As you know, diesel doesn't expand as much as gasoline.

Gasoline expands 2-3 times more actually.

It brings me to fill up technique:

How hybrid owners know they filled up the same way?

Unless they fill up to the brim, they can't.

The same pump will "click" (shut off if you like) at different times depending on a few factors:

-How deep it's in the car;
-Outside temperature;
-How old is the "gun".

I've worked for gas stations for many years, so let me shed some light here.

1.How deep the gun is in the car when filling up.

If it's all the way in, it will go off early.

If it's all the way out (with only the tip in the filler neck), it will go off a little bit later.

2. Outside temperature.

That's a big one.

You will never fill up at the exact same temp, right?

Gasoline temperature won't be the same station to station also.

I have experienced that nozzles will go off earlier when colder outside and later when hot outside.

3. How old is the nozzle.

New nozzles tend to click before old nozzles: springs that worked over a period of time are not as effective as new springs.

My point is that unless you fill to the brim, you cannot and will never get accurate mileage numbers.

Diesel is better for this aspect.

Here's a pic of my last tank filled up to the brim as usual: Click for high res


I always fill up the same, to the very brim.

I fill up 120km from where I live so by the time I'm home there's a 4-5 litres space in the filler neck (it takes me some 700 km/400 miles so the needle gets off full, ie that I start using what's in the tank).

So, how do you fill?

If it's not to the brim, big errors in calculation are occuring.

 

Hi Rammstein:

___It (regular gasoline/petrol) doesn’t expand immediately and it doesn’t expand a whole lot. I always fill my tanks right to the fill neck to maximize range as well as minimize tank calculation errors but most don’t and it is not a recommended practice given the vapors are not exactly earth friendly. In any case, what goes in is what goes in. There is no expansion to worry about given the 55 – 60 degree F gasoline (it is in an underground tank after all) has cooled or warmed up your fuel tank to the same by the time it is filled. Any evap afterwards heads up the vapor recovery HW unless you fill that like I do every once in a while

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

opps

 

xcel, I'm sure you drive a little after you've filled up and not just let the car sit in your driveway, right?

My point, as you mentionned, is that most dieselers fill it up to the brim because it's easier and it has no ill effect, that's all.

It was a reaction to some very high mpg results in the database (you those with only 1 tank and it's super high...).

Anyway, an observation more than anything. ^_^

 

I think you're right in that it takes several tank's data to get a more accurate reading.

 

Hi Rammstein:

___The following might help …

The Attempt …

___Rick Reese is one of the best fuel economy drives in the world so that is why you see him place his Insight and Prius I in the list. Kenny and Hot_Georgia_2004 in their HCH’s as well as Krousdb in his Prius II are right near the top of the game as well. There are a few others that don’t visit us here but I might as well mention them. Chisight who lives just a few towns down from me as well as Billy (his nick over at Insight Central) can be included as well.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

I'll repeat what Wayne said.
evaporating gas is bad for the atmosphere.
In much of california we have vapor recovery gas nozzels.
Maybe they are all over the country now.
They are designed to prevent topping off.
One of the reason we buy these hybrids is environmental conscienceness.

Also, we are not supposed to smoke or use cell phones or electronic devices when refuling.
Electronics can generate tiny sparks internally.
If gas vapors are present. .

KABOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!


Putting your camera near that topped off gas tank may get you a Darwin Award.

 

Dear Kenny,

Diesel being more like oil, it is not readily flammable.

There is no danger whatsoever to take a pic because the stuff won't light up as would gasoline would do.

I've sticked a propane torche in a diesel fuel filter, and guess what, almost no flames, and of course no explosion.

I'd really worry about driving a gas vehicule, 'cause gas is way more volatile than diesel.

KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!