Our fuel tanks in Australia

[fgray30]

Do we have the same bladder system that the U.S. guys have or a more conventional tank?

For those who try and fill up the tank as much as possible, what technique do you use? I ask because last time I tried to fill the tank to brimming (where you can actually see the fuel at the top of the filler), I could not do it. It seemed to simply keep swallowing more fuel and I eventually gave up. I put the nozzle on the lip of the filler so I can see the fuel actually flowing in.

I could easily get the fuel to brim at the top in my Lexus.

I usually fill up a few km after the last pip on the guage starts blinking. Averaging around 1,100km/tank. Tank averages range from 3.9 to about 4.2 l/100km.

[Cheap!]

Greetings Fgray30,
Yes my Prius here in the U.S. has a bladder system too. I have tried to fill it to brimming too but I have given up trying to do this. Twice I have had fuel spat back at me and once I have read that there might be some pressure regulator in the top of the bladder that could be broken if you overfill too much, so I gave up trying all together.

I've just learned to be happy with my fuel economy instead of how far I can go on a single tank.

[fgray30]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Jul 30 2006, 10:58 AM) [snapback]294611[/snapback]</div>

Greetings Fgray30,
Yes my Prius here in the U.S. has a bladder system too. I have tried to fill it to brimming too but I have given up trying to do this. Twice I have had fuel spat back at me and once I have read that there might be some pressure regulator in the top of the bladder that could be broken if you overfill too much, so I gave up trying all together.

I've just learned to be happy with my fuel economy instead of how far I can go on a single tank.
[/b]

Hey thanks for the reply.

It's not really about going as far as I can on a single tank, it's more about the fact that if I can see the fuel brimming at the top of the filler, I absolutely know how much fuel I used since last time the fuel was brimming (as oposed to always filling to the first click, or other methods), so as to make accurate mileage calculations.

Am I right or wrong here?

[Frank Hudon]

it is generally agreed that N. A. is the only ones with the bladder in the tank. JDM and Europe don't have the bladder and it's assumed that Auz and N. Z. don't as well.
Edit: the part number on the NA tank is 77001-47080 call your dealer parts dept and ask for the pn on the Auz tank and compare.

[fgray30]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Jul 30 2006, 11:25 AM) [snapback]294628[/snapback]</div>

it is generally agreed that N. A. is the only ones with the bladder in the tank. JDM and Europe don't have the bladder and it's assumed that Auz and N. Z. don't as well.
Edit: the part number on the NA tank is 77001-47080 call your dealer parts dept and ask for the pn on the Auz tank and compare.
[/b]

Hey Frank, thanks for the info. I'll call the dealer in the morning!

[Tideland Prius]

I don't think you Aussies have a bladder. I remember one owner who just got his Prius and did 900km on his first tank. No way in heck can our NA Prius do 900km on the first tank with the bladder.

Also, note that the Japanese can fill almost 60 litres into this supposed 45 litre tank giving them nearly a 2000km range.

[Sufferin' Prius Envy]

I don't know if you Australians have the fuel bladder system, but from the difficulties you had in overfilling your tank, it sounds like you do, but others say no . . . ask your dealer.

What I am sure about is that you have a charcoal canister for the Vapor Recovery System (EVAP). Over filling the tank can cause the charcoal canister to become contaminated with liquid gas and can cause habitual overfillers to receive a Check Engine warning light, decreased fuel economy, difficulty adding fuel, and gas vapors escaping into the atmosphere, etc.

Ask your Australian Toyota dealer if overfilling is a good idea.

This may be helpful . . .
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&showtopi...indpost&p=90480

Also do a PriuChat search for “Charcoal Canister” for more information.

It's amazing to me that the US 2005 Owner's Manual doesn't mention the hazards of overfilling the gas tank. <_< (I can't speak for manuals from other countries or years)

[Mish]

I read somewhere that if you have a bladder you shouldn't overfill it as it can stretch the bladder etc. Although I'm not sure if this true. I know there are no warnings associated in trying to fill aircraft with bladder tanks up too much. However the system (from memory) has a sensor that cuts the fuel filling off when it reaches a certain level.

