Posted on 03/07/2008 6:33:13 AM PST by CGASMIA68
Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon . In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations donot have temperature compensation at the pumps.
When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode . If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL . The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount
Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up --most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.
Dont for get(my add on) hold the hose up to get what the meter read but didnt make it to the tank...I thing you get what the guy before didnt get?
The best tip is to put your gas card away for awhile. Find out where the cheapest gas is in your area and shop at that station, even if it means paying cash. Even if it means driving a few extra miles. We are creatures of habit, and tend to stop at the same station or two regardless of what happens to the price. We gripe because our station just went up to 3.57 - but yet ignore the station 3 blocks away at 3.32.
Case in point - the stations below are within a 2 mile area. If the price of gas is so bad why are the highest priced station not seeing a major drop in business? They should be left scratching their heads wondering where their customers are, and the cheaper stations should be pondering hiring some more help to handle their increased business.
3.57 Shell
3.51 Shell
3.51 Chevron
3.45 76
3.39 Texaco
3.32 Arco (2 blocks away from the 3.51 Chevron)
The tank doesn’t, but the pump and lines near and on the surface do. You fill up on a hot day, you will get the same volume, but not the same amount of gasoline... this is a known fact.
THe Republicans are going to lose lots of votes over these gas prices. (Don’t tell me who’s fault it is...the sheeple pin oil to Repubbies no matter what facts are out there)
in so doing, a little of the higher (or inversely lower) octane gas (in the hoses) should end up in your tank and might give you a bit of a boost (if higher octane)...
(remember reading this comment that your mileage may vary ;)
About the only way you can prove it is if you buy gasoline at the same station every time. I have heard of people getting repairs done when the truck driver screws up and mixes diesel and gasoline tanks at the station.
No, and yes.
Back in the late '80s it happened to me.
I bought my gas at the same service station all the time. (Back then it actually WAS a SERVICE station with mechanic bays and everything.)
One day I stopped and filled up the tank and went to work. On the way home my vehicle just stopped running. I could wait 10 or 15 minutes and start it again, go for about 2 or 3 miles and it would quit again.
I finally made it to the service station, told them what it was doing, and walked the rest of the way home.
The next day they called and asked where I had filled up the day before.
I told them that I always filled up at their station.
I heard over the line an, "Oh $HIT!"
It turned out that the last delivery of gasoline they had received had water in it.
The water was collapsing my in-tank fuel sock.
They had to uninstall the fuel tank, open the tank, replace the sock, and reinstall the tank.
All at no charge to me.
This is one reason I always try to fill at the same station. If there IS a problem with the fuel they are more likely to believe a steady customer.
Below-ground temps do not vary that much, plus in the interest of their own business pump manufacturers use temperature-compensated pumps, or they’d lose money on cold days.
thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping.
Cars since what, 1970 have vapor recovery systems.
Good grief ...
The temp underground doesn’t vary much. This is mostly bullfeathers.
“Best tip is to drain the gas left in the hose.”
Isn’t that stealing from the next customer?
You forgot the easiest way to cut fuel costs by a whopping 50%, not 2 or 3%.....
TRADE THE V8 SUV in on a medium sized 2WD sedan. One gets 13mph, the other gets 26mph.
I don't necessarily agree there. My car runs at about $0.13/mile for gas. If I go 3 miles each way out of my way that's the equivalent of $0.08/gallon extra for a 10 gallon fill-up. Maybe its worth it, maybe its not. It is rare for there to be more than a couple hour lag between when the first station raises its prices and the last does around here. I used to have an independent station near me that was about a day late, but they went out of business (probably because everyone dashed there and sat in line when the gas price went up).
As for the fuel temperature, it always seems about the same in the tank. I have to be careful in the summer when I fill gas cans because the gas expands about 0.1%/°C, or about a pint on a six gallon can for a 36°F rise (55 to 91). If I fill the can to the top with cold gas, it will overflow once it warms.
Don’t buy gas with ethanol in it, if you can get pure gasoline. Gas mileage will be better, it’s cleaner emissions than gas+ethanol, and your engine will be better off.
If you really want to save money on gas, the best advice is this: Drive less!
It’s past the meter, you bought it. 99 out of a hundred won’t bother.
Good luck finding that in Wisconsin, home of the Ethanol Subsidies. *Rolleyes*
I know a few places. Whenever I’m in certain towns I know the stations that are selling ethanol free gas.
A little bit anal, don't you think?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.