[melgish]

What junk?

Fuel is filtered when it's refined. It's filtered as it's put into the tanker truck. It's filtered as it's put into the underground tank, and it's filtered as it's put into your gas tank.

With all these filters, just how much junk could be left?

 

[Daniel]

I have checked my odometer against the mile posts on the highway.

There's a thought... will have to try that on my next long trip. I'm guessing that I should note the trip odo (in tenths) at the first marker, and compare it to the last marker before I exit; heh, for that matter, I could reset "Trip B" as I reach the first one.

One way is to set a trip odo at the first mile marker (note the number on the marker) and then compare before leaving the highway.

My method is a bit lazier: I wait intil the tenths on a trip odo roll over exactly as I'm passing a mile marker, and then I count markers until the next time the same thing happens. Or for more accuracy, the second time it happens.

The first method is more accurate, since it covers a longer distance, if it's a long trip. My method is good enough for me. Plus, I would forget to check it before stopping at a rest stop, or to get gas or whatever.

 

[hyperion]

I can't believe all the conversation on running out of gas. How many "absent minded professors" have bought these cars? I don't know of, or even heard of anyone I know who has run out of gas with their cars in the past fifty years. "You have to develop a "system" just cause the thing gets fifty mpg???

 

[melgish]

I can't believe all the conversation on running out of gas. How many "absent minded professors" have bought these cars? I don't know of, or even heard of anyone I know who has run out of gas with their cars in the past fifty years. "You have to develop a "system" just cause the thing gets fifty mpg???

It beats working.

 

[Hep]

I ran out of gas today. Then I left work, got in my Prius and perked right back up. :lol:

 

[Daniel]

I can't believe all the conversation on running out of gas. [...] I don't know of, or even heard of anyone I know who has run out of gas with their cars in the past fifty years.

You've got a point there. In my "real" life I cannot remember when I've heard of anyone running out of gas. But there seems to be a significant minority of Prius drivers so desperate to get just 10 or 20 more miles on a tankful that they keep running out. Well, it takes all kinds...

 

[AgentElrond]

Is this the point where we say "tanks for the memories"? 8)

 

[SkipHuffman]

With all these filters, just how much junk could be left?

Ever change a fuel filter on a car? The junk gets in.

 

[melgish]

True enough, or there wouldn't be a filter. But I question the belief that whatever's left sits in some magical pocket in the gas tank that's only accessed when the tank runs dry, or would be of such overpowering quantity that it would immediately clog the last bastian of fuel cleansing before the injectors.

 

[SkipHuffman]

But I question the belief that whatever's left sits in some magical pocket in the gas tank that's only accessed when the tank runs dry, or would be of such overpowering quantity that it would immediately clog the last bastian of fuel cleansing before the injectors.

Look at it this way. Gasoline is only a mediocre solvent. Stuff that does not dissolve in gas is either going to float on top of the tank or sink to the bottom. Most of the time you do not run the tank absolutly dry, so you are taking the gas from a little above the bottom of the tank to a little below the surface of the fuel. This is the cleanest part. When you drain the tank completely any crap thats floating on top of the gas mixes with any crap that has settled to the bottom, and this yummy crapshake is sucked up by the fuel pump and delivered to the engine.

The longer you go between these deep tank drains the more floaties and sinkies are going to accumulate and all go at once.

This isn't to say that this is the only situation that will clog stuff up, just that the likelyhood of a clog goes up at this time.

 

[hyperion]

This does not concern the Prius because of the fuel cell but all major brands of gas have many additives added to them. Some form a "shellack" type deposit on the bottom of feel tanks over several years which is no problem until you purchase something like Gulfs' fuel which has the "mbt" additive. in it which can dissolve this coating and turn it lose in the fuel system.

 

[Victor]

This does not concern the Prius because of the fuel cell but

HUH??? What fuel cell ???

 

[hyperion]

The Prius has been fitted with a fuel cell to control emissions. It inflates as you add fuel and collapsess (sp) as you use fuel. This makes it a little difficult to get 12 gals in during cold months. It's in the manual. Maybe not in the European models but I think not. Why would Toyota want to pollute Europe?

 

[finman]

bladder...

Is it the bladder you're refering to as the 'fuel cell'? I am usually thinking about hydrogen and the like when 'fuel cell' is used. The US bladder is some sort of rubber lining inside the tank, and it flexes as it fills and empties. Yes, it is reported to be affected by colder temps (you know about shrinkage, right...Seinfeld reference!). Drive fun, drive clean, drive Prius.

 

[Victor]

The Prius has been fitted with a fuel cell to control emissions. It inflates as you add fuel and collapsess (sp) as you use fuel. This makes it a little difficult to get 12 gals in during cold months. It's in the manual. Maybe not in the European models but I think not. Why would Toyota want to pollute Europe?

Ah ok. Not a fuel cell then.

No we dont have the bladder in Europe (thank goodness!)

 

[Batavier]

It's tempting to drive as far as possible on one tank, but it's also dangerous. Especially if you have a Prius with a bladder.


I have now tanked six times and the difference between MFD and calculated MPG is (MFD minus calculated):
-0.86 / 3.11 / -0.02 / -0.34 / 0.19 / 0.99

The 3.11 was because I tanked when I only had ~400 miles on the tank, the 0.99 is also not that strange because the MFD was switching from 4.8 to 4.7 to 4.8 and back to 4.7 when I was driving to the filling station. If it had stayed on 4.8 the difference would only have been 0.02...
So apart from that second tank, the MFD is fairly accurate I think, but then again I have a European Prius without the bladder.

 

[hyperion]

Sorry abouit that. In the aircraft industry it is a fuel cell. Of course they don't deflate. Something that has got to eventually fail but then you still have the tank and Toyota obviously expects no problems for at least 6 yrs and 75,000 miles. I would still check that you don't have one in the European model.

 

[melgish]

Well, I'm fixin to run out of gas today. I hit the 3rd pip on the guage somewhere between 405 and 410 miles

Currently: 448.6 on the odo, 52.6 mpg on the mfd

MFD Average is 49.2, Tank Average is 47.8 over 13 tanks.

The math says I got from 75 to 130 miles left.
It's 75 miles to get home, but I can refuel at 50.

Murphy insists I'll run out before I get to 50.

 

[hyperion]

How did you ever get yourself into this position?

 

[melgish]

I drove to work today I know, I know, it was a stupid thing to do.

Actually, I'm farily convinced I can make it all the way back to Melbourne.
Unfortunately once I get on the Bee-Line refuling options are non-existant for about 30 miles, hence a bit of aprehension.

It's a gamble, and an unnecessary one, I'll admit... But until I do, I won't know for sure, and that will eat at me until I go sane.