Fueling Issues

Try a different pump or a different station. All of the fueling problems I have ever had came from bad pumps (not really the pump, but the auto-shutoff nozzles).

Tom

 

Dear Confused,

Pop the top off a cold one and relax. It's weird that the guess gauge showed full with only 5+ gallons pumped. Even in the colder weather here I have not seen this happen. One occurance is a fluke. Twice may be evil spirits. Try a different pump at the station and keep in touch.

An Abby Columnist

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Mar 28 2007, 07:55 AM) [snapback]413507[/snapback]</div>

Speaking of which, I have been filling up when I get to 2 bars on the gauge. Tonight was the 4th fill up since I got the car. The previous fills were about 8.2 gal, 7.4 gal, 7.6 gal. I had traveled 355 miles since the last fill so I was expecting to put in about 8 gal.

I started the pump on the slowest rate and went ahead and washed the windshield and checked the oil level. When I finished with that, the pump was still going, but it was on a really slow flow rate so that was ok. I watched it go to 7 gal , 8 gal, 9 gal (hmm, shouldn't need that much....) 10 gal (wow, I never got that much in before....) At 10.2 gal, fuel started to spray out of the vapor control nozzle. Luckily, I got it shut off pretty quickly without getting too much on the car.

The auto-shutoff nozzle didn't (auto-shutoff). Never had that happen before with any vehicle.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dogfriend @ Mar 29 2007, 02:15 AM) [snapback]414009[/snapback]</div>

I have. One time I got nailed on my way to the airport to fly out of the country. So here I am, four hours of driving, two hours in the airport, seven hours on the plane, and I reek of gas. It's hard to get rid of that smell. Diesel is even worse.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Mar 29 2007, 07:32 AM) [snapback]414123[/snapback]</div>

Was that with the Prius, or a different car? I'm wondering if I'm going to have to watch the fillups carefully to avoid this in the future.

With my other vehicles, (Ford Explorer, Toyota Pickup) I usually have the opposite problem; the pump shuts off as soon as I set the handle to autofill so I have to stand there and hold it the whole time.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dogfriend @ Mar 29 2007, 12:17 PM) [snapback]414186[/snapback]</div>

That was a Ford Aerostar. I had a lot of trouble with it at one particular station. They have since replaced their pumps and I have no more trouble. As for the Prius, I have never had any fueling problems. I set the nozzle at the low speed click and let it do its thing. When it clicks off, I'm done. I don't try adding any more fuel.

Tom

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Mar 29 2007, 12:02 PM) [snapback]414356[/snapback]</div>

I think this is the best approach. Thanks for the reply.

 

For what it's worth, I've been going to my local Shell mostly for the last three months and refueling every 250 miles because I can hardly ever get more than 5 gallons in when I refill at 2 or 3 pips. Yesterday I stopped by one of the many Sunoco stations since it was "cheap" ($2.75 is cheap) and managed to get nearly 7 gallons in without going past the auto shut-off. All this tells me is that the Shell pumps are more sensitive, and don't work as well with the tank bladder. So don't sweat it. Different pumps allow for different fill levels.

 

I used to have these problems too.

There are still times that I am sure it hasn't filled all the way, but they are rare. I have started filling my "bladder" at the slowest possible speed allowed. Each gas station is different, and I will not use Sam's club anymore because around here they all fill too fast, and I have to keep burping the bladder.

The only other option (and I have not heard any one else attempting it) is to find and purchase a fuel tank from a Japanese model Prius...they are supposed to be about 16 gallons, and do not use a bladder. Again I have not heard anyone doing this, but if you could, it would solve your problem!!

Good luck, and try different gas stations.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Mar 29 2007, 06:41 PM) [snapback]414547[/snapback]</div>

The reason nobody has tried this is because there is no practical way to get it to work. If you just replace the tank and remove the bladder the missing electronics will trigger idiot lights and trouble codes which should probably cause the computers to adjust ICE operation. Who is going to go through the time, effort, and expense to track and replace all the electronics to carry 5 gallons of gas? If you really need the range carry a 5 gallon can.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Mar 29 2007, 09:19 PM) [snapback]414591[/snapback]</div>

The issue is not about range (in this instance) but about the bladder.



The fact that the bladder is not solid means that often the problems with refilling are related to pumping stations and the bladder needing to "burp". The solution would be to have a tank that was solid.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(faith2walk @ Mar 29 2007, 08:43 PM) [snapback]414602[/snapback]</div>

Here is a picture of the wacky fuel sensor in the tank. Its design allows for mis-reads.

[attachmentid=7206]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusBrian @ Mar 30 2007, 01:28 AM) [snapback]414698[/snapback]</div>

Add to that it's in a flexible tank, and you wonder how it gets any kind of accurate read!!

 

What causes the mis-read? Does the float bind to its guide or something?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brick @ Mar 30 2007, 01:03 PM) [snapback]414918[/snapback]</div>

Someone with some technical background would probably be able to give a more definite answer for this, but my understanding is that it is a 2-fold problem.

The bladder is flexible and expands and contracts in response to heat/cold and air/gas exchange during fill-up. During refill, and I am not sure I understand this part as well, (so maybe some one else can shed some more light) if the rate of flow is too great for the bladder to handle, air gets trapped inside, requiring you to remove the nozzle and let it "burp" before continuing. I had this problem at Sam's Clubs around here (in MI). You can't control the rate of flow...its full blast or nothing, and I would spend 15-20 minutes filling, waiting, filling, waiting (and I got tired of that really quick).

Heat/cold determines the ability of the bladder to flex, and can change the relative amount of fuel recorded by the sensor. Example, it is 29 defrees F, in the morning and 74 in mid-afternoon (happens here in MI, often). At 3/4 of a tank, the tank will expand under the increased pressure of the gas as it heats up, and the warmer temps will allow the bladder to flex with that temperature. If you could have the sensor output on for 15 hours (and not run the car, to keep the fuel level constant) you would notice the sensor reading show a decrease in the amount of fuel, because the bladder size had increased and thus the percentage of bladder used by the fuel would have decreased even though no fuel had been consumed or depleted.

Again, maybe someone with a little more knowledge and science can complete this explanation, but that is what I understand so far.