Towing Service Reno NV
Emergency Roadside Service
Fuel Delivery Service
When people talk about emergency roadside service, one of the most common request from commuters stuck on the road is for gas delivery. It's no fun running out of gas, for whatever reason, especially if you need to get to where you need to go ASAP. Here's some useful information about fuel. This is from the book by Julie Sussman, et al from lighthearted book Dare to Repair Your Car. This is part one of our topic. Keep following us!
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Fuel
Are you afraid of the tiger in your tank? The following information will help tame your fears by providing great safety tips.
What It Is
Fuel is defined as "something that is burned to provide power or heat." Vehicles are either powered by gasoline, diesel, or a combination of gasoline and battery power (hybrid).
The majority of cars in the United States are fueled by gasoline, and in Europe the majority are powered by diesel. But there is no car that can use both, which is why the nozzle on a diesel pump will not fit into a car that uses gasoline, and vice versa. It's a great design that keeps you from destroying the engine.
Diesel fuel can be purchased at most service stations and is pumped into a car the same as gasoline, only there's usually just one pump per service station – unless you fill up at a truck stop.
Gasoline Grades
Regular Plus (Mid-grade), Premium. We’re not talking about sizes of McDonald’s french fries. No, these are typical choices of grades of gasoline at the pump. What’s the difference between them, other than the price? The difference is the level of octane, which is the measurement of a fuel’s resistance to engine knock. The American Petroleum Institute defines engine knock as the "uncontrolled combustion associated with using gasoline with too little octane. “The only thing we can relate it to is your stomach growling because it doesn't have what it needs. The level of octane is represented by a number, for example: 87 (Regular), 89 (Plus), AM 93 (Premium). The higher the number the higher the octane.
Since the mid-1990s, all grades of gasoline contain a minimum of amount of detergent, which aids in cleaning the engine and, therefore, the environment. Depending on the gasoline manufacturer, each grade of gasoline can have a different level of detergent added – the higher the grade, the more detergent. For example, BP's Amoco Ultimate Premium gasoline has several times more than its Regular grade.
How do you know which grade of gasoline your car needs? Always refer to the car owner's manual. But even if the manual recommends Regular gasoline, you need to consider the age of your car, your car's performance, your driving habits, and your personal preference. Even if you don't hear your car's engine knocking, it doesn't mean that it's not happening. Most of the cars on the road today have knock sensors that adjust the spark timing upon detecting engine knock. This adjustment can reduce fuel efficiency; therefore you may be saving money in the long run by using Premium gasoline.
Name-Brand vs. No-Name-Brand Gasoline
The lesser-known gas stations obtain fuel from the same refineries that the big-name gas stations use. The reason they can charge less is because they have a lower overhead than the others, but you're more likely to get bad gasoline – and here's why. The problem with using gasoline from a lesser-known gas station is that gasoline breaks down over time, so the less-used gas stations may have gasoline that's not as new as the better-known stations. The choice is up to you, but we suggest that you only fill up at a name-brand station.
Pumping Gas
We wondered whether to provide instructions for pumping gas, because let's face it, everyone knows how to pump gas. Of course, there are some of you who pay the extra money for full service because you're afraid to do it (hopefully, after reading this section, you'll dare to pump gas) or because you live in New Jersey, where all gas stations are full service only.
So why are we writing about pumping gas? Because what most of you may not be aware of are the safety procedures that should be followed every time you fill 'er up."