1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Did they get rid of the fuel "bladder" in the C?

Discussion in 'Prius c Main Forum' started by Larry Greenwald, Jun 22, 2013.

  1. Larry Greenwald

    Larry Greenwald Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 26, 2013
    67
    16
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I should have asked this before, but I remember a lot of complaints or so about the fuel bladder in the tank for the Gen II. Did they get rid of it in the C (and also the Gen III of the regular Prius)? If so, what has replaced it?
     
    #1 Larry Greenwald, Jun 22, 2013
  2. Rob.au

    Rob.au Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2012
    960
    441
    0
    Location:
    Sydney, Australia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    i-Tech
    Neither the Gen III nor c have the bladder. It's just a normal solid tank.
     
    #2 Rob.au, Jun 22, 2013
    minkus likes this.
  3. Castanea

    Castanea Member

    Joined:
    Dec 10, 2017
    39
    27
    0
    Location:
    Iowa
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    As usual, I find my answers here at PriusChat! Like the OP back in 2013, I'd read about the fuel bladder, especially in the excellent "What every newb should know" sticky thread in the Newbies forum, so I've been careful at the gas pump in the couple of months I've been driving this car. Also, I was remembering the owner's manual saying "don't top up the tank." I re-read that part of the manual this morning, and noted that its stated reason is to prevent overfill and spillage. I am very glad to know that there is no bladder to worry about.
     
    #3 Castanea, Jan 27, 2018
  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    The reason not to overfill is it can damage the vapor recovery part of the pollution control system.

    That is true for most any car these days.
     
    #4 Prodigyplace, Jan 27, 2018
    joelg1988 and padroo like this.
  5. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 25, 2015
    1,946
    1,785
    0
    Location:
    Southern MN
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    II
    I'm being dumb but what was the reasoning for the 'bladder' in the Gen2? I never looked into it.
     
    #5 farmecologist, Jan 31, 2018
  6. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    @Tideland Prius do you remember why?
     
    #6 Prodigyplace, Jan 31, 2018
  7. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

    Joined:
    Apr 14, 2009
    12,470
    6,862
    2
    Location:
    Greenwood MS USA
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    By having the gas tank stay the size of the gas in the tank, there was no room for fumes and so vapor recovery was excellent.
    Fuel did not slosh as it was always the size of the tank.
    The bladder was excellent except the user interface:
    Slow filling, involving bizarre rituals. (I still open my gas cap before paying, and it is 5 years since I had a Gen 2)
    Different sized tank by outside temperature made predicting when to refill involve prayer.
    The gas gauge had no more idea how much gas was left than you did. Range anxiety.
     
    #7 JimboPalmer, Jan 31, 2018
    padroo, Prodigyplace and farmecologist like this.
  8. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,849
    16,081
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    The bladder was a one-time thing on the Gen 2.

    All Prii after that do not have the bladder. They use a vapour canister or a pressurized fuel tank.

    Like Jimbo said, it was for emissions. The Prius' primary goal was to reduce emissions and fuel economy was a side benefit. The rubber bladder in the Gen 2 reduced evaporative emissions to help it earn the AT-PZEV rating (Advanced Technology-Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle) that is one step up from SULEV (Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle).

    Evaporative emissions is the gasoline vapours that form in the gas tank when you have less than a full tank. (On older cars, sometimes you hear a whoosh or a hiss when you open the gas cap to refuel - that's gasoline vapours escaping)
     
    #8 Tideland Prius, Jan 31, 2018
    padroo, Prodigyplace and farmecologist like this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)