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

my bladder is full

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by ctbering, Aug 15, 2008.

  1. ctbering

    ctbering Rambling Man

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    1,650
    123
    5
    Location:
    Chicago Illinois
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    I've read some of the previous threads on the Prius gas bladder and I am not sure I am clear on how to fill the tank . I understand the flexible bladder is on the Prius for safety reasons, reducing gas vapor. My question; I find it kind of difficult filling the tank up all the way. I filled up today and tried to top off the tank as I would my old Highlander or Camry, to accurately monitor my mileage. What happens is that it takes more gas until it spills out the side. The pump did click a few times but I thought I could control the gas by pumping slowly. Now I'm concerned that I might be doing some damage to the tank, besides losing fuel on the side of my car is not cool. Any recommendations?
     
  2. okiebutnotfrommuskogee

    okiebutnotfrommuskogee Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2007
    1,813
    15
    0
    Location:
    Tulsa, OK
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You should never top off the tank. Overfilling can damage emission control components. The best thing to do is set the pump on slow fill and stop at the first click. I use this method and it works fine for me and I try to not go below two pips before filling up.

    You can still get a good check on your mileage if you average the results of several fill-ups.
     
  3. Bob64

    Bob64 Sapphire of the Blue Sky

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2007
    1,540
    92
    0
    Location:
    Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    The onboard computer is all you need to accurately calculate mileage.
     
  4. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Don't top off the tank. You are never going to know exactly how much fuel is in the tank at any given time, so stop worrying about it. Manual mileage calculations only work with the Prius when done over a large number of tanks, which distributes the error over a large number of gallons. Short term, use the mileage display on the MFD.

    Tom
     
  5. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2007
    10,096
    4,813
    0
    Location:
    Clearwater, Florida
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Stop topping the tank off. Hang it up when it clicks off the first time. I have had good results after my first gas belching episode (which you are on your way getting) with letting my gas tank vent. When I pull into a gas station I open up the tank cap. Let it vent for a few minutes. Go inside while its venting and get a drink then start pumping when you come back out. I know this is counter to the EPA fume recovery that its important to its zero emissions mission but it seems Toyota did not figure in what happens when the bladder gets slightly old and less flexible. Most gas belching episodes happen at around + or - 5K miles.
    While filling up I do some math. If my odo says 350 miles since last tank and it says I av 50 miles to the gallon I know I shouldn't be putting in more than 7 gallons. I put the gas in slowly and put in 7 gallons. After you do this routine a few times it evens out to correct math and then its easy. And non episodic. And works. Good luck. It takes a tiny effort to get 50 miles to the gallon. This is it.
     
  6. kazots

    kazots LifesaBeach

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2008
    262
    0
    0
    Location:
    CALIFORNIA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    edthefox5, that's great advice. I never let my pips go below 3 or 4 before I fill up. But I like the idea of using 50 miles a gallon to guess how much gas I used. I should of thought of that.
     
  7. dwreed3rd

    dwreed3rd New Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2008
    742
    4
    0
    Location:
    Marietta, Ga
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Does the MFD not give you gallons used? SGII does, right?
     
  8. lenjack

    lenjack Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2006
    804
    114
    0
    Location:
    Pennsylvania USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    If I fill up at 4 pips, I'm, lucky to get in more than 4 gallons!
     
  9. Salsawonder

    Salsawonder New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2005
    1,897
    47
    0
    Location:
    La Mesa California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    I have had my Prius for a while now and it never fails to amaze me that folks want to out guess the bladder (being an older woman and having had a child, I never outgess ANY bladder). I worked with a psychiatrist who ran out of gas so often with his Prius that it got to be a running joke.
    When the car flashes that last pip at you, go get gas. The last time Dr. K ran out of gas, he pushed the car into the gas station, ripped the achilles tendon in his ankle and required surgery.
     
  10. Shimpy II

    Shimpy II New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2008
    21
    0
    0
    Location:
    Tampa Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I've been having problem with the nozzle constantantly clicking off. It will literally click off every couple of seconds, starting right away, and is a PITA to refill. I assume the elastic bladder is creating back pressure that is the tripping the nozzle. I've tried the nozzle all the way in, half in, just the tip in, rotated 90 degrees, pump slow, pump fast, nothing works. Anyone else experience this when the car is new?

    I have no idea when the bladder is full because of this. Like others have said, I try to approach the pump already knowing, based on consumption, how much gas it needs.
     
