Filling up is a real pain

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ichabod @ Sep 6 2006, 09:30 AM) [snapback]315130[/snapback]</div>

Emphasis added because it's important.

I top off after the first click, but only for one additional click unless I know it's ridiculously low.
If you're getting gas to come out of the tank, you're going way, way over the limit. Not only are you polluting the air with volatile chemicals, you're also soaking the charcoal filter in the neck that's part of the gas tank pollution controls. Expect to see the Check Engine light come on not too far into the future, followed by a visit to the repair shop to replace that part.

You might have pumped gas when you were a kid, but technology has changed since then, cars have pollution control, pumps have vapor shields, and you are violating all of those features that people worked hard to get into legislation to protect our air.

Remember that gasoline density changes with temperature as does the bladder size in the gas tank. You're not always going to fit 11.9 gallons into your tank, no matter how hard you try. To get around the occasional underfill/overfill, average your mpg over 3 tanks and stop worrying about trying to fill up to the very top. You'll get the same numbers anyway.

 

I top off every time and likely go 50 clicks when I have time.
Has zip to do with it regurgitating fuel. I've had that happen with 2 clicks and with no clicks.

I getnerally get 2 to 3 gallons more in after the first click off. But less in winter.

Filling fast or slow makes no difference in my car at all, it will always generally stop about 3 gallons before being full.

Two keys I use to prevent the burp are to remove nozzle often to break the pressure, and to stop when I hear it full just like when you fill your oil tank at home. There is a change in the sound. Hard to do if you are at a station in a very noisy area.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 6 2006, 11:53 AM) [snapback]315239[/snapback]</div>

No, it does have to do with regurgitating fuel, you've just been lucky/unlucky... Like it's been said, regurgitating fuel is caused by bladder overfill - if the pump isn't working properly, that could cause it to pump more and overfill the bladder before it clicks. Likewise, it could drastically underfill the bladder, allowing you a large amount of "clicks". However, the big question is, is it really worth the amount of polution you throw into the air each time you guess wrong and overfill the bladder? IMO, it's not... i'd rather have to fill up 50 miles earlier than polute that much more for no reason.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 6 2006, 12:53 PM) [snapback]315239[/snapback]</div>

How in the world could you put 50 extra clicks in after it has shut off :blink:

I have only filled up 4 times. Each time I hold the handle and when it clicks off, I am done. I put between 8 and 9 gallons in each time I have filled and go 400+ miles between fill ups. The guage always reads "F" after I have filled it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 6 2006, 12:53 PM) [snapback]315239[/snapback]</div>

50 clicks?!!
Here's the reason why not to do that on the EPA website I posted before, http://www.epa.gov/donttopoff/

• Topping off the gas tank can result in your paying for gasoline that is fed back into the station's tanks because your gas tank is full. The gas nozzle automatically clicks off when your gas tank is full. In areas of ozone nonattainment, gas station pumps are equipped with vapor recovery systems that feed back gas vapors into their tanks to prevent vapors from escaping into the air and contributing to air pollution. Any additional gas you try to pump into your tank may be drawn into the vapor line and fed back into the station’s storage tanks.
• Gasoline vapors are harmful to breathe. Gasoline vapors contribute to bad ozone days and are a source of toxic air pollutants such as benzene. Evaporation from the spillage of gas from overfilling can occur, contributing to the air pollution problem. Remember you pay for the gas that evaporates or is spilled on the ground.
• You need extra room in your gas tank to allow the gasoline to expand. If you top off your tank, the extra gas may evaporate into your vehicle’s vapor collection system. That system may become fouled and will not work properly causing your vehicle to run poorly and have high gas emissions.
• Topping off your gas tank may foul the station's vapor recovery system. Adding more gas after the nozzle has automatically shut off can cause the station's vapor recovery system to operate improperly. This contributes to the air pollution problem and may cause the gas pump to fail to work for the next person.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Sep 6 2006, 02:22 PM) [snapback]315305[/snapback]</div>

Sorry but this is total bullshit. If I pumped 3 gallons (the fuel after the click off) back into the station tanks or on the ground, my mpg would drop quite noticably. And it doesn't even when I fill to where I see fuel in the filler tube.

And like I said I've had the car burp about 3 times and 2 of them were before any click off stuff!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 6 2006, 04:34 PM) [snapback]315381[/snapback]</div>

hey, don't have to say sorry to me, I just copy everything from the EPA website. Maybe you should send a letter to them and tell them the stuff on their website is BS.

If the car burp at you and the pump didn't click, then the auto shutoff is not working.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Sep 6 2006, 11:53 AM) [snapback]315239[/snapback]</div>

Why?

