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Venting the G2 tank prior to filling

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by yardman 49, Aug 21, 2009.

  1. zonie911

    zonie911 Member

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    Paul, I said my average is 7 to 8 gallons..................................filling from a 1/3rd full tank........ I hope I'm understanding your statement fully and that you are understanding mine. I never let my gas go below 1/3rd of a tank before a refill.
    :thumb:
     
  2. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

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    Ouch, that makes my brain hurt:

    10 pips displayed.

    Never below 4 pips from 0...which would be 4 pips...

    But filling at "2 pips below half" which would be 5 - 2 = 3 pips.

    But 3 is less than 4 :eek: and is below 4 pips.
     
  3. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

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    I had a reminder yesterday of how a normal gas tank behaves when the fuel level is very low. I ran the Tundra down as low as I think I've ever taken it (25+ gallons, in 26.4 gallon tank) and was cornering hard onto an entrance ramp planning to get gas 3 miles down the road. There was a sudden loss of power...I eased off the gas, the engine picked back up for an easy merge.

    The remaining tank contents were thrown away from the fuel pump by the hard cornering. It's been at least 5-7 years since I last experienced that sensation. I always considered it the final warning that the tank could run empty at any time. Odd thing though, I've never run one out that way. (Only broken senders have done that to me and only on very old vehicles.) When I get well below E I become more cautious about pulling out because of this cornering effect...sort of like the way I drive due to the Prius traction control during inclement weather.
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I recall ghosting into a gas station by use of care wiggling. Some of the old tanks had dead spots, and if you were desperate you could slosh some of that fuel into a usable location.

    Tom
     
  5. PaulHS

    PaulHS Member

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    zonie, I may have taken a little license with your numbers to make my point. Hope that's ok?
     
  6. zonie911

    zonie911 Member

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    Of course, it is alright, Paul.
     
  7. zonie911

    zonie911 Member

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    Whatever. Shawn, I hope you know that I was guestimating, here.
     
  8. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

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    Relax, I was just ribbing a little. I figure you fill at 3 or 4 pips.
     
  9. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

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    This thread reminds me of something fire engineer said... he burps the prius by pushing against the side of the car and rocking it....
     
  10. zonie911

    zonie911 Member

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    You got it, Shawn, I mostly do a visual without really counting. :p
     
  11. yardman 49

    yardman 49 Active Member

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    Hello all:

    I wanted to post an update to my experiment with Ed's "venting" method.

    The last time that I filled up, I went to the same station that I had been using. I think that it was the same pump. I was careful to use the same side of the pump. I had 3 pips left, but the pump clicked off after only 5.4 gallons had been pumped. Not good, as I was expecting considerably more. I tried a few more times, but the pump would click off immediately.

    When I first started pumping, the fuel pump handle was angled slightly to the left. Picture a clock with a square face. The bottom of the handle would have been at about the 7:30 position, right up near the filler door at the bottom left hand corner of the filler opening.

    So I tried moving the pump handle. I moved it to about the 4:30 position, such that the bottom of the pump handle was pointed at the bottom right corner of the filler opening And I was then able to get another 2 gallons in quite easily! It actually seemed that I could have gotten even more in, but I didn't want to overfill, as I thougth that I could hear some gurgling. Seeing as I had 3 pips left in the tank when I had started filling, and had then put in 7.4 gallons (5.4 + 2.0 more after moving the handle), this seemed to be closer to being "correct".

    In other experiments in the past, I had tried holding the handle with the bottom pointed at the 3:00 position, or higher, with no success. So I was suprised that a slight angle (4:30 position), actually worked.

    The next time that I fill I will again try the "prior-venting-and-filling-with-pump-handle-at-the-4:30-position" technique and report back.

    Best wishes,
     
  12. zonie911

    zonie911 Member

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    :tea:
    Frank, I also have been putting the nose of the pump hose as far into the tank as I can get it to go, also, and after prior venting, it has been filling to my estimate of what it should hold.

    zonie
     
  13. amastel

    amastel Junior Member

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    Thank you for all of your suggestions! I've had a 2008 Prius for less than 2 weeks, and today went to fill up for the first time, and only got up to 7 pips. I went to another gas station later, and only got another 1/2 gallon. So, then I came to this forum and, lo and behold! I find suggestions. I tried the "Ed" method of venting and pumping slowly and I got 2 1/2 more gallons in with all 10 pips!

    THANK YOU! :cheer2:


    I love the internet.:cool:
     
  14. Aegison

    Aegison Member

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    At first this may seem facetious, but I think it bears some thought. The Prius is not a "first" to use fuel bladders.

    For example, they were used extensively in WW2, especially on bombers ... which could not do with anything but a very full tank of fuel. Somehow, the bladders were not allowed to become an issue. Of course, if I remember my reading correctly, the Japanese didn't use bladders (or, for that matter, much armor plating) ... so their experience may not go back that far.

    They're used in all forms of competition cars. etc.

    As to the serious cases of those unable to come close to a full tank per the specifications in the sales brochure & owners manual, I WOULD make a big issue of it, and consider using the Lemon Laws to force Toyota's re-purchase of the vehicle if they couldn't substantially fix it. A little loss of capacity is ok ... a big loss of capacity is not.

    And now, to snipe a little bit, given how many Prius's are in California, and how litigious it seems to be, I'm surprised there hasn't been a class action lawsuit there on the problem.