Ran out of fuel yesterday

[backman]

when both my logs and the D-4 computers indicated I should have between 40 and 50 gallons of fuel in the boat. I ended up putting 204 gallons in. I had just made a 3 mile run to a fishing spot at 25 knots; came off plane, set the boat up for a drift; had 3 casts before the engines died.

When I filled up with 204 gallons the D4 EC's said I had burned 133 gallons; since mine are always off between 5 and 10% I had assumed I had burned 145.

It appears to me that

1) I did not completely fill the boat and had perhaps 20 gallons of empty space
2) Carefully totalling the 11 trips I made since I last filled; of which 6 were fishing trips; 5 were quick 15 minute blasts to warm the engine I can find another 30 missing gallons
3) I almost always fill up after each trip; only in the spring for inshore blast and cast do I run the tank down - I wonder if my 5-10% fuel calc. error is in fact the computers not metering startup of cold engines correctly.
4) I also wonder about the ndew low sulfer fuel's efficiency and how the computer actually measures fuel burn. Is it by flow measurement like a flowscan or by counting injections?

In any case

[xl883lo]

With the price of fuel I would keep a close eye on all the big trucks around the boat yard. 40-50 gallons is just about one good fillup for a diesel dually with auxilary tanks.

[Patriot]

I would guess that you may have left a little off the top when refueling as at least a partial part of the loss. I would also call Volvo and ask about low sulphur fuel and any adjustments/re-programming they can do. A gas counting friend found he had lost 4-5 mpg on his electronic cummins in a dually pick-up once low sulphur came to the gas stations. Dodge took it in and made some tweaks and bam he was right back up to mpg again. Worth an inquiry IMO.

[backman]

5-10 gallons yes; 40 gallons no

and unless the EDC went from 5-10 to 30% off that doesn't make sense either.

Long talk with Volvo today - low sulfer fuel is 1-2% less efficient and should be negligable in terms of range and irrelevent in terms of burn at an RPM setting. My eyeball checks confirm that 18 GPH or so at 3000 RPM/20 at 3150.

They also say the EDC is calculating fuel on the same algorithm that drives the injections and it is load and RPM based. If its injecting 20-30% too much I'd be leaving a cloud of unburned diesel behind.

I'm starting to suspect more and more the siphoned fuel theory as my last fill was May 5th/ I carwefully stopped short of the top to avoid any overflow; then because I had been squidding washed the boat carefully. 5 days later when I came to the boat next I saw 2 drops of diesel up gunwale 1-2" from the fill; on the wrong side for me to drip while filling. It was odd enough that I took a close look; saw a spot of diesel under the fill cap plate where there was a tiny gap in the bedding, washed it down again and sealed the edge of the cap plate with silicon. didn't think much of it at the time; now I wonder....

[xl883lo]

Larry,

Many Ag trucks and construction trucks have fuel transfer pumps on these in-bed tanks. They can pump 10-20gpm (most commonly ~12gpm) so if you are close enough to the parking lot for their hose you are in harms way. I work in the highway industry and we always see lots of fuel theft when prices spike.

[backman]

Understand

The marina is under construction, my boat is one of the furthest from the central buildings and is the one closest to a far gangway.

At the time I was one of two diesels down at that end.

[xl883lo]

I might have a talk with my Marina.......you may discover you are not alone(I might even consider filing a police report). By the way how did you make it back man(sorry had to do it)?????

[Sea Gypsy]

Red Dyed Fuel

Since the fuel for marine use is for offroad use it is likely that it is dyed red and therefore doesn't have the be the ultra low sulfur fuel. Chances are that the sulfur had little effect on the issue. The new sulfurs are not required until June 2007 and ultra low is only for on road and is not dyed red.

[Pequod]

and unless the EDC went from 5-10 to 30% off that doesn't make sense either.

Long talk with Volvo today - low sulfer fuel is 1-2% less efficient and should be negligable in terms of range and irrelevent in terms of burn at an RPM setting. My eyeball checks confirm that 18 GPH or so at 3000 RPM/20 at 3150.

They also say the EDC is calculating fuel on the same algorithm that drives the injections and it is load and RPM based. If its injecting 20-30% too much I'd be leaving a cloud of unburned diesel behind.

I'm starting to suspect more and more the siphoned fuel theory as my last fill was May 5th/ I carwefully stopped short of the top to avoid any overflow; then because I had been squidding washed the boat carefully. 5 days later when I came to the boat next I saw 2 drops of diesel up gunwale 1-2" from the fill; on the wrong side for me to drip while filling. It was odd enough that I took a close look; saw a spot of diesel under the fill cap plate where there was a tiny gap in the bedding, washed it down again and sealed the edge of the cap plate with silicon. didn't think much of it at the time; now I wonder....

Backman: I was just curious how you made out on your "siphoned fuel theory"?. Ever try to siphon fuel out of your tank? Please advise.

[backman]

well

chatting w. the Seatow captain who picked me up last month.

he lost 35 gallons of fuel out of his boat last month and other boats in the harbor may also have been hit. 30-40 gallons missing is hard to prove.

What is easier to prove is that my marina had 4 boats power cords taken for the copper and the marina cross the harbor also had cords taken.

My fuel calculations and fillups have been spot on since that occurance - I cannot prove a thing and I certainly could have screwed up.

[TwinFin]

I have long thought

that a locking diesel fill cap would be a good idea. I have looked but have not been able to find one. You guys know where they can be found?

Look on the bright side - now you know that 204 is the magic number.

[backman]

I think I could have got a few more out of it if I hadn' come off plane - and yes a locking cap would be useful.

My big thing now that offshore season has started is having the boat full to the top so i can leave any 3 AM that the weather allows without having to worry about fuel state.

Siphoned or not; a lock would do a lot for my confidence right now...

[USCHEVY]

Try using an additive

Try using an additive with a cetane and lubricant you will see your milage increase your engines will run cleaner and the lubricant will help your fuel injection equipment last longer.Even though off road fuel does not have to be low ultra low sulfur it is just dyed.

[capthorace]

What name brand lubricant do you recommend. I have 454 gas engines.

[USCHEVY]

Lubricant

With gas you dont need lubricant like diesel fuel ,the process the put diesel fuel to get sulphur out strips the fuel of lubricity and cetane.In gas there is another problem ETHANOL.Ethanol in a water envroment is not a good thing.My boat is stuck in AC because of this exact problem water in fuel.I picked up some additive at a local marine store that is for ethanol fuels It Ithink is called EZORB.In diesel I would use FPPF,STANADYNE,POWERSERVICE or one of these.The fuel we all use is expensive and is **** .