Getting an Amazing 1 MPG C-15 CAT

i assume you are going by empty weight figuring your fuel. i would guess on the first load you might have had a little more product left in your trailer maybe on the little shelf in the back or the the corners of the hopper, making your first empty weight a little heaver and it cleaned out a little better the second time.

 

There's NO way it's getting 1 MPG. While I agree filters are important very your math is off did you fill it up to double check? I personally would use 8lbs per gallon but hey on 150 usable gallons that's not your problem. That old girl would be smoking and puking at that MPG


Be Safe Out There


Captain Dave

 

Well, in 20 years of trucking, I never heard of anyone figuring their fuel economy based on a scale reading.
I guess there's a first time for everything.

 

Maybe I didn't explain correctly. I meant to say I've seen the scale change by 800 pounds one way or the other from one load to the next. I empty out completely on each load. I'd surely know if I brought 800 pounds back. And, averaging 5.5mpg, I surely don't use 100 gallons of fuel on a 70 mile round trip. Maybe 15 if I'm pushing it

 

Ever thought you didn't get the hoppers empty all the way and had a little bit of corn hung up on the first load out and got it all empty the 2nd so you had a much lighter empty weight?

 

I've had my weight fluctuate 400 pounds on a CAT scale just between first weigh and reweigh on a windy day.

 

I think you're on to something here.

 

See 4-500 pound differences all the time on company scales. I just usually hope for it being on the light side when I come in and the heavy side on my way out (after getting loaded).

 

Yeah it'd be worth your time to figure your mileage off of miles driven and gallons put in the tank instead of weights.youre trusting too many things that could be off,that Scale being your biggest gremlin.

 

I have used that excuse to explain differences before. A lot of the time my load and paperwork are ready when I hook up. Some other truck is used to load it. They axle it out, and I know by the axle weights if I am close if so I will scale it. If not hook and go.

To the op check the mileage by calculator, the only correct way. Since you don't run much you won't have much baseline to go on. You mentioned 12 mile trips, how many stops or turns. A cat will eat a good bit of fuel to get moving loaded. If the 12 miles is start stop turn etc, I can see high 4 for mpg. I have a friend that couldn't hit 5mpg consistently, he sold the truck to another driver, always over 6mpg. Doing the exact same job.