Any truth to these fuel saving tips ?

[Crusader]

A relative sent this to me and asked my expert advice.

A few points may be correct however some of it smells of chain forwarded

Quote:

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Gas Saving TipsI don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline....Here in California weare also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more ofyour money's worth for every gallon. Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline

where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour
period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and
gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a
total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

1. 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 other petroleum products plays an
important role. A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this
business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at
the pumps.

2. 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.

3. One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is
HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. 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.

4. 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.

Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

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Hope this is not a

 

[Lonnie]

Sounds good to me. I buy my gas at the same Costco station because it's cheaper but also because they tank up 4-6 times a day and I think that the tanks are cleaner because of the volume. I think this is a more important consideration than avoiding the tanker. And never top off. When the nozzle kicks off don't try to add a little. Topping off may have never caused you any problems but it's just not worth the risk. There is nothing to gain.

 

[surfstar]

I don't follow those tips and beat my EPA highway mileage figures routinely.

Heck, if you fill up slower, won't there be more TIME for vapors to form and flow back? A 1/4 tank of gas weighs a lot less than a full tank. Less weight = more MPG.

I doubt you could measure accurately enough to prove any of these.

 

[mechtech2]

How about in winter when the fuel in the supply truck is much colder than the underground storage [which is pretty constant]?

 

[Master ACiD]

1. the ground temp would only vary by a degree or 2 at the most. its hardly consiquential and wont matter.

2. gas evaporates based on the temparture and atmospheric pressure, not how fast or slow it flows. its speed through the hose, or the filler neck, has no impact on evaporation.

3. the ammount of air in a tank wont effect the rate of evaporation. again, gas evaporated based on atmospheric pressure and temparture, not air suply. now some gas actually does evaporate over the course of a day. this is why we have charcoal canisters and vapour recovery systems. any gas vapours are stored in the canister to be consumed when the engine is ran. no wasted fuel there!

4. maybe there is truth about stirring up sediment, ive never seen the inside of a tank to know for sure. but all gas pumps have very efficent fuel filters. (most are spin on). any dirt sucked into the pump with the gas will be cought by the pump filter before it hits youre cars fuel tank.

5. if i wanted to add my own tip, i would say to wipe the gas nozzle off before you insert it into youre tank. i cant tell you guys how many times i have seen people drop the nozzles on the ground, in puddles of water, run over a nozzle etc. its amazing how much dirt gets assumulated on the nozzle. some of this dirt will find its way into youre tank, and eventually into youre cars fuel filter. take a napkin and wipe off the nozzle before you fill. look at the napkin to see if there was anything on it. sometimes there isnt. alot of times, where is.

 

[clembrewer]

It's all bunk.

 

[mechtech2]

Slightly high tire pressure and proper right foot utilization are the best mpg devices that will always work in any car.

 

[Dominic]

All are bunk for the reasons listed. Filling up at half tank is helpful in some cars to keep the fuel pump in good shape though and to prevent gas starvation in hard cornering on a low tank.

 

[Big Jim]

A lot of ignorance in that quote.

1. Ground temperature, where the fuel is, doesn't vary much from day to night.

2. Vapor creation from filling too fast? Give me a break.

3. Today's cars have vapor control system as part of the smog equipment. If anything a lighter car with less fuel in the tank will provide a slight fuel use savings although nearly imperceptible.

4. There is some validity here, but it is a rare event.

 

[sciphi]

Buy good tires, keep them inflated properly, get an alignment after every winter, and don't drive like my brother. Oh, and keep your car tuned up. Or tune your car!