Need to run my car out of gas Questions

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ebikeman, Dec 17, 2024.

  1. ebikeman

    ebikeman Junior Member

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    I go on a trip, trying to make it to a gas station with the one square blinking. Drove 20 miles and was able to put in 5 gallons.

    Next time I ran down to a blinking light, I put gas in, only could put in 2 gallons. Click, Click, Click. Moved up to the next pump, could only put in 1.5 gallons.

    On this forum and all over the internet, for decades, people have blamed the bladder. I did research and it's most likely in the evap system (canister, valve, "BB's" in the hose).

    I can only go about 200 miles on a "full" tank. Before we do a canister change, my mechanic asked, how do you know how much gas is in the tank when it shows the one light? It could be a float problem not showing how much is still in the tank.

    For the sake of this discussion, what if I have 6g left, and can put in the 3.5g in, that's 9.5g in winter. I'd be happy with that.

    So I need to find out how much gas I have left after the gauge shows empty. I've read on the internet people run there cars out of gas, AND the hi-bird battery. I would not want to do that. I would wait until I get a blinking light, go on a trip with a 5g gas can full. As soon as the car runs out of gas, pull over and put the gas in.

    I have read way different experiences with running it out of gas. What exactly happens when you run out of gas?

    Driving down the road at 60mph, with the blinking gas gauge light, does it go out? I read confusing things about another "gas light" comes on when the tank goes "empty" (pump is probably just up from the bottom). I've read confusing things about an alarm that goes off. Not sure if it goes off when the engine runs out of gas, or the big battery goes low.

    I don't want to run the car out of gas, have the big battery run down without any notice. Do I understand correctly that if you run it out of gas, you know when that happens? If you pull over and put gas in, it will start up? Keep going and you drain your hybrid battery, then it will not start until you clear the codes?

    If I'm driving down the road and I run the car out of gas, Can someone explain the process what happens in a row?

    Thank you,
    ebm
     
    #1 ebikeman, Dec 17, 2024
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it's been awhile, but when i ran my 08 down to the last bar, it started blinking and there was a beep.

    after i got home, i forgot about it, and kept driving the car for a few days until it ran out of gas.

    all the lights on the dash came on and i was driving on electric. i pulled over and called triple a.

    they came and put 3+ gallons in, and it started fine and i was on my way.

    but i have read stories about people having to be towed to a dealer.

    i think the variable is the state of charge of the battery when you pull over, and some people didn't know about the 3 gallon minimum to restart.
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 17, 2024
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    If you are running the car out of gas on purpose then you'll be aware when the car's engine shuts off and you'll know to pull over because you're attempting and trying to do this when it happens by accident you keep driving and driving and driving until you run the hybrid battery to zilch and then well there you go You're being towed and all here you're trying to do this on purpose. So it's a little different than accidental and having to scratch your head and think for a while while you're constantly trying to restart the car and all that nonsense.
     
    #3 Tombukt2, Dec 17, 2024
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Alternative: stay right in your driveway, disconnect the fuel rail, run a hose from the fuel pipe into a gas tote, and jumper the fuel pump to run until gas stops coming out.
     
    #4 ChapmanF, Dec 17, 2024
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  5. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    The next time the fuel gauge goes to one blinking light, pull the rear seat base out. Unplug the fuel tank connector and test the gauge sender resistance.

    It SHOULD read about about 110 ohms at "empty". I usually find that the sender reads many hundreds of ohms to mega ohms (open circuit) because it is worn out. Screenshot_20241218-011133.jpeg

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #5 mr_guy_mann, Dec 18, 2024
  6. Fred_H

    Fred_H Misoversimplifier

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    Running out of gasoline in an old car usually results in sloshing up years of accumulated gunk from the bottom of the tank and clogging up something in the fuel system.
     
    #6 Fred_H, Dec 19, 2024 at 6:07 PM
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  7. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Well I've done it a couple times in generation twos that I own when I first get them I guess it could actually do that I miss having the big hex nut in the middle of the gas tank like all my Corollas and other Toyotas had for 30 years now you get none of that cleaning out the gas tank Not going to be happening in the Prius anyway Not this model if you can get a gas tank in the vehicle and make it work that doesn't have a bladder which should be doable I just haven't had to do it yet It's too easy to find bladder gas tanks by the thousands they're everywhere but I haven't even had to do that yet.
     
    #7 Tombukt2, Dec 19, 2024 at 7:22 PM
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Witness Leader

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    I was thinking along those lines, except simpler: just run it down quite low, park in your driveway, leave it running. You’d want to stay with it, to shut down as soon as the gas runs out.

    You could put it in maintenance mode, to ensure engine runs constantly. What about setting gear to “B”, and/or “N”; do either of those keep engine on? Forgetting.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Dec 20, 2024 at 10:43 AM
  9. MCCOHENS

    MCCOHENS Member

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    Refill every 200 miles and ignore it. Or check the resistance of the sender. Not going to say don't run it dry but I will say that could open up a can of problem worms. Like clogged filter, overheated and dead fuel pump, clogged injectors. I have drained a couple of old tanks and found some real nasty gas in the bottom. Even the lawn mower ran like crap on it.
     
    #9 MCCOHENS, Dec 20, 2024 at 2:14 PM
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