Tips to saving $$ at the pump <--- what you think? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

ps2cho · #1 02-12-2008, 02:46 PM

I found this online

Quote:

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS (Good information)

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are 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 of your 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.

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.

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.

What do you guys think? Any of this debunked?

Mistress · #2 02-12-2008, 02:48 PM

It's all just so terribly painfull, I remember when gas was .25 cents a gallon....a newspaper was 5 cents and a gallon of milk was .50 cents.

Dee8go · #3 02-12-2008, 02:51 PM

This story sounds familiar. I'm sure I've read it here before somewhere. It sounds plausible, but seems like a bunch of people who probably know more than I do took issue with much of it.

iwrock · #4 02-12-2008, 02:53 PM

At least you dont have a bum motor in your wagon....

11.3 MPG. Oh dear.

Kuan · #5 02-12-2008, 02:56 PM

The business of selling gasoline is as old as the automobile. I'm sure by now business owners have learned how to compensate. All these tips, if true, and if applied en masse, will only contribute to the general law of supply and demand.

I think gas stations calibrate their pumps to the average temperature of the region for the year. It only makes sense.

Brian Carlton · #6 02-12-2008, 03:04 PM

Many of those statements are factually correct in theory only.

The statement regarding the temperature of the underground tanks it true in theory. But, in reality, the ground temperature at the tank depth (4 feet or more) doesn't vary all that much. A 10° difference would be a lot of change throughout the day. It's a negligible change in a gallon of fuel.

The vapors produced at the nozzle when operated in the high speed mode are also negligible as compared to the amount of fuel delivered.

The desire to minimize the air in the tank is also correct. Letting the tank drop below 1/2 allows more air into the tank and permits more fuel evaporation until that air becomes saturated. The question is how much fuel can 20 gallons of air hold? I'm quite sure that the amount is less than four ounces. Therefore the savings can only be two ounces when filling at the 1/2 way point. It now takes twice as long to fill the vehicle. Is the additional ten minutes of time expended to fill at the 1/2 way point worth a savings of $.05 ? Probably not.