pumping gas and your car's engine
Why does your car's engine need to be off when you're pumping gas? It's not like there's a real risk of a fire. If there was even a remote risk, we wouldn't drive cars with internal combustion engines! It would be too dangerous to ever start the car! So why do we have to turn off the engine? I can't come up with a legitimate reason.
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Because the GOVERNMENT TOLD YOU TO....
Just OBEY and you will be safe.0 -
You are in more danger getting in and out when pumping gas, static elect. 0 -
Most all of the newer generation vehicles have O2 sensors on board. If the engine is running as you pump gas into the tank it will give a false signal to the O2 analyzer and you will have a check engine light come on. It doesn't do it every time but often enough you have to take the vehicle to the shop to have it reset.
Black Jack [8D]0 -
There is a significant fire risk.
Doug0 -
BLACKJACK got it. It WILL set off the light on your dash. Just like leaving your gas cap loose will set it off. 0 -
Black Jack, DO WHAT??? Tom
PS, Personally it think it is a cork of slime.T
PPS Look out for static elec, exspecially in cold dry weather. T0 -
quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
There is a significant fire risk.
Doug
+1
Not all cars are in perfect mechanical condition!
A loose or worn plug wire can cause a spark, along with many other possible spark sources when the car is running.
It is just a safety procaution that should be followed!0 -
The risk never was huge, and it is less now than it was in the old days, but it's not a lot of trouble to reduce the risk even more. It's kind of like when a ship puts out the smoking lamp to bring a brick of .22LR on board. 0 -
not much harm, and that light will go out after a few hundred miles. The "service engine" light is about the most worthless part of the car. It comes on if your gas cap's loose, if you put in a tank of cheap gas, or if you put on a cold air intake. 3 of the vehicles I've owned had that light on at least 20% of the time. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by cce1302
not much harm, and that light will go out after a few hundred miles. The "service engine" light is about the most worthless part of the car. It comes on if your gas cap's loose, if you put in a tank of cheap gas, or if you put on a cold air intake. 3 of the vehicles I've owned had that light on at least 20% of the time.
Must be Chevys!
JM0 -
BECUASE SOMEONE MAY STEAL YOUR CAR[:D] 0 -
Good point.
Doug0 -
It had nothing to do with the O2 sensors.
The vehicle constantly checks for pressurization of the fuel tank and it's ability to vent the extra pressure. Leaving a gas cap off or loose with throw the same alarm.0 -
I don't think Jr. kills the engine on no. 8 while they gas her up. 0 -
I never shut the engine off while refueling in the winter time. Below 0 temps usually and the wind is normally blowing. I usually insert the nozzle and get back in the cab while it is being filled up. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by 41 nut
I never shut the engine off while refueling in the winter time. Below 0 temps usually and the wind is normally blowing. I usually insert the nozzle and get back in the cab while it is being filled up.
I'm guilty of that also..[:(]0 -
I once locked myself out with the car running at pump. That sucked. 0 -
In the summer is when I leave it on. In the Georgia heat, when it's over 100 degrees and over 100% humidity, and my family is in the car, I leave it and the A/C running while I pump. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rockatansky
I once locked myself out with the car running at pump. That sucked.
Always carry a spare key in your wallet! Saved me quite a few times [:D]0 -
quote:Originally posted by Zebra
quote:Originally posted by Rockatansky
I once locked myself out with the car running at pump. That sucked.
Always carry a spare key in your wallet! Saved me quite a few times [:D]
This information would be useful BEFORE it happened! [:(!] (I do now)0 -
quote:Originally posted by callktulu
In the summer is when I leave it on. In the Georgia heat, when it's over 100 degrees and over 100% humidity, and my family is in the car, I leave it and the A/C running while I pump.
That would suck.0 -
Wow! It looks like there are a good number of "not too bright" people here -- I'm referring to those pumping gas with the motor running.
As already mentioned, the ignition, chassis electrical and even static charges all have the potential to create a spark which could ignite fuel -- especially the fuel vapors which are created when you are filling the tank.
You also have an exhaust system -- most probably including a catalytic converter that gets very hot -- which is tucked literally inches away from your fuel tank and filler line. Gasoline vapors are heavy, they settle downward and can "roll" under your car.
And don't ignore the fact that the automatic shut-off on the pumps are known to fail on a pretty regular basis, which can allow gasoline to splash and run down the side of the vehicle and under the car.
As for those who think "race car drivers don't shut-off their vehicles when they are refueling, so why should I" -- if I remember my chemistry correctly, their alcohol-based fuels can be, on average, a bit more difficult to start burning than ordinary gasoline. Of course, fires while refueling in the pits are very common -- which is why the whole pit-crew, and especially the re-fuelers, are wearing fire-suits, along with the driver. Not to mention the on-board fire extinguishing systems on the car and the fire fighters at-the-ready in the pits!
