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

Other than changing how you drive, what can be done to increase MPG's?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by harrysprius, Jul 26, 2017.

  1. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2017
    277
    126
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    What else can you do? Does taking off the rear wiper and "spoiler" net any gains? Anything else anyone has done?
     
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Nah, Tires and pressure, what are you running?
    Air and cabin filters, complete tune up, brake check and service if necessary.
    Oil and oil level.
     
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,479
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Use a block heater, year 'round, before first cold start of the day.
     
    ToyotaPartsBarn and bisco like this.
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
  5. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2017
    277
    126
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Vellozza cheap tires that were on it when I got it. I'll replace with LRR when they get closer to worn out.....

    How much does that save Mendel Leisk? And can I call you Mendel for short? You seem to be pretty active, and I reply to you a lot....


    Keep it coming people ANYTHING that can help?
     
    bisco likes this.
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    See my edits.
     
  7. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    These should have essentially no impact on MPG.

    Good for others reasons, just not for MPG.
     
  8. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2017
    277
    126
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    I just changed the oil and filter, went to the Mobil one Hybrid synthetic oil, new air filter and cabin air filter, set tire pressure up to 36 front and 38 rear. Working on my driving. What else? Will I net a gain from removing that spoiler? I think it would a lot easier to see without it, but if it'll make my gas mileage go down I'll definitely keep it. What about that ugly antenna?
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,479
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    I've never really tested. A couple of hours plugged in will raise engine coolant temp around 35~35C. It gets the engine off fast idle sooner, and shutting down sooner too. Biggest impact would be on short trips I'm sure.

    Secondary benefit: I suspect it's good for engine longevity.
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,479
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
  11. FuelMiser

    FuelMiser Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2008
    1,263
    858
    0
    Location:
    Monument, CO
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    A lot of Prius owners believe you should have the fronts 2 psi higher than the rears...
     
    WilDavis likes this.
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    It seems pretty unlikely that a car designed for fuel efficiency would add a superfluous doo dad. I would expect that it would negatively affect the air flow at the rear of the vehicle.

    Mechanically, I'd advice to make sure it's tuned up properly, using the right oil, LRR tires inflated above the pressure in the manual (mine are 44/42). Then, it's driving techniques as allowed by the schools of fish ... errrr ... cars that dart around the roads in tight packs.

    What kind of mileage are you getting so far?

    Edit to add: PS. I would partly disagree with Fuzzy. If the cabin filter is too dirty, it will make the A/C run longer to cool the cabin. Some people here have claimed a pretty significant impact on economy from the cabin filter. I'm not sure that it's a huge difference, though.
     
    The Electric Me and bisco like this.
  13. PriusNeckBeard

    PriusNeckBeard Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2016
    376
    211
    0
    Location:
    Cincinnati
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    One
    Combine trips.
     
    jerrymildred and Mendel Leisk like this.
  14. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2017
    277
    126
    0
    Location:
    Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Between work and a 110 mile commute. Who has time for any other trips?
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,479
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    And avoid short trips if practical, say something like driving 3 blocks to pick up the pizza: walk fer chrisakes. This is drifting off-topic, into technique, but hey.

    Similarly: Amazon-shop stuff, instead of chasing all over town. If you can even find it.
     
  16. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That will have to be addressed you folks living in climates that actually need lots of AC. I live in a relatively low-AC climate.

    As for the engine air filter, that should have no MPG impact on a traditional non-hybrid gasoline engine (Otto cycle) that is hypermiled, or never run at wide open throttle, unless it becomes so clogged that the driver must start pressing the pedal to the floor.

    The answer becomes less definitive for Atkinson-type engines on Prius and others where the intake valves adjust for a smaller air charge volume, so the intake manifold needs less vacuum, so the throttle butterfly valve can open more. At the limit, as these engines reach more free-flowing diesel-like intake systems, a dirty and clogged air filter will become more of an MPG issue. But I don't believe Prius is very close to that point yet.

    Clean free-flowing air filters are important to racers trying to achieve maximum engine power. Ordinary commuting on our streets and highways doesn't need that much power.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  17. Vman455

    Vman455 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2014
    534
    551
    13
    Location:
    The Middle
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Removing the spoiler will increase drag; the effect of the wiper is probably minimal, but I removed mine anyway. The following will take you from stock Cd .25 to Cd .212:

    -lower 1.5" (Tein H-tech springs)
    -partial grill block
    -solid wheel covers
    -exterior mirror removal
    -shark fin antenna
    -rear wiper removal
    -Coroplast paneling underneath

    More on the above here. Don't mind the missing pictures; I'm in the process of re-hosting them.
     
  18. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2017
    809
    504
    0
    Location:
    Las Vegas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    This might be under the category of changing the way you drive... but staying in the slow lane and allowing more time for your commute will drive up your FE more than anything else I can think of.
     
    Tyfly likes this.
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,768
    16,017
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Depends how extreme you want to go. Changing your driving habits will have the greatest impact (that and moving to somewhere warmer lol).

    • Remove unnecessary weight (although I wouldn't recommend removing the spare tire because it helps balance the weight of the car. The Gen 3 is already front heavy so we don't want to increase the % of weight over the front axle any further)
    • Proper wheel alignment (went through several rough winters with uneven road and potholes? Get it aligned)
    • Higher tire pressure. (Factory spec for the 15" is 35/33; for the 17" it's 33/32 PSI). The lightweight 15" alloys will get better mileage (lighter weight and more aerodynamic than the 17"). Depending on your road surface, you can run them to 40/38 to get better mileage. (Some run higher but for me, that's out of my comfort zone and harsh ride tolerance but you can experiment if you wish).
    • Repair any cosmetic damage (interferes with the airflow that the car was originally designed to have, so fix that bumper or large dent)
    • Use ECO mode to reduce the upper limit of A/C or heating electricity consumption
    • Run the climate control at a less aggressive temperature (so higher in the summer and lower in the winter to reduce A/C/heater usage respectively)
    • Use an engine block heater any time it gets below... say 45°F
    • Block your lower grille. (50% between 32-50°F, 100% below 32°F and I guess if you're below 0°F, you can partly block the upper grille. Do not fully block the upper grille. You can use a scangauge to monitor engine temperature if you want to fine tune your block % but otherwise that guideline above works. I use foam pipe insulator, sliced lengthways in half and then cut to length.
    • If you're driving above 35-40mph, use the A/C and don't open the windows
    • Use a sunshade in the summer to reduce the need for A/C. (or get the windows tinted. There are also custom mesh sunshade for our Gen 3 from Europe that can be easily installed/removed in seconds so you can have them up in the summer and then remove them in the winter)
    • Remove the rear wiper (and properly plug it)
    • Lower the car by an inch
    • Use LRR tires
    • Get smaller, more aerodynamic wheels (says you have a V so I assume you have the 17" wheels)
     
  20. Paranormal Rob

    Paranormal Rob Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 4, 2017
    244
    107
    1
    Location:
    RDU NC
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    Do you have a link or name of the mesh sun shield?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.