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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / March 2005Diesel fuel
We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were wondering if finding diesel fuel is a problem. Do these engines require a different diesel than the big 18-wheelers require? Is diesel fuel readily available even in remote areas? I worry that finding diesel may be a problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy > We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with > pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > diesel may be a problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please > share any experiences if you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy Finding diesel is rarely a problem any more since so many pickups now have diesel engines. <G> The fuel is exactly the same as that used by the "big rigs". One suggestion: when selecting a fuelling point, try to find one that _does_ handle the "big rigs" since their supply is more likely to be "fresh" and free of contaminants. [They may, or may not, also be a bit cheaper.] Which "remote areas" did you have in mind? We had in mind a trip through northeast california from Klamath Falls in southeast oregon down through Lava beds, or through some of south Utah remote areas. We recall a few hundred miles through pretty remote roads and not much traffic. These diesel fuel units can go 500 miles so I can see where it's probably OK today... Al > Which "remote areas" did you have in mind? >We had in mind a trip through northeast california from Klamath Falls in >southeast oregon down through Lava beds, or through some of south Utah [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > >> Which "remote areas" did you have in mind? Hi, Made basically that trip last year but in reverse. Never had any problems finding diesel. Fill up before you start crossing the wide open areas to be on the safe side. My pickup can go over 500 miles empty. If you are going to be towing or weigh more then 8000 lbs your milage will be lower. When I towed my 8000 plus pound trailer with my over 7000 pound pickup I got a little over 300 miles to a tank. Of course again it depends upon the size of the tank and the MPG you get. My motor home tank is 150 gallons so 1200 miles isn't a problem with it. Take care and Happy Campin... RichA "We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" > We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine > with pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Please share any experiences if you have a diesel vehicle... Al and > Judy I have traveled all over North America and have always found diesel available where needed. When I say all over, I mean every Province in Canada, every State in the USA and 14 States in Mexico. The only precaution I would suggest is, if you don't normally refuel at about 1/2 tank, start doing so. You need to get out of the rig to walk around and stretch anyway. That way, if a station is out of fuel or the power is off, you can make it to the next village/town. Tom J Tom J Tom Interesting. I refuel at 1/2 tank also with the occasional instance of running down to close to empty. The latter is when I know exactly where the next fuel stop is. Diesel is fairly easy to find, but finding it where I can get access with my MH reduces that some. I have a maximum range of about 1000 miles on my DP, so it isn't a problem. I am mostly on highways and they always have diesel for trucks. Truck service stations are best for MHs with easy access.  SignatureJim Walker Northern Virginia >> We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with >> pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Tom J Al & Judy I have had a diesel since 1978. (And it was a Mercedes) In those days, we had to be a bit careful as the diesel stations were not always open in the boonies. Today, with all the diesel cars as well as trucks and Motor homes, it is hard to find a place that DOESN'T have diesel. I wouldn't worry about finding diesel any more than you would for gasoline. George >We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with >pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy >We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with >pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy In most cases there is no choice in type of diesel. It is the same as the 18-wheelers use. It is available on a widespread basis, almost anywhere the truckers go. When you are going into a "remote" area, where you believe it isn't available, fill up first. Try to get you diesel from high volume truck stops so you get fresh, and likely less contaminated fuel. Gary >In most cases there is no choice in type of diesel. It is the same as >the 18-wheelers use. It is available on a widespread basis, almost [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >contaminated fuel. >Gary And you don't need to buy the "Shell Premium Diesel" or any other diesel fuel from a gas station that primarily sells gas. They advertise the "premium" making it sound like it is better fuel, but chances are, it will be worse for your vehicle because they don't sell the volume that a regular truckstop does. Around here, I can get 40 cetane or 45 cetane diesel. It's like the difference between regular and premium gas. If your engine calls for minimum of 40 cetane, there's no sense in paying for the "premium" 45 cetane. Won't net you enough of a mileage increase to be worth it, but it makes some people feel like they are doing their engines a big favor and the performance increases are all in their heads. Greg >We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with >pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy Hi, All diesel engines use the same fuel. It is a good idea to buy diesel fuel at truck stops because they have a high turnover rate and the fuel does not sit for long periods of time. Diesel fuel *IF* stored improperly and *IF* it sits for extended periods can have algae start growing in it. That's why it's better to purchase at a high volume dealer rather then a mom and pop gas station that might only sell a few gallons a week. Flying J and Love's