  11. SBrine1971

    SBrine1971 New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2008
    15
    0
    7
    Location:
    Monterey, CA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I've seen on some postings that the tank is actually only 10 gallons - which I personally beg to differ. I was down to one pip (not flashing) on my last fill up and put in 10.186 gallons.

    I would agree that you should not overfill any gas tank - bladder or no. You just don't need the potential damage to your car's paint or the environment just to get a few extra drops in the tank. Just my 2 cents...
     
  12. spookyfudge

    spookyfudge Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2004
    23
    2
    0
    Location:
    philadelphia
    Never, Never top off tank. It will spray at you when you remove pump nozzle.:mad:
     
  13. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    The fuel tank gross capacity is 11.9 gallons, as clearly stated in manual. As posted on this forum a gazillion times, the fuel tank bladder reduces the usable amount of fuel by an unpredictable amount, but it usually ends up somewhere in the 10 to 11 gallon range. Many of us suggest using 10 gallons as a safe figure, since the usable amount should always be at least that much.

    Tom
     
  14. dwreed3rd

    dwreed3rd New Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2008
    742
    4
    0
    Location:
    Marietta, Ga
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Hi Qbee42! Thanks for your post. It sounds like some may think the gas goes into the bladder, instead of the bladder being used to fill void in the 11.9 gallon tank. Quick question. I think I understand the workings of the bladder, but I'm not clear in your suggestion to "use 10 gallons as a safe figure". To "use it " in what context? To guesstimate miles to empty?
    Thank you in advance for any reply.
     
  15. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2005
    15,232
    1,563
    0
    Location:
    off into the sunset
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Funny, my bladder seems to be shrinking with age, too - or maybe it's just losing it's elasticity. I'm not looking forward to the recall notice, either, and following the instructions in the technical service bulletin provided only temporary relief. ;)
     
  16. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2008
    18,200
    6,480
    0
    Location:
    Green Valley, AZ
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Hi Dave,

    I believe the suggestion is to assume that you have no more than 10 gallons in the fuel tank after you have refueled. Hopefully you actually have more; but you may not.
     
  17. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,075
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Exactly, that's what I meant. Having a little left in the tank is no problem; not making it to the gas station is. Even a tank with an old bladder in cold weather should hold at least 10 gallons of usable fuel when it is full, so I use 10 gallons as my full tank figure for quick mental calculations.

    Tom
     
  18. dwreed3rd

    dwreed3rd New Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2008
    742
    4
    0
    Location:
    Marietta, Ga
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Sounds good!
     
  19. jack999

    jack999 New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2008
    2
    0
    0
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    I learned immediately that the fuel tank could only take fuel at the nozzles slower setting. That way sometimes I'm done with the window first but not very often. I have learned that the manual's stated 3 gallons of gas at fuel tank blinking is a joke along with any support from Toyota. I believed the manual's statement about 3 gallons but discovered that it really means YOU ARE EMPTY and if your not in the driveway of a gas station look out. It cost me about $280 for the tow, motel and service. The folks at the magic number for complaints have a rather poor approach to customers. The manual "Its printed in Japan we're not responsible for it"
    And then there's the 12v battery that will run down to dead if you don't drive the car for a less than a pair of weeks. All in all not a very well design for several of the areas. I do get 48 mpg on the highway and have gotten up to 57 mpg out of at least one tank full. So I guess there's good and bad.

    jack999
     
  20. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 4, 2008
    2,224
    139
    0
    Location:
    Midwest
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Looking at the way the whole vent system is designed (horrendously complex for a consumer device) it sounds like something is obstructed or you have a seal leg of some sort.

    I would expect that a fully inserted nozzle with a good seal on level ground would fill without trouble as long as the pump was not entraining a bunch of air (that would be a problem.) Slow fill rate would be a plus as it would allow more venting through the canister without creating too much backpressure. If however, one of the several vapor lines or canister is obstructed/restricted or if the fill rate was high then one might expect the back pressure to shut off the pump quickly. I'm not sure what happens if a bunch of gasoline is ever forced into the various vapor lines, but I suspect it is going to result in chronic problems.

    The system appears way over engineered in efforts to reduce emissions from filling. I would much prefer a normal tank system with the same capacity as the current Prius. It might be worthwhile for someone to implement a vapor bleed system for the tank when filling. This would completely defeat the bladder, but I really don't care if it consistently works properly.

    Haven't had the problem myself, just trying to get up to speed.