The_Vigilante Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 (edited) Found these on another forum: Here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon: 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. 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. 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. YMMV Edited March 8, 2011 by The_Vigilante Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 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. 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. But ground temperature below a few feet is constant, so the air temp has nothing to do with the temp of the gasoline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will_M Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 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. 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. But ground temperature below a few feet is constant, so the air temp has nothing to do with the temp of the gasoline. Matt is right. At about 6 feet, the temperature is the average temperature for the whole year for that region. If you want to save gasoline, stop driving aggressively. My car is only rated for 20 mpg avg, but I get 25mpg all the way to 29mpg (average for a whole tank) just by changing driving behavior. No gimmicks, no special anything. Just changing behavior. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 slow accelerations and coasting up to stop lights has helped me. I usually pop it into Neutral if i know im going to have to stop and coast up to teh light. sometimes it will change before i get there and and i can continue on my way without stopping and having to accelerate back up to speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeMartens Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I love how all these tips and new reports and stuff come out when gas goes up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 I'm fairly sure that pumps are calibrated to deliver an exact amount, regardless of temperature or other conditions. The other things sound like topics for MythBusters - they sound like the make sense but I question the science. Gas in the tank does not evaporate into the atmosphere to any significant degree, otherwise your garage would explode when you start your car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeMartens Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Gas in the tank does not evaporate into the atmosphere to any significant degree, otherwise your garage would explode when you start your car. which in turn would make your home owners and car insurance higher.......offsetting any gas savings by pumping early in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle O Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Gas in the tank does not evaporate into the atmosphere to any significant degree, otherwise your garage would explode when you start your car. which in turn would make your home owners and car insurance higher.......offsetting any gas savings by pumping early in the morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 slow accelerations and coasting up to stop lights has helped me. I usually pop it into Neutral if i know im going to have to stop and coast up to teh light. sometimes it will change before i get there and and i can continue on my way without stopping and having to accelerate back up to speed. Better to leave it in gear. When you're in neutral the engine is using gas to keep it spinning, when you're in drive the engine will be kept spinning due to the wheels helping to turn the engine. If you want the best mileage, get a manual car and alternate between clutch in and full throttle at a low RPM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carter300 Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Cruise control use it. Modern day vehicles, the computer controls the throttle better then a human. Nothing erks me more then I am doing 70 mph(cruise set) lets say I pass some vehicle a few miles down the road they pass me back, like they got a fire call, next thing you know a few more miles I passing them, and too boot I never once changed my speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VegasOPM Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've heard that driving habits account for about 33% of combined mileage and I tend to believe it. Drive friendly and get better mileage, or drive like I do and pay the price at the pump! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JakeMartens Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) I've heard that driving habits account for about 33% of combined mileage and I tend to believe it. Drive friendly and get better mileage, or drive like I do and pay the price at the pump! Amen I have an 08 Passat, I can get 19-20 around town, or I can get 12 or 13 if I drop it in to sport mode or start using the paddle shifters.... Edited March 9, 2011 by fortyfiveshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedog Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Where I work we have a 15,000 gallon under ground tank with a butt load of sensors connected to hit. Part of my job is monthly monitoring of this pain in the butt. Two things I can state as fact. In 6 years the temp of the gasoline has not been +/- three degrees and it pumps from the bottom. I was told that all fuel tanks newer than about 20 years pump from the bottom. Pumping from the bottom keeps the tank cleaner, or so I'm told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've only been driving for 48 years but I have a few ideas. 1. Air up your tires. 2 or 3 extra psi will get a little more mileage. 2. Get rid of extra weight in the car, like all the stuff in the trunk you don''t need. 3. Plan your trips, if you forgot the candy bar when you gassed up don't go back for it. 4. Ride with a friend. 