Now that was funny! Perhaps they are old timers that do not believe in all this new fangled technology stuff.

The fuel (fool) gauge is mechanical, and like most mechanical items, subject to failure.

Best method for knowing when to fuel..is to figure your fuel consumption.

If you know that your truck averages 5.2 miles per gallon, then you should know to buy fuel, (if you have 200 gallons of capacity), and you started your trip with full tanks, (some people do not know to open the cap and look during a pretrip), after you have travelled 900 miles..that gives you a 20 gallon cushion...to get you to a TS.

Last night when I fueled, I put 231 gallons in my tanks. I have 2- 120 gallon tanks. :shock: Closest I have been to running out of fuel in....18 years.
Last time I ran out of fuel.... :oops: :oops: 18 years ago :oops: :oops: ..I was driving a "California" truck, which had one 80 gallon tank...where as our regular trucks, in WA state, had 110 gallon tanks. I ran out of fuel right at the bottom of the exit ramp to Harbor Island, off the West Seattle Bridge (1 mile from the terminal)...managed to coast far enough to get out of the way of traffic!!! And I did start out with that tank full...just forgot to take into account, that I was 30 gallons short !!! :oops: :oops:

:lol: :lol:

Me, I don't go below 1/4. I rarely go below 1/2 for that matter.

running out of fuel is like forgetting to put your clothes on b4 leaving the house or truck., However most big companies consider it a chargeable incident ,and also put it on your DAC...OUCH .

Gauge isn't really accurate when you get down below 1/8 tanks - plus many older trucks have bad gauges. Also - I used to fool around with airplanes and there you NEVER trust the fuel gauges, and you usually don't fill the tanks up more than what you need plus and hour or two for reserve. Anyways I usually fill up when down to 40-50 gallons.
8)

I'm driving a 2007 International.... the fuel guage "sucks". I have twin 98 gallon tanks....meaning a "usable 186 gallons"....hahahahhahhhaa!

When the guage is reading 1/4th....It takes on 135 gallons. At 1/2 about 70.

So because the flippin' guage is so lousy... I fuel based on miles traveled, or when I get a wild hair....and depending on where I am going. I do preplan my trips, to include fuel stops and where to stop for the night.

Fuel guages in trucks are "notorious" for being unreliable, and in the event that you make the mistake of trusting one.... :oops:

In the winter....I do not let my tankes get below 1/2. Why? Because if I encounter a winter shutdown.... I'm not going to freeze to death in a truck.

I don't know who trained you when it comes to flying. I was trained to always put all the fuel on board the aircraft tanks could hold and still be legal as far as weight and balance.

The reserve had to do with what was the legal amount you had to have while flying IFR which requires 45 minutes upon landing. See: FAR 91.167.

VFR is different. FAR 91.151 says "says that no pilot can begin a flight unless consideration of wind and weather will allow the flight to reach the planned destination with enough fuel to cruise for 30 minutes at a normal power setting, or 45 minutes at night." However, running out of gas is NOT against the rules. There is a catch all rule FAR 91.13 which bans all "careless or reckless operation."

Where I was trained there is an old saying -- The runway behind you -- The altitude above you -- The fuel you have burned. None of these help you if you have a problem.

I would agree never trust the gauges in an airplane, or any other type of fuel gauge.

I've been flying for almost 35 years.

kc0iv

On a hot, humid day at 1000 ASL the 172 would have problems getting off full of fuel with just two onboard and the 152, forget about it! Now, a friend of mine put the "big engine" in his 172 when it needed an overhaul and that SOB would rocket off the ground! Also rode in a 152 that had the 172 motor put in, same deal! Stock engines were pretty pitiful on these Cessnas.
:shock:

When you run out, try to come to a stop on uneven ground so the fuel flows from the secondary tank to the primary that has the pick-up. Likewise dont park leaning the other way when you are low...