Queston about filing up tank.....
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Pasadena, Tx
Originally Posted by j2h1
This doesn't say anything about topping off but it is interesting. I got this in an email.
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 rol! e. A 1-degree rise in
> teperature 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.
>
> Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
>
> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!.
>
> Fill up in the morning in the slow mode when your tank is half
> full but not when the tankers are filling the storage tanks.
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 rol! e. A 1-degree rise in
> teperature 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.
>
> Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
>
> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!.
>
> Fill up in the morning in the slow mode when your tank is half
> full but not when the tankers are filling the storage tanks.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,248
Likes: 2
From: Rochester, NY, USA
I think the original post may have been talking about topping off as in "filling right to the top of the filler neck." If that's the case, there is a reason. If I recall correctly, you'll overflow raw fuel into the evaporative emissions canister if you do that. Simply bumping a bit more fuel in to get to an even number won't generally do that. Now, watching some moron click the handle 37 times to get every last dime in the tank, that can lead to a different problem - homicide.
Certified Goat Breeder
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 6,182
Likes: 19
From: the moral high ground
Originally Posted by 2stroked
I think the original post may have been talking about topping off as in "filling right to the top of the filler neck." ...
Here is what they worry about.
Daily gas consumption is 400 million gallons.
Typical gas purchase 20 gals.
400 million divided by 20 = 20 million gas purchases.
If everyone topped off and spilt just one single ounce of gas...
20 million ounces divided by 128 (one gal) = a 156,250 GALLON GAS SPILL, EVERY DAY.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,723
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From: Rich, Virginia
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, CA
Whats the advantage of topping off? I dont see the benefit. If its financial, i believe its so small that it doesn't really make an impact in the real world, just as those claims in the chain email. 
Originally Posted by j2h1
This doesn't say anything about topping off but it is interesting. I got this in an email.
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 rol! e. A 1-degree rise in
> teperature 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.
>
> Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
>
> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!.
>
> Fill up in the morning in the slow mode when your tank is half
> full but not when the tankers are filling the storage tanks.
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 rol! e. A 1-degree rise in
> teperature 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.
>
> Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
>
> DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!.
>
> Fill up in the morning in the slow mode when your tank is half
> full but not when the tankers are filling the storage tanks.
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,636
Likes: 264
From: Vernon, NY
I remember on my 2nd or 3rd fill up, the pump never stopped... and I lost like 3 gallons outside my truck... I got scared crapless to start my truck in fear it might explode.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 1
From: Des Moines, IA
Originally Posted by BrazenC5
Whats the advantage of topping off? I dont see the benefit. If its financial, i believe its so small that it doesn't really make an impact in the real world, just as those claims in the chain email.
when its -30 F with a wind chill of -50 you put as much damn gas in your truck so you dont need to get out and fill it up again for a long time
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 119
Likes: 0
From: Madison WI
The spillage issue is the main reason for "not topping off". I top off because these darn Ford filler necks are so skinny that I can put another five bucks in the tank after the auto shut off. As a commuter, I want to stop for gas as little as possible- -i know it is only a tiny bit but it makes me feel like I will be able to go further so I do it.
Someone mentioned that they have never seen a twin hose on a pump handle - it is because the hose has a vapor line built into it. check the hose next time and you will see it says "vapor recovery hose" stamped on it and it is sort of fatter hose - those have a vapor line in them.
BJ
Someone mentioned that they have never seen a twin hose on a pump handle - it is because the hose has a vapor line built into it. check the hose next time and you will see it says "vapor recovery hose" stamped on it and it is sort of fatter hose - those have a vapor line in them.
BJ
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
From: LADY'S ISLAND
call me crazy but i will sit there for 10 min if i have to and fill up to the neck. I always top off, always. i get 410-420 miles to a tank if i fill up to the neck and light on the gas on 89 octane. I did the same thing with bp (93) and for 380 miles.
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,080
Likes: 85
From: Burleson/Athens/Brownsboro, TX
That part about filling up when half empty, I would have never believed, except for one thing. I have been keeping gas usage records for over 3 years on this truck, 67,000 miles. Occasionally, I have to fill up when I only need about half a tank, when getting ready for a trip. Every time, I have noticed that I got about .5 to 1.0 mpg better on that first half of a tank. I could not figure it out, so never said anything, as it just seemed impossible. You would expect to get better mileage on the last half tank as the truck gets lighter. Now, there seems to be a logical explanation for this.
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Jim
Jim
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Joined: Feb 1999
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From: the moral high ground
Come on blue, you're an accountant. 
You know the smaller the sample, the less reliable the result.
I could fill up my truck, drive down to the store, come back, fill up again,
and lay the numbers in front of you that I'm getting 37 mpg.
There is evaporation but, the vapor is trapped.
When you take off the gas cap it makes that hissing sound, even at half a tank.
Now, if you tell me that when you remove the cap it makes a
hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssiing sound,
then I'll believe you pick up 1 mpg at the half tank fill.
You know the smaller the sample, the less reliable the result.
I could fill up my truck, drive down to the store, come back, fill up again,
and lay the numbers in front of you that I'm getting 37 mpg.
There is evaporation but, the vapor is trapped.
When you take off the gas cap it makes that hissing sound, even at half a tank.
Now, if you tell me that when you remove the cap it makes a
hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssiing sound,
then I'll believe you pick up 1 mpg at the half tank fill.