Over reading petrol pumps

[mk1chopper]

How do we know they arnt over reading? I filled up last night put 59 litres in last night, according to parkers the S3 has a 62 litre fuel capacity, which would mean I had 3 litres of fuel left, I was probably 1 bar into the red (there appears to be 3 bars iirc) and have filled up from lower on the gauge and not put as much in to fill the tank, which means either my gauge is faulty or the petrol station pumps over read i.e. 59 litres was attually 55. Does any one know what measures are in place to prevent such things happening? Are the pumps calibrated or tested on a regular bases?

 

[Westy]

Sometimes I find that the pump cuts off a lot quicker than other times. I think the tank is full, pay, get into the car and find the guage isn't al the way to the top

 

[Alex C]

i regularly squeeze more than sixty litres into my tank. Most ive filled is 61.79 l meaning i had 0.21 litres in the tank!. But my fuel gauge is always off the bottom of the red lines. Perhaps its your fuel gauge?

 

[Westy]

I was thinking the other day that a petrol stations pumps could be well out but nobody ever really checks properly when they fill up. We could be getting mugged (more than normal) every time we fill up!

 

[colicabcadam]

the measures in place are a HUGE fine and when i say huge i mean huge, like the 7 figure mark.

 

[Westy]

the measures in place are a HUGE fine and when i say huge i mean huge, like the 7 figure mark.

That's nice to know then.

 

[beanoir]

Trading Standards check petrol pumps for accuracy (as they do for many other measures and weights we rely on), and as said above the fines for not complying with the law on it are pretty tough.

 

[Welly]

Also, you can check the litres being read in numbers, i.e 61 litres using vag com on the instrument cluster measuring blocks...

 

[Kaibo]

It's like your all talking in a foriegn language, what's all this filling up? Sounds scary, as far as I'm concerned my car takes 20 quids worth.
I have often thought I'm not getting what we're paying for.
Actually I know this is petty as they often let you off but quite a few times I've stopped exactly on a pound and replaced the pump, by the time I pay it's x pounds and 1p, where's the 1p from, do that to a million people and you'll have enough money to buy a sandwich at the services

 

[sportstractor]

lol Id say its more than likely your gauge than their pumps, although i do sometimes wonder about the calibration of the pumps. Someone once said to me if you only squeeze and handle halfway so you have half flow, that you get more fuel than it reads lol. Im sure thats not true nowadays but maybe once upon a time

 

[Kaibo]

Not sure which way round this is, fill up when it's cold and you'll receive more fuel because it's more dense or you just get to put more in your tank because of density.

 

[AARON77]

Don't really make any difference it's expensive and it's only gonna get worse!!! I fill up twice a week every week

 

[jojo]

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-forum-8l-chassis/131429-unable-brim-my-car.html

 

[Westy]

I've had that before Joe but on the other hand I have also spilled fuel all over the forecourt floor lol

 

[fingermouse]

I get more annoyed at how long it takes to fill the tank, Im sure the pumps used to be faster. I like the idea in america where you can lock the pump into the fuel entrance and just let it fill her up.

Think the quoted 62 liters is for the tank only, you will get some fuel up the pipe also

 

[coatesy]

not that anybody will be really interested if you look on the petrol pump there is a sticker on them saying when they were last calibrated the ones at asda near to where i live get tested every three years sounds like a pretty long time gap between tests might be worth doing some question asking if there are no stickers on the petrol pumps at your local station

 

[Pearcyy]

Not sure which way round this is, fill up when it's cold and you'll receive more fuel because it's more dense or you just get to put more in your tank because of density.

I also heard this, a cold day as the fuel is more dense. I believe the tanks are deep underground so not affected by ambient temperature, contain '000's of litres so any temperature variation would have no effect and the fuel doesn't stay in the tanks long enough. So personally, I think anyone that fills up at a certain time of day to effectively get 'free' fuel is a bit dense.

 

[jojo]

I get more annoyed at how long it takes to fill the tank, Im sure the pumps used to be faster. I like the idea in america where you can lock the pump into the fuel entrance and just let it fill her up.

Think the quoted 62 liters is for the tank only, you will get some fuel up the pipe also

Pull the lever, then stick your fuel cap in between to keep it open.

 

[fingermouse]

but does it keep it in place the american ones open up and lock onto the filler pipe