We are not political channel and this is NOT a political video. Please do not misinterpret our fuel saving tips with a video about politics. There are many reasons why fuel prices are rising we stated only a few. We used MANY sources. We want everyone to feel welcome on this channel not matter which side of the political spectrum they choose. Political, rude, and mean comments will be deleted. Please share your tips for saving money on fuel so we can all learn from each other.
Don't shut down a diesel engine to soon. The turbo charger has to cool by the oil flowing thru it at idle. Let it idle for 3 or 4 minutes if you just got off a highway. Only driving been driving in town, no worries.
Good point! I always allow the engine to 'settle' for a bit, prior to shutting down for this reason, especially if I've recently been climbing hills where the turbo has been worked hard.
I was going to say that also but then read your comment. I never shut my diesel off during fueling if we have been running down the road. Let the turbo cool. It doesn't burn that much fuel at idle but sure does save the turbo..
@@jimg2885 years ago it was. No with the crybabies they didnt want anymore than 5min Move ups tractors and if i set tractor brakes they shut off after 5 mins with idling laws. So we set trailer brakes and block tractor when its lunch to run ac or heat 🤣. Still in truck of coarse….
A few tips I learned doing part-time work at a gas station. Always get gas in the morning. Even though the tanks are buried, the heat of day does affect the fuel; causing it to expand. So that gallon you pump is not a true gallon. Also, if the tanks are being refilled, do not get gas. Filling the tanks causes any grime in the tank to stir up, causing you to raise the odds of pumping dirty fuel. In most cases you won't notice it since your fuel filter will catch it, however; filling the ground tank causes the fuel to aireate (sp) - giving you up to 20% less volume per gallon. Here's the big one: always pump in the gas into your tank on the lowest nozzle setting. You have low, medium, and high. Use low. It'll take longer, but you'll get more gas. Problem is gas tends to vaporize when disturbed. Nozzles are designed to vacumn those fumes back into the underground tank. Of course this happens after it gets past the meter, so you are paying for something you are not getting. The best habit is to fill up when you hit half a tank. Besides saving one from a heart attack at the final fill price, it also allows the new gas to mix with the old - keeping your octane level steady and giving you better gas mileage. Hope this helps some folks!
@@karonmccarver4201 not being rude, just trying to prevent this urban legend from persisting... According to a study by Consumer Reports, the small amount of gas that sits above ground in the lines might warm up if it sits there long enough. But if the gas is flowing smoothly on a busy day, it won't matter. And even if there is a lull between customers, those few slightly-warmer gallons won't affect the value of a whole tank. The aforementioned Consumer Reports investigation also found that gasoline that rises in temperature from 60 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit only increases in volume by 1 percent
@@lukeshanks8400 Not to be rude, but I disagree. (FYI: I have 2 associate degrees in Automotive Technologies from OIT, and was an automotive line mechanic for 27 years, now retired. I also subscribed [pre internet] to 4 automotive journals. I know a little bit about fuel systems). Consumer Reports might know about stereos and dish washers, but reports that are automotive related are not that accurate. (May I suggest Car and Driver, or Motor Trend for accuracy) The tips given above, some more, some less, will help your mileage. These are not just 'urban legends'. Tom Bair also has good info. The more information we can share to help us all get past this Washington DC insanity the better off we will be.
The gas prices really have been tough on us, but we too are continuing our journey! Shorter trips, longer stays... and prayers it finally comes back down sooner than later!🤷♀️
I think you guys hit all the right buttons with fuel saving. I would like to make these comments my rig weighs almost 40,000 pounds and has a 400 horse motor and as per the computer over the life for the coach I have received 8.9 miles per gallon diesel. I love to set it at speed between 58 and 62 and that’s as fast as I go there’s no need to drive these rigs at 70 mph. It makes a difference of 20 minutes showing up somewhere think about that Thomyt
My wife and I started full-time last year. We started full-time inspired by watching you guys. We always said, "Someday we'll do it". However, when fuel in many areas crept over $6/gallon we were forced to come off the road. Our someday wasn't quite someday. We're hoping things will get better.
Great video, I do have one caveat to add to engine idling though. Do - idle as little as possible, oil pressure is low in an idling diesel and it may not be reaching all the places it needs to, thus causing undue wear. Do - allow a few minutes of idling before shutdown of a heat soaked engine, this will allow your turbo to cool properly and not burn the oil remaining in it's bearings, again, causing undue wear. Do - allow a few minutes, temp dependent, on a cold engine to allow the oil to warm a little, so it can circulate into all of the aforementioned turbo bearings and galleries in your engine. This will help cut down engine wear and help your engine live as long as possible. Also diesel doesn't vaporize as readily as gasoline does, it actually has a higher boiling temp than water, so evaporation in a closed tank is very minimal and less into the low fractions of ounces/per minute, plus evaporated diesel in your tank will condense back to a liquid when temperatures lower, so this really isn't something to worry about.
We use TSD. Most of the truck stops are on the Interstates so if you are traveling secondary roads there won’t be any discounts at those small truck stops. We noticed that most big truck stops have raised their prices much higher than the local convenience store diesel pumps. Coming through Holbrook, AZ a couple of months ago it was cheaper to go to the Maverick that had truck islands with the smaller discount than the TA truck stop. TA used to be the cheapest but it isn’t now. Glad to see Loves is back on the list which gives us more choice. We spent the whole summer in Colorado last year. We topped up in Laramie, Wy, in mid June. Topped up in Silt, Co (no TSD discount) in July and topped up in Cortez, in October before leaving November 1 for St George, Ut. We visited the Walden, Steamboat Lake SP, Grand Lake, Dillon lake, Twin Lakes, Buena Vista area, Antonito area, South Fork, Pagosa Springs and Cortez. We stayed mostly in NFS campgrounds 14 or 7 days at a time planned ahead 6 mo. This year we are doing Idaho and western Montana.
Another note on keeping fuel in your tank is your unused fuel returns back to your tank. This heats up the fuel in your tank. When the fuel gets to the injector it help cool and lube the injector. Less fuel in your tank causes the fuel to arrive hotter to the injector cutting the life of the injector down. Hopes this helps. Heat can be the enemy in this case.
Thanks folks we just had a Savannah Ga trip of 9 days Crusing with a Super C and trailing a 24 ' car hauling loaded with a jeep and motorcycle. I noticed 10.3 mph towing the trailer but I also reduce my speed to 63mph .That is the best I have ever had towing.Monica &Wally.
While I generally (key word generally) I run on the top half of the tank. However consider this. Diesel and gas weigh about 7 lbs per gallon, 80 gallon tank? 560 lbs. You lose about 1% per 100 pounds. Something to think abour if you are doing shorter trips. If I missed it - depending on how far and where- never travel with full water tankns fresh, grey, black. You also hit it on speed - stay within the limit, even a little under if the road isn't busy- In my RV (gas) at 65 mph I got 8 mpg, at 60? 10 mpg. Some areas with no or little traffic 50-55 got 12 mpg.
WE certainly have not seen a drop Campground availability so far but maybe that will improve as the summer rolls on. We also have been using the TSD card for the last 4 years an love the savings. A big change for us is eating out less often to save some $$$ that we can use on fuel. Like you two we have no plan to hang up the keys anytime soon. Stay safe guys.
Listened to this twice. There's nothing political in here in any way. All you do is give some terrific tips and great helpful facts (and thanks for all that). Ya'll are the best!
Many experts debunked the high density myth. Tanks are underground. The cool temperature does not fluctuate, at least not enough to change the density of the liquid. Basically, they take samples of the liquid in the morning and in daytime and compare the density between the samples. They are very much the same. The best way to save fuel is still the old fashioned way: proper tire pressure, reduce weight, and reduce speed. Speed at 75 Mph loses 25% mpg according to many reports.
you 2 are great. Wonderful couple of lou-lous. I'm asemi-truck driver and this is what I want to do when I retire. lots of good tips on your channel. And you remind me of my sister who passed away not long ago. she was a real gem. keep up the good work
We have pretty much the same style Rv you have. Ours is a 2008 Monaco Diplomat. 8Kw Gen with a 400HP Cummings. We have found going between 55-65 is the best cruise for us. We also tow a mid-size SUV. Love all the tips and tricks you guys have, thank you for them. The fuel cost debate and politics would need another place and time to discuss. lol
While you did mention weight... You didn't talk about the water tanks... Keeping the grey and black tanks empty as well as not filling up the fresh tanks while traveling can save a ton of weight, and fuel!!!
