tips for when you buy gasoline
 

I found this letter about getting the most for your buck

New Gas Tips (Every penny counts).

I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline....Here in California (fall of 2007) we are also paying higher prices, up to $3.50 per gal. 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 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.

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.

Thanks :)

That's a very good tip right there. :thumbsup

that are some informative hints, thanks for sharing

interesting stuff, thanks :)

Here in Europe we pay $5.7 - $6 per gal :(

Money saving tips WTF is GFY coming to ? Im actually seeing business posts all over the site. Fuck if this keeps up we may even see people doing business here.

thanks sent it to me whole family.

Thanks for the tip. Good stuff!

Thanks V very very good read :) I try and fill up at 1/2 a tank all the time.. seems after 1/2 a tank my car just sucks it down

very interesting info.
thanks.

Pumping on slow? Time is money and I my time is worth a lot more than a bit of vapor recapture.

thanks for that man :thumbsup

wow great letter! Thanks for posting it!

The suction tube is about a foot from the bottom of the tank also the pump itself has two filters to make sure you don't pick up any sediment.The tanks are probably double contained fiberglass.so it is highly unlikely you will pick up any crap floating around the tank :2 cents:

Also practically all pumps in Canada are temperature compensated so you lose either way

IN canada they would probablyt here in the warmer states, it would not always be needed

Technically they are compensated for temp but the temp compensation is a joke, staying somewhere around 65 to 70 degrees on average if I recall. Anyone in CA knows that just sucks ass and does not happen. People have tried to get it changed recently but nobody has followed through yet.

I still like Anal Hobbit's ideas for saving money on gasoline better.

Not sure about the states but the oil companies here take all precautions to make sure the pumps are giving exactly the required amount.They hate losing money and keep the weights and measure up to date.When they measure they make sure it's close to exact or out by a few drops or the meter gets changed. They do a fast/slow run so opening a nozzle part way doesn't matter

Weights and measures uses and average temp and they admit it. Wont cost you much difference but can add up to a small sum for a station owner over the course of time.

good tips, in cali as well, thanks ;)

True.it's 15c or about 59f.Each conversion was about 2500 per pump..they would recoup their costs more in the winter so it was attractive to go that route in the long run .Everything is based on Temperature compensation from the loading of the trucks from the rack to the dispensing of the product to the tank is all measured and accounted for.

nice tips...
thanks

Best and most fuel effecient tip I know is to check and fill your tire pressure often. You loose PSI all of the time.

Here's a question ?

Gas is stored underground where the temps are pretty much constant
much in the same way wine is stored in caves. The temps stay constant
all year long and gas doesn't expand or contract at a constant temp. Water
isn't much an issue anymore since fiberglass doesn't let water leak into a gas tank.

So here's the question?

If gas is stored in a constant state and comes out cool then on hot days
the gas will expand more "after" it's pumped in to a cars gas tank resulting in
you getting more energy from the gas instead of less. On freezing days it is the opposite as the gas will contract after it goes in to a cold gas tank resulting in less energy to the user.

If this is the case then it won't matter when you pump it ?

It takes a certain amount of energy to get the product to your tank which involves heat.If the atmosphere is cool it will reduce the temp and thus less evaporation and product loss.

Some good tid bits

good info. but most of it came out a while back when prices started to climb.

the question is: Does it really matter that much? Does anyone know any figures? If I saved only 15 cents per filling, it'd be too much of a hassle for me to plan my activities around a stop at the pump... :2 cents:

The tire pressure one is worth the hassle.

:thumbsup

yeah, I guess that could be more worthwhile...

Thanks for the tips!

For all of that, they are talking about 1% more or 1% less net in the end.

If you want to save gas, really save gas, make sure your tire pressures are good. Charge you air filter more often. Change your oil slightly sooner, and check out oil at every fillup to make sure that it is up the right level. Check to make sure your brakes aren't rubbing even slightly, this is more common than you think.

A little softer on the gas and a little sooner off cruising up to red lights will save you way more than getting up at 5AM to pump your gas.

"undetermined"

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/household/gastips.asp

I have a V8 that's supposed to switch to a V4 at certain speeds. I found during a long road trip that about 68mph gave me the best gas mileage. The problem is that around here, the speed limits are 65-70 on the interstate so I go faster than 68 to keep up, and driving up and down the mountains I get about 12mpg ;)

But at 68 I was getting around 19-20mpg - not bad for an SUV.

well.. next time you wanna save a penny or two, think of me up here in norway paying $8.50 a gallon...

I drive a pick up with a V8, I get about 18 on the freeway. Speed limit on i-5 is 70 for the most part, I keep it at about 75 and get that. I have a manual transmission with an over drive gear.

Wow that was really helpful, thanks!!

Great tips! I already knew some of them. Thanks!

This is AWESOME!!

I just saved .63 on my last fillup!

Wow!!

From $83.97 to $83.34 by using this tip!!


I like the Anal Hobbit's tip better personally.