[pakupakuman]

Hello -

First post here. I've been lurking for a couple of days now. I must say, most of you guys and girls are quite passionate about the Prius! Sounds like fun.

Reading about how the combustion and electric engine interact, and more specifically how the combustion engine turns on and off at x intervals, has it affected the engine mounts since you've had your car? Can you feel the combustion engine when it turns on and off? Maybe the people with the first-gen Prius can answer better, as they've had the car for a couple of years already.

I'd mostly do city driving, stop-and-go, as I live in a metro area. Morning commutes are about 15 minutes tops, and in the afternoons anywhere from 20 to 60 minutes depending on departure time (I usually leave post 6pm to have a short commute).

Thanks for your reply!

 

[galaxee]

the electric engine spins the engine to a certain RPM before it actually fires. so that makes for a pretty smooth ride. i don't know about engine mount wear, but i imagine it's not much worse than in a regular car.

as far as transitioning from battery power to engine power, it's a little rough when cold and during the first few thousand miles. it gets better with time and when warm out.

i have a 15 minute morning commute (i leave at 10 to avoid the rush) and about 25 minutes home (again, leave late, around 6 or 7 to avoid traffic) and the car works great for me.

 

[pakupakuman]

the electric engine spins the engine to a certain RPM before it actually fires. so that makes for a pretty smooth ride. i don't know about engine mount wear, but i imagine it's not much worse than in a regular car.

If I understand correctly, the electric engine spins the combustion engine crank before spark ignition? That could conceivably help reduce vibration, right?

I have a lot of catch-up reading to do...

i have a 15 minute morning commute (i leave at 10 to avoid the rush) and about 25 minutes home (again, leave late, around 6 or 7 to avoid traffic) and the car works great for me.

What's you mpg? My trip is about 5 miles only.

 

[KTPhil]

Yes, the "pre-spin" action would make life easier for Prius mounts. If you've ever watched a conventional engine start, that is when it jerks the most. Prius doesn't do that.

 

[jeromep]

But, the Prius engine mounts and bushings are very substantial. The hybrid drive train as a whole is not a lightweight unit. About 4/5ths of the engine compartment is filled with the hybrid drive and the other 3/5ths is ICE related. The ICE is actually quite small relative to the size of the vehicle. This clearly demonstrates the importance and dependence of the system on electrical components.

Looking down from the top and up from the bottom, the hybrid side of the system looks like a misshapen transmission housing. And in many respects the way the system works, it is a transmission with the added capability of propulsion and energy generation.

 

[galaxee]

Sorry! I haven't been keeping up with this one. Vibration levels are very low, as the last couple posters have mentioned.

My trip gets me 49-54 MPG depending on weather, traffic, etc. I'm pretty happy with that.

 

[RSnyder]

. . . About 4/5ths of the engine compartment is filled with the hybrid drive and the other 3/5ths is ICE related. . .

Toyota does it again!! Filling 8/5ths of the engine compartment. 4th dimension? Or typo dimension?

 

[Ct. Ken V]

Hey, RSnyder & jeromep,
Sorry for the dig, but I just love morning chuckles. Is that "new math" where 4 plus 3 now equals 8 ? I promise to behave from now on.

Ken in Bolton, Ct.

 

[Hep]

Hey, RSnyder,
Sorry for the dig, but I just love morning chuckles. Is that "new math" where 4 plus 3 now equals 8 ? I promise to behave from now on.

Ken in Bolton, Ct.

He's only going to plead "the fifth"! :wink:

 

[jeromep]

Let's try that again.

3/5ths of the engine compartment is hybrid drive and the other 2/5ths is ICE related.

 

[RSnyder]

Hey, RSnyder,
Sorry for the dig, but I just love morning chuckles. Is that "new math" where 4 plus 3 now equals 8 ? I promise to behave from now on.

Ken in Bolton, Ct.

Ouch!

Blind leading the blind.