Well for an independent traveller I get the BIG BIG Booby prize!!
Of all the things we worry about fuel was something I thought I had sorted.
I have this super big spare diesel tank which holds 250ltrs of diesel. On the 7th Dec 2005 I had it full.
and I ran out of diesel! Boy was I embarrassed. 
I have no excuse, I just forgot to look at the gauge and switch the spare tank over. Looking in the hand book it all seemed pretty simple "press prima pump until diesel comes through, start engine" even a nice little picture of said prima pump with press 1 and diesel comes out of 2. But this picture looked nothing like my engine. We were very near the town of Rio Gallegos so Peter and Janet gave me a lift in.
We went to the Mercedes garage, well it had the very large Merc star outside but turned out not to be a mercedes garage and anyway everything was closed untill 3pm - it was 12.45 - we had lunch and then found a garage that repairs fuel pumps ect. this also was not open untill 3pm, but a nice guy arrived and came out to womble. But he couldn't fix it there at the side of the road. There is, apparently no prima pump and he thinks it may be the main fuel pump. Next out comes the tow truck and I get towed back to town and the guys garage where they decide to change both fuel filters first and hey presto we have lift off.
The time is now 6.30pm.
My neglect had cost me 35 GBP and almost a whole day. Oh! I did not mention that when I went into town with Peter and Janet I was so upset that I forgot to turn the spare fuel pump off; so around 80 litres of diesel spilled on the ground - a very expensive lesson!!
Maureen
No comments:
Post a Comment