Gas tips for Leap Day

Save money on car repairs by thinking smart at the gas pump! These tips come from my father plus my own experience with cars over the years:

• Avoid the build-up of condensation in your gas line by filling up regularly--in winter, don't let your gas tank fall below half-full when the temperatures dip below freezing.


• Watch out for sludge! Do NOT fill up when you see a tanker truck delivering gas at your regular station that day. If you ignore this advice and buy gas anyway, it's more likely the pump will suck up particulates and drop them into your gas tank from the sludge loosened or stirred up by the truck delivering the new supply. These particulates clog your fuel injectors and could cause a myriad of other problems. It's better to go somewhere else or wait until the next day.


• What I call the "sludge principle" is true for your car, also--as a general rule, never let your gas tank fall below a quarter of a tank. Otherwise, you risk sucking up the sludge that lies in the bottom of your own gas tank into your engine and gunking things up. (An added benefit--if you never let your gas tank get below a quarter full, you'll never get stuck on the side of the road out of gas, something my poor husband has experienced twice--and me? Never.)


• Beware of "bad gas." Buy your auto fuel from the same station, one you trust, after you see that your car continues running smoothly. If it runs terribly after you just filled up, it's a very good sign that you bought "bad gas," gasoline that was mixed with water or simply not processed correctly.