Great tips! Another fuel saver is to be aware of the weight in your holding tanks. If you are going from RV park to RV park you can be flexible with the amount of fluid you are hauling. Very heavy.
I am 74 years old my wife is 70. We have a 25 ft travel trailer we pull with a 2021 Tundra. Our last trip, last week was from our home near Denver to Moab. Out RT fuel (gas) cost was just over $300.00. We are thinking of cutting back on our trips this summer but still thinking!!
Empty tanks, Fresh, gray and waste as much as possible. We empty all when on the road to your next destination to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency along with all the other tips you gave. A few thermos full of berky water before we hit the road and we are good to our next destination. We use the rest rooms at our fuel stops.
As to the 1/2 tank fill-up, I always understood you keep the "dirt" in the tank to a minimum by using the fuel deeply, spreading the contamination out over tanks, instead of slurping it all on that one day you run the tank low.
This year I decided to drive 60 miles an hour instead of 65. And on my first two fuel stops it has save me a little over 1 mile per gallon so with an average stop taking 65 to 70 gallons of fuel there’s my extra 65 to 70 gallons on that tank. And I do use the TSD card and have for a few years now. Thanks for the video.
Good video, I have one other big weight savings and that is “Don’t travel with full water tanks”. Our rug hold 160 gallons of fresh water. That’s 1,120 pounds your hauling around. Unless your boondocking and need it, use the campgrounds water.
My wife and i are not RVers, yet. My fuel saving measures with my 2014 Silverado gas, will be, no remote starting in the summer to cool the cabin. Come winter, I will cut remote start time to warm it up. We live in New Hampshire, so it gets cold. I typically keep my speeds under 70 mph to save some fuel. My wife stays at home and only uses 1 tank a month in her SUV. I also have to deal with home heating oil. . .......Thank you for all of the great video content!
US oil production has been cut by 25%. This is according to economists talking about the affect of policies implemented recently and apart from the 2% of the amount Russia produces. I’m not about this or that but everything is blamed on one world event when it’s an aggregate of events contributing. On a positive note I follow business news closely and understand that Saudi Arabia has committed to increasing oil production. Hopefully that will help. One thought, about shutting off right away. If you have a turbo you should let it idle a couple minutes to allow the turbo to cool off otherwise you have wear on the turbo prematurely.
I am not a 'full time' RV'er, although that was my retirement plan, I am a weekend RV'er. For me, it is not just the RV'ing , but it is what these prices are doing to our life. I am struggling to full my tank in order to get to WORK! And not just gas, my budget is destroyed by the higher cost of EVERYTHING! We just got back from camping for a graduation party. Planned a long time ago. I had to decide what bills not to pay in order to cover the trip cost, and I still couldn't do it. This is a created problem, and needs to be stopped IMMEDIATLEY. If this does not change soon, my family of six will need to be living in tents and we won't need to worry anymore about gas prices. Thanks for the tips, but I guess these are for those that the increased prices are simply an inconvenience and not an emergency, as it is for me and much of America. Still love your videos and you guys, but I don't see these tips impacting our situation, right now. Just don't feel they are for those of us who can't fill their tanks to get to work in order to live... but I am sure there are many that will benefit.
The fuel is stored in ground tank and doesn’t expand that much ; if it expands it does while in the fuel delivery tankers . It expands when exposed to heat while in your tank and the delivery tankers ship based on weight not volume.
Absolutely! The fuel in the underground tanks stays at a pretty constant temperature all year around (probably a slight dip in winter, slight uptick in summer) but throughout the day, it changes essentially not at all, unless new fuel is added.
@@docholiday1034 It is not too surprising, I was an electronic ignition system designer for Mallory Performance for many years, and was amazed at some of the technical misinformation that people confidently asserted as true. One of my favorite opening statement from a customer who is having problems, and I say that we tested their product, and could find nothing wrong, that it might be an installation issue: "Now listen, I've been a mechanic for 20/30/40 years and I know how to install ignitions! I'm telling you, your box is defective!" We actually ended up sending copies of dyno pulls, using their ignition box, with our 500ci. 750 HP BBC to some of these folks - and never heard from them again!
@@davetelling i have used the mallory products in all my race cars starting in the 70s. Good stuff. Did loose a few msd box back in the day 🤣. Had to run 2 so could switch during race. Heat and welding with out disconnecting big cause of failures for msd.
While pump location is technically true in many cases, modern vehicles are designed to go below half a tank. What WILL ruin your pump is running it dry as in many cases the fuel lubricates the pumps and keeps the pump cool.
As always - thank you for the great info! Love the ap recommendations. We've found going slower and steady is best for our old class A mileage, too. 55-60mph in SC 1995 Coachmen Santara QB280 gets us to 12mpg. PS--graphic typo at 2:59 "thier" twice. As a dyslexic, I recognize and sympathize!
Just fueled up today after our Memorial Day trip 439 miles, 54.13 gals. I’m getting a knee replacement ( Phil your next lol) so I thought I would get It done, since the prices are on the rise. 8.1 miles to the gal towing a Cadillac SRX(4400LBS)> over the mountain passes here in Washington. Hwy 2 and I-90.
Some credit cards give a rebate for fuel. The Costco Citi card rebates 4% for fuel purchased at any station. We'll get over $80 back on our fuel purchases on a recent trip.
Yep - at our local Costco, gas is $5.28 for regular. That 4% cash-back translates to about a $0.21/gallon "discount". We pay our credit bill in full each month, so that's a great deal!
Agree with the previous comments...my Freightliner manual for my 2021 Tiffin Allegro Red 340 calls for both a warm up prior to starting driving and a cool down period prior to shutdown.
the temperature of the ground once you go down about 15-20 feet is pretty constant all year (summer or winter) at about 50F-60F. yes, if the mornings are 30F and the afternoons are 90F it makes no appreciable difference to the temp of the tanks thus how much gas or diesel you get. where it does come into play would be tanks above ground like for propane.... maybe that is why people think it effects diesel or gas. i feel like a mythbuster today :D
We are leaving Florida later this month for a four month trip out west. We will visit several national parks in Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona. On our way back headed toward Red Bay for an annual chassis service at Bay Diesel, we’ll be spending four days in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Balloon Festival. We made reservations well in advance of our trip at several RV parks, and though fuel prices are definitely going to make our travels more expensive than usual, we have no intention of backing out of our trip. In fact, we’ve already booked a 61 day Alaska trip with Fantasy Tours for the summer of 2023!
Filling up in morning ? Tanks are underground, fuel expansion is minimal. Maybe a tablespoon or 2 on 15 gallons. Each pump has a filter so tank sediment is filtered out. I think we both read the same story. Real savings is slow down, correct tire pressure, reduce weight as much as you can. Keep engine tuned up. Not much else really make much difference. I find cruise control, on hills I get worse mileage due to transmission downshifting to hold speed. I tend to drive with RPM rather than speed sometimes. I can go over a pass at 65, but at 55 I stay in a higher gear.
thank you for your video on Gas. We are not new to RVing but will be retiring soon and want to do a lot more long distance travel. I am also a veteran and love that you are supporting Homes for our Trops. It is local for me. Located in Taunton MA… We support those folks. Greta job. Be Safe. Also, just signed up for the news letter.
Your channel is great for RV tips. Thank you for staying away from poltical statements about gas prices. The commercial news media is not always telling actual facts. "Stay in your lane." And happy trails!
awesome video again guys! I think the girls take the same course on gassing up a car (or lack of). My wife taught that course and glad to know Stacey paid attention!! HA! again thx for yawls service! Cya on the road and stay safe
Interesting thing with the fuel card is that you have to pay higher truck stop prices. Doesn't it just work at places such a Pilot and Flying J? I just buy diesel for a tractor, but the last time I got fuel a few weeks back the Pilot was selling at $5.54. The Walmart across the street was at $4.99. Now the 18 wheelers and larger motorhomes have trouble getting into the Walmart, but just shows the truck stops jack up the price and then you get a discount to pay what others are paying at the non-truck stop. :-)
One of the easiest and most cost effective way to save on gas is to install a locking gas cap! Unfortunately when prices rise; so does the crime rate! I installed locking gas caps on both of my vehicles for less than 40.00 by buying them on Amazon. I also have changed my mindset by combining errands. I try not to go anywhere for a single purpose. If I need something at the store I wait until I have another errand in the same area or need multiple items at the same store. Driving 10 miles for just a hoagie etc. is out!
