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Set a RECORD Distance on 1 Tank...

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Fuel Economy' started by Billy56, Feb 21, 2022.

  1. Billy56

    Billy56 Member

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    My friend Wayne Gerdes and I were talking, and discussed a scenario. If we wanted to set a national record for farthest distance traveled on a single tank of fuel in a stock Prius, we might do this:

    Take my 2020 Prius L ECO, during late July when the rockies/midwest is experiencing a heat wave, and drive to the top of Pikes Peak. Take a 3 gallon full can of gasoline, and top off the tank. Have 65 psi in the tires. Begin by coasting all the way down, after ensuring battery pack if full with regen. This would use up a lot of brake pad, but that's ok.

    When reaching the bottom, proceed driving to Colorado Springs and continue east. Get out to the flatlands of the midwest, and just follow the wind, whichever direction it goes. Stay on country roads where we can drive slow, averaging about 28 MPH. We should be able to average about 115 MPG, getting nearly 1320 miles on this tank of gas. We purposely run the car out of gas, shutting engine off manually just as we sense it is missing or sputtering.....so it does not quite totally run dry. Does that sound like fun??
     
    #1 Billy56, Feb 21, 2022
  2. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

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    Sounds crazy but expect to get pulled over by the cops for only going 28mph on our highways...that's a hazard on our 75 mph interstates where most folks are doing 85+!!!!
    Personally, I'd never EVER let my vehicle run out of gas because the fuel pumps sits inside the tank and that's a good way to burn that puppy out....and replacing it requires dropping the tank. (MSRP on a fuel pump for a Gen 4 is $385.50)
     
    #2 ColoradoBoo, Feb 21, 2022
    MIkeDr likes this.
  3. Billy56

    Billy56 Member

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    Evidently you did not read my post carefully. I am speaking of staying off the freeway and driving on back country roads. I have done this many times over the years. Also, I talked about shutting the engine off as it begins to sputter, and NOT totally draining the fuel pressure. I have done this many times on cars and airplanes....
     
    #3 Billy56, Feb 21, 2022
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  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    If this was really a big risk, then Bib Wilson should have experienced it many times. He ran them dry over 50 times for fun / sport / engineering curiosity / fuel comparison tests, reported plenty of interesting finds back to us, and never had a fuel pump failure.
     
    #4 fuzzy1, Feb 21, 2022
  5. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Follow the science seems to be a popular saying nowadays....:)
    Fuel pump is immersed in fuel to help it stay cool. Fuel flows through it to help it cool. No fuel = less cooling=eventual pump damage?

    C'mon man! It's science. It has to be right. No other opinions are permitted.

    Just havin' fun...
     
    #5 TMR-JWAP, Feb 21, 2022
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Is there a reason to not aim for the existing (that I've heard) Prius world record of 118.6 MPG? This ought to be easier in a Gen4 than it was in a Gen2:
    Which gen Prius has highest MPG? | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
    #6 fuzzy1, Feb 21, 2022
  7. Billy56

    Billy56 Member

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    Hi Fuzzy1......the 118.6 you are speaking of was NOT draining a full tank of fuel. I am dreaming of farthest distance traveled on a tank of gas. Am not sure what the MPG would be in this scenario...
     
    #7 Billy56, Mar 3, 2022
  8. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It was over a single-tank distance of 1889.4 miles.

    Though it did help that they had bigger tanks. You'll want to scale that back to our Prius tank size.


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #8 fuzzy1, Mar 3, 2022
  9. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    Did you do the math about how long it might take to to drive almost 2k miles at 25 mph?
    unless the brakes started to smoke and / or catch on fire. Ever see a big rig descending a western states mountain pass at 65 mpg with smoke billowing and sparks flying from all 18 of its wheels?
    LOL great fun indeed.
     
    #9 vvillovv, Mar 3, 2022
  10. Tande

    Tande Active Member

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    Not on the Gen.3 .....not sure about the Gen. 4......FWIW
     
    #10 Tande, Mar 4, 2022
  11. Billy56

    Billy56 Member

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    Yeah, Pikes Peak is elevation 14,300 feet. That would give us a great start to our efficiency run. I just wonder if the brake pads would wear out....although presently after 200,000 miles, my original pads have MORE than 50% left.
     
    #11 Billy56, Mar 10, 2022
  12. vvillovv

    vvillovv Senior Member

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    Nah - it might be interesting to see just how much they do wear on the Pikes Peak coast downward.
     
    #12 vvillovv, Mar 10, 2022
  13. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Plenty of Prii have been up there, and not worn out their brakes on descent. Though when I descended in mine (and took several turnouts for cooling, as the prevailing traffic speed was too slow to get much engine braking in a Prius), another vehicle seriously smoked its brakes and was ordered into the cooling off parking area at the mandatory brake checkpoint. It was an F-150 pickup, but the Florida plates should be a clue to why it happened.
     
    #13 fuzzy1, Mar 10, 2022
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