  |
Custom Search
|
||||
| |||||
By: Scott Siegel
|
|||||
|
|
|
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.
Most gas stations are equipped with pumps that have vapor recovery systems to recover gas vapors keeping those vapors from getting into the air. If you top off your tank it will cause you to pay for gas that is drawn back into the gas station's vapor recovery system.
The extra gas you are trying to pump into your tank may just be drawn into the vapor line and back into the station's tanks. That means that you will be paying for gas that is not going into your car but is going back into the gas station's storage tanks. Of course the effect of this is to raise your cost of gas.
When you overfill your tank there is a good chance that gasoline will evaporate or will be spilled. Both of these costs you money for gas that is not getting into your car. That is not good for your wallet.
There are more bad things that can happen when topping off your gas tank. Gasoline expands as it gets warmer. This is certainly important in the summer or in climates with warm weather. Gas in the station's underground tanks will be cooler than the air. As the gas in your tank warms up it expands. As the gasoline expands it needs 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 fuel that expands is lost gasoline that you have paid for. You paid for gas that you are not able to use. The result: your cost of gasoline goes up. But that is not the end of your increased costs! If the expanding fuel ends up in your car's vapor collection system it will negatively affect the system. If that occurs your vehicle will become much less efficient.
A car that runs inefficiently means that you will use more gasoline which means you will spend more money on gas. Thus you are hit doubly in the wallet, once for the gas that you loose directly and second for the extra fuel your car burns because it runs inefficiently. Ouch and 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.
When you next fill your truck or car, when the pump automatically stops don't add any more fuel, your tank should be full enough. Don't top it off, don't overfill it. Not only will you be saving money but also helping your own health and helping the environment!
Article Source: http://www.ezarticles.info
Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider secrets on saving gas and money at the pump. Visit us to learn how you can increase fuel economy. Find out how to save gas.
This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.
Please Rate this Article
Not yet Rated
ArticleWarehouse.com