We got back from the Million Nurses March in DC and calculated our fuel costs. As it turns out, the total pretty well matches our fuel cost down and back from Florida a couple of years ago, although the trip to DC was about half the mileage to Florida. I was using our Gas Buddy card for discounts until we reached somewhere in Ohio, where a message came up saying we reached our monthly limit. Never had a problem with limits before. I'll need to look into getting a TSD card once they have it available for gassers. Thanx for the great info.
@@Sailingvoodoochild Wow! I had not idea there were limits. I was quite surprised when the message at the pump said to see the cashier. From that point on, I used my debit card cuz I don't want any problem while we are travelling. Thanks for your respond.
Lots of good tips. However you didn't mention using the Econ button on your Allision transmission. This changes the shift pattern and saves you some fuel. For instance it keeps you from downshifting when going over small hills like freeway overpasses. By the way we are headed to Main on the 11th.
Re filling tank when gas station is being resupplied. As far as I know, gas pumps have pretty effective filters that take care of the sediment that may be stirred up by the storage tank refueling. If the pump filters get clogged, the fuel delivery to your vehicle may be slower, but that may be an advantage!
I wondered about that too? However do the filters have a pressure release on them like oil filters that open when they become saturated/clogged allowing the oil/fuel to bypass filtering?
As far as the comments on “Diesel Evaporation”, that’s a lot more of a Myth than Actual because… diesel-fuel is composed of much heavier compounds than gasoline (many-many times heavier) and the initial boiling point for diesel is around 330º-350ºF. To even get hydrocarbon action (fumes) forming over diesel-fuel you would have to raise the ambient or surface temperature well above 140ºF and even then the fumes would likely cool and drop the vapor unless the temperature was higher above the fuel. Not to mention, this is also taken care of if you are running a quality fuel treatment mixture like Stanadyne or Power Service. Now running the fuel nozzle handle at a lower flow-rate definitely keeps the fuel from cavitation into the tank which mixes air and foams the fuel(air-bubbles). Still like y’alls content the best out of any others on UA-cam!!!
Excellent video. Another hidden gem is fueling up at stations on tribal land or casinos. We we find them none of the fuel savings programs can compete.
For those who use gas versus diesel, be sure you are NOT putting E15 in your tank. It’s bad for your engine and burns at lower mpg, which means higher maintenance repair costs and more frequent fill-ups.
Hopefully you don't mind if I elaborate on this a little: E15 WILL lower MPG, there is less energy per gallon of ethanol than gasoline. the maintenance issue is slightly more complicated. I recommend checking your owners manual. If your owners manual states that you can use E15 AND your vehicle is less than 10 years old AND used regularly, it shouldn't cause any problems, otherwise avoid it. I will also say for powersports, marine engines, and small engines to NEVER use Ethanol (not even E10) unless it is specifically required. Ethanol likes to attack fuel lines and seal, it also likes to absorb water. Most modern vehicles (90s or newer) use materials that withstand some ethanol but not necessarily 15%.
I paid $5.89/gallon in Oregon - all west coast prices are higher than east coast prices because I started in FL and now I’m in WA and I just filled up at Costco where it’s been the cheapest at $4.89
Some Costco stations have diesel which is usually the cheapest fuel price in the area. Using your Costco credit card also gives you a 4% cash back on the purchase at the end of the year. It’s seems that this is cheaper then the TSD prices in the area.
Sold my Ram dually and 43 ft Durango for more than I paid Nov 2020 on the premise of what could happen. Best decision I ever made. All the fuel saving tips might save a quart a day but I guess it's still a savings haha.
If you are refueling when the tank is half then you always carry extra weight you are not using which goes against the other advice you issued. I think the less weight definitely overcomes any 'vapour' related losses due to extra oxygen in the tank. Cruise control will also burn more uphill in an effort to maintain the said speed so if not in a hurry drop you speed going up a hill and you can catch up on your way down for free (negates the need to accelerate).
The rising fuel cost has really limited our traveling this summer. We are staying closer to home as as a way of saving.. We also bought a tow car that gets 40 miles to the gallon. That is helping Great video! Lynn and Danny
Just drove from Fayetteville/Fort Bragg Nc to Seattle Washington and spent $2500 on diesel alone. This was in a 2021 GMC 2500 Duramax averaging 9 MPGs while pulling a 34ft camper.
We pull a 33' 5th wheel and while on our trip from TX to SD in the hills, I found that if I accelerate and grab a lower gear before the hill, the cruise control does not kick in at a much higher RPM and scream up the hill! :-) I keep the F250 7.3l gasser on a 60MPG cruise. So far we avg about 7.4 mpg for the whole trip while pulling the trailer.
Excellent and thorough coverage of high diesel prices. We drive an electric vehicle separately and cruise control is the key for that vehicle so you know it is for the RV. (2013 Tesla so free charging for the life of the vehicle.) I liked the point about keeping the tank half full.
I use the open TSD card but I also check gas buddy. Sometimes it’s cheaper to use a gas station then a truck stop. Have you heard anything about a DEF shortage?
We are traveling on I40 today from TN to Oklahoma. Keeping our speed at 65 and hoping maybe better mpg, we usually get about 8 mpg in our Freightliner M2 pulling our DRV Fullhouse. Beautiful day, not much wind. We were traveling from TX to Oklahoma in April and got caught in 45 mph winds. It reduced our mpg to about 5. My tip is to watch the weather and try to travel accordingly.
Great points thanks!!! Stuck up here in Canada until Oct (just got back from wintering in Texas), fuel up here is over $8 a gallon, so Im staying put until I can get back into the US. I will just travel though you until then, keep up the great videos!!
SAVE FUEL on the big steep climbs… Using cruise control is a great tip for the flatlands, but not so much in mountainous terrain. The more HP you demand from your engine the lower your MPG will be (no matter what the vehicles speed). This is especially true for long steep climbs. For those I keep the Engine Load at a set amount, maybe 70 or 80% of its total available HP. Then I’ll let the speed drop as the climb begins and down gear appropriately to keep RPMs at my sweet spot. Not only will the wear and tear on Rubys engine be less, but you’ll also save fuel and enjoy a better MPG. Slow climbs in the right lane are no problem as long as you use your emergency flashers, like the big boys do. Then as all those brand new RVs fly past you’ll have time to reflect that they are gulping fuel at 3 or 4 times the rate you are. If Ruby doesn’t have an Engine Load gauge on her dash, buy her (& you) a Bluefire/iPad combo. Your pocket book will thank you. PS - I have a great self designed 787 BlueFire dash design on my iPad that even a Navy guy would like. Let me know if you’d like a copy.
Our tips: First, *don't* use the cruise control. My truck shows a rolling-average fuel mileage, and I saw that drop substantially when I had the cruise control on. Which makes sense, given that it tries to maintain a constant speed, even downshifting on the hills, wasting a lot of energy. Instead, I maintain a more constant throttle, letting the rig slow down a bit on uphills, and speed up a bit on downhills. Second, I agree on keeping it slow, which is also a major safety factor. We see other RVs flying past us, doing 75 or more while we're keeping it in the 50 to 60 range. A big rig has a huge frontal area, meaning it has to push a lot of air out of the way, and the faster you do it, the harder it is. This is a function of the *square* of the speed, so going 78 vs. 55, while barely 40% faster, wastes twice as much energy fighting that air resistance. We've also been going for the longer stays, shorter travel, and have the TSD card. Sometimes, we find GasBuddy will find a lower price than the discounted TSD price, but that's only helpful while not hitched up.
