I live in Florida where it is HOT.... The specs on my truck say I got an 11.1 gallon fuel tank, yet everytime I try to fill it up I can only get about 9.5 gallons in her... Does this have something to do with the temperature of the fueling coming out of the underground tank? I mean if the fuel was colder I could probably put close to that 11 gallons in? So, I'm getting ripped off everytime I fill up because I'm buying expanded fuel? Whats yoru take on this?
2006-07-04 04:21:03 · 4 answers · asked by johncharlesrealty 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
the car manufactures has designed you car so it thinks its running low when its actually not to prevent you from running out of gas in the middle of the highway. What i always do, instead of looking at the meter, is first figure out my gas mileage and figure out how many miles i can go before running out of gas. This way, when filling up, i reset my odometer and go by how many miles i traveled and not go by the fuel gauge.
2006-07-04 04:35:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The tank on most vehicles is a little larger than what the gauge registers. Your tank is probably not as empty as you think it is.
Gas is extremely volatile. By your theory, if the temperature were warm enough to expand it by 2 gallons it would explode. Anyway, a liquid does not expand. If the temperature reaches the boiling point of the liquid it will become a gas. You are not pumping vapors into your vehicle.
You are not being ripped off by buying "expanded fuel".
2006-07-04 11:30:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It shouldn't expand that much or you're truck is a bomb waiting to go off. The temp of the fuel is cold coming from the ground and it will expand somewhat when it comes in contact with the hot air, but you're not getting ripped off. unless the tank is really really empty you're not filling it up all the way. try running out of gas and i bet you can get 11 gallons in her. i wouldn't try it though, but that's the only way you're gonna put 11 gallons in.
2006-07-04 13:37:13 · answer #3 · answered by shiara_blade 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One of the previous people answering said that "a liquid doesnt expand." This is true, however, many of us with plastic gas cans have seen the gas can balloon out of shape when temperatures get high. This is because gasoline has a small amount of propane in it to make it more combustable. This expansion you see in a gas can is the gasses that are in gasoline escaping the liquid and expanding.
2006-07-04 17:44:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