Why You Shouldn’t Top Off Your Gas Tank

When you fuel up, the gas pump automatically shuts off once it fills your gas tank.  At that point, should you stop or put another half a gallon in?  Does it make a difference either way?

Environmental Concerns

In much older cars, gas caps used to have holes in them so that the vapors caused by gasoline could escape.  These vapors caused air pollution, leading to a change in the way cars were made.  The EPA requires that all cars come with a vapor recovery system.  When you overfill your tank, you can spill or leak gas, which not only hurts your wallet, but also causes the vapors to pollute the air and is harmful for you to breathe.

Mechanical Problems

When you put gas in your tank, it expands and creates vapors.  The EPA required vapor recovery system absorbs these and are eventually burned by the engine during the combustion process.  However, when you top off your tank, you can force liquid gas into the chamber that holds the vapors and cause it to fail.  This will lead to a poorly running vehicle, higher emissions and eventually a costly repair bill.

Hard On Your Wallet

Besides the possible repair bill and money spent on spilled gas, the fuel you pump while topping off can be forced back into the gas station’s pump.  Put simply, you’re paying for gas that you’re not getting.

Save money and protect the environment by NOT topping off your gas tank.  However, if you have had the habit of topping off your gas tank, stop in at your local Louetta Automotive shop.  We’d be glad to check your vehicle’s vapor recovery system for possible damage to prevent a costly repair in the future.