This fuelling up fact is a myth or not?
For some vehicles owners, it is always best to fill up your fuel tank very early in the morning or very late at night. We prefer the early morning fill up. Is this an urban legend or is there a science to this? This urban legend is backed by the principle that fuel expands when it is heated.
So the theory is that if you fill up your car at night or in the early hours of the morning when the temperature is cooler, you will get slightly more fuel for the same amount of money paid.
Even though the basic facts seem to be correct, according to consumerreports.org the advice above might not be. Yes, petrol does expand and contract, but very very little depending on its temperature.
When petrol rises from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, for instance, it increases in volume by 1 plus percent at the most while the energy content remains the same.
Malaysian petrol stations store all their fuel in deep underground tanks, where the temperature variation during the day is much less than in the air above. The result is that the temperature of the petrol coming out of the fuel nozzle varies very little, if at all, during any 24-hour stretch at any particular petrol station.
However, how much are you actually save on refueling at night or early morning when fuel in Malaysia is subsidized?
If you really want to save fuel, follow some simple tips right below.
First of all, remove everything that you don’t need in your car as this adds weight and so adds to fuel consumption. I am sure you have some unneeded items in your boot. When there is less weight, the less stressed your engine is.
Then make sure your tires are properly inflated and still have proper thread on them. It is best to check your tire pressure once every two weeks. It helps to reduce the drag while driving thus increasing your mileage. There is a label in your car just when you open the driver’s door which tells you the correct tire pressure (unless you have upgraded your wheels and tires to a larger size).
And do not forget to change your engine oil when it is time and you must replace the spark plugs if they are worn. Use a better quality spark plug not the ordinary one which comes with the stock car. It improves your fuel combustion thus giving more mileage and it improves your climate condition (AC) performance as well.
There is no need not fill up your fuel tank all the way to full. If you have time to come to the fuel station more frequently, do not fill up all the way as you will carry less fuel weight, which is always a good thing.
But the best advice is to drive more economically which means do not have a heavy foot on your accelerator. This means, do not keep accelerating hard and fast, drive gently and with minimum pressure.
Happy and safe driving.
