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New Prius owner, ICE question

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by FRCornelis, Apr 30, 2022.

  1. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Blue Prius.jpg ...well, sort of, we already have a 2015 Prius (gen3) my wife drives that I really like.

    I traded my 2017 Chevy Cruze Premier for a 2022 Prius Limited as I always wanted a hybrid car. First experience ever with gen4, I will probably regret it when gen5 releases by the end of the year?

    Anyways, I do love the car and all the technology in it, I always admired the hybrid system and being a tech guy, I enjoyed driving the Prius over my newer Cruze. It took me a lot to source the car in the trim and color I wanted due to the shortage, over a month looking all over Southern California and it finally happened.

    My question to all of you 4gen(ers) is about the engine (ICE) noise, perhaps I'm a bit spoiled coming from Chevy (1.4T) where the insolation was better but, it seems a bit loud even under light to moderate acceleration.
    Because the car had 5 miles upon delivery, I'm driving it very easy, feathering the gas pedal, never reached 50% of gas pedal travel trying not to push it until at least 600 miles, but when merging into traffic or going uphill I have to give it a bit more throttle, and this is where I notice the noise when hitting 3k RPMs (verified via OBD2 scanner) perhaps the noise it a bit more than my 3gen? or maybe it’s just me overthinking.

    I decided to hook the bluetooth OBD2 because I thought it was hitting 5k judging by the noise alone but to my surprise, it was topping about 3k briefly, however when accelerating slowly and gradualy the ICE is quiet enough and it switches to full electric a lot more often and faster speeds than my gen3 which I love.
    It seems to me that the 1.8 Atkinson ICE was giving everything it’s got when accelerating but under 3k only it's gotta have more reserved/unused power.

    My concern is: when the break-in is over and I really want to push it a bit, is it going to sound like a mower? If I put it in power mode and floor it, is it going to throw a rod?

    Anyways, any thoughts, comments or even critics are welcome.
    Thank you for your feedback
    -FC
     
  2. schja01

    schja01 One of very few in Chicagoland

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    Prius engineers tend to put safeguards in so that their cars don't self destruct.
    Just drive it.
     
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  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    congrats and welcome!
    i found the gen 4 engine noisy as well, compared to my '12. i think you'll just have to get used to it. it may be that in toyota's quest for increased mpg's, something has been lightened in the hood and firewall, or the muffler system, or the engine design.
    noise is last on the prius list, although the rest of the car is supposed to be better insulated.
     
  4. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    The engine sound has always been loud in any Toyota Hybrid I've had the pleasure to drive when accelerating. Even my Prime was loud when the engine activated. The main reason is the engine hits a higher rev right away because its an Atkinson and then the e-CVT has to divy up the resultant HP to drive and feeding the front motor and battery (if necessary). So there is a disconnect between the amount of power that is needed to get the car to accelerate and cruising. It goes high rev for a bit immediately before calming down when you hit a cruising speed. Does it get better over time? Not really, mostly because you are getting used to it. Lower speed acceleration seems to accentuate the engine noise, cruising not so much. That being said I've floored my Prime several times to activate the engine and have never damaged the engine and usually to merge, pass, or just get out of a potentially dangerous situation. They respond quite quickly because of the electric motors.
     
  5. PaulDM

    PaulDM Active Member

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    Have you tried ‘Power Mode” that tends to give more “push” for less “noise”
     
  6. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Thank you for your feedback, I'm glad am not alone with this, so it's not a "me" thing knowing other folks feel the same way and nothing is wrong with my ICE like (piston slap) as all hybrids are on the noisy side. I went for a test drive on a Malibu Hybrid a few years ago and that thing sounded like an helicopter under acceleration so Prius is not that bad then.
    I'm sure I will get used to it, and just drive the thing. I'm familiar with the Atkinson engine and the e-CVT transmission, I do all the maintenance and repairs on my 2015 including Techstream. Perhaps I'm being a bit biased comparing to my 3gen which I'm the second owner at currently 88k miles and never really paid much attention to the noise because I didn't have any other Prius to compare.

    Until break-in is over, I keep it under ECO mode, I did switch to power mode just to feel it a bit, but than again, never really reached half throttle yet with only 140 miles on the ODO, but I do feel the throttle response a lot more sensitive/responsive. I'm sure when the time comes and I floor it in PWR mode, it will be zippy, and I wouldn't be surprised (PaulMD) if the noise quiets down under higher RPMs.

    cheers,
    -FC
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The computers controlling the car know exactly what RPMs are safe for the engine, and never exceed that. So putting it in power mode and flooring it (or just flooring it, which is the same power in all modes) will make it sound like a Prius at full power, but it won't be harmful to anything.

