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Tips to Fill Petrol and Diesel


Petrol, Gasoline & Diesel Fuel Saving Tips To Help You Save $$$$$.

Another way to lower fuel costs is to improve your knowledge & your driving habits. You will find many more effective ways to economize below:

Engine Warm-up
  • Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.
  • Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.
  • Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.
  • Avoid "revving" the engine, especially before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel & washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.
  • Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows a carburetor to function at peak efficiency.

Filling Your Fuel Tank

  • Only buy fuel or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement". 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 less actually than a gallon. 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. A one-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business & America's service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps. "So what?", you ask. Well, according to a study done by the Kansas City Star, U.S. consumers paid about $2.3 billion more for gasoline & diesel in 2006 than they would have had to if the pumps had been temperature compensated or if they had bought gas in the early morning. Reference: Automatic Temperature Compensation - http://metrology.burtini.ca/atc.php
  • When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.
  • If you look you will find that most triggers have three (3) stages: low, middle & high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, 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. That vapor is being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less fuel for your money.
  • One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is just half full (or half empty). 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, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact a mount. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.
  • 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 which normally settles on the bottom of the tank.This clogs fuel filters faster and can cause related fuel system problems.

Drive Efficiently

  • Stay within posted speed limits. Depending on your particular vehicle, as much as a 23% reduction in fuel savings can result from driving a constant, specific speed. Due to rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag, fuel efficiency decreases exponentially as your vehicle speed increases. Optimal fuel economy for the average vehicle is approximately 60 MPH. For every 5 MPH interval over your vehicle's optimal speed limit, fuel consumption increases by 5%. Speed limits are set primarily for motoring safety, but better fuel efficiency also occurs.
  • Use cruise control. Using cruise control on highway trips can help you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, reduce your fuel consumption. Avoid unnecessary idling time.
    Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. No matter how efficient your car is, unnecessary idling wastes fuel, costs you money and pollutes the air.
  • Anticipate driving situations. If you anticipate traffic conditions and don't tailgate, you can avoid unnecessary braking and acceleration, and improve your fuel economy by 5 to 10 percent. In city driving, nearly 50 percent of the energy needed to power your car goes to acceleration.
  • Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it.
  • Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car.Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts, etc. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by one to two percent.
  • Use overdrive. Overdrive gears improve the fuel economy of your car during highway driving. Your car's engine speed decreases when you use overdrive. This reduces both fuel consumption and engine wear. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.
  • Go easy on the gas pedal and brakes. "Jack-rabbit" starts and sudden stops waste fuel.
  • Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.
  • Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you can be unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but it affects your fuel economy, if he unexpectedly slows down and accelerates sporadically.
  • Close windows when traveling at highway speeds.Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.
  • Combine errands. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

Maintain Your Motor Vehicle

  • On computer controlled vehicles a faulty oxygen sensor can rob fuel mileage as much as 40%. Engines which run rough or “out of tune” decreases fuel mileage by about 4%. A clogged air filter restricts airflow, which causes a rich fuel mixture and decreases mileage by as much as 10%. Many computer-controlled vehicles have sensors to detect airflow (mass air flow sensor) and will adjust the fuel flow to compensate for a clogged air filter.
  • Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent depending on a car's condition. Follow the recommended maintenance schedule in your owner's manual; you'll save fuel and your car will run better and last longer.
  • Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. Car manufacturers must place a label in the car stating the correct tire pressure. The label usually is on the edge of the door or door jamb, in the glove box, or on the inside of the gas cap cover. If the label lists a psi (pounds per square inch) range, use the higher number to maximize your fuel efficiency. Fuel mileage can drop by 0.4% for every 1 pound per square inch (PSI) decrease in pressure for all four tires. On the average tires will lose 1.5 pounds per square inch per month. So, in a years time, if tires aren't checked pressure will drop by 18 PSI resulting in a fuel mileage decrease of 7.2%. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures. Tire pressure should be checked when the tires are cold. Proper tire pressure is usually located on a label in the drivers door jam. If one is not found most tires perform well with 32 to 35 PSI in them. Never exceed the tire manufacturers recommended maximum pressure, which is located on the side of the tire. Over size tires reduce fuel mileage because of the increase in rolling resistance due to the additional mass of the tire. Each tire should also be periodically spun, balanced & checked for out-of-round.
  • Check and replace air filters regularly. Your car's air filter keeps impurities in the air from damaging internal engine components. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter improve fuel economy, it will also protect your engine. Clogged filters can cause up to a 10 percent increase in fuel consumption. Today’s cars can go 100,000 miles before needing a tune-up but the air filter should be checked at every oil change.
  • Change oil as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Clean oil reduces wear caused by friction between moving parts & removes harmful substances from the engine. Using your vehicle manufacturer's recommended oil for your car, or even thinner oil, reduces resistance allowing your engine to run easier.
  • Use Nichels Permanent Engine Friction Treatment - It gives you a substantial boost in mileage, saves you money on engine repairs & can double or triple the useful life of your engine.

Fuel-Saving Suggestions

  • Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.
  • Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.
  • Park your vehicle so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.
  • Inspect suspension & chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag & are unsafe at high speeds.
  • Vehicle air conditioners usage reduces fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; more load on your engine, less mileage.
  • Avoid rough roads when possible, because dirt or gravel can rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.
  • Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter.Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always a straight line.
  • Remove snow tires during good weather seasons;traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!
  • Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car's body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).
  • Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.
  • During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to your vehicle's frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Un-removed snow & ice causes substantial wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.
  • Do not rest your left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely. This "dragging" also demands additional fuel usage.
  • Any act that will make your car more aerodynamically efficient such as washing & waxing your vehicle,removing unused luggage racks, or simply unloading unnecessary heavy objects, will all help your fuel economy.



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