This Mistake at The Gas Pump Can Cost You Plenty!
A mistake that many drivers make when filling their gas tank is to overfill it by topping it off. When the gas pump nozzle clicks off automatically,do you keep pumping? Are you trying to add as much gas as you can possibly stuff into your tank? Do you pump more gas after the automatic shutoff to round your total to nearest full dollar amount? In either case this is a bad habit that is most likely costing you a lot of money and is contributing to air pollution.
In many areas, a gas station's pumps have vapor recovery systems that recover gas vapors to keep those vapors from getting into the air. If you top off your gas tank it will result in you paying for gas that is drawn back into the gas station's vapor recovery system.
The extra gas you are trying pump may be drawn back through the vapor recovery system into the station's tanks. Then in essence you are paying for fuel that is not going into your tank but is going into the gas station's tanks. This, of course, raises your cost of gas.
When you top off your tank there is a good chance that gas will evaporate or will be spilled on the ground. Both of these things will cost you money for gas that is not getting into your tank. That is it bad for your wallet.
There are more undesirable situations that can happen when overfilling your gas tank. Gas expands as it warms up. This is certainly something to keep in mind in the summer or in areas with warm weather. Gas in underground tanks will be cooler than the air as the ground insulates it from the heat. As the fuel in your tank gets warmer it expands. As the fuel expands it has to have more room.
If you top off your tank, there is no room for the gasoline to expand. What then happens to the expanding gas? It might find it's way into the vapor collection system of your vehicle. This will easily foul the system causing it to work poorly.
The gas that expands and is lost is gas that you have paid for. Again that means that you are paying for gas that you can't use. Your cost of gas is increased again. But that's not all that will happen. If the expanding gas fouls up the vapor collection system your car will operate less efficiently.
A less efficient car means less fuel efficiency which means you will use more gas which means it will cost you more money. The result is you are hit double in the wallet, once for the gas that is lost directly and second for the extra gas your car starts to burn because it is running inefficiently. Double ouch!!
Gasoline vapors are a source of toxic air pollutants such as benzene and contribute to bad ozone days. Gasoline vapors are harmful to breathe. When you overfill your tank you will inevitably get some vapors released into the air. When this happens not only are you breathing in toxic fumes but you are also contributing to the air pollution problem.
The next time you stop to fill your vehicle, when the pump stops don't try to add any more gas, your tank should be quite full. Don't overfill it! Don't top it off! You will save yourself fuel and money but you will also contribute to preserving your good health and preserving the environment!
Scott Siegel has written a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can increase fuel economy. Find out how to save gas.
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