[fgray30]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 30 2006, 12:32 PM) [snapback]294658[/snapback]</div>

I don't think you Aussies have a bladder. I remember one owner who just got his Prius and did 900km on his first tank. No way in heck can our NA Prius do 900km on the first tank with the bladder.

Also, note that the Japanese can fill almost 60 litres into this supposed 45 litre tank giving them nearly a 2000km range.
[/b]

Hey Tideland,

It seems the concensus is no bladder. 60 litres in Japan? That's a lot! Is this just filling until the click or spending half and hour put in the last few CCs?

Any other Aussie owners want to chime in with how much they usually get in the tank? Mine ranges from 42 to about 48 litres was the highest.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Jul 30 2006, 12:48 PM) [snapback]294665[/snapback]</div>

I don't know if you Australians have the fuel bladder system, but from the difficulties you had in overfilling your tank, it sounds like you do, but others say no . . . ask your dealer.

What I am sure about is that you have a charcoal canister for the Vapor Recovery System (EVAP). Over filling the tank can cause the charcoal canister to become contaminated with liquid gas and can cause habitual overfillers to receive a Check Engine warning light, decreased fuel economy, difficulty adding fuel, and gas vapors escaping into the atmosphere, etc.

Ask your Australian Toyota dealer if overfilling is a good idea.

This may be helpful . . .
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&showtopi...indpost&p=90480

Also do a PriuChat search for “Charcoal Canister” for more information.

It's amazing to me that the US 2005 Owner's Manual doesn't mention the hazards of overfilling the gas tank. <_< (I can't speak for manuals from other countries or years)
[/b]

Hi Sufferin',

Thanks for that link, very interesting reading indeed.

I do remember reading some posts where the owner could see the fuel level off and stay in the filler neck. My questions is this: it seems like I can keep adding fuel and it just keeps taking more and more. Does all of this fuel actually go into the tank, or does it get bled off as "waste" somewhere and rendered unusable? There is no fuel on the ground when I drive away.

I have not had the patience to keep pumping past the 48 litre mark, but if I did maybe it would take the 60 litres that the Japan guys are getting?

P.S. I keep the nozzle out of the neck to make sure I can see the fuel actually leave the nozzle and drain into the neck.

[sleeka]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(fgray30 @ Jul 31 2006, 06:06 PM) [snapback]294956[/snapback]</div>

Hey Tideland,

It seems the concensus is no bladder. 60 litres in Japan? That's a lot! Is this just filling until the click or spending half and hour put in the last few CCs?

Any other Aussie owners want to chime in with how much they usually get in the tank? Mine ranges from 42 to about 48 litres was the highest.
Hi Sufferin',

Thanks for that link, very interesting reading indeed.

I do remember reading some posts where the owner could see the fuel level off and stay in the filler neck. My questions is this: it seems like I can keep adding fuel and it just keeps taking more and more. Does all of this fuel actually go into the tank, or does it get bled off as "waste" somewhere and rendered unusable? There is no fuel on the ground when I drive away.

I have not had the patience to keep pumping past the 48 litre mark, but if I did maybe it would take the 60 litres that the Japan guys are getting?

P.S. I keep the nozzle out of the neck to make sure I can see the fuel actually leave the nozzle and drain into the neck.
[/b]

G'day, fgray30.
Good to see another Brisbane owner here. What side of town do you live?

Re: the Aussie fuel tank...we definetly have a solid metal tank (and a charcoal canister vapour return system). Having never emptied the tank, I couldn't tell you how much it actually holds, but as 45 litres is the official legally nominated capacity for OZ cars, I would be very surprised if Toyota's figure is wrong.

A full fill (whatever that might be) does take a while...and plenty of patience to fill to the top of the neck, wait while it settles, fill to the top again etc etc. It will eventually hold a level at the top, and we have then gone around 950 km with 1 bar still up on the gauge. At that point, 41.5 litres went in. If you have put a genuine 48+ litres in, then it must be going somewhere, or the pump is grossly optimistic.

Regards,
Sleeka.