    If I remember right, gas mowers tend to be governed to around 3000 RPM. The Prius 1.8 reaches full power at 5300 RPM (at least, that's what I remember for Gen 3, and Gen 4 is pretty much the same engine). So it'll sound not quite twice as spinny as a mower. :) (The exhaust note will be higher than that, because more cylinders than the mower.)

    Of course the engine is mechanically safe to RPMs even a fair way above 5300, but the power graph starts going back downward past that point, so there is no advantage in using any higher RPM, and the car's computers won't.
     
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  8. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    ChampmanF, thank you for your response and good humor that goes with it. I do agree 100%, everything you said makes perfect sense.
    Nobody buys a Prius to win any drag race and I'm getting old to the point that driving in ECO mode is fine with me for city driving, but it's good to know that car will behave nicely upon brisk acceleration on demand for passing and avoiding dangerous situations.

    -FC
     
  9. kevinwhite

    kevinwhite Active Member

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    upload_2022-4-30_11-34-35.png
    Actually the Prius engine is always run close to the maximum power it can give at any RPM, ie close to full throttle. If it could provide more power at that speed the engine would be run slower to get better efficiency.

    The blue curve on the BSFC graph below is the operating line used on the 3rd generation, the red the 2nd generation. The 4th generation is similar to the 3rd though it was modified somewhat. By keeping to that line efficiency is optimized.

    As far as I know it always operates along that same line independent of whether the car is economy, normal or power mode. The mode alters the throttle mapping and the operation of the air conditioning but not the engine.

    There is no risk of "throwing a rod", the engine will not be allowed to go above about 5500RPM under any condition.

    kevin

    upload_2022-4-30_11-34-35.png
     
  10. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Welcome and congratulations on buying what might be the most reliable car on the road, or very close to it. I noticed today that there was a new member of the Facebook Prius Prime group who was excited about having just bought a used Prius Prime with over 250,000 miles on it. There are lots of other Gen 4 Prii out there well into the six digit area.

    ROFLOL!! I hope you're pulling our collective leg. I've seen several Gen 2 Prii with holes in the engine block. (I work part time in a hybrid shop.) But what oil they had in the pan was a black goo. The Prius didn't get its stellar reputation by self destructing just because the driver's foot got a little enthusiastic. ;)
     
    #10 jerrymildred, Apr 30, 2022
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2022
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  11. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    FWIW......I have both {Gen 3&4)......yes, the Gen 4 engine IS noisier (in/the/cabin).......again, FWIW
     
  12. MPGboss

    MPGboss Member

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    congrats!
     
  13. FRCornelis

    FRCornelis Junior Member

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    Thank you everyone!
    I finally went for a more adventured drive 20 miles roundtrip, and it did handle very well, even babying it under ECO mode, the thing is so efficient, on paper: 121HP / 105 lb-ft seems a bit anemic but in real life it responds adequately like any other car in its class would while getting 70+ MPG and enjoying the smooth electric boost of a hybrid drivetrain. I love this thing, and the auto-switching to electric-only even when doing 50mph while still accelerating gradually, ICE RPM rarely sees anything above 3k, I already dismissed the noise, In fact I don't notice it anymore, so all good, I blame this to my Cruze, you can say anything about Chevy but they are very serious when it comes to insolating.
    Oh, there is one more thing… I can now feel confident doing parallel & reverse parking without stressing

    Wish you all a good weekend… now it’s time to keep spending money on window tinting and XPEL paint protection for the front end and still being married after that.

    Cheers,
    -FC
    IMG_1884.jpg
     
  14. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Has anybody seen a plot like that for the 4th generation engine, or data from which it could be constructed?

    A fundamental reason Prii engine seem noisier than those of other cars when accelerating or climbing is that engine torque along the allowed "operating line" is so low at moderate engine speed, in proportion to the weight of the car. As a result, the engine must spin faster to produce moderate power, compared even to other vehicles of similarly modest peak power/weight ratio..
     
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  15. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Having come from another type of car altogether - I find PRIUS engine quite quiet. I did notice that generally, Gen 3 was a noisier car - with Gen 4 seeming quieter. My suspicion is that, with a quieter overall car, the engine is more obvious than old model PRIUS'.
     
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