Fuel Economy - Hypermiling Dedicated to discussions on fuel economy improvements and related modifications.
View Poll Results: Do you "top off" your tank once the pump clicks off?
Yes, one or two clicks
38
45.24%
Yes, I fill it to the top of the filler neck
22
26.19%
No, when the pump stops, it's done
24
28.57%
Voters: 84. You may not vote on this poll

Topping Off

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Old 01-20-2011, 09:51 PM
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Topping Off

When filling up at the gas station, do you top off the tank after the pump clicks off? If so, how much? One click, two, a gallon? Fill it up until you can't fit another drop in the filler neck?
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:06 PM
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Depends on the weather. Gasoline expands in the warmer weather so I don't. In the winter, I round off $.
from everything I've read, you're not supposed to top off, everything from spills to room for expansion of fuel vapors. Don't know what the truth is.
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:13 PM
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I usually top off because I'm going to be using some fuel very shortly...... I rarely hangout at the gas station, you know?
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:23 PM
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I don't want to spill gas on the paint, so after the deadman switch "pops", I give it a couple of more cycles until I hear the fluid in the filler tube, but never to the neck.
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:23 PM
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I do one click but it is better to not top off. You can ruin your evap system.
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:30 PM
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One click past full, not chancing a "burp" onto the paint, gas strips the wax so well. And the evap system doesn't like being overfilled, why risk causing a problem.
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Old 01-20-2011, 10:31 PM
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Personally, in the HHR I fill it until it clicks, then usually up to the next dollar. In the Lumina however, it clicks off kinda early in my opinion... I fill it up until the gas is actually sitting in the neck, and I can see it. Like Greybeard said, you don't sit and hang out at the station. I live about 25 miles away from where I usually fill up, so I figure I use enough up by the time I get home, it doesn't have time to expand. But in the Lumina, I can fit an extra 2 1/2 gallons in usually! That's 75 miles or so extra. When the pump clicks off, if I leave it the gas gauge starts dropping in a few miles, with the extra couple gallons I can drive a few days before the needle moves!

I have heard it's bad for the evap system, but I've been doing this for 4 years, and never had an issue yet. Like I said, I think if you did that and parked, yeah that's bad but if you're going to drive and use it up fine.
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Old 01-20-2011, 11:30 PM
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Just like I've been doing for the last 25 years, I top off until it stops and then I round up to the nearest dollar. No big deal. Sometimes people tend to overthink the most simple things.
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Old 01-21-2011, 12:08 AM
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however full $2. takes it..
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Old 01-21-2011, 08:49 AM
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ROund up to the nearest dollar or maybe to the next one if I'm already up on that dollar.

My wife's Ford Fiesta with the capless system. You can barely top it off. And you can't do the pull out slightly trick cause you dis-engage the check valve in the filler neck and it just pours to the ground then.
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