How Often Should You Run the Engine?

nah, prime engine was designed with all that in mind. it would probably be a good idea to use up the tank every 6 months or so, or at fuel stabilizer.

 

after about a year a warning is displayed telling you to use up your full tank of gas, or else! I haven't seen this message yet because my anniversary is November 30th

 

Priuscatprimeguy, you must have one of the first Primes on this website!

 

I wish I could take that honor, but there are a few before me.

 

In the event that you do do nothing but EV driving, plug in hybrids have programing to run the engine periodically, and to start burning gas if it is getting old. The fuel tank is also well sealed, so fuel stabilizer is not needed. So you don't have to do anything.

Now, if you were using very little gas, I would consider keeping the tank only partly filled. Then when the gas is getting old warning comes on, you can add some fresh gas, and keep the car from burning gas unnecessarily just to use up old stuff.

 

we're still trying to figure out if prime does run the engine periodically. all evidence so far points to 'no'?

 

I drove to Lincoln, NE yesterday just to have lunch (Grilled Salmon/rice/veggie, salad, biscuits) and give the car gas engine a little workout. Nice drive, nice day, cool jazz music.

 

It has to do something at some point. Perhaps it just spins up the ICE with M/G1 to get oil moving, and the oil change interval is short enough to handle any moisture that works its way into the oil.

 

you would think, but owners claim nothing in the manual, and thousands of miles of pure ev without the ice.

 

That would be harmful to the engine. Either don't run it, or run it good. A minimum run would be something like a half-hour or more long run after it has warmed up. Engines need to be thoroughly warmed for best life. 15 minutes would contribute to sludging up the engine innards.

 

I find this hard to believe. When I had a Chevy Volt it periodically ran the engine for a few minutes if I didn't use the engine for 6 weeks. It only ran for 5 minutes tops when this happened.

 

Which was likely long enough to get the motor oil hot enough to boil out any excess water that might have been in there.

 

same with the pip, warm up cycle every 124 miles. originally, i thought someone mentioned 250 miles, but there's a whole thread here on no maintenance cycle.

 

Third tank, 2100 miles and only refueled for a 400 mile round trip out of town.

I would avoid storing winter gas in the Prime tank because locally, Huntsville AL, it has butane that bubbles out.

Bob Wilson