Pumping Gas

[The Edge]

With prices rising here are some tips.

Here are some things you knew and a few that you probably did not:Pumping gas.... good things to know.

I've been in petroleum pipeline business for about 31 years, currentlyworking for the Kinder-Morgan Pipeline here in San Jose, CA. We deliverabout 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period from the pipe line; one dayit's diesel, the next day it's jet fuel and gasoline. We have 34 storagetanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons. Here are sometricks to help you get your money's worth:

1. Fill up your car or truck in the morning when the temperature isstill cool . Remember that all service stations have their storage tanksburied below ground; and the colder the ground, the denser the gasoline.When it gets warmer gasoline expands, so if you're filling up in theafternoon or in the evening, what should be a gallon is not exactly agallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and temperatureof the fuel (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleumproducts) are significant. Every truckload that we load istemperature-compensated so that the indicated gallon gage is actuallythe amount pumped. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal forbusinesses, but service stations don't have temperature compensation attheir pumps.

2. If a tanker truck is filling the station's tank at the time you wantto buy gas, do not fill up; most likely dirt and sludge in the tank isbeing stirred up when gas is being delivered, and you might betransferring that dirt from the bottom of their tank into your car'stank.

3. Fill up when your gas tank is half-full (or half-empty), because themore gas you have in your tank the less air there is and gasolineevaporates rapidly, especi ally when it's warm. (Gasoline storage tankshave an internal floating 'roof' membrane to act as a barrier betweenthe gas and the atmosphere, thereby minimizing evaporation.)

4. If you look at the trigger you'll see that it has three deliverysettings: slow, medium and high. When you're filling up do not squeezethe trigger of the nozzle to the high setting. You should be pumping atthe slow setting, thereby minimizing vapors created while you arepumping. Hoses at the pump are corrugated; the corrugations act as areturn path for vapor recovery from gas that already has been metered.If you are pumping at the high setting, the agitated gasoline containsmore vapor, which is being sucked back into the underground tank, soyou're getting less gas for your money. Hope this will help ease your'pain at the pump'

[Bubs daddy]

Don't know if this is urban legend or not.

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/...s.asp

[The Edge]

I got this in an email from my dad and posted it here.

[Bubs daddy]

I get emails like this all the time. Rants and raves attributed to people who never wrote them, misinformation and many urban legends. I would be skeptical until any of it until can be proven true.

[NY.AD.MAN]

This isn't so much of a rant, more of a speculation... what actually seems like an educated speculation.

Firstly,

The idea that gases and liquids will compress in colder weather makes good sense! The fumes are emitted at a lower level, thus lower gas loss, and the gas itself takes up less volume = more gas @ expansionary temperatures.

My gas mileage also increases up North ONLY when I allow about 5 minutes to warm up and slower driving for the first mile because you fill your tank when the gas in compressed, then your engine heat actually expands the gas at a faster rate than it compresses. Now, I'm NOT talking about 20MPG, BUT I am talking an average of 1 or 2 mpg difference. It adds up over several tanks... Plus, in the South, it's more humid and condenses more often inside of the gas tank than Colder or less humid areas (Arizona or New York).

Either way, I believe that this will make a small, but significant long term benefits...

If you gain 2-3mpg average from this...

Averaging ABOUT 30 mpg.

Over the span of your car you will drive roughly 150,000 miles, BUT because we tend to go through cars today pretty quick, let's say you drive 20K per year.

That means 100,000 miles to drive.

100,000 miles / 30 miles per gallon = approx. 3333 gallons

3333 gallons x $3.00 per gallon = Approx $10,000

NOW, say you get an increase to 33 mpg

100,000 miles / 33 miles per gallon = Approx 3030 gallons

3030 gallons x $3.00 per gallon = Approx $9090

That's a $900 difference with ALMOST MINIMAL driving. I'll have 27K by the end of 1 year!

For those of us who are going to keep the Versa LONG TERM... It'll last us well past 150,000 miles, so just consider that as extra savings...

[Bubs daddy]

I know this is not a rant. I was referring to some political charged tomes incorrectly attributed to some celebrities that have been emailed the last few years.