What's the most gallons of gas you've filled

driveprius · 02-05-2006, 11:11 AM

I'm now starting to into steady 50 mpg or higher tank averages, but that's not enough to ever get me to a 500 mile tank. As a practical matter my Prius has a 9 gallon tank. That's 9 gallons until I get the warning message to refuel. I don't know how much is left between the first sign of the warning message, and I'm not in the mood to test this out.

At 50 mpg I know that at best I can only get to 450 miles. If I could fill to 10 gallons then 500 miles would be doable.

I'm curious in getting a poll of what people are finding is the "real world" size of their gas tank. I'm curious if the tank ever gets bigger with time as the bladder stretches out more.

What's your largest gas fill up on a Prius?

priusblue · 02-05-2006, 11:21 AM

I've put in 9.41 gallons before - that was about 20 miles after the lights had started flashing at me, and I didn't want to push it any farther. That tank was E10, burned primarily on a road trip: 70 mph, interstate with a fully loaded car (approx 900 lbs. of people), on a 30 F night, and after an underfill tank, so I only got 414 miles out of that tank. I normally fill up before the warning occurs, often when there are still 2 bars, though - don't want to have to use the roadside service and test it out!

tumbleweed · 02-05-2006, 11:40 AM

I've wondered that myself. I think it really depends on the weather. The first time I filled my tank it was about 95 or 100 out and I had wanted to see the last square on the gage blink and the low fuel warning come on, so I ran it 20 or 25 miles on the last square. Well it never did blink and the low fuel warning never came on and I chickened out and filled it up, I got 11.7 gallons in it! I have never gotten that much in it again. The other day I ran it 20 miles or so on the last square and only got 9.5 gallons in it, temprature in the 40s. That's the only other time I've tried it, I hate to run out of gas. Maybe I need to calibrate my gage? Or maybe I just need to fill it up when it gets down to the last square and forget about the blink and the low fuel warning.

EricGo · 02-05-2006, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by driveprius@Feb 5 2006, 12:11 PM
I'm curious in getting a poll of what people are finding is the "real world" size of their gas tank. I'm curious if the tank ever gets bigger with time as the bladder stretches out more.

What's your largest gas fill up on a Prius?

[snapback]204121[/snapback]

10.x Gallons. Trying to drain the tank, or overfilling it is a BAD idea. I suggest focusing more on improved FE. It is safe, and quite rewarding

I fill up using the low-flow notch of the pump, and NEVER try to pump more petrol in if at least 8 gallons have gone in (I fill up when the 'add fuel' alert chimes).

This winter has been much warmer than the one before, so although my fillups have been greater, I cannot tell if the bladder compliance has changed.

DaveinOlyWA · 02-05-2006, 12:11 PM

well i have only had a handful of tanks over 10 gallons, but since i got CANVIEW, i have increased my largest tank still without topping off to 10.484 gallons. that was about a month ago, effectively shooting down the smaller bladder in winter thing.

cant wait till summer, if the smaller thing is true, i'm hoping to get 11 gallons...

woo wee... im sooo excited...then again...10 gallons is fine... after all, more gas is just extra weight. considering it takes about 13-16 days between fillups, that would equate to what??

2 extra fillups a year. oh well.

driveprius · 02-05-2006, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tumbleweed@Feb 5 2006, 12:40 PM
I've wondered that myself. I think it really depends on the weather. The first time I filled my tank it was about 95 or 100 out and I had wanted to see the last square on the gage blink and the low fuel warning come on, so I ran it 20 or 25 miles on the last square. Well it never did blink and the low fuel warning never came on and I chickened out and filled it up, I got 11.7 gallons in it! I have never gotten that much in it again. The other day I ran it 20 miles or so on the last square and only got 9.5 gallons in it, temprature in the 40s. That's the only other time I've tried it, I hate to run out of gas. Maybe I need to calibrate my gage? Or maybe I just need to fill it up when it gets down to the last square and forget about the blink and the low fuel warning.

[snapback]204126[/snapback]

I wouldn't worry about the last bar when it's not blinking. From what I've read at the very moment your last bar starts to blink you have roughly 1 gallon of gas left to absolute empty. So really when you get to the last bar there's sort of one more bar that you don't see. The solid last bar is then sort of the 2nd bar that will last for approximately 1 gallons worth of driving, then when it blinks you're then on the last bar of gas.

DaveinOlyWA · 02-05-2006, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by driveprius@Feb 5 2006, 09:13 AM
I wouldn't worry about the last bar when it's not blinking. From what I've read at the very moment your last bar starts to blink you have roughly 1 gallon of gas left to absolute empty. So really when you get to the last bar there's sort of one more bar that you don't see. The solid last bar is then sort of the 2nd bar that will last for approximately 1 gallons worth of driving, then when it blinks you're then on the last bar of gas.

[snapback]204138[/snapback]

that would be about right...actually a bit more than a gallon. with CANVIEW, the gauge is measured in percentages and the last bar starts to blink so far for me in the 12-14% range. mind you, since CANVIEW, only have had it to blinking 4 times including one time where it went to bouncing between zero and 2% (scary)

**TonyPSchaefer** · 02-05-2006, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by driveprius@Feb 5 2006, 10:11 AM
I'm curious in getting a poll of what people are finding is the "real world" size of their gas tank. I'm curious if the tank ever gets bigger with time as the bladder stretches out more.
What's your largest gas fill up on a Prius?

