Newbie Mileage Question

[helievacpilot]

Looking at a 96 quad cab dually. If I buy it I will be driving it long distance to get it home. The owner say's the fuel guage doesn't work so I was wondering what would be a safe distance between fuel stops. Thanks for the help and if I buy it i'm sure there will be many questions to follow.
- Bill

[Chop]

I would think about 250 miles on each tank should be safe.Front tank holds approximately 18 gallons , when I fill this tank it always takes about 13 to 14 gallons and I know I will never run it dry.Rear tanks holds a bit more but there are pita to fill ,maybe the dually isn't as bad .
My first PSD was a 96 CCSW 2wd and it would get around 20 mph or more on the highway,current truck around 16 to 17 mph .

[glovemeister]

Best ever was 515 miles on two tanks, and it took like 30 gallons to fill it back up.

[351fifty]

you should have a minimum of 400 miles, 200/200 if its bone stock 4.10's and clogged fuel filter and fpr screen, good luck with the purchase, and make sure both tanks work as well

[helievacpilot]

Did get the truck, but now the wife has to drive it home without me, so I want to get the fuel thing REAL clear for her. It has 3 tanks, so is that one main front tank and two "saddle" tanks? How do you select the tank being drawn from? Without a working fuel guage, I'd like to give her a conservative distance on each tank before refilling.
Thanks again - Bill

[351fifty]

how far is she going? conservative just say 175 per tank you wont have to completely fill when home, how does it have 3 tanks? these obs rigs have 1 saddle, and 1 rear, is there another in the bed?

[elrojo63]

Whenever I get a new vehicle including my PSDs I always run it dry just to see exactly where it stops. Even though a tank says it holds x amount some times a sending unit could have a slight problem. One truck has a rear tank that I can only ever get 14 gallons out of even though it's an 18 gallon tank before it starts sucking air. My front run dry and filled back to the brim is 22 gallons

[elrojo63]

and also, wlecome to the org

[helievacpilot]

Originally Posted by 351fifty

how far is she going? conservative just say 175 per tank you wont have to completely fill when home, how does it have 3 tanks? these obs rigs have 1 saddle, and 1 rear, is there another in the bed?

I'm not sure. The truck belonged to the lady's deceased husband, so she may not know for sure. It just said 3 tanks in the ad. So if it's 2 tanks, you just run off the main first and switch to the saddle, correct? She'll be driving a little over 1k miles, so she will be stopping. I just don't want her to run out on the side of the road. I'll just tell her to keep it at 175 per tank. Thanks again for the help and I look forward to getting her home (wife and truck).
- Bill

[351fifty]

actually, best bet since there is 2 tanks, just have her drive on both for a few miles make sure the tanks work, and then once she fills up, run the first tank out dry, then switch to the second tank, it should go between 50-100 miles less, (the rear tank is usually smaller) so just run it out and that should tell you exactly how far you can go on it, good luck and welcome to the org