How crazy are you about topping off your tank?

Jchonline

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
Kubota L6060, KX040-4, M7060, RTV X1100C, M62 (sold)
Oct 28, 2018
1,386
596
113
Red Feather Lakes, CO
I use winterizer in diesel fuel, and just fill up when I am down at 1/4 tank most of the time. I have a 100 gal transfer tank that I also use over the winter.
 

dlsmith

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2230, LA211
Nov 15, 2018
1,191
698
113
Goshen, IN
It is an 1800 RPM 15,000 kW and runs my whole house.
You mean it's 15kW?
15,000kW is 15,000,000 watts. That would be a pretty big generator, and it SHOULD handle your whole house without bumping the governor.
 

Flintknapper

Well-known member
Premium Member

Equipment
L2350DT
May 3, 2022
1,559
1,991
113
Deep East Texas
You mean it's 15kW?
15,000kW is 15,000,000 watts. That would be a pretty big generator, and it SHOULD handle your whole house without bumping the governor.
Yes, surely he meant 15 Kw (15 Kilowatts. One Kilowatt being 1,000 Watts).

Easy thing to mis-type.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,575
2,942
113
Texas
Is "lamp kerosene" any different than regular kerosene?
Kerosene can be refined to different degrees of purity. Lamp oil/kero is refined to eliminate smoke and smell. Ordinary kerosene is much more crude. Jet fuel is very closely spec‘d and another odd version is R-1 rocket fuel which is basically kero but with stringent controls beyond Jet-A even.

Mineral Sprits from Home Depot/Lowes (paint dept) will be an excellent substitute for cleaning filters, parts, etc and sold in pint/quart/gallon containers.
 

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,575
2,942
113
Texas
Interestingly, my Kubota RTV-X900 actually instructs to Wait until only 1/4 full before refueling.
(both the RTV and my 1996-era M4700 have plastic tanks…perhaps they are less susceptible to condensation and/or corrosion from biologicals.)
Here’s the screenshot from the X900:

58457845-E8C8-456C-A4BE-094738303188.png
 

armylifer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
1,955
695
113
Thurston County, WA
I always top off every time I used the tractor. The vehicles get topped off at least once per week. I typically drive about 75 miles per week.
 

CGMKCM

Active member

Equipment
RVT-1100C, ZD323, L4760
Jan 26, 2021
371
175
43
Randolph county N.C.
Interestingly, my Kubota RTV-X900 actually instructs to Wait until only 1/4 full before refueling.
(both the RTV and my 1996-era M4700 have plastic tanks…perhaps they are less susceptible to condensation and/or corrosion from biologicals.)
Here’s the screenshot from the X900:

View attachment 89967
On my RTV1100x-C the owners manual reads the same. Unfortunately when the fuel gauge reads 1/2 tank I run out of fuel. I replaced the sender but it didn't fix the problem.

I keep all of 5 of my diesel powered equipment topped off. The military trained me that way and I have had no water in fuel issues.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

GeoHorn

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M4700DT, LA1002FEL, Ferguson5-8B Compactor-Roller, 10KDumpTrailer, RTV-X900
May 18, 2018
5,575
2,942
113
Texas
On my RTV1100x-C the owners manual reads the same. Unfortunately when the fuel gauge reads 1/2 tank I run out of fuel. I replaced the sender but it didn't fix the problem.

I keep all of 5 of my diesel powered equipment topped off. The military trained me that way and I have had no water in fuel issues.
Inaccurate fuel gauges are more often than not a poor ground connection.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

armylifer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX1860, FEL, RCK54P MMM, BB1548 Box Scraper, Quick Hitch, Piranha Bar, BX6315
Mar 26, 2013
1,955
695
113
Thurston County, WA
On my RTV1100x-C the owners manual reads the same. Unfortunately when the fuel gauge reads 1/2 tank I run out of fuel. I replaced the sender but it didn't fix the problem.

I keep all of 5 of my diesel powered equipment topped off. The military trained me that way and I have had no water in fuel issues.
Thank you for your service!
 

Benhameen

Active member

Equipment
2012 Kubota L3800 HST W/FEL and 1963 JD 2010 row crop utility
Jan 27, 2013
688
115
43
Southern IL.
I only fill up when it’s needed. Usually, below 1/4 tank. It’s my least favorite thing to do with my tractor. Only because I either have to drive it to the fuel station about a 20 minute drive on the tractor or fill up my 5 gallon can. For the life of me I can’t seem to empty the can without spilling some of it on the hood.
I use a fuel treatment along with winter diesel during cold weather.
For reference, I’ve had the same tractor for 10 years and I’ve had no issues in that time.
 

Lil Foot

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
1979 B7100DT Gear, Nissan Hanix N150-2 Excavator
May 19, 2011
7,259
2,203
113
Peoria, AZ
Because I get to use mine only once a month or less, I usually top it off at the end of each session.
It might sit again for another month (or two) before it is used again, so I'm pretty disciplined about it.
I also run Power Service white year round.
 

BobInSD

Active member

Equipment
L5740
Jun 23, 2020
360
120
43
South Dakota
I normally wait until I can squeeze 5 gallons in. Last night I dumped in 3 gallons (of #1) since there's still some #2 in there and we're expecting a cool-down later this week. I'm pretty OCD about topping off my gas vehicles well above half a tank.

I think the "refuel at 1/4 tank" is a warning to not let it get below 1/4 tank.
 

DustyRusty

Well-known member

Equipment
BX23S
Nov 8, 2015
4,953
3,695
113
North East CT
I will clean up that connection and see what happens. We have three of them and all stay on full then drop like a rock and run out of fuel at 1/2 tank.
If all 3 are doing the same, then it isn't the connections, but rather the float. Were they accurate when new? I have seen some copper or brass floats that the seam in them goes bad, and they start to fill with the liquid giving bad readings. On my old BX22, the gauge would have wild swings between 3/4 tank and empty. It was just a poorly designed fuel gauge.
 

Old_Paint

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610SU, LA535 FEL w/54" bucket, LandPride BB1248, Woodland Mills WC-68
Dec 5, 2020
1,540
1,425
113
AL
I top up when I think I can dump a full 5 gallon container in (somewhere around 1/4 tank, typically 2 bars on the digital gauge). If it's gonna get moisture in the tractor tank, it's gonna get moisture in the plastic storage can. They're both stored in the same shed. As soon as I empty the storage can, next trip out, I fill it back up and put it in my fuel locker. I check the clear bulb on the fuel filter every time I get on the machine and look for water. If water forms in the tank, it's going to the fuel filter. It has no choice since water is heavier than diesel.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users