Diesel engines should be idled for 3-5 minutes before shutting off after a long drive day. Not good to shut the motor down as soon as you arrive at your destination. We aren’t changing our travel plans at all. Life is short and you never know when it ends. Many folks still believe RVing is inexpensive, it’s not. We are full time RVers and if diesel gets too high we will eat out less. We have not seen campgrounds with less campers than before the fuel increases. I doubt the media talking doom and gloom will really effect all us full time RVers. The refineries are switching over to pump out as much diesel and jet fuel as possible to meet the demand. Everything will be fine. Pumping slower at the pump makes zero difference in the amount of fuel in your tank, that’s an old urban legend. Safe travels to all, God Bless our Troops and God Bless America
Yep, we have a 5th wheel now and shortly we are going to buy a Class A gas, we are still planning on traveling out to about 1200 miles from PNW to Las Vegas, yes I do agree.
hello from another navy vet just got camper did our shackdown next will be metup of my old ship havent seen them in almost 20 years the ship was barnstable cnty 1197 we were out of little creek va.
Yes, TSD, let's get the gas side going. We have a diesel to pull our 5th wheel, but I have a gas truck I sometimes pull our boat with. No, we don't triple tow. LOL Thanks for the tips. Happy travels.
I am full time RV lifestyle and the high fuel prices does not bother me personally but then again I am single and that cuts down on extra expenses. Have fun people.
I would like to point out a few Misconceptions regarding your Video. While very informative there are some things that should be corrected regarding your Tips. I have worked in the Retail Fueling industry for 35+ years doing repairs and Maintenance on Commercial and Fleet Fuel dispensing facilities so i am very familiar with how they work. 1. in regards to your statement about filling slower. The nozzles at any fueling facility has a hole on the bottom of the nozzle. This hole sucks vapors into the nozzle and when liquid gets into that hole it creates a vacuum causing the nozzle to close. By filling slower you preventing the tank from "burping" when it gets close to full. This is especially true for Diesel because it foams and the Foams will cause a nozzle to shut down prematurely. 2. Not filling a vehicle if the gas station is filling its holding tanks is not necessary true. Just about every Retail fuel dispenser has a 10-30 micron (keep in mind a Human Skin cell is 20-40 microns) filter inside the cabinet designed to prevent the issue of stirred sediment getting into your fuel tanks. 3. Filling in the morning vs afternoon - most fuel is stored underground the reason is ground temp is pretty constant so regardless of the time of day you fill the fuel temperature of the fuel coming out of the pump will be pretty much the same. as the fuel in your vehicles holding tank warms up it will expand significantly so filling in the morning and leaving no driving actually increases the chance your tank will overfill due to thermal expansion that's why you should never "top" off your tank and only fill till the nozzle shuts off. You need to leave room in the tank for the fuel to expand as it warms up
Despite what appears to be a popular belief… the posted speed limit is the maximum “allowed” not the minimum. Law enforcement generally seems to allow 10 mph over. As mentioned, you will save a significant fuel cost by traveling at an ‘optimal’ speed, without causing a dangerous situation.
Unfortunately, driving below the posted speed limit is considered suspicious behavior by some cops. They are looking for an excuse to do a traffic stop and an illegal search of the vehicle.
@@donwilliams6879 So far, we've been lucky with that. Driving a car below the limit, and taking things very carefully, I *was* stopped, by a cop who thought that was a sign of drunk driving. Fortunately, as soon as he saw that I was carrying a bunch of stuff in the car (moving), he stopped pretending, except to falsely claim I'd gone over the edge line. Those illegal searches are all too common, and with the armed robbery aspect ("civil asset forfeiture"), they can take absolutely anything they want from you, with almost no recourse.
The biggest for us is speed I am the guy who drives 62 in the 65 because at 62 my rig downshifts lees than at 58. I get .5 MPG or more better mileage at 62 than I do at 68. For me that is an extra 80miles per tank. I also recently added the onan wireless auto gen start to my onan generator. i leave the inverter on and allow the AGS to cycle the generator based on the power needs. By setting the temp on the AGS to the desired inside temp the setting the coach thermostat 4 degrees cooler the AGS controls the system. This saves us 30-50% of our normal generator run time which can be several gallons a day.
Tail wind...I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do you arrange that? But yeah, on the speed. We mostly keep to the 50 to 60 range on freeways. The cost of air resistance rises with the square of the speed, so a little speed increase can mean a lot of extra fuel burned. It also usually means more braking, which is just wasting more fuel. I used to do a lot of bicycling, and wind is a huge factor there, as the vehicle weight is minor, and the road resistance is very low. One ride, I decided which way to start the loop based on the idea that if I started with a head wind, I'd finish with a tail wind. Murphy just laughed.
Youd do not get more bang for your $ when you fuel up in the cool morning. The fuel is cooler because it's underground and average temp there is lower. What you do get get is more fuel in the tank BECAUSE the fuel in your tank is cooler. It hasn't expanded with the heat of the day and you are able to input more fuel. However if you park, you can get expansion and fuel pushed out the vent.
We are picking up our first RV next week. We bought a 40 ft. DRV 5th wheel. We have a Dually truck to pull it. Just driving up to see it cost us over $200 in gas! Also, the RV parks are packed. I had a hard time finding a open Pull through site at RV Parks.
Two quick questions: 1.) When traveling and staying at a military base (disabled vet from 100 years ago..lol) what do you do with your firearm if traveling with a firearm (asking for a friend). 2.) Prior experience with diesel engines says that you shouldn't shut down for short periods of time, like fueling. However you say to shut down and start up again, which might be harmful to the engine. What say you? LGB...
With regards to your first question, I always revert to the old DoD Policy- "Don't ask - don't tell" lol. You have to decide what you are going to do when driving up the Gate. Most DoD campgrounds I have stayed at, don't inspect the rig or ask any probing questions. You are an adult and you must determine your own path. Realize that the consequences can be severe. #1 rule is not advertise that you are carrying.
Thanks for the information. But did I miss the question of "why"? Because if we are not interested in the "why," then we will lose everything. Very sad...
We are not political channel and this is NOT a political video. Please do not misinterpret our fuel saving tips with a video about politics. There are many reasons why fuel prices are rising we stated only a few. We used MANY sources.
We want everyone to feel welcome on this channel not matter which side of the political spectrum they choose. Political, rude, and mean comments will be deleted.
Please share your tips for saving money on fuel so we can all learn from each other.
I love this comment. Thank you!
Well done, thank u for the tips
I wasn't meaning for it to be political. I had you guys in mind when I spoke my piece. Sorry.
Honestly, what did you expect?
@@lauramouser about what?
Don't shut down a diesel engine to soon. The turbo charger has to cool by the oil flowing thru it at idle. Let it idle for 3 or 4 minutes if you just got off a highway. Only driving been driving in town, no worries.
Good point! I always allow the engine to 'settle' for a bit, prior to shutting down for this reason, especially if I've recently been climbing hills where the turbo has been worked hard.
Actually we have auto shut offs on turboed trucks. Turn key off timer set for 5 mins👍
@@docholiday1034 I remember it used to be 15 minutes years ago..
I was going to say that also but then read your comment. I never shut my diesel off during fueling if we have been running down the road. Let the turbo cool. It doesn't burn that much fuel at idle but sure does save the turbo..
@@jimg2885 years ago it was. No with the crybabies they didnt want anymore than 5min
Move ups tractors and if i set tractor brakes they shut off after 5 mins with idling laws. So we set trailer brakes and block tractor when its lunch to run ac or heat 🤣. Still in truck of coarse….
A few tips I learned doing part-time work at a gas station. Always get gas in the morning. Even though the tanks are buried, the heat of day does affect the fuel; causing it to expand. So that gallon you pump is not a true gallon. Also, if the tanks are being refilled, do not get gas. Filling the tanks causes any grime in the tank to stir up, causing you to raise the odds of pumping dirty fuel. In most cases you won't notice it since your fuel filter will catch it, however; filling the ground tank causes the fuel to aireate (sp) - giving you up to 20% less volume per gallon. Here's the big one: always pump in the gas into your tank on the lowest nozzle setting. You have low, medium, and high. Use low. It'll take longer, but you'll get more gas. Problem is gas tends to vaporize when disturbed. Nozzles are designed to vacumn those fumes back into the underground tank. Of course this happens after it gets past the meter, so you are paying for something you are not getting. The best habit is to fill up when you hit half a tank. Besides saving one from a heart attack at the final fill price, it also allows the new gas to mix with the old - keeping your octane level steady and giving you better gas mileage. Hope this helps some folks!