5. Don't tailgate it wastes gas and brake pads. 6. A bug guard on the hood is worth 2 mpg get rid of it. 7. Expanded metal tail gate on a pickup or lightweight camper shell another 2 mpg. 8. Take the lift kit out and ditch the moster mudders about 4 mpg. Tire drag and wind resistance under the vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin c Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) I used to have a lead foot, and got about 23 or 24 mpg out of my manual Honda 4 banger. Just a while ago I did a 600 mile trip on one tank of gas, averaging 35 mpg, all highway. I did it by drafting off off the big rigs that had to stay slow on the right. Of course, you have to put up with getting there in more time, and one kicked up rock into the windshield kills all your savings and then some. Now I get 30-31 mpg average in mixed driving. Just gotta keep it smooth and steady, and follow Coco Bolo's first few suggestions. eta: most pumps I see these days have a disclaimer on the side saying the pump dispenses by volume, not energy content/weight of product. Edited March 9, 2011 by kevin c Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PINMAN44 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) If one has to worry about gas this much they might want to consider laying low on shooting open guns for a while. Edited March 9, 2011 by PINMAN44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gundry Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Found these on another forum: .... 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. .... Carrying around the extra weight of at least half a tank of gas is much more painful than the non-existent loss of gas vaporizing in your tank. Modern vehicles have sealed evaporative emission systems - none of that vapor vents to the atmosphere when the system is working properly. FWIW - if I drive my turbo Subaru how I like to (and how it should be), I get ~20mpg on winter gas (high corn-farse-ethanol BS), and about 24mpg in the summer. If old man Gundry drives it when we trade, he can get about 3-4mpg more by babying it. If I try my hardest, I only manage about 2mpg more than usual. The stress of driving like a Prius is not worth it IMO I tend to drive so that I am in the way of no one (above all else - it's my golden rule of traffic). Smoother is faster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 If you're looking for good fuel economy stay away from Hemi powered Challengers.....Haven't broken 20 mpg yet, even on the expressway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CocoBolo Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 (edited) Found these on another forum: .... 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. .... Carrying around the extra weight of at least half a tank of gas is much more painful than the non-existent loss of gas vaporizing in your tank. Modern vehicles have sealed evaporative emission systems - none of that vapor vents to the atmosphere when the system is working properly. FWIW - if I drive my turbo Subaru how I like to (and how it should be), I get ~20mpg on winter gas (high corn-farse-ethanol BS), and about 24mpg in the summer. If old man Gundry drives it when we trade, he can get about 3-4mpg more by babying it. If I try my hardest, I only manage about 2mpg more than usual. The stress of driving like a Prius is not worth it IMO I tend to drive so that I am in the way of no one (above all else - it's my golden rule of traffic). Smoother is faster Driving can be a lot like shooting in the since that the charging Rhino on a stage doesn't have the fastest time, its the guy that looks calm and not fast that is the fastest. I don't drive slow, but I get great milage, 80k on a set of tires, 120K on a set of brake pads. I get free oil changes at the dealer they always ask to rotate the tires I always say heck they rotate every time I drive the car, so I don't rotate tires on a FWD car. Edited March 9, 2011 by CocoBolo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Smith Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Heard from a friend in Wales a few weeks ago that gas was up to about $8.00 per gal. I can't imagine what it must be now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Amish 1 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I actually bought a motorbike last year to offset the cost of my *then* long drive - 80miles every day. Buying the bike and taking it to work a few times a week on average was still cheaper than driving my paid off pick up truck every day. Surprising, eh? I actually ran the numbers back and forth a few times to believe it. truck = 15mpg motorbike = 35mpg I really could have saved money with a motorscooter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Cheely Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I actually bought a motorbike last year to offset the cost of my *then* long drive - 80miles every day. Buying the bike and taking it to work a few times a week on average was still cheaper than driving my paid off pick up truck every day. Surprising, eh? I actually ran the numbers back and forth a few times to believe it. truck = 15mpg motorbike = 35mpg I really could have saved money with a motorscooter... I'm going to play that argument this summer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzysights Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 We run 11 company vehicles at our office and they are on GE Fleet program with a fuel card for each. 7 of these are identical trucks. I get a report showing the fuel mileage of every tank and there is a 25% spread between drivers. It is mostly driving habits. To be fair some of it highway vs stop and go. The number one thing you can do for fuel mileage is air pressure as CocoBolo stated. Try it for yourself. Check your mileage on a full tank. Drop your pressure two psi and run another tank. You will lose 1-3 mpg depending on the weight of your car and avg speed. It is absolutley free to keep your tires at recommended inflation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amerflyer48 Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Another way to prove the tire pressure impact is to go for a bicycle ride,.. I set my road tires at 120 PSI I can tell when they are down around 105 yep 10% more pedaling and not as quick to sprint up to speed from a stoplight.. if you have a heart rate monitor and some flat land,.. ride at max inflation then with everything being the same lose 10 % air pressure ride at same speed or heart rate.. Heart rate = tachometer you will run your heart faster for the same speed more beats = burning more energy same heart rate = slower speed with softer tires ( more rolling resistance ) or increase your gun weight and run a few racks of plates... more energy to match the times lighter is faster/more economical... John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooterj Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) I usually pop it into Neutral if i know im going to have to stop and coast up to teh light. Don't do this with an automatic transmission. The pump doesn't turn while in neutral but the back end is and without lubrication. Edited March 21, 2011 by scooterj Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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