You do need "just the right conditions" to get a fire to start while at the pump, and you could fill up a lot of times with the motor running and never have a problem, but the fact of the matter is, you are greatly increasing your risks for a fire by not shutting down the motor while filling up at the pumps.0 -
There ain't a lot of static electricity around when the temp and humidity are both in the triple digits. 0 -
"I once locked myself out with the car running at pump. That sucked."
What's the big deal. All you had to do was wait six hours, until you could look into the driver's window and see it was about to run out of gas. Then, you just refill it! After all, you were already at the gas station.0 -
quote:Originally posted by bgjohn
quote:Originally posted by cce1302
not much harm, and that light will go out after a few hundred miles. The "service engine" light is about the most worthless part of the car. It comes on if your gas cap's loose, if you put in a tank of cheap gas, or if you put on a cold air intake. 3 of the vehicles I've owned had that light on at least 20% of the time.
Must be Chevys!
JM
yup. no big deal though.0 -
At $3.25 a gallon I don't think I could afford to leave my F-150 running while I filled it up.[:D]
That truck would suck it down faster then I could pump it in.[;)]
Trinity +++0 -
What a load of poop! I fill mine all the time with the engine running. I also use my cell phone at the pump. 0 chance of anything happening. I have also NEVER had my check engine light come on from doing this! What a bunch of maroons! lol!
BTW: Liquid gas will not ignite, only the fumes.0 -
When you come running into the gas station, your exhaust manifold and your catalytic converter can be yellow hot!!! Even a minute's cooling can reduce the temps of those many hundreds of degrees. Furthermore, if you have any exhaust leaks at any of the many joints and gaskets, FLAME is coming out of them every time a cylinder fires - at a 900 RPM idle, with a three-cylinder four stroke engine, that is 22.5 times a SECOND that a little pilot light is available to light off any Fuel/Air mixture gets near. Have you ever seen a fuel-air blast? A V-10, idling at 800 RPM may have flames available at any pinhole in the exhaust system nearly 67 times a second!
Have you ever gotten under you car, and looked at the slipjoints that join each section of the exhaust pipe?? Look close, and you will see that at the split joints, there is a little tan or black leakage at the joint - that is where the flames are licking out of the holes - and that is on a good system! On older cars, where there is a little corrosion, or maybe a little damage from running over something, there may be holes and splits that are much bigger.
Also the results of a study, there was a research project done to investigate why it seems that Women have more gas station fires than Men. The findings were: the women would start the flow of fuel, and then slide back into the cockpit. Their synthetic materials like ripstop nylon, and polyester, were generating static voltages when run over the seating materials, and when they returned to take the pump nozzle out, there were sufficient fumes, gas, and static in proximity to raise the chances of fire. If you get in and out of your vehicle during fueling, touch the metal of the car before you go over to the fuel nozzle!0 -
For the same reason you shouldn't have a cigarette hanging out of you mouth when you pump gas. It increases the chance you'll blow yourself up, burn down the service station, and hurt the rest of us who were smart enough to follow the safety standards but were unfortunate enough to need a tank of gas at the same time the fool who thought the rule didn't apply to him needed gas. Not to mention, it's not the best idea to stand next to the exhaust pipe breathing exhaust fume for you or the guy standing next to you. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by competentone
Wow! It looks like there are a good number of "not too bright" people here -- I'm referring to those pumping gas with the motor running.
As already mentioned, the ignition, chassis electrical and even static charges all have the potential to create a spark which could ignite fuel -- especially the fuel vapors which are created when you are filling the tank.
You also have an exhaust system -- most probably including a catalytic converter that gets very hot -- which is tucked literally inches away from your fuel tank and filler line. Gasoline vapors are heavy, they settle downward and can "roll" under your car.
And don't ignore the fact that the automatic shut-off on the pumps are known to fail on a pretty regular basis, which can allow gasoline to splash and run down the side of the vehicle and under the car.
As for those who think "race car drivers don't shut-off their vehicles when they are refueling, so why should I" -- if I remember my chemistry correctly, their alcohol-based fuels can be, on average, a bit more difficult to start burning than ordinary gasoline. Of course, fires while refueling in the pits are very common -- which is why the whole pit-crew, and especially the re-fuelers, are wearing fire-suits, along with the driver. Not to mention the on-board fire extinguishing systems on the car and the fire fighters at-the-ready in the pits!
You do need "just the right conditions" to get a fire to start while at the pump, and you could fill up a lot of times with the motor running and never have a problem, but the fact of the matter is, you are greatly increasing your risks for a fire by not shutting down the motor while filling up at the pumps.
I was merely making a funny mr. competentone. I didn't say "so why should I." I think its a little arrogant and judgemental to say people you don't know are "not too bright." As far as I am aware, NASCAR has always used high octane leaded gas, and will only go to an unleaded gas in 08. That's what I heard or read someplace but I can't remember my chemestry correctly so I am not sure not being as competent as you must be. And to know where everyones' fuel lines and converters are--WOW you really are competent. Thanks for your insights. Of course I never fuel my vehicles while they are running. There is a sign at the pump that says "Turn Off Engine, Select Fuel", etc.0
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