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Wednesday, July 20

Fortune!



For some time the fuel gauge on our pickup has been dodgy. We live with it by noting how much diesel we put in and roughly calculating how many miles we will get to the gallon. When I see "we" of course I mean Jon - he has a brain for such details and facts - I just drive! I normally drive for about 150 miles per diesel top - up. A couple of weeks ago I was putting some diesel in when the petrol pump "clicked" indicating the tank was full. I tried a couple of times - same "click". We reckoned the tank was full and I had about 400 miles worth of fuel. I carried on with my normal day to day routine. I don't do many miles in the pick up just tootle round the village, workshop and local shops. Major distances and journeys would  not be economical for the pick up - we use the van for such journeys.
On Monday I was visiting a friend for lunch. Jon was using the van for a delivery so I used the pick up to travel to Grosmont, on the North York Moors. Whilst I was out a friend phoned and asked if I could go with her to the DIY store, in the pick up to collect some plastic sheeting for a gazebo project which she has had nothing but problems with. We agreed I would go to Redcar when I returned home from my afternoon in Grosmont. It just so happened then, at around 4.30 I collected Steph and we tootled off to B&Q a few miles away, collected the sheeting, then drove back to Redcar dropped sheeting and Steph off then made my way home. 
The main road to our village is shut at the moment due to some roadworks, so we are using the back farm lane - no problem for the pick up - it has a certain presence which allows it to have right of way! lol! Some people tend to drive a tad too fast but we know all the pulling in places so the route is no problem. Later that night we decided we fancied a bottle of wine. Jon had had a stressful day so off we tootled to Loftus. We went in the pick up as it is more suitable up the farm track. Wine purchased we made our way home and parked up the pick up.
Tuesday morning - Jon left for work and later when it is my routine to go to workshop with Jon's snack I jumped into the pick up and turned the ignition key. Nothing! The engine turned over then nothing. All the lights were on but nothing was happening. I tried again - same!
I phoned Jon who reckoned it had ran out of fuel. According to our (Jon's) previous calculations we should have been ok for another hundred miles - but obviously not.
We went to the local petrol station in the van with the petrol can and filled it up. Today Jon read the manual and located the special button under the bonnet which is used in such circumstances - he showed me where to find it so now I know. In the olden days it was quite serious if a diesel engine was allowed to run dry but I am happy to say it started up first time today. First destination - petrol station.
I couldn't help but think how fortunate I had been - tootling on the Moors, driving home from B&Q in rush hour with plastic sheeting on the back and driving home on the farm track - when Jon was with me? On any of these occasions if I had ran out of fuel it would have been a major inconvenience - but I didn't. The faithful pick up got me/us home - once home it just let us know it needed a drink! Now how fortunate was that?

18 comments:

  1. You were fortunate indeed! :0

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  2. Fortune favours the brave ;) But I have to ask about the 'special button' and what it does?

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  3. Pearl - absolutely!

    Mo & Steve
    I can point to the button - then push it a few times and I think it pumps some fuel round to the part of the engine which requires diesel! lol!

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  4. Fortunate indeed. I'm an absolute divvy when it comes to calculations and would be lost without my fuel indicator.

    I like the word cerification... retrail!

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  5. My wife always fills up when the tank is half empty. I find this obsessive; now I'm not so sure...

    good fortune.

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  6. I'm curious...are diesel personal vehicles the norm there? They're quite rare here. We had a small Toyota diesel pick up years ago and were constantly bombarded with letters from individuals and corporations about selling it. When it began having issues, we did just that, and actually sold it for the same amount we'd paid for it, years earlier. We were told it would be shipped overseas...

    And the price of diesel vs gasoline...?

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  7. The miles add up so quickly even with little runabout journeys.

    I'm reminded of the parable in Matt 25. So glad you had your bridegroom with you to sort things out!

    blessings xx

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  8. Valerie
    I am no good with calculations either - that is Jon's department - I am a divvy or is it a typical blonde! lol!

    Roger
    Your wife has a good system! lol!

    Ethel
    The Toyota pickup seems to be very popular - we too are often asked if we are selling it. We bought it from new and it has a full service history - but we will not be selling it for a while. It is our lifeline in the snow.

    Angela
    So very very true. xxx

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  9. @ethelmaepotter, I too wonder about diesel vs gasoline.
    When ever I am traveling behind a car belching out stinky fumes in America it always seems to be a diesel.
    How strange is that. The diesel cars must be better cared for in the UK.

    cheers, parsnip

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  10. That was fortunate. I guess you like living on the edge. I tend to do the same thing when I am driving. It makes my husband crazy.

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  11. Oh I'm so glad I don't drive ! but my daughter does and keeps her petrol tank topped up !! Her car broke down several times recently & she had to deal with pulling in somewhere, getting help ( dad ) and being towed.. not bad for an eighteen year old !

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  12. I have a bad habit of allowing the fuel to drop dangerously low. If I lived where you do I think I'd be much more careful;-)

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  13. You were fortunate weren't you! I learnt my lesson when my car stopped on the way to fill it up. I thought that I had run out of petrol but luckily it had only stalled. Now I don't try to get every last drop out of the tank.

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  14. Very fortunate indeed. Thanks for visiting my blog and your welcome words of wisdom.

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  15. I'm another who always fills up at the half-way mark. The older I get the more cautious I become.

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  16. You were lucky you were not stranded in the middle of the farmland.

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Thank you for your comments, always nice to know somebody has taken the time to let me know what they think.