Jump to content

Is there a diesel fairy?


stellar

Featured Posts

I last filled up on 7th April (19 days ago) Have only travelled about 18 miles since but have run my engine 2hrs a day to charge batteries. I wanted to avail myself of Elsan and waste disposal facilities at a boatyard so thought Id top up my diesel whilst there. Unscrewed the cap and lo and behold, tank absolutely full! I have definitely not been anywhere during the last 19 days that I could have filled up and forgotten. Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No diesel fairies sadly but plenty of diesel devils.

 

You didn't find your holding tank already empty did you :D

 

Seriously though has trim of boat changed? Water tank filled/emptied since diesel fill up?

Edited by richardhula
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I last filled up on 7th April (19 days ago) Have only travelled about 18 miles since but have run my engine 2hrs a day to charge batteries. I wanted to avail myself of Elsan and waste disposal facilities at a boatyard so thought Id top up my diesel whilst there. Unscrewed the cap and lo and behold, tank absolutely full! I have definitely not been anywhere during the last 19 days that I could have filled up and forgotten. Any ideas?

 

Air pocket somewhere causing the tank to look full? Did you dip the tank to make sure that there's not a film of diesel at the top but the real level has fallen below it? I've forgotten the correct term - is it a meniscus?

 

Other than that the only diesel fairy I can think of is the diesel at Norbury Junction at 76.9p/lt at the weekend. Sadly closed when Cobbett and I came through though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I last filled up on 7th April (19 days ago) Have only travelled about 18 miles since but have run my engine 2hrs a day to charge batteries. I wanted to avail myself of Elsan and waste disposal facilities at a boatyard so thought Id top up my diesel whilst there. Unscrewed the cap and lo and behold, tank absolutely full! I have definitely not been anywhere during the last 19 days that I could have filled up and forgotten. Any ideas?

 

 

Visually a tank will look full even when it's not...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I last filled up on 7th April (19 days ago) Have only travelled about 18 miles since but have run my engine 2hrs a day to charge batteries. I wanted to avail myself of Elsan and waste disposal facilities at a boatyard so thought Id top up my diesel whilst there. Unscrewed the cap and lo and behold, tank absolutely full! I have definitely not been anywhere during the last 19 days that I could have filled up and forgotten. Any ideas?

 

I've heard of 2 instances on the Macc where scroats have emptied the diesel tank then refilled them with canal water, unlikely to be the case since your engine is still running.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the suggestions.

After 4 hours cruising yesterday and 6 hrs today, I dipped the tank this evening and the surface of the diesel is still only 4" down, not sure if it is even below the bottom of the filler tube ( sorry about the technical language). Something else has just occurred to me, I changed the fuel filter and the water seperator since my last fill up so that will have used a bit of diesel as well. Could that have let some air into the system? Engine seems to be running very well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the suggestions.

After 4 hours cruising yesterday and 6 hrs today, I dipped the tank this evening and the surface of the diesel is still only 4" down, not sure if it is even below the bottom of the filler tube ( sorry about the technical language). Something else has just occurred to me, I changed the fuel filter and the water seperator since my last fill up so that will have used a bit of diesel as well. Could that have let some air into the system? Engine seems to be running very well.

 

I think you are underestimating just how much a four inch drop in a big narrowboat diesel tank equates to in terms of litres consumed.

 

Sounds about par for the course to me.

 

The fuel filter and separator change will make no discernible change what so ever on a dipstick...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the suggestions.

After 4 hours cruising yesterday and 6 hrs today, I dipped the tank this evening and the surface of the diesel is still only 4" down, not sure if it is even below the bottom of the filler tube ( sorry about the technical language). Something else has just occurred to me, I changed the fuel filter and the water seperator since my last fill up so that will have used a bit of diesel as well. Could that have let some air into the system? Engine seems to be running very well.

 

Are you sure your tank has a filler tube? On most narrowboats the rear deck forms the top of the tank.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another point is how full was it filled last time. On our boat the neck of the filler hangs down into the tank, some yards fill until the diesel touches that and even that can be + - 2cm depending if he is standing on the gunwale while he fills it, like wise some yards fill well up the neck, so it can be a big difference.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.