Out of the bowels of CNN and into the forum of Fark, a list of things that DO NOT save gas. But while this is common sense, what makes this worthwhile are the Farkers’ comments regarding gas usage.

Here is one gimmick I remembered from my trip to Florida about several years ago: It was around 2.50 a gallon in South Beach, and after some sightseeing, Mr Theologian and I took the bus to the hotel. We relaxed and Prediger turned on the telly…and it was this commercial for a gas saving device, complete with flying dollars out of the guy’s wallet before the device and flying dollars into the guy’s pocket after the device (*smug guy pats shirt pocket*). And that commercial was on every day on our trip. Turns out that it was a ripoff.

One guy mentioned adding a bit of acetone, but I am wary of adding something that can eat up the plastic parts inside the car.

But here is something worth looking at: Farker Timmy the Tumor suggested not “topping off”:

If you pay attention to gas pumps and fuel nozzles, you’ll notice warnings specifying “do not top off.” If you ignore those warnings and continue fueling after automatic shutoff, the tank can over-fill causing fuel to dump into the vapor recovery system (it works like the extra drain hole in your bathtub that prevents over-filling, but in this case runs to an activated charcoal cannister that is mucho expensive to replace…if you “fill” it, plan on the check engine light firing up, and big repair bills).

One suggestion made by Car and Driver magazine is to not fill your tank all the way to the very damn top (when the automatic stop is actuated on the fuel nozzle), ESPECIALLY during warm/Summer months.

Two reasons.

One, during hot weather the heat CAN cause expansion of the fuel to a certain extent in the tank, causing minute amounts to spill into the vapor recovery system, over and over…which equals LOSS OF FUEL that should be burned in your engine, which therefore equals loss of MPG.

Two, and more reasonable, is that if you fill the tank to the brim, and stop without over-filling, and think “well, that’s that!” you are fine if you are somehow able to drive smoothly with granny starts and stops, no sharp turns, no panic stops, no drama, no nothing, good for you.

However, if you drive like a normal person, there will naturally be some splashing and sloshing of that fuel in your tank, and without a little “room” in the tank, guess where it’s gonna’ go when you pull a .90 g turn, or a jackrabbit start?

Yup, the vapor recovery system.

And voila, lost MPG.

Am looking for the Car and Driver issue to verify, so if any of you guys have info about topping off, I’m all ears.

In the meantime, here is an article from the San Francisco Chronicle on driving 55 mph. If you do not mind getting the middle finger and take extra time driving, maybe this will be of help.