Dude, this is great information and makes complete sense, thanks.
This in fact makes very very little difference.
@@lukeshanks8400 don’t be rude
@@karonmccarver4201 not being rude, just trying to prevent this urban legend from persisting...
According to a study by Consumer Reports, the small amount of gas that sits above ground in the lines might warm up if it sits there long enough. But if the gas is flowing smoothly on a busy day, it won't matter. And even if there is a lull between customers, those few slightly-warmer gallons won't affect the value of a whole tank.
The aforementioned Consumer Reports investigation also found that gasoline that rises in temperature from 60 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit only increases in volume by 1 percent
@@lukeshanks8400 Not to be rude, but I disagree. (FYI: I have 2 associate degrees in Automotive Technologies from OIT, and was an automotive line mechanic for 27 years, now retired. I also subscribed [pre internet] to 4 automotive journals. I know a little bit about fuel systems). Consumer Reports might know about stereos and dish washers, but reports that are automotive related are not that accurate. (May I suggest Car and Driver, or Motor Trend for accuracy) The tips given above, some more, some less, will help your mileage. These are not just 'urban legends'. Tom Bair also has good info. The more information we can share to help us all get past this Washington DC insanity the better off we will be.
All those in favor of saving fuel raise your right foot. Best advice I've ever heard for saving fuel. Keep the good stuff coming guys.
Thank you!
Let it idle a couple minutes before shutting down. It will save your exhaust manifold, and the bearings in the turbo.
The gas prices really have been tough on us, but we too are continuing our journey! Shorter trips, longer stays... and prayers it finally comes back down sooner than later!🤷♀️
I think you guys hit all the right buttons with fuel saving. I would like to make these comments my rig weighs almost 40,000 pounds and has a 400 horse motor and as per the computer over the life for the coach I have received 8.9 miles per gallon diesel. I love to set it at speed between 58 and 62 and that’s as fast as I go there’s no need to drive these rigs at 70 mph. It makes a difference of 20 minutes showing up somewhere think about that Thomyt
My wife and I started full-time last year. We started full-time inspired by watching you guys. We always said, "Someday we'll do it". However, when fuel in many areas crept over $6/gallon we were forced to come off the road. Our someday wasn't quite someday. We're hoping things will get better.
Great video, I do have one caveat to add to engine idling though. Do - idle as little as possible, oil pressure is low in an idling diesel and it may not be reaching all the places it needs to, thus causing undue wear. Do - allow a few minutes of idling before shutdown of a heat soaked engine, this will allow your turbo to cool properly and not burn the oil remaining in it's bearings, again, causing undue wear. Do - allow a few minutes, temp dependent, on a cold engine to allow the oil to warm a little, so it can circulate into all of the aforementioned turbo bearings and galleries in your engine. This will help cut down engine wear and help your engine live as long as possible. Also diesel doesn't vaporize as readily as gasoline does, it actually has a higher boiling temp than water, so evaporation in a closed tank is very minimal and less into the low fractions of ounces/per minute, plus evaporated diesel in your tank will condense back to a liquid when temperatures lower, so this really isn't something to worry about.
Remember to turn off your cruise control in hilly or mountainous areas . You can control your RPM’s with your foot
We use TSD. Most of the truck stops are on the Interstates so if you are traveling secondary roads there won’t be any discounts at those small truck stops. We noticed that most big truck stops have raised their prices much higher than the local convenience store diesel pumps. Coming through Holbrook, AZ a couple of months ago it was cheaper to go to the Maverick that had truck islands with the smaller discount than the TA truck stop. TA used to be the cheapest but it isn’t now. Glad to see Loves is back on the list which gives us more choice. We spent the whole summer in Colorado last year. We topped up in Laramie, Wy, in mid June. Topped up in Silt, Co (no TSD discount) in July and topped up in Cortez, in October before leaving November 1 for St George, Ut. We visited the Walden, Steamboat Lake SP, Grand Lake, Dillon lake, Twin Lakes, Buena Vista area, Antonito area, South Fork, Pagosa Springs and Cortez. We stayed mostly in NFS campgrounds 14 or 7 days at a time planned ahead 6 mo. This year we are doing Idaho and western Montana.
Another note on keeping fuel in your tank is your unused fuel returns back to your tank. This heats up the fuel in your tank. When the fuel gets to the injector it help cool and lube the injector.
Less fuel in your tank causes the fuel to arrive hotter to the injector cutting the life of the injector down.
Hopes this helps. Heat can be the enemy in this case.
Thanks folks we just had a Savannah Ga trip of 9 days Crusing with a Super C and trailing a 24 ' car hauling loaded with a jeep and motorcycle. I noticed 10.3 mph towing the trailer but I also reduce my speed to 63mph .That is the best I have ever had towing.Monica &Wally.
i actually increased my speed and my mpg went up on a super duty pulling an airstream. was set at 65.......no more.
While I generally (key word generally) I run on the top half of the tank. However consider this. Diesel and gas weigh about 7 lbs per gallon, 80 gallon tank? 560 lbs. You lose about 1% per 100 pounds. Something to think abour if you are doing shorter trips. If I missed it - depending on how far and where- never travel with full water tankns fresh, grey, black. You also hit it on speed - stay within the limit, even a little under if the road isn't busy- In my RV (gas) at 65 mph I got 8 mpg, at 60? 10 mpg. Some areas with no or little traffic 50-55 got 12 mpg.
WE certainly have not seen a drop Campground availability so far but maybe that will improve as the summer rolls on. We also have been using the TSD card for the last 4 years an love the savings. A big change for us is eating out less often to save some $$$ that we can use on fuel. Like you two we have no plan to hang up the keys anytime soon. Stay safe guys.
Listened to this twice. There's nothing political in here in any way. All you do is give some terrific tips and great helpful facts (and thanks for all that). Ya'll are the best!
Many experts debunked the high density myth. Tanks are underground. The cool temperature does not fluctuate, at least not enough to change the density of the liquid.
Basically, they take samples of the liquid in the morning and in daytime and compare the density between the samples. They are very much the same.
The best way to save fuel is still the old fashioned way: proper tire pressure, reduce weight, and reduce speed. Speed at 75 Mph loses 25% mpg according to many reports.
We love Gas Buddy. As we roll into a town that we’ve never been to before we open up the app to see the gas prices in town.
you 2 are great. Wonderful couple of lou-lous. I'm asemi-truck driver and this is what I want to do when I retire. lots of good tips on your channel. And you remind me of my sister who passed away not long ago. she was a real gem. keep up the good work
We know why... but we'll be nice, just for you channel! :-)
We have pretty much the same style Rv you have. Ours is a 2008 Monaco Diplomat. 8Kw Gen with a 400HP Cummings. We have found going between 55-65 is the best cruise for us. We also tow a mid-size SUV. Love all the tips and tricks you guys have, thank you for them. The fuel cost debate and politics would need another place and time to discuss. lol
While you did mention weight... You didn't talk about the water tanks... Keeping the grey and black tanks empty as well as not filling up the fresh tanks while traveling can save a ton of weight, and fuel!!!
Very true!
Great tips! Another fuel saver is to be aware of the weight in your holding tanks. If you are going from RV park to RV park you can be flexible with the amount of fluid you are hauling. Very heavy.
I am 74 years old my wife is 70. We have a 25 ft travel trailer we pull with a 2021 Tundra. Our last trip, last week was from our home near Denver to Moab. Out RT fuel (gas) cost was just over $300.00. We are thinking of cutting back on our trips this summer but still thinking!!
Empty tanks, Fresh, gray and waste as much as possible. We empty all when on the road to your next destination to reduce weight and increase fuel efficiency along with all the other tips you gave. A few thermos full of berky water before we hit the road and we are good to our next destination. We use the rest rooms at our fuel stops.
Thanks for the tips!
