What Did You Do To Your Gen II Today?

Any discernible difference in radio reception?

 

I grabbed an antenna off an Acura RDX, reception seems the same to me but looks more pleasing.

 

Well, my speakers are pretty crappy, but if there is a difference I'm noticing, it's very slight. Of course, with any longer antenna you'll get better reception. The aesthetic compromise is worth it IMO. Oh, and it's $8 vs $25ish from Toyota

 

Price?

 

Free, the junk yard gave it to me when I picked up a new jack after my coworker destroyed my last. I had paid for my jack, then saw that antenna and decided to grab it.

I'm sure you could find a junk yard antenna for less than $5

 

I picked up the same one for mine a few months back. Don't notice any difference going from the stock whip to it. That's with coming from Tracy to Dublin daily.

 

... Am guessing this is not the Dublin I'm thinking of.

Anyways today, regular service was done today (one that has been postponed for about 2000 miles... ah well). The transaxle oil was replaced for the first time in over 150,000 miles. Presuming that given there's no previously recorded service on it. I didn't get a pic, sorry, but it was poor. Like an abandoned bottle of buckfast. Very dark at first, but it's stale, flat grey looking deep red when tilted into the light. Running is much more smoother now!

Also finally got an OBDII port and compatible apps. Delta Voltage when running is anywhere between 0.15 and >0.1 volts or 0.2V when on accessories. Internal resistance is all 0.02 Ohms. What should I expect from a battery like that?

 

Does anybody notice MPG improvement after doing a trans oil refill?

 

Slight decrease. From what I'm seeing it's showing a 4 mpg (uk units) decrease overall. The new oil needs to be heated up and broken down again into smaller length molecules, which will take a while. On the way to Northern Ireland and back, the OBD showed MG temps rise to 63C degrees tops. On the Republic side of the border I put the cruise on just below 130km/h and that's the temps I see.
It's far from the +150C I remember hearing about the Gen I Prius.

 

Electronics run more efficiently at cooler temps, at least what I know from computer builds. Weird that they would decrease. I'm already pretty low at 42 MPG

 

It's a mechanical oil. It's just that more viscous when new for the MG and MG2 and the PSD gears to move around. It does however greatly reduce the coarseness I've been getting behind the pedals.

The Inverter and its coolant would be a different beast however.

 

Popped off the summer wheels, and gave all the bushings, fastenings, hub-facings and insides of wheels a coating of this:

 

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Priuschat seems super broken. Can't search posts, images are always broken due to PHP problems, and this I guess

 

If your thinking of one that is not in California in the US. Then yes, not the one your thinking of

 

Today? 130k oil change.

 

Goof off. I didn't work it too hard, because I've had plastic start disintegrating if the goof off gets too hot.

It's from autotrimming on ebay. Link: Armrest Center Console Real Leather Cover for Toyota Prius 04-09 Black | eBay

I got black, but they sell a few different colors. They also sell matching front door arm rest covers. I am working on those now. I'm also getting a local fabric place to source matching leather so I can do the rear door armrests (not made by autotrimming).

Yes, the new cover comes with a new fiber pad. It's nice an "cushiony."

I'm sure. I can offer advice, but really it mostly involves heating up the cover in a dryer for a while, using really good fabric glue, and a lot of stretching and patience.

 

Gave my '08 a quick bath then went for an outing up the canyon

 

Finished the shark mouth

 

This past Saturday I installed 4 LED light bars. I wanted one light bar but the metal bracket by the hood release kept me from pushing it back far enough, so I was going to do smaller ones both up and down from the chrome looking V in the middle of the grill, still not enough room. I ended up cutting up a lot of the bumper but I'm pretty happy with the result, also had to move the position of one horn and put a plastic piece in to protect the other. Lastly the mounting brackets rusted in one day, I'm trying a little paint but it's cold here in Wisconsin right now. Here are some pics:

 

With those lights in the V formation like that won’t it be a problem that they are shining light to the sides instead of forward?