This is actually from an email that I got from a friend. While it is of the of the ‘send this to 10 friends and make a wish‘ ilk, I actually applied these tips and saved about $8.00 when I filled up my tank. As high as gas is these days, every little bit helps and you have my assurance that I have actually tried this stuff and it works. — DH

TIPS ON PUMPING GAS (Good information)

I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline…. but here in California we are also paying higher, 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. 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!

Some experts argue that cheap gas is not really an issue, because most consumers are not careful enough when it comes to saving gas. Car specialists recommend a number of tricks by which anyone can save up to 10% of the amount of gas they consume, though most would argue that this type of saving does not mean we purchase cheap gas. At any rate, all those affected by the high gas prices could benefit from learning such tricks, most of which are related to tire inflation, regular change of air filters or unneeded acceleration and braking. A more appealing solution to the issue of high gas prices is to search for gas stations offering cheap gas in various areas.

Promotional deals are the main way of purchasing cheap gas, but finding out about them involves that consumers be constantly on the watch. Information about such deals can be found at the local news station, although there are many people looking for relevant tips on which gas stations offer cheap gas at certain periods and under what terms. There are also people who attempt to benefit from knowledge to make gas prices smaller - by supplying their cars with fuel after dusk. They have learnt that as the air gets colder, gas compresses, and so they can purchase more gas for the same money. Although this does not really mean they get cheap gas, they sure get more for less money!

The growing demand on gas affects not only gas prices, which automatically go up, but also the world around us. The more fuel we burn, the less considerate we are about the environment. Environmental specialists suggest that a solution to having cheap gas again is not only to save up, but also to diminish the amount of gas consumed by using several methods. Many even suggest that people should give up cars and then the lack of cheap gas would hardly be a problem. More realistic solutions involve sharing cars, which would cause individual transportation costs to decrease. If taken up seriously by a considerable number of people, these saving up solutions would gradually come to influence gas prices because the demand for gas would decrease and everyone could benefit from cheap gas.

Market specialists estimate that the demand for cheap gas will keep increasing and consequently people will come up with more and more ingenious solutions to deal with the high gas prices. There is little chance for international gas traders to reach an agreement about fixed pricing. However, market tendencies can be subtly influenced through various commercial strategies, from which individual consumers might at some point benefit more extensively by being able to purchase cheap gas.