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

First gas pip falls fast

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by macmaster05, Apr 11, 2011.

  1. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Usually I lose my first gas pip after ~70-80 miles, today it dropped at only 36 miles. I know I should know this by now, but does anybody think something might be wrong? Last 2 times I filled up I got 54 and 56mpg. I'm not driving any differently and the weather is getting warmer if anything. Think someone is stealing my gas? When does your first pip usually fall? Is this a non issue or am I in for a shocker at my next fill up?
     
  2. kimgh

    kimgh Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    297
    4
    0
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Probably a non-issue. In the really warm Summer months, I can get 100-110 miles on the first pip. In the Winter, lucky to get 70. There can be a wide variation.

    For urban Californians, there are at least 4 factors: The tank doesn't hold as much when it's cold due to the bladder; in CA, we have "winter" and "summer" blend gas, and the winter blend drops the MPG noticeably; the engine runs more in the winter while warming up; and finally, you're somewhat at the mercy of how hair-trigger the pump is that you use.

    So I would say: don't panic yet. If this persists in happening for tankful after tankful, you might have it checked out, but I suspect that nothing will be found. If it only happens occasionally, it's for sure not an issue to worry about.
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. halpos4

    halpos4 "Taxi"!

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2008
    377
    24
    5
    Location:
    Ireland
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I recently had one of my injectors replaced and up to then the first pip would disappear at around the 160km mark,i was reluctant to post until now thinking it was just a glitch but since the injector was replaced, on the last three fills i've covered 336km,320km and 325km before the first pip disappeared,the weekend gone i had covered 850km and i had one pip left and as a taxi with one to four passengers on board,i think that's pretty decent especially with 352,000km,
    I appreciate the fact that Euro models don't have the bladder and can get a bit more fuel in.
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Me too! (and I also live in CA) That's why to get 36 miles out of my first pip, is abysmally low.

    Thanks, something tells me the pump at the gas station I went to the last 2 times might not be filling up my tank all the way - thus the 2 good consecutive fillups. If it didn't fill up, it'd make sense that I lose the pip sooner. Time to switch back to Chevron. ARCO is gross anyway.
     
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,035
    10,010
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    What self respecting gas thief would take only two and a half quarts?

    This is well within the refill vagaries of my non-bladdered pre-hybrids, especially when the parking pads next to the pump are not level.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    *$&! Ok I got gas today and calculated 38mpg. My last 2 tanks were 56 and 54 mpg, so over the last 3 tanks I've averaged 49mpg. But why the huge disparity? 38mpg? That's by far the worst I've ever recorded. Has this ever happened to you guys? I'm sort of on edge for my next fill-up.
     
  7. Bizzy

    Bizzy New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2011
    2
    1
    0
    Location:
    Lakewood, Oh.
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I always pull the gas pump out a little after it shuts off and fill my tank to the top. I get about 120 miles out of my 1st blip. About 365 - 400 miles per tank of gas. But if you don't fill it all the way like that you can get anywhere from 30 to 80 on the 1st blip.
    And yea, sometimes I'll get 35 mpg, sometimes 45mpg. It varies a lot.
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. uart

    uart Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2009
    4,215
    1,200
    0
    Location:
    Australia
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    That's exactly how it happens with an underfill mac. The pump clicks off a little early so you get less gas in there than you thought. So that tank calculation comes out really great (because you really use more fuel than what you re-filled with). When you get to the next refill however you're average pays the price. If this time you re-fill properly (without the pump clicking off early) then you've now just re-filled with more fuel than you've actually used and so obviously the calculated MPG is low.
     
    1 person likes this.
  9. kimgh

    kimgh Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    297
    4
    0
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I've read on PC (several times) that this is NOT a good idea. Fill to the first click and that's it.
     
  10. kimgh

    kimgh Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2006
    297
    4
    0
    Location:
    San Jose, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Well, one swallow doesn't make Summer, but if this were to persist, it suggests that something has Gone Wrong somewhere. Perhaps you'll have to have it checked out.
     
  11. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    My vote goes to the pump clicking off early. The next couple tank refills will let ya know what is really going on. :)

    Just be glad you have not had your bladder puke on ya. Mine did when I left the pump unattended for a second and the pump didn't auto shut off when the tank was full. Talk about an embarrassing 15min. of standing around while your eco-friendly car gushes gasoline all over the ground. :rolleyes:
     
    1 person likes this.
  12. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    :(

    Was that the result of a faulty pump or a glitch with the bladder?

    By the way I got 110 miles on my first pip yesterday (which usually means I can get past 400 miles in ~8 gallons), so it looks like I might be smooth sailing again.
     
  13. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm not sure. It only happened once. Thankfully!

    Good to hear you're back on rack again, bru. Ohh, I talked to Matt at TRS and he said the Morimoto Mini D2S is the way to go for us Prius folk. Save up $200 and do it man! :)
     
  14. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Cool! Ehhh I personally don't like to mess with headlights unless I'm absolutely sure that I know what I'm doing, and that's never the case, lol. Would love to see it on yours though, especially with all your recent fog light upgrades.
     
  15. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I'll get mine set up sometime this year then we can do yours if you like the results. :)
     
  16. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Haha sounds like a plan. The more I read about it, the better it sounds and the more I want it. Yeah our Gen II HIDs are pretty weak as far as HIDs go. I'd like to know what's involved in the installation process - that's always the big question mark.
     
  17. macmaster05

    macmaster05 Senor Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2009
    4,050
    727
    5
    Location:
    USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
  18. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2006
    19,011
    4,080
    50
    Location:
    Grass Valley, CA.
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    I spent some quality time at HIDPlanet.com and talking to Matt at TRS. Basically we just disassemble the headlights (bake em) then dremel out the original bulb socket hole. Then you simply thread the Mini D2S into that hole and secure it with the supplied nut on the other end. Obviously we need new bulbs but other than that it's cake. Not like the hard core retros where people cut out large sections of their stock reflector.

    If you get enough of these HIDs hooked up they may make your pips fall fast. :D