Tips on Pumping Gas, and Saving Money, from an Industry Insider

Here is some background information on my informant. He has asked NOT to be named.

He is currently living in California. In California gas is probably the most expensive I've seen so far. There are places where people are paying upwards of $3.50 a gallon. He has been working with petroleum companies for more than thirty-one (31) years now. He has decided to share some tricks to get more of your money's worth for every gallon of gas you pump.

"Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period through the pipeline. One day is diesel, the next day is jet fuel, then regular and premium grades of gasoline.

We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons."

-The "Insider"

Tip number one:

Go in the morning to buy or fill up your car or truck. The ground temperature is much cooler in the early morning. You may have noticed that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. So, when you go early in the morning the ground is much cooler, which in turn makes the gas cooler and more dense. As the day warms up the gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or evening means you're not getting exactly a gallon when you pump gas.

"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."

-The "Insider"

Tip Number Two:

When going to pump gas, always allow yourself a few extra minutes so that you don't have to rush. Why? Let me explain. When you look at the gas pump, you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, medium or middle, and high. In the slow stage, you should be pumping on low speed, that way you are minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. So, if you are pumping gas at the high stage, some of the gas that goes into your tank becomes a vapor. Most of those vapors are being sucked right back into the underground storage tank, so you are getting less worth for your money.

Tip Number Three:

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL, if you're an optimist, or HALF EMPTY, if you're a pessimist. 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."

-The "Insider"

Tip Number Four:

When you arrive at the service station and you see a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks, DO NOT get gas at that service station. Instead, find another one close by. The reason behind this is while the gas is being delivered, it stirs up the gasoline already in the storage tanks. That means you might pick up some dirt and grime that normally settles at the bottom of the tank. That can be very bad for your car. Not to mention, you're paying for dirt.

Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.