As to the 1/2 tank fill-up, I always understood you keep the "dirt" in the tank to a minimum by using the fuel deeply, spreading the contamination out over tanks, instead of slurping it all on that one day you run the tank low.
This year I decided to drive 60 miles an hour instead of 65. And on my first two fuel stops it has save me a little over 1 mile per gallon so with an average stop taking 65 to 70 gallons of fuel there’s my extra 65 to 70 gallons on that tank. And I do use the TSD card and have for a few years now. Thanks for the video.
Gas in the tank is what lubricates the fuel pump, therefore I've always considered a 1/2 tank to be empty.
Thanks for the tips.. I noticed pulling my 15 foot trailer that going slower did better on gas, it was the uphills that killed me 😭
I'm prior service Army. I have a friend that just made the height limit. He did dig com on fast attacks.
Good video, I have one other big weight savings and that is “Don’t travel with full water tanks”. Our rug hold 160 gallons of fresh water. That’s 1,120 pounds your hauling around. Unless your boondocking and need it, use the campgrounds water.
Great tip!
Great info thank you for the suggestions. Because price changes from grade to grade find out which one fits best you’re Motorcoach.
My wife and i are not RVers, yet. My fuel saving measures with my 2014 Silverado gas, will be, no remote starting in the summer to cool the cabin. Come winter, I will cut remote start time to warm it up. We live in New Hampshire, so it gets cold. I typically keep my speeds under 70 mph to save some fuel. My wife stays at home and only uses 1 tank a month in her SUV. I also have to deal with home heating oil. . .......Thank you for all of the great video content!
US oil production has been cut by 25%. This is according to economists talking about the affect of policies implemented recently and apart from the 2% of the amount Russia produces. I’m not about this or that but everything is blamed on one world event when it’s an aggregate of events contributing. On a positive note I follow business news closely and understand that Saudi Arabia has committed to increasing oil production. Hopefully that will help.
One thought, about shutting off right away. If you have a turbo you should let it idle a couple minutes to allow the turbo to cool off otherwise you have wear on the turbo prematurely.
Thanks for the tip!
Agree 100% All newspapers are too political with their info. Facts are facts.
Additionally, oil is priced based on a global market, not local markets. So a decrease in production overseas affects prices everywhere.
I am not a 'full time' RV'er, although that was my retirement plan, I am a weekend RV'er. For me, it is not just the RV'ing , but it is what these prices are doing to our life. I am struggling to full my tank in order to get to WORK! And not just gas, my budget is destroyed by the higher cost of EVERYTHING!
We just got back from camping for a graduation party. Planned a long time ago. I had to decide what bills not to pay in order to cover the trip cost, and I still couldn't do it. This is a created problem, and needs to be stopped IMMEDIATLEY. If this does not change soon, my family of six will need to be living in tents and we won't need to worry anymore about gas prices.
Thanks for the tips, but I guess these are for those that the increased prices are simply an inconvenience and not an emergency, as it is for me and much of America. Still love your videos and you guys, but I don't see these tips impacting our situation, right now. Just don't feel they are for those of us who can't fill their tanks to get to work in order to live... but I am sure there are many that will benefit.
The fuel is stored in ground tank and doesn’t expand that much ; if it expands it does while in the fuel delivery tankers . It expands when exposed to heat while in your tank and the delivery tankers ship based on weight not volume.
Another good fact.
Absolutely! The fuel in the underground tanks stays at a pretty constant temperature all year around (probably a slight dip in winter, slight uptick in summer) but throughout the day, it changes essentially not at all, unless new fuel is added.
@@davetelling absolutely…. People have been spreading these myths since the 70s
We used to laugh at them.
@@docholiday1034 It is not too surprising, I was an electronic ignition system designer for Mallory Performance for many years, and was amazed at some of the technical misinformation that people confidently asserted as true. One of my favorite opening statement from a customer who is having problems, and I say that we tested their product, and could find nothing wrong, that it might be an installation issue: "Now listen, I've been a mechanic for 20/30/40 years and I know how to install ignitions! I'm telling you, your box is defective!" We actually ended up sending copies of dyno pulls, using their ignition box, with our 500ci. 750 HP BBC to some of these folks - and never heard from them again!
@@davetelling i have used the mallory products in all my race cars starting in the 70s. Good stuff. Did loose a few msd box back in the day 🤣. Had to run 2 so could switch during race. Heat and welding with out disconnecting big cause of failures for msd.
Another good reason to not go below 1/2 tank is newer vehicles have their fuel pump in the the tank and use the fuel to keep it cool
While pump location is technically true in many cases, modern vehicles are designed to go below half a tank. What WILL ruin your pump is running it dry as in many cases the fuel lubricates the pumps and keeps the pump cool.
As always - thank you for the great info! Love the ap recommendations. We've found going slower and steady is best for our old class A mileage, too. 55-60mph in SC 1995 Coachmen Santara QB280 gets us to 12mpg.
PS--graphic typo at 2:59 "thier" twice. As a dyslexic, I recognize and sympathize!
Great tip!
Fuel expands only if it's in a tank above ground. Fuel that is underground stays a steady temp. Per my hubs. :)
Just fueled up today after our Memorial Day trip 439 miles, 54.13 gals. I’m getting a knee replacement ( Phil your next lol) so I thought I would get It done, since the prices are on the rise. 8.1 miles to the gal towing a Cadillac SRX(4400LBS)> over the mountain passes here in Washington. Hwy 2 and I-90.
Some credit cards give a rebate for fuel. The Costco Citi card rebates 4% for fuel purchased at any station. We'll get over $80 back on our fuel purchases on a recent trip.
Yep - at our local Costco, gas is $5.28 for regular. That 4% cash-back translates to about a $0.21/gallon "discount". We pay our credit bill in full each month, so that's a great deal!
Great video and I took notes on all of it for just my car. You guys have great energy.
Agree with the previous comments...my Freightliner manual for my 2021 Tiffin Allegro Red 340 calls for both a warm up prior to starting driving and a cool down period prior to shutdown.
Correct. We do both.....the warm up from driving through the campground and the cool down as we drive into a campground to our site.
Tons of informations and potential savings. Thanks y’all!
Thanks for watching!
the temperature of the ground once you go down about 15-20 feet is pretty constant all year (summer or winter) at about 50F-60F. yes, if the mornings are 30F and the afternoons are 90F it makes no appreciable difference to the temp of the tanks thus how much gas or diesel you get. where it does come into play would be tanks above ground like for propane.... maybe that is why people think it effects diesel or gas.
i feel like a mythbuster today :D
We are leaving Florida later this month for a four month trip out west. We will visit several national parks in Colorado, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona. On our way back headed toward Red Bay for an annual chassis service at Bay Diesel, we’ll be spending four days in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Balloon Festival. We made reservations well in advance of our trip at several RV parks, and though fuel prices are definitely going to make our travels more expensive than usual, we have no intention of backing out of our trip. In fact, we’ve already booked a 61 day Alaska trip with Fantasy Tours for the summer of 2023!
Filling up in morning ? Tanks are underground, fuel expansion is minimal. Maybe a tablespoon or 2 on 15 gallons.
Each pump has a filter so tank sediment is filtered out.
I think we both read the same story.
Real savings is slow down, correct tire pressure, reduce weight as much as you can. Keep engine tuned up.
Not much else really make much difference.
I find cruise control, on hills I get worse mileage due to transmission downshifting to hold speed. I tend to drive with RPM rather than speed sometimes. I can go over a pass at 65, but at 55 I stay in a higher gear.
thank you for your video on Gas. We are not new to RVing but will be retiring soon and want to do a lot more long distance travel. I am also a veteran and love that you are supporting Homes for our Trops. It is local for me. Located in Taunton MA… We support those folks. Greta job. Be Safe. Also, just signed up for the news letter.
Your channel is great for RV tips. Thank you for staying away from poltical statements about gas prices. The commercial news media is not always telling actual facts. "Stay in your lane." And happy trails!
awesome video again guys! I think the girls take the same course on gassing up a car (or lack of). My wife taught that course and glad to know Stacey paid attention!! HA! again thx for yawls service! Cya on the road and stay safe
Great Info and we use all your mentioned methods. Thanks for Sharing Phil & Stacy
Thanks for watching!
