Save money on gas maybe

jackknifeh · #1

I got this email from my aunt. If it is true scientifically I don't know. Maybe someone here knows more about the info in the email so I thought I'd pass it on. Even if the info here isn't accurate it doesn't look like following the suggestions would be bad.

EMAIL START:
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but here in California we are paying up to $3.75 to $4.10 per gallon. 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. You should be pumping on low mode, 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.

To have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of gas buyers. It's really simple to do.

I'm sending this note to about thirty people. If each of you send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300)...and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000) and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth generation of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers !!!!!!! If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!

If it goes one level further, you guessed it..... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!! Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people. How long would it take?
END OF EMAIL:

Jack

Donut · #2

Thanks for this, there are a few things that I didn't think about.

Creepo · #3

This sounds like a job for Mythbusters. :D
Otherwise, I'm not buying it that easily.
Just the fact that it's a chain letter makes me dubious to say the least. :rolleyes:

jackknifeh · #4

Creepo wrote:This sounds like a job for Mythbusters. :D
Otherwise, I'm not buying it that easily.
Just the fact that it's a chain letter makes me dubious to say the least. :rolleyes:

I feel exactly the same way but passed it along anyway. Do you think some guy is sitting on a hill with binoculars laughing at the gas lines early in the morning? :D

rosconey · #5

they just did those on the news(cnn i think)

filling half full tank may save 60$ a year

early morning fillups may save 10-15$ a year

pumps have filters so you can pump when tanks are being filled

boxer93 · #6

The earth's temperature remains very constant once you are about 1.5 Meters below the surface. If anything during the winter months(of Northern Climates) the temperature of the fuel is warmer than what is deemed optimal by this information.
IMHO, reduce your rate of acceleration, drive at a constant speed or walk/bike if you can to reduce fuel use.

Chris

jackknifeh · #7

boxer93 wrote:The earth's temperature remains very constant once you are about 1.5 Meters below the surface. If anything during the winter months(of Northern Climates) the temperature of the fuel is warmer than what is deemed optimal by this information.
IMHO, reduce your rate of acceleration, drive at a constant speed or walk/bike if you can to reduce fuel use.

Chris

With all due respect boxer, I'm not sure the average American can live with anything that starts with "reduce". :) Especially when we are talking about conveniences or something that is good for you like excercise. :D :D

Jack

jzmtl · #8

Around here, all the pumps have temperature compensation, so it doesn't matter what temperature the gas is at, you are paying the same.

npueppke · #9

I think that this is one for Mythbusters as well, somebody should submit it.

All of the points made seem valid to me, but how much will you actually save? I don't think it will be more than 10 or 20 cents on a fill up.

jimnolimit · #10

boxer93 wrote: IMHO, reduce your rate of acceleration, drive at a constant speed or walk/bike if you can to reduce fuel use.

Chris

To add to that:

1. I run my tire pressure about 4psi higher than factory specs.
2. I try to coast to red lights to minimize my time stopped.
3. I only warm my car up for 30 seconds - 2 minutes max.

RIOT · #11

very cool, thanks for those tips, im going to try them next time i fill up.

marknett · #12

I don't let my wife drive .. Cut my fuel cost considerably , not to mention the speeding ticket fines :eek:

MatteusNova · #13

Tip #2, go to Venezuela and fill your car, there it costs about 20-25 cents per gallon. :D

jackknifeh · #14

matteusnova wrote:tip #2, go to venezuela and fill your car, there it costs about 20-25 cents per gallon. :d

road trip!

Simple Man · #15

Snopes covered this...

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