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[WARNING] Running out of gas

Discussion in 'Prime Fuel Economy & EV Range' started by bwilson4web, Jan 30, 2017.

  1. CaliforniaPrius

    CaliforniaPrius Active Member

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    I tried it, not deliberately, on my gen 2 prius. 1 gallon was enough to start the car.
     
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  2. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Apparently on the EV line. I've been running w/o charging for the last 1,200 miles. <GRINS>

    Bob Wilson
     
  3. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    Okay. Next experiment is for someone to run out of gas with significant Ev mode charge remaining and see if it can be used to get them to the next gas station or home.
     
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  4. Chabelo

    Chabelo Junior Member

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    I keep 2 1 liter cans that used to contain pre-mixed 2 stroke gas in my storage compartment in the rear of my 2014 PIP. They seal really nicely (they were designed to carry fuel). I am at 11% averaged EV mileage overall and I ran out of fuel the other day at 585 miles.The last fillup I was able to coax 10.7 gallons into the tank, (inb4 "dont top off", "not safe to carry spare fuel," etc. I don't care, I do it every fill up, I haven't leaked fuel in 2 years please spare me!).
    That being said I was able to go another 20 miles on the 2 liters but ran out AGAIN 6 miles from home in a mountainous area on a steep incline. The only data points I have to share are these:
    2 liters was enough to get the car going but I was on a flat surface (parking lot) when I came to rest.
    On the steep hill, I put in about 3 gallons from a 5 gallon container and it started fine.
    I usually do not refuel until 40-50 miles after the warning light starts blinking.(usually starts blinking at 495-505 miles on trip odometer.
    At that point, with approximately 540 miles on the trip odo, I can pump 10.5-10.7 gallons in. One time when I when 565+ on a tank I was able to put in 11 (Chevron pump, so assume accurate)
     
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  5. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Thanks for volunteering, Lee. :D
     
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  6. huskers

    huskers Senior Member

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    Didn't we have an add a while back with 3 salesmen driving 3 different Primes 730 miles on one tank of gas. They got really low before finishing their trip without all the lights flashing, etc.
     
  7. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Even better, time to plan not to run out of fuel.
     
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  8. Lee Jay

    Lee Jay Senior Member

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    I don't have mine yet.
     
  9. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    First project?
     
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  10. JamesBurke

    JamesBurke Senior Member

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    I read this as Bob in HV below the EV line and the ICE started so it could recharge the depleted battery in the HV area but ran out of fuel. So no fuel and no electric for the power steering. Wonder if just pulling and then replacing the fuse for the fuel pump/sending unit after adding fuel would also act as a reset. (CAN bus data from the fuelpump hmm.)
    Remember to step on the brake to start/restart. These newfangled pushbutton cars.....
    Lose all your onboard data with the 12v ground disconnected?
     
  11. JamesBurke

    JamesBurke Senior Member

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    A couple gotcha's and a disclaimer
    After recharging/reconnecting the 12-volt battery (or maybe after you have run out of gas)

    Start the hybrid system with the power switch in ACCESSORY mode. The
    hybrid system may not start with the power switch turned off. However, the
    hybrid system will operate normally from the second attempt.

    The power switch mode is recorded by the vehicle. If the 12-volt battery is
    reconnected, the vehicle will return the power switch mode to the status it
    was in before the 12-volt battery was disconnected.

    Do not disconnect the negative (-) terminal on the body side. The disconnected
    negative (-) terminal may touch the positive (+) terminal, which may
    cause a short and result in death or serious injury.
     
  12. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    It has been my practice when running any experiment to replicate it in the future to further investigate what is going on. In particular, two things still bother me:
    • absence of a 'finally out of gas' indication - I did not have the display on power-flow which in the Gen-3 was the only indication the gas was finally gone. When I ran the first test, I didn't realize there was a boundary indicator between the EV vs. hybrid level. I'd only had a single charge before running the test and that was in Rhode Island. So I want to go back and see if there is EV charge the car still behaves the same way.
    • "power steering" is bogus because the car handled just as it did before. I would prefer to have at least a 'check engine' light but . . .
    This part has me a little confused:
    I was not very precise about the attempts to restart in part because this is a new car. However, from the Gen-1 cars forward, three attempts to start the car set a flag that prevents further attempts to start the car. This flag can only be cleared with a TechStream or ... Power-ON Reset of the 12V system. I don't know for sure that this 'three attempts and you are locked out' still exists in the Prime but I know how to find out. <GRINS>
    It is easy enough to removed the ground connector on the battery. The B+ terminal is well protected by a plastic cover. A minor problem, the ground cable wanted to relax and touch the B- terminal. I had to hold it off but in the future would put a piece of paper or plastic to prevent it touching.

    Bob Wilson
     
  13. RJ Primw

    RJ Primw Member

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    Bob, were you able to run on gas once the miles to empty odometer read 0? If yes, how much further were you able to go?
     
  14. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Sad to say, this was something I didn't handle well. I remember seeing ~64 miles / ~54 MPG which suggests a little over a gallon. This is something I'll pay more attention to on the next ones.

    Bob Wilson
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    thanks for taking one for the team bob!

    no takers on trying the oog experiment with a full ev charge?:whistle:
     
  16. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    Not in a year and a half. They are leaving that one for you. ;)
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sorry, prime is not on my radar. maybe i could take one for a test drive...:sneaky:
     
  18. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

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    I am not sure they would appreciate you running it out of gas.
     
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    then they should have filled the tank.
     
  20. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Bob Wilson
     
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