Helpful Tips For Pumping Gas

FOUR TIPS ON PUMPING GAS

With the fast rising fuel prices, here are some tricks to get you more of your money's worth for every gallon:

Here are some fueling tips from a long time manager at Kinder Morgan Pipeline with over 30 years in the industry. We hope this will help you save on your fuel cost. Every little bit helps and we like to share.

The Kinder Morgan Pipeline in San Jose , CA delivers 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. They have 34-storage tanks with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. When they give us fueling tips, we take them serious.

Tip #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. The time of day is important.

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.

Just 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.

Tip #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. 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.

Tip #3: 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, the bulk fueling stations, where every truck that is loaded, is temperature compensated. This insures that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Tip #4: If there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up.


The gasoline being pumped into the main ground tanks is stirring up the gas on hand. You might pick up some of the dirt and sediments that normally settles on the bottom. This can damage fuel pumps, injectors and more.

If you would like to add other helpful Tips or contact us direct, send Emails to: dmantaz@gmail.com