A woman swears that “slow pouring” her gas results in a higher mileage count, and as a result, saves her money at the pump. Alecia (@aleciaa2) shared her hack a viral TikTok that accrued over 794,000 views. But does it really work?
While she swears by the method for gas-pumping, some were unconvinced and offered up an explanation for her seemingly miraculous jump in fuel efficiency.
What is “slow-pouring” gas?
“God bless the person that said when you’re getting, or like when you’re pumping your gas, to put it on the slow setting,” Alecia says. “So it doesn’t cause those air bubbles. Because.”
At this point in the video, she cuts to footage of her car’s quoted range after a fill-up. The vehicle’s dash shows a red animation of her vehicle in the center console.
Above it is the projected distance she’ll be able to travel on the filled tank. According to the vehicle’s estimate, Alecia can drive 522 miles without having to refuel. “Do y’all see that?” she says, pointing to the odometer. “And this was $30. It usually takes me 60 dollars to fill my tank to like 400 miles.”
Upon sharing this massive money-saving hack, she gave a shout-out to the original social media poster she learned the technique from. However, she couldn’t recall who they were.
“I don’t remember the creator, but God will bless you,” she says. “I hope both sides of your pillow are cold tonight when you sleep.”
Slow gas hack: legit?
Others have also wondered whether or not there’s any truth to the claim that slow gas pumping can actually save money at the pump. Additionally, there are those who want to know if the protocol can maximize a vehicle’s range capabilities.
According to this Reddit user, the trick works like a charm.
They noted that by lightly engaging the handle at the pump, they were able to squeeze out an extra 59 miles out of a full tank. Moreover, they didn’t spend any extra money by doing so, either.
One commenter who responded to the post chimed in, stating that they, too, have heard this term.
The thought process is as follows: Slower pours result in less fuel loss. Conversely, a speedier fill turns fuel into vapor more quickly, which means that drivers aren’t getting the most bang for their buck with their gasoline.
Not everyone believed this theory.
One commenter on the application called the theory “absolute bullsh*ttery.” They added, “The claim that the speed of the pump can affect the amount of fuel you end up with due to fuel being lost as vapor is largely misleading.”
Furthermore, they added that modern fuel pumps are outfitted with accurate measuring systems. These mechanisms charge folks based on the amount of gasoline that is poured, rather than the pump’s pour rate. While they did mention that vapor loss can occur in fuel tanks, it doesn’t happen while pouring gas.
“While it’s true that fuel can vaporize, especially in hot conditions, this loss occurs more from evaporation after the fuel is in the tank or during storage,” the commenter wrote. “Not during the pumping process itself. Fuel pumps are designed to minimize this effect during dispensing.”
Slow pump scam?
In Action News Jax‘s report on this fuel-saving myth, a AAA representative echoed the aforementioned Reddit commenter’s criticisms of this technique. They also added that since fuel receptacles in gas stations are stored underground, they aren’t subject to temperature fluctuations.
The AAA rep stated that the myth of fuel vapor loss is rooted in stagnant gasoline vapor transference, which occurs when temperatures affect stored fuel sources.
As Jax reported, this slow-pump myth is unequivocally false, as vapor loss won’t occur during the process of pouring gasoline.
So why does pouring gas “the slow way” impact mileage?
But how does one account for Alecia and other drivers who claim to have more mileage on a full tank with a slow pour? As one Redditor puts it, driving habits, combined with a car’s gas measuring components, could be the source of this disparity. The vehicle may take longer to properly assess how much gasoline is in a vehicle right after a fill-up.
However, slow pouring gives the car more time to accurately account for how much gas is in the tank. Factor in what type of driving and how far someone is commuting after a fill-up, and this could impact range display values.
@aleciaa2 Maximum gas #fyp ♬ original sound – Alecia A
Commenters react
Several folks replied to Alecia’s clip with varying opinions on the slow-pour hack.
One person remarked that it, too, resulting in a higher mileage count display. “Mine added an extra 100 miles when I did it!” they said.
Someone else referenced that fuel pump designs don’t lend credence to this theory. “I am genuinely confused,” they said. “Gas pumps measure fuel by volume using a flow meter. Air or foam does not add any volume. Can someone explain?”
But others had a different explanation.
Several users stated that a car’s previous mileage on a full tank determines the estimated range amount after a pour. For example: a long road trip with mostly highway driving will result in better gas mileage. Mixed highway and city driving or strict residential commuting will result in a lower total single-tank travel amount.
“Your previous mpg determines your miles kids,” one said.
Another echoed the aforementioned sentiment. “My Altima would get 500-600 miles on a tank if I had taken a road trip. Your previous MPG determines this number,” they said. “That number is going to drop dramatically once you ge track to city driving.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Alecia via TikTok comment for further information.
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