 | Blogs > earthytaurus3 > At a crossroads > Something very curious ............... |
2/22/2012 8:02 am |
When I fill up my gas tank, I always set my odometer to see how many miles I get out of a tank of gas. As of this morning, my needle is registering right at the half full mark. My odometer is reading 98.8 miles! WTH???? I used to get over 300 miles to a tank of gas! Now, it looks like I will be lucky to get 200. Prices rise; quality of gas declines?? What's the deal? Has anyone else noticed this? I'm going to fill up at a different vendor next time .... see if it matters WHERE I purchase my fuel. |
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2/22/2012 10:37 am |
ET, It could very well matter. Sometimes delivery tanks are altered illegally to indicate more than what they actually deliver. Try another gas station and see if the same thing happens again.
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2/22/2012 10:51 am |
When was the last time you had your car tuned up? Are your tires inflated to the highest safe PSI? Did you switch to a brand of gasoline that uses a higher percentage of ethanol than did your former brand? Many factors affect your mileage besides the weight of your right foot; I'm sure many readers will add to the 3 I mentioned above.
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 2/22/2012 11:10 am |
Is there a chance you have a gas line, or a gas tank leak?? My aged Honda developed both problems. Fixed the gas line leak, but the gas tank leak was harder to find. It was leaking from the seam of the tank. So if I drove with less than 1/2 a tank of gas, it couldn't reach the seam line and didn't leak. The other thing I have noticed with my current truck, if I drive with a full tank or any amount over 1/2 a tank of gas, it seems to last foever before I need to fill up again. If I drive with under 1/2 a tank of gas, I just whip through that gas in no time. Don't know why??? My g/f Lorraine said the same thing, but for her if her tank is full (Windstar), the gas lasts forever, but as soon as it drops below that, she goes through it really fast too. I'm sure someone would tell me that is an illusion, because it isn't logical.......... "Love is not what the mind thinks, but what the heart feels." --- Grey Evans
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 2/22/2012 12:07 pm |
your mileage increases as your gas tank empties. Simple physics...less weight (gas DOES have mass) to push down the road and, as the load decreases (you burn gas), the easier it is for your motor to push you further. Just because you have silenced a man does not mean you have changed his mind.
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2/22/2012 2:02 pm |
If yiu don't have a locking cap it is also possible someone is stealing gas. This tends to happen more frequently when the prices go up like they have the last couplenof weeks. Spiritwoman ^i^
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2/22/2012 2:20 pm |
If yiu don't have a locking cap it is also possible someone is stealing gas. This tends to happen more frequently when the prices go up like they have the last couplenof weeks. "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life" Red Averbach
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2/22/2012 3:16 pm |
Spirit and TwoBee - Yep, I have a locked cop on my tank.
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2/22/2012 3:17 pm |
your mileage increases as your gas tank empties. Simple physics...less weight (gas DOES have mass) to push down the road and, as the load decreases (you burn gas), the easier it is for your motor to push you further.
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2/22/2012 3:22 pm |
When was the last time you had your car tuned up? Are your tires inflated to the highest safe PSI? Did you switch to a brand of gasoline that uses a higher percentage of ethanol than did your former brand? Many factors affect your mileage besides the weight of your right foot; I'm sure many readers will add to the 3 I mentioned above. I haven't done anything differently than normal. This is why I'm mystified.
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2/22/2012 4:33 pm |
Boo - Hummmm, now this is interesting. I'm going to keep an eye on this. Just because you have silenced a man does not mean you have changed his mind.
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2/22/2012 7:51 pm |
Americans probably know this but for someone like me who does a fair bit of driving in the US,
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2/22/2012 7:57 pm |
Of course BOORad, now that I think of it. When I'm heavily loaded, with building materials for example, gas mileage isn't as good.
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2/22/2012 8:00 pm |
Oh I see that the site I mentioned that gives the cheapest gas prices for every location was edited off my previous comment. LOL
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2/22/2012 8:36 pm |
Oh I see that the site I mentioned that gives the cheapest gas prices for every location was edited off my previous comment. LOL
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2/22/2012 9:39 pm |
that's the website I use, on puter.
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2/23/2012 1:27 am |
Just jumping in to say hello - all my suggestions have been made by others! Dance like no one sees, sing like no one hears, love like you've never been hurt
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2/23/2012 4:44 am |
Hi Earthy: The car I have now seems to use way more gas than my old car did. The car I have now has less cylinders and uses nitrogen instead of air in the tires, both of which are supposed to give you better mileage. One time I was just about to use a self service gas pump when a homeless man distracted me by asking me for some money. I hadn't even put a drop of gas into the tank, but when I looked back at the meter it showed $3.50. I went inside and told the attendant, and said I thought they were a bunch of crooks and I was not paying a cent and drove away. It occurred to me then that the attendant might report me for theft, so I called the police myself and told them what happened. I couldn't believe my ears, but the cop told me he had been ripped off himself for gas at that station but there was nothing they could do about.
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2/23/2012 5:31 am |
This according to Click and Clack, the Tapfer Brothers on CAR TALK on NPR.
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2/23/2012 9:41 am |
Change in area with more red lights and stop signs. Warming the car before driving in cold weather. Change in tire size (diameter) when purchasing can cause a different speedometer mileage reading. It can also get you a speeding ticket. LOL Been there!
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2/23/2012 9:48 am |
The gas tank float can deteriorate and begin to absorb gasoline creating a false reading as to how full the tank is but if you check miles driven to gallons purchased over several tank fillings you have the correct figure. Nissan had a problem with fuel tank floats giving false readings. There was a recall. Party On.
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2/23/2012 11:52 am |
You did not mention what model or brand of car you are driving, but if its a compact, I thinking if you got a 14 gallon tank, and you are getting about 14 to 15 mpg, which is very low. The weather in Wisconsin has not been that cold where you would be running the engine a lot, but I throw that one in there as that often eats gas while the car is not moving. Your gauge does not seem to be working right or your fuel system needs to be checked. Most cars should get about 20 to 25 mpg. Something is not right, I don't think we can blame Obama for this one. It worth having your mechanic check.
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2/24/2012 6:56 pm |
You did not mention what model or brand of car you are driving, but if its a compact, I thinking if you got a 14 gallon tank, and you are getting about 14 to 15 mpg, which is very low. The weather in Wisconsin has not been that cold where you would be running the engine a lot, but I throw that one in there as that often eats gas while the car is not moving. Your gauge does not seem to be working right or your fuel system needs to be checked. Most cars should get about 20 to 25 mpg. Something is not right, I don't think we can blame Obama for this one. It worth having your mechanic check.
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2/24/2012 7:09 pm |
When all else fails, you can always blame Bush.
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2/26/2012 7:52 am |
When all else fails, you can always blame Bush. I hope you got your fuel problem resolved.
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2/26/2012 8:51 am |
Sorry Earthy that this serious problem has turned into a political rhubarb. I guess I started it by mentioning our President and all the blame he seems to get for just about any reason. Yes Bob I DO BLAME GEORGE BUSH FOR TWO UNDECLARED WARS AND ALL THE BIG TAX BREAKS FOR INSURANCE GUYS LIKE YOU. I bet you dont have any fuel problems. I hope you got your fuel problem resolved.
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