With the fuel cost we r fell not able to travel. But with u traveling we see the places we feel to see through ur travels.
Interesting thing with the fuel card is that you have to pay higher truck stop prices. Doesn't it just work at places such a Pilot and Flying J? I just buy diesel for a tractor, but the last time I got fuel a few weeks back the Pilot was selling at $5.54. The Walmart across the street was at $4.99. Now the 18 wheelers and larger motorhomes have trouble getting into the Walmart, but just shows the truck stops jack up the price and then you get a discount to pay what others are paying at the non-truck stop. :-)
One of the easiest and most cost effective way to save on gas is to install a locking gas cap! Unfortunately when prices rise; so does the crime rate! I installed locking gas caps on both of my vehicles for less than 40.00 by buying them on Amazon.
I also have changed my mindset by combining errands. I try not to go anywhere for a single purpose. If I need something at the store I wait until I have another errand in the same area or need multiple items at the same store. Driving 10 miles for just a hoagie etc. is out!
Great job guys! God Speed!
Thanks Phil AN Stacey. God has bless you both. As a Navy Veteran an disabled do to the mutiny on cva64 constilation. We love ur videos
We got back from the Million Nurses March in DC and calculated our fuel costs. As it turns out, the total pretty well matches our fuel cost down and back from Florida a couple of years ago, although the trip to DC was about half the mileage to Florida. I was using our Gas Buddy card for discounts until we reached somewhere in Ohio, where a message came up saying we reached our monthly limit. Never had a problem with limits before. I'll need to look into getting a TSD card once they have it available for gassers. Thanx for the great info.
We have hit daily and weekly fuel limits on gasbuddy. I believe the weekly limit is $300.
@@Sailingvoodoochild Wow! I had not idea there were limits. I was quite surprised when the message at the pump said to see the cashier. From that point on, I used my debit card cuz I don't want any problem while we are travelling. Thanks for your respond.
Lots of good tips. However you didn't mention using the Econ button on your Allision transmission. This changes the shift pattern and saves you some fuel. For instance it keeps you from downshifting when going over small hills like freeway overpasses.
By the way we are headed to Main on the 11th.
Thank you guys for the great tips. As we get ready to hit the road Full-time at the end of this month, every tip helps.
Best of luck!
Re filling tank when gas station is being resupplied. As far as I know, gas pumps have pretty effective filters that take care of the sediment that may be stirred up by the storage tank refueling. If the pump filters get clogged, the fuel delivery to your vehicle may be slower, but that may be an advantage!
I wondered about that too? However do the filters have a pressure release on them like oil filters that open when they become saturated/clogged allowing the oil/fuel to bypass filtering?
As far as the comments on “Diesel Evaporation”, that’s a lot more of a Myth than Actual because… diesel-fuel is composed of much heavier compounds than gasoline (many-many times heavier) and the initial boiling point for diesel is around 330º-350ºF. To even get hydrocarbon action (fumes) forming over diesel-fuel you would have to raise the ambient or surface temperature well above 140ºF and even then the fumes would likely cool and drop the vapor unless the temperature was higher above the fuel. Not to mention, this is also taken care of if you are running a quality fuel treatment mixture like Stanadyne or Power Service.
Now running the fuel nozzle handle at a lower flow-rate definitely keeps the fuel from cavitation into the tank which mixes air and foams the fuel(air-bubbles).
Still like y’alls content the best out of any others on UA-cam!!!
Excellent video. Another hidden gem is fueling up at stations on tribal land or casinos. We we find them none of the fuel savings programs can compete.
For those who use gas versus diesel, be sure you are NOT putting E15 in your tank. It’s bad for your engine and burns at lower mpg, which means higher maintenance repair costs and more frequent fill-ups.
Oh, thank you I wasn't aware of that.
Hopefully you don't mind if I elaborate on this a little: E15 WILL lower MPG, there is less energy per gallon of ethanol than gasoline. the maintenance issue is slightly more complicated. I recommend checking your owners manual. If your owners manual states that you can use E15 AND your vehicle is less than 10 years old AND used regularly, it shouldn't cause any problems, otherwise avoid it. I will also say for powersports, marine engines, and small engines to NEVER use Ethanol (not even E10) unless it is specifically required. Ethanol likes to attack fuel lines and seal, it also likes to absorb water. Most modern vehicles (90s or newer) use materials that withstand some ethanol but not necessarily 15%.
I paid $5.89/gallon in Oregon - all west coast prices are higher than east coast prices because I started in FL and now I’m in WA and I just filled up at Costco where it’s been the cheapest at $4.89
SO MUCH Great Information in this video, Wow! Thanks💜
Some Costco stations have diesel which is usually the cheapest fuel price in the area. Using your Costco credit card also gives you a 4% cash back on the purchase at the end of the year. It’s seems that this is cheaper then the TSD prices in the area.
Great video. We need to make sure we understand all of the items you addressed. Thanks
Hope you guys have the best summer ever. Be safe!!!!
Doug & Kim Winter
Some really great points I never thought about! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Head winds. If and I say if, you can park and wait out head winds if you are really concerned about fuel fuel. If not, charge on,
Sold my Ram dually and 43 ft Durango for more than I paid Nov 2020 on the premise of what could happen. Best decision I ever made. All the fuel saving tips might save a quart a day but I guess it's still a savings haha.
If you are refueling when the tank is half then you always carry extra weight you are not using which goes against the other advice you issued. I think the less weight definitely overcomes any 'vapour' related losses due to extra oxygen in the tank. Cruise control will also burn more uphill in an effort to maintain the said speed so if not in a hurry drop you speed going up a hill and you can catch up on your way down for free (negates the need to accelerate).
You are absolutely right! Alot of old wives tales out there.
Well said, Dimitris.
The rising fuel cost has really limited our traveling this summer. We are staying closer to home as as a way of saving.. We also bought a tow car that gets 40 miles to the gallon. That is helping Great video! Lynn and Danny
More savings: Empty or almost empty tanks (8.3 lbs for water), Less A/C use (I can get about 5-20% more w/out).
Great info thanks so much ! I love watching your and you can bet I will sign up for your news letter .
Just drove from Fayetteville/Fort Bragg Nc to Seattle Washington and spent $2500 on diesel alone. This was in a 2021 GMC 2500 Duramax averaging 9 MPGs while pulling a 34ft camper.
Certainly enjoy any of the fuel saving programs I have. I'm like Ruby with being a right lane driver.
We pull a 33' 5th wheel and while on our trip from TX to SD in the hills, I found that if I accelerate and grab a lower gear before the hill, the cruise control does not kick in at a much higher RPM and scream up the hill! :-) I keep the F250 7.3l gasser on a 60MPG cruise. So far we avg about 7.4 mpg for the whole trip while pulling the trailer.
Excellent and thorough coverage of high diesel prices. We drive an electric vehicle separately and cruise control is the key for that vehicle so you know it is for the RV. (2013 Tesla so free charging for the life of the vehicle.) I liked the point about keeping the tank half full.
I use the open TSD card but I also check gas buddy. Sometimes it’s cheaper to use a gas station then a truck stop. Have you heard anything about a DEF shortage?
We are traveling on I40 today from TN to Oklahoma. Keeping our speed at 65 and hoping maybe better mpg, we usually get about 8 mpg in our Freightliner M2 pulling our DRV Fullhouse. Beautiful day, not much wind. We were traveling from TX to Oklahoma in April and got caught in 45 mph winds. It reduced our mpg to about 5. My tip is to watch the weather and try to travel accordingly.
You must be from our part of TN! Have fun!
@@trailbadger2345 90 miles north west of Nashville
Great points thanks!!! Stuck up here in Canada until Oct (just got back from wintering in Texas), fuel up here is over $8 a gallon, so Im staying put until I can get back into the US. I will just travel though you until then, keep up the great videos!!