are two truck stop chains that cater to RV'ers. With my pickup truck I can go well over 500 miles between fill ups. With the motor home 1200 miles. With those numbers if you are crossing large remote areas you can fill up before hand and not worry about it. When traveling I try and keep the motor home's tanks above 1/4 tank anyway because the generator also runs off of diesel and if the tank gets to low the generator won't be able to get fuel. Diesel is much more widely used then most think. Many farmers use diesel engine tractors and many boats have diesel engines besides all of the over the road trucks. One of the most friendly places we got fuel was at a small restaurant/gas station in the middle of Minnesota's farm belt with nothing around but corn and tractors. Was the local major fuel supplier for farmers and local truckers to get diesel fuel. Got fuel and had a good time talking to the locals and our grand kids made some new friends. Finding fuel should not be a consideration when deciding between diesel and gasoline powered vehicles. Unless you normally go where there are no people at all for hundreds of miles. But then gasoline would be hard to find too :) Take care and Happy Campin... RichA "We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" You are probably considering a Mercedes Sprinter conversion. You may want to check on how much it will cost to change the oil, fuel filter, headlight bulbs, other bulbs. A friend has one and was amazed at the Mercedes only parts and how much they are. Another thing is if you are in areas where you get winter weather you should also consider the Sprinter option "Artic" package. Weather below freezing you will not have any cabin heat from the motor. The company story is the motor is so efficient there is no heat left over from the engine. Sure you can turn the furnace on, but you don't get the defroster with that. Tom >We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with >pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy I don't have a Sprinter, but my MH with a 5.9 Cummins should be close enough. My engine runs cooler than a gasser and cold weather makes that a bit cooler, but I still get heat for defrosting interior heating. If you want lots of heat from the Sprinter then maybe the arctic package would be worth looking into. I don't think it is needed though. SignatureJim Walker Northern Virginia > You are probably considering a Mercedes Sprinter conversion. > You may want to check on how much it will cost to change the oil, fuel [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >>if >>you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy <Trekking Tom> makes a really good point other issues besides finding diesel fuel. (aside)Notice that the train service is not what it once was and you have to figure that diesel is easy to find. But a broken RV can be a real headache. I for one wouldn't want to be the driver of a Mercedes RV that is having problems anywhere. It's bad enough with a ford, dodge or chevy that have dealers everywhere. We have a toyota Micro mini Class-C and toyota isn't a walk in the sun and not all dealers want a RV in the garage. too many things can go bad. But a Mers' Gosh talk about "cha-ching", and that's if you can get an authorized Mercedes dealer to take your over sized rig in. Maybe someone here has had the experience where RV's are not as welcomed as standard vehicles??? say Aye. jon wrote in message news:e1os11pruvujm8sel921spc431r4qbn315@4ax.com... > You are probably considering a Mercedes Sprinter conversion. > You may want to check on how much it will cost to change the oil, fuel [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > >problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if > >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy Well, hopefully this RV on a Dodge chasis with a Mercedes Benz diesel engine is well supported by Chrysler dealers. Anyone have any experience with VW campers or other units with engines made abroad, but sold here withr an american brand had bad experiences? Now a days it is hard to tell how much of the rig you are driving comes from parts made abroad. I am counting that Dodge and Chrysler support this RV. Am I dreaming? Al > <Trekking Tom> makes a really good point other issues besides > finding diesel fuel. (aside)Notice that the train service is not what it [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] > if >> >you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy > Now a days it is hard to tell how much of the rig you are driving > comes from parts made abroad. I am counting that Dodge and Chrysler > support this RV. Am I dreaming? Al Not at all. There is not a single auto, truck, suv, rv, tractor, trailer, you name it, that is made with 100% US parts. That's been the case for well over 20 years now. Tom J >Well, hopefully this RV on a Dodge chasis with a Mercedes Benz diesel engine >is well supported by Chrysler dealers. Anyone have any experience with VW [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >parts made abroad. I am counting that Dodge and Chrysler support this RV. Am >I dreaming? Al <bunch snipped> Hi, Before you buy ask the dealer. Buying an RV on wheels is not like buying a car. You will have service on the engine chassis done one place and service on the house part done somewhere else. Unless the dealer you buy the unit from offers both. If it's a Dodge Chassis and Mercedes engine Freightliner should also be able to work on it. If it's on a Sprinter chassis they definitely can because they are the ones who assemble them in South Carolina. Sprinters are vans that any Dodge dealer that sells them can work on. Meaning the chassis and engine. Everything else will be the responsibility of the manufacturer of the RV. At least until the warranty period is up. Any appliances should also have their own warranty and can be worked on by any certified dealer for that appliance manufacturer. Take care and Happy Campin... Take care and Happy Campin. RichA "We Get Too Soon Olde and Too Late Smart" > But a broken RV can be a real headache. I for one wouldn't want to be > the driver of a Mercedes RV that is having problems anywhere. It's [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > as standard vehicles??? say Aye. > jon Any Dodge dealer can work on one of these since you can buy the identical basic Sprinter with a Mercedes, Freightliner, or Dodge nameplate on it. After all, all it is is a gussied-up delivery van as far as they're concerned! >> But a broken RV can be a real headache. I for one wouldn't want to be >> the driver of a Mercedes RV that is having problems anywhere. It's [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > concerned! >============== I don't think you will have a problem with Mercedes. They like to keep their name on the good guys list, and Chrysler knows this. I was in the business before retiring. But! I have 2 friends who are both German descent, and have always bought Volkswagen.