Venting the G2 tank prior to filling

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:

 

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 and is below 4 pips.

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

Of course, it is alright, Paul.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

You got it, Shawn, I mostly do a visual without really counting.

 

: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

 

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.

 

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.