SAVE FUEL on the big steep climbs… Using cruise control is a great tip for the flatlands, but not so much in mountainous terrain. The more HP you demand from your engine the lower your MPG will be (no matter what the vehicles speed). This is especially true for long steep climbs. For those I keep the Engine Load at a set amount, maybe 70 or 80% of its total available HP. Then I’ll let the speed drop as the climb begins and down gear appropriately to keep RPMs at my sweet spot. Not only will the wear and tear on Rubys engine be less, but you’ll also save fuel and enjoy a better MPG. Slow climbs in the right lane are no problem as long as you use your emergency flashers, like the big boys do. Then as all those brand new RVs fly past you’ll have time to reflect that they are gulping fuel at 3 or 4 times the rate you are. If Ruby doesn’t have an Engine Load gauge on her dash, buy her (& you) a Bluefire/iPad combo. Your pocket book will thank you. PS - I have a great self designed 787 BlueFire dash design on my iPad that even a Navy guy would like. Let me know if you’d like a copy.
Our tips: First, *don't* use the cruise control. My truck shows a rolling-average fuel mileage, and I saw that drop substantially when I had the cruise control on. Which makes sense, given that it tries to maintain a constant speed, even downshifting on the hills, wasting a lot of energy. Instead, I maintain a more constant throttle, letting the rig slow down a bit on uphills, and speed up a bit on downhills. Second, I agree on keeping it slow, which is also a major safety factor. We see other RVs flying past us, doing 75 or more while we're keeping it in the 50 to 60 range. A big rig has a huge frontal area, meaning it has to push a lot of air out of the way, and the faster you do it, the harder it is. This is a function of the *square* of the speed, so going 78 vs. 55, while barely 40% faster, wastes twice as much energy fighting that air resistance. We've also been going for the longer stays, shorter travel, and have the TSD card. Sometimes, we find GasBuddy will find a lower price than the discounted TSD price, but that's only helpful while not hitched up.
Thank you for posting these tips! We are based out of San Antonio as well and love watching y'alls videos.
Diesel engines should be idled for 3-5 minutes before shutting off after a long drive day. Not good to shut the motor down as soon as you arrive at your destination. We aren’t changing our travel plans at all. Life is short and you never know when it ends. Many folks still believe RVing is inexpensive, it’s not. We are full time RVers and if diesel gets too high we will eat out less. We have not seen campgrounds with less campers than before the fuel increases. I doubt the media talking doom and gloom will really effect all us full time RVers. The refineries are switching over to pump out as much diesel and jet fuel as possible to meet the demand. Everything will be fine. Pumping slower at the pump makes zero difference in the amount of fuel in your tank, that’s an old urban legend. Safe travels to all, God Bless our Troops and God Bless America
Yep, we have a 5th wheel now and shortly we are going to buy a Class A gas, we are still planning on traveling out to about 1200 miles from PNW to Las Vegas, yes I do agree.
hello from another navy vet just got camper did our shackdown next will be metup of my old ship havent seen them in almost 20 years the ship was barnstable cnty 1197 we were out of little creek va.
Yes, TSD, let's get the gas side going. We have a diesel to pull our 5th wheel, but I have a gas truck I sometimes pull our boat with. No, we don't triple tow. LOL Thanks for the tips. Happy travels.
I am full time RV lifestyle and the high fuel prices does not bother me personally but then again I am single and that cuts down on extra expenses. Have fun people.
I would like to point out a few Misconceptions regarding your Video. While very informative there are some things that should be corrected regarding your Tips. I have worked in the Retail Fueling industry for 35+ years doing repairs and Maintenance on Commercial and Fleet Fuel dispensing facilities so i am very familiar with how they work.
1. in regards to your statement about filling slower. The nozzles at any fueling facility has a hole on the bottom of the nozzle. This hole sucks vapors into the nozzle and when liquid gets into that hole it creates a vacuum causing the nozzle to close. By filling slower you preventing the tank from "burping" when it gets close to full. This is especially true for Diesel because it foams and the Foams will cause a nozzle to shut down prematurely.
2. Not filling a vehicle if the gas station is filling its holding tanks is not necessary true. Just about every Retail fuel dispenser has a 10-30 micron (keep in mind a Human Skin cell is 20-40 microns) filter inside the cabinet designed to prevent the issue of stirred sediment getting into your fuel tanks.
3. Filling in the morning vs afternoon - most fuel is stored underground the reason is ground temp is pretty constant so regardless of the time of day you fill the fuel temperature of the fuel coming out of the pump will be pretty much the same. as the fuel in your vehicles holding tank warms up it will expand significantly so filling in the morning and leaving no driving actually increases the chance your tank will overfill due to thermal expansion that's why you should never "top" off your tank and only fill till the nozzle shuts off. You need to leave room in the tank for the fuel to expand as it warms up
Despite what appears to be a popular belief… the posted speed limit is the maximum “allowed” not the minimum. Law enforcement generally seems to allow 10 mph over. As mentioned, you will save a significant fuel cost by traveling at an ‘optimal’ speed, without causing a dangerous situation.
Unfortunately, driving below the posted speed limit is considered suspicious behavior by some cops. They are looking for an excuse to do a traffic stop and an illegal search of the vehicle.
@@donwilliams6879 So far, we've been lucky with that. Driving a car below the limit, and taking things very carefully, I *was* stopped, by a cop who thought that was a sign of drunk driving. Fortunately, as soon as he saw that I was carrying a bunch of stuff in the car (moving), he stopped pretending, except to falsely claim I'd gone over the edge line. Those illegal searches are all too common, and with the armed robbery aspect ("civil asset forfeiture"), they can take absolutely anything they want from you, with almost no recourse.
The biggest for us is speed I am the guy who drives 62 in the 65 because at 62 my rig downshifts lees than at 58. I get .5 MPG or more better mileage at 62 than I do at 68. For me that is an extra 80miles per tank. I also recently added the onan wireless auto gen start to my onan generator. i leave the inverter on and allow the AGS to cycle the generator based on the power needs. By setting the temp on the AGS to the desired inside temp the setting the coach thermostat 4 degrees cooler the AGS controls the system. This saves us 30-50% of our normal generator run time which can be several gallons a day.
We don’t go over 60 mph in the motorhome. Another thing that really helps with my mpg is traveling with a tail wind
Tail wind...I'm almost afraid to ask, but how do you arrange that? But yeah, on the speed. We mostly keep to the 50 to 60 range on freeways. The cost of air resistance rises with the square of the speed, so a little speed increase can mean a lot of extra fuel burned. It also usually means more braking, which is just wasting more fuel. I used to do a lot of bicycling, and wind is a huge factor there, as the vehicle weight is minor, and the road resistance is very low. One ride, I decided which way to start the loop based on the idea that if I started with a head wind, I'd finish with a tail wind. Murphy just laughed.
Youd do not get more bang for your $ when you fuel up in the cool morning. The fuel is cooler because it's underground and average temp there is lower. What you do get get is more fuel in the tank BECAUSE the fuel in your tank is cooler. It hasn't expanded with the heat of the day and you are able to input more fuel. However if you park, you can get expansion and fuel pushed out the vent.
Thank you for the fuel tips. Thank you for allowing us tips on the way yall have saved money 💰
We are picking up our first RV next week. We bought a 40 ft. DRV 5th wheel. We have a Dually truck to pull it. Just driving up to see it cost us over $200 in gas! Also, the RV parks are packed. I had a hard time finding a open Pull through site at RV Parks.
Two quick questions: 1.) When traveling and staying at a military base (disabled vet from 100 years ago..lol) what do you do with your firearm if traveling with a firearm (asking for a friend). 2.) Prior experience with diesel engines says that you shouldn't shut down for short periods of time, like fueling. However you say to shut down and start up again, which might be harmful to the engine. What say you? LGB...
With regards to your first question, I always revert to the old DoD Policy- "Don't ask - don't tell" lol. You have to decide what you are going to do when driving up the Gate. Most DoD campgrounds I have stayed at, don't inspect the rig or ask any probing questions. You are an adult and you must determine your own path. Realize that the consequences can be severe. #1 rule is not advertise that you are carrying.
We were part time RVers and unfortunately sold our Rpod 180 last week. I can't tell you how sad it was.
Sorry to hear!!! I'd have to go to council in if we sold ours!
Thanks for the information. But did I miss the question of "why"? Because if we are not interested in the "why," then we will lose everything. Very sad...