I'm off for an "adventure" in the morning, got to split a Super B in the bush, and head into the Mountains west of Profit River, no bridges, over the rivers on ice, and when we get to the hills, tow cats are waiting... :shock:

[wildkat]

I would agree with Windy about drawing and returning to both tanks.

I would also agree about those frigin vent lines icing off, :evil:

I cut one line short at a 45, maybe 65 degrees... But I'm too tired to figure out if it's not returning because of pressure, or not sucking because of vacuum... I got other things to think about :?

At least my Pete has the toggle for tank to tank readings, the 07 trucks do not...

I have 7 air actuated valves on my train for loading / unloading.... :evil:

Try and keep them working @ - 42 :shock:

I'm off for an "adventure" in the morning, got to split a Super B in the bush, and head into the Mountains west of Profit River, no bridges, over the rivers on ice, and when we get to the hills, tow cats are waiting... :shock:

My 07 has a switch for monetering both tanks, but hubby's 04 has 2 gauges...I wish I had 2 gauges...am GONNA HAVE 2 gauges soon!

[MedicineMan]

you are both right in what you are saying actually.
There is a siphone feed to both tanks and if you fill one it will siphon over to the other.
Problem is it is a SIPHON. it works great as long there is fuel in both tanks. Once you run out you loose the siphon and then you put fuel in one tank and it doesn't crossover untill you get it started and it draws fuel up to the tp of the lines and restabish your siphon. tere is a line from each tank up to a block where they both go in and then the single feed line to the motor comes out. That is the point at which fuel must get sucked back up to in order to get the syphon back.
as long as you didn't run out and suck air then fuel will run from one tank UP to the 3 way fitting and back down to the other tank.

Class is dismissed

[MedicineMan]

oh by the way. I drive one of those "relics"

[Windwalker]

Maybe they did away with those "proportioning modules". The whole idea what that you would maintain an equal amount of fuel in each tank even if you were parked on a 20 degree slope to the side. The problem was, you seldom had the same amount of fuel in each tank, and it seemed like it would NEVER equalize. With just a "T" to each tank, if you park on a sideways slope, with less than a quarter tank, you could find that in the morning, you've sucked the upper tank dry and need to prime it. There are good and bad points to both ideas, and I won't even try to say which is better.

But, YES, it is possible to have one side gel up and the other side run out with your guage reading half or better.

[LadyNorthStar]

Are you going back to Fulton or TriCal or whatever they call themselves this week? Or are you just doing a transfer with Gold Star?

Fulton gave that contract up a while before I left Whitehorse.

Gold Star? No wood chips in the Yukon I'm afraid. I haven't worked for Gold Star for over 3 years.

[wildkat]

Are you going back to Fulton or TriCal or whatever they call themselves this week? Or are you just doing a transfer with Gold Star?

Fulton gave that contract up a while before I left Whitehorse.

Gold Star? No wood chips in the Yukon I'm afraid. I haven't worked for Gold Star for over 3 years.

Ohhh, my mistake LNS I thought I saw you pictures you posted from your new job was with them

Who will you be going to work for then? Please tell me it's not Northwest!

[LadyNorthStar]

Haha, no Northwest runs mostly teams, I'm not into that.

I posted a couple pics of some Arrow trucks out of Cache Creek.

To be honest, I haven't really decided yet what I'm doing yet. I know I'm just laying low for a bit here, getting my house organized and what not. I will run as a spare for the company I was last with here (Direct) when they need me, but not looking to make a commitment to them at this point.

I will get bored pretty fast and will have a plan soon enough I'd imagine. For now I'm just gonna enjoy it.

[wildkat]

Gotcha LNS. Well sure glad you're not running for them, since they got bought out by Manitoulin, they haven't a clue anymore. Used to be one of the best companies around to work for, not anymore. Can you imagine being dispatched out of some small island in Ontario? They can't even find most of the places Northwest goes! If it isn't in their computer system it doesn't exhist!

HAHAHA I just saw the yellow trucks and assumed.... well guess where that got me...shoulda looked closer!

Am off to Yellowknife again tonight, so you take care and maybe catch up with you next time!

[wildkat]

Well, I gotta say...this has been one of the toughest 2 weeks of my running north in a long time...

I left home on the 28th of Feb & I finally made it home late last night. The weather has been very cold, at least until yesterday...THEN low & behold it warmed up considerably.

I found myself in Yellowknife SEVEN freakin times in the last 2 weeks....
9000 miles later I finally made it back home!

Thankfully the "North of Sixty HOS Rules" are so much longer (15 hours/day driving, 3 hours on duty = total 105 hours/week!) or they'd have locked me up & thrown away the bloody key!

Here's a few more pics to share:

Out on the Ice:




The River beside the road:



I thought this was kind of interesting cause it really shows how rough the ice is before they make a road on it!

More on the Ice Road:





Icy Roads! NOT Ice Roads!



Last lonely outpost on the MacKenzie Highway... Arctic "Truck Stop"

[RebelDarlin]

WK those pics are awesome! Really makes me want to come up there...

[wildkat]

Thanks Reb!

Anytime you want to come Reb would be more than happy to take you along for a trip...just should be in the summer for the first go round tho.

Summers are absolutely stunning up there...just REALLY short...only 6 weeks!

[RebelDarlin]

Thanks Reb!

Anytime you want to come Reb would be more than happy to take you along for a trip...just should be in the summer for the first go round tho.

Summers are absolutely stunning up there...just REALLY short...only 6 weeks!

I don't think I'd mind the cold. The older I get the more the heat bothers me, I generate enough of my own (in flashes). But I do plan on making a trip up there in the next couple years. I really want to go back to Alaska again, maybe stay this time.

Side note: I did my driver training in the snow here, which had it's advantages. The first few times around the yard you could really see how the trailers off-tracked. I thought that was a GREAT help!


I have a friend who drives charter buses and I'm thinking about doing that this summer. He said it's like a party on wheels and he gets paid pretty good to do it! His room and meals are paid too. And the buses he drives are amazing! A million $'s a piece and thay have everything! He does mostly Senior groups and goes all over the country but mostly Branson, MO, Washington DC, and Yellowstone.


Somethin' different!