(I'm not German.) They have both changed to other makes because of the many problems they have had over the past 5 years. Geoff. I would never say you could go to any Chrysler dealer and get a sprinter worked on. You may be able to find some that can fix it. You'll will find many that are willing to take your money and try to do something to it! How many other diesels do they work on? Just like any VW, the German built stuff has a lot of different problems ask any car repair place. I would like to take my rig to a place that knows the vehicle inside and out. I have met people with the VW based winnebagos, the winne dealers don't know what they're doing and the Vw dealer can't fit them in the shop...... Economy is not cheap..... Tom PS. Personally I would never again own a rig where I had to change a table into a bed or some such daily event. >I would never say you could go to any Chrysler dealer and get a > sprinter worked on. You may be able to find some that can fix it. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > PS. Personally I would never again own a rig where I had to change a > table into a bed or some such daily event. If they work on Dodge pickups then they "do" Diesels - and quite regularly since most Dodge pickups have Diesel engines. <G> If you want a Gasser buy a GM. If you want a Diesel buy a Dodge. > If they work on Dodge pickups then they "do" Diesels - and quite regularly > since most Dodge pickups have Diesel engines. <G> > > If you want a Gasser buy a GM. > If you want a Diesel buy a Dodge. You wouldn't be biased would you? <bg> Ron who loves his '01 Chevy 3500 Crew Cab Long Bed Dually Duarmax Diesel > If they work on Dodge pickups then they "do" Diesels - and quite regularly > since most Dodge pickups have Diesel engines. <G> Just because a Dodge dealer "does" sell a diesel truck "doesn't" mean they know how to fix them. You may find one that thinks you have a real bad case of spark knock when you drive up and want to give you a tune up. :) SignatureSteve - From behind a hill somewhere in WV Carrying a gun is like voting, a duty of citizenship that marks a citizen from a serf. >> If they work on Dodge pickups then they "do" Diesels - and quite >> regularly since most Dodge pickups have Diesel engines. <G> > > Just because a Dodge dealer "does" sell a diesel truck "doesn't" mean they > know how to fix them. You may find one that thinks you have a real bad > case of spark knock when you drive up and want to give you a tune up. :) Hasn't happend to me yet - although I _have_ been "referred" to a dealership in a nearby town. <G> BTW, it's the Fords that have the "spark knock": the glow plugs short out. <G> [REAL Diesels don't use glow plugs. <G>] >>Just because a Dodge dealer "does" sell a diesel truck "doesn't" mean they >>know how to fix them. You may find one that thinks you have a real bad >>case of spark knock when you drive up and want to give you a tune up. :) > > Hasn't happend to me yet - although I _have_ been "referred" to a dealership > in a nearby town. <G> If you can find a good diesel mechanic regardless of who they work for they are worth the money. > BTW, it's the Fords that have the "spark knock": the glow plugs short out. > <G> Somehow I think you may have opened up a can of worms. <g> > [REAL Diesels don't use glow plugs. <G>] You won't get an argument out of me on that! <g> SignatureSteve - From behind a hill somewhere in WV During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. --George Orwell >Somehow I think you may have opened up a can of worms. <g> > >> [REAL Diesels don't use glow plugs. <G>] > >You won't get an argument out of me on that! <g> My 240D Mercedes Benz used glow plugs. That wasn't Miller Draft I poured into the fuel tank. <ggg> Canoli ///chopped for brevity/// > [REAL Diesels don't use glow plugs. <G>] Maybe so but REAL Diesels are stamped either "Caterpillar" or "Detroit"....<Bigger G> DaveD > ///chopped for brevity/// > > [REAL Diesels don't use glow plugs. <G>] > > Maybe so but REAL Diesels are stamped either "Caterpillar" or > "Detroit"....<Bigger G> The rest of the world would say "who". <g> Ron > We are considering buying an RV that has a Mercedes diesel engine with > pretty good economy. We have never owned any diesel vehicle and were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > problem in many areas that we like to visit. Please share any experiences if > you have a diesel vehicle... Al and Judy I am seeking comments -- pro or con -- from anyone who has experience with bio-diesel fuel in the common diesel Ford or Chevy RV engines. Regards, Dave R. deedotare@hotmail.com SF Bay Area > I am seeking comments -- pro or con -- from anyone who has > experience with bio-diesel fuel in the common diesel Ford or Chevy RV > engines. Try http://www.thedieselstop.com and/or http://www.thedieselpage.com and see what _they_ say. Biodiesel [aka Filtered Used Frying Oil] is what Herr Diesel actually had in mind as a fuel when he invented this type of engine . <G> While the older [non-HPCR] engines seem to function with Biodiesel, the newer ones (with far smaller injector ports) are susceptible to injector fouling and the manufacturers have cautioned against its use. If you escape to "the Real World" - ABC (Anywhere But California) - you won't find Biodiesel very often unless you buy Wesson Oil at Sam's. |
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