back again!

[vmenon]

Guess I got kicked off when the experiment with not using phpBB happened. Now I miss all those questions of mine and the answers! I should have saved them onto text documents! !

Well, I am back. Question again. The mileage went down to one bar. I was not sure if I should fill up when the gauge reduced to one bar or when the one bar started blinking. Did not want to take a chance and filled up anyway. Took only about 9.xx gallons.

I hit the reset on the consumption display screen. The intention was to see the mpg with this new tank of gas and kinda calibrate it. Now, is that the best way to do it or do you just let that run continuously and not reset it at every fillup and get a lifetime mpg calculation or does one calculate the lifetime mpg by maintaining manual records?

Other than that, slowly getting used to the sounds and sights of this car as I seem to be finding more and more occassions to drive - actually had this weird idea to move farther away from work to get better mileage (current commute is only 3.8 miles and not efficient!) - seems like I am getting borderline obsessed! !
-Vinod

[jimofdg]

Welcome (back).

Though there are things you can obsess about, I wouldn't add refueling behavior to that. (It takes enough time writing down info for the spreadsheet lol.) Notice that every time you refill the fuel tank (more than about 4 gallons), the mpg calculation and mileage will reset automatically when you are less than a block from the gas station.

So relax and don't watch the display too much. Lifetime mpg calculation is done manually. The car provides the mileage and you keep a running total of the gallons.

[TonyPSchaefer]

Ok, I'm gonig to add this to the "you never stop learning" catagory. You see, I've always manually reset the MPG and ODO before leaving the gas station. But now Jim is saying that the MPG automatically resets. That's pretty nice to know. I can't think of a time or reason when I would put in less than about 4 gallons.

I suppose I still have to manually reset the ODO though, right? I use ODO2 for tank miles.

[vmenon]

As always, thanks for the answers guys! I have started to use the second trip meter for tracking miles after fillup. Anyway, here is another question. Some days(in the two weeks that I have actually had the car), I can smell gas the first five minutes or so after I start the car. It is more noticeable when its cold. Is this normal behavior? Some kinda artifact of the breaking in process?

My friends are bugging me now because I take longer, non-highway routes to get to places because the car is in the break-in mode. Sometimes the planning does not work well and I am late. Oh well, I have learned to ignore it for the moment! ! Driving longer distances every now and then is actually getting me decent mileage. Up to about 42.1 from 34.2 - not too bad!

[TonyPSchaefer]

Congrats on the improved mileage. I always say that if you can get good mileage in the winter, you should be cruising in the summer. And your car will be more broken in as well.

As for the gas smell, I'm not sure what to tell you. I don't smell gasoline when I fill up. Is it possible that the gas station stinks and the smell is getting captured in the car? Could it be somehow getting on your hands or gloves and you don't know?

You might want to bring it up with your mechanic if you're going in anytime soon.

[vmenon]

The gas smell was back again this weekend. It did not start after the fillup. I have noticed it before AND after. I started the car many times this week - but only once, late saturday night, did I smell gas. I am not going to the mechanic anytime soon - but I am wondering if I should make a trip just to clarify this. I have noticed it about 3- 4 times in the 3 weeks or so ..

while I am at this board, another question. What is this "Feathering" technique that people have discussed in some places as regards acceleration? What is its influence on mileage?

[lessachs]

I had a periodic gas smell in the passenger cabin of my '05 Prius. I took it to the dealer today. They said the oil change place I used put too much oil in the engine. They said the Prius is very sensitive when it comes to being filled with a precise amount of oil. Too much apparently can cause a gas backup/smell problem. FYI.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(vmenon @ Feb 28 2005, 03:11 PM) [snapback]68070[/snapback]</div>

The gas smell was back again this weekend. It did not start after the fillup. I have noticed it before AND after. I started the car many times this week - but only once, late saturday night, did I smell gas. I am not going to the mechanic anytime soon - but I am wondering if I should make a trip just to clarify this. I have noticed it about 3- 4 times in the 3 weeks or so ..
while I am at this board, another question. What is this "Feathering" technique that people have discussed in some places as regards acceleration? What is its influence on mileage?
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