It doesn't improve your mpg, it can get into your car's vapor recovery system, it makes your car just that much heavier on average, plus it takes more of your time to put in what is only another 10 or 12 miles worth of driving. If you fill up every 450 miles, it would take 40 fill-ups before you could've skipped one using your method. Driving 900 miles/month that's after a year and a half - not worth the aggravation to me!

To get better mpg, it's best to drive with a tank nearly empty all the time (just don't run out!).

I go one extra click just for a little more consistency in computing mpg, since sometimes it clicks way too soon, but usually pretty close to getting full. Still, it all averages out over a couple tanks even with no topping off. And I've never seen a "burp".

 

Aside from everyone spanking you over topping off, it seems the consensus move is to not squeeze the pump handle all the way. That seems to trigger the wacky bladder.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Taco Mel @ Sep 6 2006, 01:16 AM) [snapback]314995[/snapback]</div>

:lol: "premature click-off"? HAHAHA That reminds me of the movie "American Pie" when the guy get's too excited with his girlfriend hahahaha

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ScottY @ Sep 6 2006, 04:40 PM) [snapback]315383[/snapback]</div>

Regarding the EPA site, I am quite sure what they say is how they'd like it to all work. And I should point out it may work that way for some of you. It doesn't for my car here in MA. In some other states I drive through it does work and I can stop at the click off and have a reasonably near full tank.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nerfer @ Sep 6 2006, 05:15 PM) [snapback]315406[/snapback]</div>

You still don't quite get it. If it was only 10 or 12 miles worth of driving I'd be happy to stop at the first click.
I'm not doing it because it would almost double my trips to a gas station and cost me 150 miles quite regularly.

Far as the vapor recovery system I expect it to work and that includes the valve that shuts off when it detects liquid. It must be working fine since I have had no error codes. I don't push it however and will fill less full if I am near the end of my trip, in case the bladder decides to pressurize more and try to force fuel in there.

You mssed my comment or didn't believe it that I get typically 3 gallons more in after the click off. This is in winter. Summer it may be more like 2 gal more.


To elaborate a bit each pump is different but my typical fill up at most around where I live goes like this:

1 I fill to the click off at med speed. (one of my spills was at a slow fill and the pump would not even try to shut off at a low rate so I no longer risk it.)
2 I remove and reinsert nozzle and go through maybe 10 or more click offs getting in 0.002 gal at a time.
Then suddnly it starts filling normally again and I go at med speed with no click offs till it is about full.
2-3 more total gallons. Then I normally hear the sound of gas entering the filler tube and stop.


Now with a slightly worse pump or in colder weather it may click off often during the last 3 gallons as well, but this varies. It usually goes longer after it does the first batch of clicks as described.

I have only filled to when I saw fuel a few times, and one of those times was with a very good pump where the first click was right at full, but this was not a pump in MA.

If I could get within about 1/2 gallon of full by stopping at first clicks I'd be happy and not bother trying to fill more.

 

I overfill every time.

After it clicks off, I add somewhere between .4 and 1.0 gallons, so far it works for me. This allows me to gas up every 4 days instead of 3 days.

My typical fillup is between 9.7 and 11 gallons.

6.5 months old, 23,500 miles and heading for the moon at 52.4mpg.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Charles Suitt @ Sep 6 2006, 11:19 AM) [snapback]315207[/snapback]</div>

Slightly off topic but what is the purpose of the bladder over a steel tank?

 

Purpose of the bladder: A metal tank has air plus fuel any time the tank is not full. The bladder has only fuel. It expands when you add fuel, contracts when you consume fuel. Little or no air in contact with the fuel avoids moisture getting from the air into the fuel, but more importantly prevents fumes from evaporating from the fuel, and then being exhausted into the air as you fill the tank.

Everyone is chiding the OP for filling too full or too fast. I have very occasionally had problems at a specific gas station, due apparently to poorly-set pump sensors reacting badly to the Prius's unusual gas tank. If you always fill at the same station, try a different station. If this does not help, and you get the same problem at all stations, take it to the dealer. There may be a problem with your filler pipe. (Assuming you are already filling at the slowest speed, which can also be a factor.)

 

I've run into a few pumps in my area that are horrible. With one bar left, the pump shuts off at 2 gals. At that point it's almost better to go find a different pump than fight it.

Ken

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Sep 7 2006, 10:19 AM) [snapback]315693[/snapback]</div>

I've had problems with specific pumps at certain stations, and not just with the Prius, in which case I don't use that pump again.

Tom

 

I used to have an early shut-off problem with and old Ford truck I used to drive. I learned to fill slowly and persistantly.

However, with the Prius, I follow the suggestions listed above-slow setting, estimate what I should pump, etc. No problems.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Sep 6 2006, 05:48 AM) [snapback]315092[/snapback]</div>

John, I think that they are referring to the winter gas mix that some of us (CA here) get in the wintertime. Mileage goes down 1-5 mpg for all vehicles. The fuel is less efficient.