Do You Make This Mistake at The Gas Pump?

A mistake that many drivers make when filling their gas tank is to overfill it. In other words when the gas pump nozzle clicks off automatically,do you keep pumping trying to add as much more gas as you can? Do you add more gas after the shutoff to round out the dollar amount of the total. In either case this habit is most likely costing you money and is bad for the environment.

In most areas, gas station pumps are equipped with vapor recovery systems that draw gas vapors back into their tanks to prevent those vapors from getting into the air and thus contributing to air pollution. If you top off your gas tank it can result in your paying for fuel that is fed back into the gas station's tanks because that vapor recovery system is drawing gas back into the station 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 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 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 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!!

Gas vapors are a major factor in adding toxic pollutants such as benzene to the air. This contributes to bad ozone days. Gas vapors are bad for your health and harmful to breathe. When you top off your tank you will end up with vapors released into the air. When this happens you are breathing in toxic fumes.

The next time you fill your car or truck, when the pump automatically stops your tank should be full enough. Do not top it off. Not only will you be saving yourself money, you will you be protecting your own health and you will also be helping the environment!

Article Source: http://www.bizpong.com

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider secrets on saving gas and money at the gas pump. Visit us to learn how you can increase fuel economy. Find out how to save gas.
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