Gas fill problem
01-16-08, 04:42 PM
#1
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Gas fill problem
My wife has filled up our fuel tank twice in the time we've owned it - about 5 days ago - keep in mind it came with a quarter tank, so no, it's not eating through fuel 
When she's at the gas station, she gets 3 gallons and then the gas stops flowing. She has to wait a second and start pumping again. This happens about every three gallons.
A friend had told me it's just a factor of the flap inside the tank closing because the air inside is not escaping fast enough, and to use a fuel cleaner such as 44K and premium fuel for a couple weeks and it should help. Any other ideas?
When she's at the gas station, she gets 3 gallons and then the gas stops flowing. She has to wait a second and start pumping again. This happens about every three gallons.
A friend had told me it's just a factor of the flap inside the tank closing because the air inside is not escaping fast enough, and to use a fuel cleaner such as 44K and premium fuel for a couple weeks and it should help. Any other ideas?
01-17-08, 09:52 AM
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how do you get "more gas for your money" by pumping slower...? if you pump out "x" number of gallons, you pay "y" price either way. but i will have her try this next time.
if you pump out "x" number of gallons, you pay "y" price either way. but i will have her try this next time.
01-17-08, 07:43 PM
#5
The faster you pump the gas the pump cavitates... In a pump the impeller's blades move through fuel, low pressure areas are formed as the fuel accelerates around and moves past the blades. The faster the blades move, the lower the pressure around it can become. As it reaches vapor pressure, the fluid vaporizes and forms small bubbles of gas. (This is cavitation) robbing you of your dollars worth...while it might not seem like much, at a tank full it will add up...
Last edited by esucaris1; 01-17-08 at 08:04 PM.
01-24-08, 05:17 AM
#6
It's funny that I read this thread the other day and yesterday I get this email on tips for pumping gas so here it goes:
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS (Good information)!
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but in California we are paying, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
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. 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 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. 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. 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 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 amount.
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.
Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
TIPS ON PUMPING GAS (Good information)!
I don't know what you guys are paying for gasoline.... but in California we are paying, up to $3.50 per gallon. But my line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon..
Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose , CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline. One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades. We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.
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. 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 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. 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. 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 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 amount.
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.
Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.
DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS!
01-24-08, 05:23 AM
#7
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thanks kphu - awesome tips!
mywife went to fill up the lexus again and she said that when she left the pump on slow mode, it did a little better in the middle of the fill (from about an eighth of a tank up to nearly full). it hitched up on her at first, she released some pressure off the trigger, and then it did fine but then started hitching toward the end every 3 gallons or so. any reason for this...? i put in some techron fuel cleaner as i do on all cars i buy (usually I use 44K but i can't find it anywhere nearby anymore as there are no BP Amoco stations in the boston area and advance/auto zone doesn't carry the stuff). one friend of mine said that fuel cleaner might work in helping the situation but i'm still dubious.
mywife went to fill up the lexus again and she said that when she left the pump on slow mode, it did a little better in the middle of the fill (from about an eighth of a tank up to nearly full). it hitched up on her at first, she released some pressure off the trigger, and then it did fine but then started hitching toward the end every 3 gallons or so. any reason for this...? i put in some techron fuel cleaner as i do on all cars i buy (usually I use 44K but i can't find it anywhere nearby anymore as there are no BP Amoco stations in the boston area and advance/auto zone doesn't carry the stuff). one friend of mine said that fuel cleaner might work in helping the situation but i'm still dubious.
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01-24-08, 04:46 PM
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i live in new jersey and we dont pump our own gas here but i worked at a gas station when i was younger for 3 years and whenever cars did that all you have to do is take the nozzle out and stick it in upside down so that the top of the nozzle is facing the ground. it will prob pop again after the first try but do it again and it should fill up .. it will work
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