Make sure you’re at the correct variety of pump. Some pumps are designated for Diesel vehicles only, while some pump regular gas only, and some pump both. Pumps that pump both kinds of gas will have two nozzles on each side. Practice good pump safety. Before you pull up to the pump, put out any cigarettes that might cause a fire hazard around the gas and leave your cellphone in the car. Cell static has been linked to several gas station flare-ups.
To pay at the pump, just slide your card to get started and follow the instructions. You’ll likely have to select between debit/credit, and enter your PIN number or your zip code to confirm payment. Some machines will prompt you to enter an amount. If you enter $20, the pump will cut off the gas when you’ve pumped $20 worth. If you want to fill your tank, just press enter to skip this step. To pre-pay inside, pay the attendant. You’ll need to tell them how much gas you want to pay for, and the number of the pump at which you’re parked. You can use either a card or cash. The cash amount you pay them will show up on the pump, which will cut off when you get to that amount. If you want to fill up your tank and pay in cash, you’ll probably have to overpay, then pump your gas, and then return to the counter to get your change. This is common. Just tell the attendant you’re going to try to fill it up, pay more than you think you’ll need to pay, and go back to the counter for your change. If you’re a member of any rewards or loyalty programs, insert your member card at this point (or prior to the credit/debit card; see the pump for instructions). This may net you a discount or add points to your balance at participating gas stations.
If you see two nozzles at the gas pump, that means the pump supplies both diesel and regular. The Diesel nozzle is usually slightly larger and colored green, and the nozzle is usually too big to put into the port of a regular gas tank. Make sure you select the correct variety for your car–using the wrong kind of gas can ruin your engine. [3] X Research source Pump nozzles are made to fit into your gas tank without you holding onto the handle while you pump. While you’ll likely see lots of people holding onto the pump the whole time, this is unnecessary. Just make sure you’ve inserted it in fully and snugly and it should be fine.
The octane rating refers to the amount of gasoline that can be compressed during the compression stroke before the gas is ignited. Lower-octane gas will ignite earlier, and higher-octane will ignite later in the stroke. Higher-octane gasoline is traditionally used in high-performance engines to prevent knocking and create horsepower. Higher-octane fuel prevents as much dirt, silt, or carbon build-up from developing in your fuel filters.
On some older machines, there’s a little seat on the bottom of the “holster” where the gas pump sits in the machine. Before you select a variety of gas and start pumping, you’ve got to flip it up. On newer digital machines, you’re just doing this by pressing a button. Once you’ve activated the pump, you’re ready to pick your gas and start pumping.
Look at the dial on the pump to make sure it goes back to zero. This will indicate that the pump is ready to go, once you’ve made your selection. As you pump, you can watch to see how much volume of gas is being added and the price.
All modern pumps now have self-stopping mechanisms that will cut off the flow of gasoline when the tank becomes full, or when you’ve reached the amount for which you’ve pre-paid, whichever happens first. You’ll hear a click when the tank is full, or when the machine cuts it off.
It’s true that some stations have vapor recovery systems that feed back into the pump, used to recover gasoline, and also that gasoline expands some in the tank, making a super-full tank somewhat unnecessary and wasteful, both financially and environmentally.
It’s common for a small amount of gas to drip out of the nozzle as you remove it, so be careful to avoid getting it on your shoes and clothes. If you should spill any on the side of your car, or around the gas port, there are usually paper towels available at the side of the pump that you can use to clean up the spilled gasoline. It isn’t necessarily dangerous, but can emit an odor.