[snapback]204121[/snapback]

A poll is a good idea but you have to understand that everyone can only vote once. Therefore, the results you capture MIGHT be understated since the day after they vote, the repliers might top their previous result. Just pointing that out.

Personally, 10.773 gallons is my highest.

skruse · 02-05-2006, 12:47 PM

When I had the vehicle only about two weeks, I put in 11.5 gallons. Initially I thought the tank had been very low. Then suddenly, the tank regurgitated and expelled whatever was too much. I always fill up at the last flashing pip, never more than 10.5 gallons. This winter it is full at 8.5 gallons.

jkash · 02-05-2006, 12:50 PM

The most gallons I have ever put in my tank is 9.3 gallons. That was the one and only time I tried to top off. I was successful in getting more gas in the tank, but suffered the consequences of having some gas spill out. During the hotter months I average about 8 gallons per fill-up, and about 7 gallons when it gets colder.

I could have had the TSB done on the fuel tank, but after reading some of the stories of the ineffectual outcome, I decided not to.

02-05-2006, 11:21 AM	#2
priusblue Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 152 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I've put in 9.41 gallons before - that was about 20 miles after the lights had started flashing at me, and I didn't want to push it any farther. That tank was E10, burned primarily on a road trip: 70 mph, interstate with a fully loaded car (approx 900 lbs. of people), on a 30 F night, and after an underfill tank, so I only got 414 miles out of that tank. I normally fill up before the warning occurs, often when there are still 2 bars, though - don't want to have to use the roadside service and test it out! __________________ Proud owner of a Barcelona Red '06 pkg #4 since 1/2/06!

02-05-2006, 11:40 AM	#3
tumbleweed Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 1,692 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: V Package: Adv. Technology Thanks: 33 Thanked 104 Times in 84 Posts Friends: 0	I've wondered that myself. I think it really depends on the weather. The first time I filled my tank it was about 95 or 100 out and I had wanted to see the last square on the gage blink and the low fuel warning come on, so I ran it 20 or 25 miles on the last square. Well it never did blink and the low fuel warning never came on and I chickened out and filled it up, I got 11.7 gallons in it! I have never gotten that much in it again. The other day I ran it 20 miles or so on the last square and only got 9.5 gallons in it, temprature in the 40s. That's the only other time I've tried it, I hate to run out of gas. Maybe I need to calibrate my gage? Or maybe I just need to fill it up when it gets down to the last square and forget about the blink and the low fuel warning. __________________ Tom

02-05-2006, 12:11 PM	#5
DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 12,377 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 24 Thanked 121 Times in 103 Posts Friends: 10	well i have only had a handful of tanks over 10 gallons, but since i got CANVIEW, i have increased my largest tank still without topping off to 10.484 gallons. that was about a month ago, effectively shooting down the smaller bladder in winter thing. cant wait till summer, if the smaller thing is true, i'm hoping to get 11 gallons... woo wee... im sooo excited...then again...10 gallons is fine... after all, more gas is just extra weight. considering it takes about 13-16 days between fillups, that would equate to what?? 2 extra fillups a year. oh well. __________________ My Blue 2010 : Last tank 541.9 @ 49.48 pump (56.7 MFD) 5.54 CPM, 21 MPH, Lifetime:5442.2 miles 56.5 MPG pump. (62.22 MFD) 4.72 CPM. Summer MPG 57.4 Winter: 49.5 My 2006 SPM: Last tank 376.6 miles @38.21 pump (40.8 MFD) 7.17 cpm winter mpg 49.64 summer mpg 53.41 lifetime: 42,563.5 miles 51.5 mpg pump (52.7 mpg MFD) 5.51 cpm My 2007 Zenn total "fuel cost" $166.58 on "about" 9599.7 miles. 1.74 cents per mile (granted i plug in for free at work!!) My Plate: DUALPWR (Dual Power)

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02-05-2006, 11:11 AM	#1
driveprius Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Delaware Posts: 112 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I'm now starting to into steady 50 mpg or higher tank averages, but that's not enough to ever get me to a 500 mile tank. As a practical matter my Prius has a 9 gallon tank. That's 9 gallons until I get the warning message to refuel. I don't know how much is left between the first sign of the warning message, and I'm not in the mood to test this out. At 50 mpg I know that at best I can only get to 450 miles. If I could fill to 10 gallons then 500 miles would be doable. I'm curious in getting a poll of what people are finding is the "real world" size of their gas tank. I'm curious if the tank ever gets bigger with time as the bladder stretches out more. What's your largest gas fill up on a Prius?

02-05-2006, 12:47 PM	#9
skruse Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Great Central Valley, Fresno, CA Posts: 1,206 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 2	When I had the vehicle only about two weeks, I put in 11.5 gallons. Initially I thought the tank had been very low. Then suddenly, the tank regurgitated and expelled whatever was too much. I always fill up at the last flashing pip, never more than 10.5 gallons. This winter it is full at 8.5 gallons.

02-05-2006, 12:50 PM	#10
jkash Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 861 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	The most gallons I have ever put in my tank is 9.3 gallons. That was the one and only time I tried to top off. I was successful in getting more gas in the tank, but suffered the consequences of having some gas spill out. During the hotter months I average about 8 gallons per fill-up, and about 7 gallons when it gets colder. I could have had the TSB done on the fuel tank, but after reading some of the stories of the ineffectual outcome, I decided not to.