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

Gasoline additives

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by schja01, Feb 4, 2019.

  1. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    1,731
    1,154
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Not Prius Prime specific but are gasoline additives like "Heet" considered safe for modern cars?
    I'm talking the "Heet" that's been around for hundreds of years and comes in a yellow can.
    Not that they actually work but will they damage anything?
    My son's car (my "old?" 2009 Venza) didn't start when it got to -21F last week. It cranked fine but did not fire. When it warmed up 10 degrees to -12F it started fine.
    Gasoline here in Chicago does have Methanol which I figured would have absorbed any moisture but if adding a can of Heet to his tank would help prevent things like this (the stuff is very inexpensive) would it potentially cause a problem down the line?
    Personally I didn't try starting either of my cars during the cold snap as everything here was pretty much closed
    and I don't know if my wife's 2013 Venza or my 2018 Prime would have started. The Prime is garaged so I'm guessing it would have been fine.
    Thanks in advance,
    J
     
  2. EyePrime

    EyePrime Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2018
    268
    115
    7
    Location:
    Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    If u live in a place that gets cold, all of the gasoline company's should have changed to winter gas with said additives.
    Thats why gas prices jumped here when we phased in winter gas
     
  3. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    1,731
    1,154
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Thanks but around here the gasoline seasonal changes relate to pollution reduction for the most part.
    That's why gas prices increase for summer as they change to a lower volatility mixture which they
    claim is more expensive. That's on top of the price rise due to more people driving.
    Or so I was told.
    Personally I just figured a can of Heet might help in extreme conditions otherwise I've just been purchasing
    Top Tier gasoline myself.
     
  4. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
  5. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    1,731
    1,154
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I fully expect to fill my car but once a year.
    Should I run with winter blend or summer?
    Sounds like summer gives better mileage at the expense of
    possible hard starting/rough running in winter?
    So if I go with winter fuel I'm potentially polluting more?
    Maybe I'll just but half a tank in summer and half in winter?
    Confused.
     
  6. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    10,958
    8,836
    0
    Location:
    New England
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Just drive more often for a longer distance! That's this car is made for. My 2 cents.;)
     
    upnorth likes this.
  7. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    No it doesn't. The alcohol in pump gas is Ethanol.
    Methanol is what is in HEET.

    When you have a car that is 10 years old, a combination of things might cause it to not fire up when extremely cold.
    The most likely culprit is a weak battery.

    But no, "single purpose" fuel additives should be fine, IF you have the condition that they are designed for.
    The problem you described likely is NOT caused by water in the gas line because it didn't warm up enough to thaw out before it did start.

    For instance, it is almost a universal recommendation that you give your car a dose of Techron twice a year or so to keep the injectors clean.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,463
    38,101
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah if you're thinking to use a gas additive, take the time to think why, for what purpose. As mentioned above, fuel injector cleaning is one good reason. I bought an economy size bottle of a fuel injector cleaner when it was in sale at Canadian tire, figure to put in the recommended dose twice yearly, around the same time as oil change. The one I got has "PEA" (Poly Ether Amine), supposedly a good cleaner.

    How to Pick a Fuel Additive That Works | Gold Eagle
     
  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,590
    11,212
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    The ethanol in the gas should have taken care of water, but it can also absorb moisture for the air that gets into the tank. At a certain concentration of water, it and the alcohol will come out of solution with the gasoline. This is phase separation. The fix for that is to add more alcohol; Heet and Iso-Heet are just methanol and isopropyl alcohol. 91% rubbing alcohol will work, and be safe. So will acetone. It will also clean the injectors, but is not safe for the paint.

    Something else to consider is that liquids' viscosity changes with temperature, even water's. Perhaps the gas, coupled with a dirty fuel system, wasn't flowing well enough. That and the air temperature will effect how the fuel atomizes.

    Looking beyond the fuel, have the spark plugs been replaced? The electrodes do wear out. If the car is on the original plugs, they may not be able to ignite the fuel under those temperatures.

    Winter blend has more volatiles that will evaporate off in summer temps. Shouldn't be an issue in a modern a car will a sealed fuel tank.
    Using summer blend in the winter also shouldn't be an issue. I think the starting and running help winter blend provides is more for carbureted engines. The Prius also spins the engine up to 1000rpm before starting it.
     
  10. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2005
    1,731
    1,154
    0
    Location:
    Chicagoland
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    For the sake of completeness...
    Battery is new as in 6 mos old. Toyota OEM from the dealer.
    The car started at his place of work 6am -21F and he drove 2 miles to a BP
    Station on the TopTier list and put in $10 (<5 gals) of Regular gasoline.
    Upon trying to restart the Venza is cranked vigorously but did not start.
    The station owner said it wasn’t the battery but jumped it anyway. Still No Joy.
    He called for a tow which was to take 2 hrs to arrive. During that wait it warmed 10degrees.
    Before putting the car on the flat bed he tried one more time and it started right up.
    That’s all I know. He chalks it up to bad fuel but I’m not that sure.
    Thanks all.
    Yes Chicago has Ethanol in most of their fuels not Methanol. My bad.
     
  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,590
    11,212
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    It sounds like some wetter fuel was sucked into the fuel line just before he shut off the car and froze.
     
  12. bamike

    bamike Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2019
    59
    32
    0
    Location:
    DC
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Don't use HEET, put STABIL in the tank if you're going to use it past 90 days. The gas will not go bad for 24 months. When the tank is empty, dump the STABIL in first, then fill it with gas.
    STA-BIL Storage Fuel Stabilizer-Keep Fuel Fresh | Gold Eagle
     
  13. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    And I expect that will NOT work out the way you think.
    The programming in the car probably will "force" the engine to run enough during the course of the year to fill at least twice.

    If you do get anywhere close to 6 months on a tank, you should try to find a station with non-ethanol gas and put some Stabil in it.
    Yes, you will pay a few cents more but it will be worth it long term.
     
  14. benagi

    benagi Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    525
    280
    4
    Location:
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    I’ve had my car for over a year and it never forced me to burn gas. I have over 7000 miles on it and have only burned 7 gals. Only because I had to make a couple of trips outside my EV range.
     
  15. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    What's the tank capacity ?
    If it is 15 gallons or less then that makes sense.
    Seems like I remember that the "program" wants to use at least half the gas over 12 months.

    But I personally would make it a point to use almost ALL of the gas over the course of a year and then fill it and add stabilizer.
     
  16. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,590
    11,212
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    The discussion about a plain old ICE car that may of had its fuel lines freeze.

    Going to keep lawnmower gas in a plastic can for next season, Stabil may help. Seafoam also touts being a gas life extender, but 1 ounce of diesel per gallon will be cheaper and as effective.

    In a modern car with a sealed tank, both are not needed. The volatiles have no where to go, so they won't be lost like in a plastic gas can. Their loss is what causes gas to go bad.
     
  17. benagi

    benagi Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    525
    280
    4
    Location:
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Tank capacity on my Prime is 11.3 US gal.
     
  18. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    It's not that simple.
    This is BAD advice.
    Gas can "go bad" in a sealed container too if it sits long enough, especially ethanol.
     
  19. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2018
    7,035
    2,780
    0
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    So by using up 7 gallons, that is more than half a tank and it probably satisfies the programmed requirement.
    But like I said, I personally think it is a MISTAKE to obsess over using some gas and two tanks a year would be better.
     
  20. benagi

    benagi Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2012
    525
    280
    4
    Location:
    Utah
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Probably better to use more gas but with my commute I don’t need to run the ice, plus I live in one of the most polluted valleys in the US. Salt Lake City.