The costly mistake many drivers make when filling their car with gas is to overfill it by topping it off. When the gas pump nozzle clicks off, do you stop or do you keep pumping? Are you trying to add more gas your tank after the shutoff trying to stuff as much in as possible? Are you pumping more gas after the shutoff to round your total cost to the nearest full dollar amount? If either of these scenarios are true, or if any other reason causes you to top off your tank you have developed a bad habit that is costing you 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 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 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 overfill your car, there is no room for the fuel to expand. As the gas expands it has to go somewhere. It could easily find it's way into the vapor collection system of your own car. This may foul the vapor system causing it to malfunction.
The gasoline that expands and is lost is gasoline that you spent your money on. That means that again, you spent money for gas that you are not able to use. As a result your cost of gasoline is increased. But you are not through loosing money! If the expanding gas finds it's way into your vapor collection system it could easily foul that system. If that happens your car will operate very inefficiently.
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 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.orbitaloc.com/
Scott Siegel has written a 143 page book 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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