Some thoughts about my last tank.

I truly do not remember how much gas I put in the tank last time, but I filled it all the way to FULL.

You'll see by the photos below, I pumped gas until it very gently overflowed and I was able to pump 12 3/4 gallons!! Has anyone else pumped this much?! I guess that might explain the 700 mile tank. Any thoughts??

I think you might be bordering on a catalitic problem, over filling as you did. Others will comment, I'm sure.
Nice MPG, but 50 PSI in your tires. I get very close to that with 40/38 PSI and driving carefully. I've never overfilled.

Cheers
Russ

 

This is clearly faked, since we haven't seen $2.66 gas around here since before the Prius (04-07) was introduced! :lol:

 

Gas is cheaper then that here in Arizona. I filled up a couple of days ago for $2.59 So I believe him. I also fill all the way up. I have never fit over 12 gallons in but I regularly get very close to it.

I know I have heard many resons not to fill up all the way but that is the only way to know for certain that you are filling up all the way and this makes manuel caculations more accurate then stopping when the pump stops.

When I fill all the way up I always make sure that I drive at least 30 miles to use up some of the fuel so the pressure doesn't build up in my already full tank.

I usually pump until the pump stops and then pull the nozzle out and fill up the rest of the way. As of yet I have never wasted a drop of gas by spilling except for one time when the pump stopped late and it bubbled over.

I also regularly get over 700 miles to a tank of gas and my mpg stays between 60 and 70 mpg on average. Another thing I noticed is that my fuel gauge usually doesnt go off full until after 200 miles.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brad34695 @ Aug 9 2007, 12:08 PM) [snapback]493011[/snapback]</div>

Objectivly, most anyone would realize he was joking. Hint .... the little laughing smilie face? Get it? High fuel costs in CA? Never mind. BTW, once you pump over 11 and a half gallons and just keep on pumping, you will likely damage / flood your charcole canister. Note: no smilie face, thus, a sincere comment. Congrat's on beating the EPA. Did you know there's an entire forum devoted to posting mpg?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Aug 9 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]493019[/snapback]</div>

Ditto. :lol: = joking, kidding, friendly
resent = taking this forum a bit to seriously

Congrats on getting a great tank - I never even thought to pump after the "click" - I always assumed that was as full as a tank can get.

 

Using the car like that can't be fun... taking the time to overfill until gas is almost overflowing, not using the air conditioner in the summer, over inflating the tires by 15 pounds... and may I guess driving 5-10 mph under the speed limit, accelerating slowly even in you form a traffic jam behind you, and looking at the MFD most of the time?

 

WOW, and I was afraid to push it past 600 miles on my 65.3mpg tank. I was on a blinking pip, so I filled up (stopped at first click). But I also only put 9.4 gallons in...

 

Actually it is fun. Watching people fly past me full throttle and then they get stopped at the same red light as I do as I just look over with a smirk

I would be crazy not to use the AC especially when its 115 degrees. I don't use the AC in the morning on the way to work but I use it on the way home I set it on a Low speed usually 2 or 3 and set the temp for 77.

I usually average about 90mpg on the way to work and about 50mpg on the way home. I take surface streets to work and the highway home. The traffic on the way home makes it pointless to use the surface streets.

Besides its always fun to pretend getting pissed off at the gas pump when sitting next to a big SUV that has pumped $60 and is still going. WHY CAN"T I FIT $30 IN THIS GAS TANK

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bmwquickspeed @ Aug 9 2007, 03:03 PM) [snapback]493139[/snapback]</div>

That would be fun...I may have to try that when mine arrives :lol:

 

Brad, IMO you are headed for some serious out of warranty repairs when all that extra gas fouls the emissions components. Good luck & keep us posted.

 

50 PSI? Are you serious? I thought I was pushing it with my 42/40. Another thing that baffles me is the fact you can put almost 0.8 gallons over the 11.9 capacity of the Prius. I'm not that brave, but I do envy your MPG.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(mgipe @ Aug 9 2007, 09:05 AM) [snapback]493008[/snapback]</div>

Don't forget, you are in CA and he is in FL. I am now in Omaha where there is $2.62 gas. The last gas I bought was $3.09 in CA.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(airpolgas @ Aug 12 2007, 04:50 AM) [snapback]494243[/snapback]</div>

i thought the capacity was 12.9?

 

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS !! That's a great tank! Dont forget to post in the "I beat the EPA" section.
Now, I believe that the tank capacity is about 11.9 gallons. Galaxee posted a complete thread on the damage that can occur from overfilling the bladder ( just do a search), so be very careful doing that.

With the recent heat wave, that bladder will be warmer than normal, and thus stretch more and allow for more fuel, but I don't recommend over filling. If you have one or two pips left, put in 12 gallons, you have at least 13 in the car, and thats an overfill for the bladder. If you have a blinking pip, fill up very soon as that is your last warning.

In my old car I would calculate the mileage by gallons used to fill up. Since the Prius makes that calculation for us, no need to over fill at all, except to drive more miles on a tank.

 

My personal habit:

I reset trip b to zero once the single pip blinks. Then I give myself the 150% of the current MFD reading for MPG as allowance on how much miles I am willing to drive without filling up bothering my conscience. It's not scientific, I know, but I normally fill up between 45-60 miles after "add fuel" kicks in.