How far can you take the HCH-II beyond 0 bars on the Fuel gauge?

[xcel]

Hi All:

___Just got off the phone with Terry and not only is he pushing his latest HCH-II’s tank, he is doing it the CleanMPG way in style! That is seeing how far she will go all the while hoping it gets him back home and to the gas station … He lost the final bar on the fuel gauge some 60 miles ago and has ~ 15 miles to go before he arrives home. I told him that his wife will never live this one down if she has to take the gasoline can out to him while he is out on the highway and bypassed at least 100 stations prior! All the while I was unable to control myself laughing hysterically over the Cel. I think he will make it easily given 60 + miles below 0 bars in the Insight was a piece of cake but I am guessing about the HCH-II at best? Currently he is battling a rain storm with high winds from the side and who knows?

___Anyway, wish him luck as I am sure many of us know exactly what he is going through at this very second …

___Terry, when you get back home, we look forward to the details … And if you don’t make it, I want a pic of the HCH-II stranded on the side of the road as your wife arrives in the Merc with gas can in tow

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[tigerhonaker]

Quote from above by Wayne:
___Terry, when you get back home, we look forward to the details … And if you don’t make it, I want a pic of the HCH-II stranded on the side of the road as your wife arrives in the Merc with gas can in tow}

Wayne, very "Funny" Buddy. I made it and have Pictures of this little adventure.

What I was trying or was going to do was drive back to Sadeville, Ky. on the same tank of gas that I drove back home with two weeks ago. So I started out and it was raining here where I live and then I drove out of it and was doing real well. The Avg. MPG showing for this segment at 63 Miles out was on 72.6 MPG at 50 MPH and Cruise on. Of course "No-A/C". So I am thinking that I was showing 5-Bars of fuel and it was 271.4 miles to destination. I was as many would say, content and looking forward to Posting this tank with all this back and forth driving to Ky. and back plus the driving to work during the week for very short in town trips(6.9 miles each way to work and back). So as luck or in this case "No-Luck" would have it I ran straight into a storm with very strong wind and pouring down rain. I thought well I'll drive for awhile and see if I drive back out of this. No such Luck. It just got worse so at the last minute I reset the Nav. for home and just in time to catch the on coming exit ramp and back to TN. So I then said to myself "Wonder if I can get back home on this same tank of remaining gas." So I am keeping an eye on the gas as it is dropping down. Finally I get closer to Nashville, TN. , within 68 miles and the last "White-Bar" drops off the gas gauge. Now it has my "Full-Attention" with it pouring rain and the wind whipping around. Oh, did I forget to mention the Semi Tractor Trailer Trucks rolling up behind me and passing like they were at Daytona? I bet you know where I am coming from on that. So then I get a Cell Call and who do you think is on the other end?

Wayne Gerdes Laughing and Choking trying to get his Breath. He says I understand you are trying to do some FE numbers and running on Fumes. Laughing I said well you might say that, But actually it is really a little worse than that. I just ran out of the very last white bar on the gas gauge and I just wondered If you know how far this HCH II might go with "No-Gas" showing. He says aw don't worry I have driven the Insight a very long ways with No-Gas showing. I said, yeah but were you in the middle of a storm and the wind trying to move the car around and about to get run over by Semi's all at the same time? Wayne, says how far do you have to go and I said well I have driven already about 30 miles or so and it says I have another 42 miles to go by the Nav. He says well slow up. I said I am doing 50 MPH now if I go any slower they will call a wrecker. Well it went on like this for awhile while he is trying to "Lift" my Spirits and comfort me when and If I had to call Cathy to Bring the 5-Gallon container of gas I just filled up for my mower.Wayne, still Laughing He sends Cathy a message on the Chat that I might be calling for "Assistance any minute".

Wayne sends Chat Message to Cathy:
[01:05:47 PM] xcel: Cathy, you there? Terry is 16 miles out and he is on absiolute fumes. I have been laughing so hard the last 10 minutes because I have been there and no exactly what he is going through :Grin:


So I am out there on my own. I make it to the Shell Station where I live. And now I will try to Post Pics. of the refill. And also of the Gas Gauge which you will notice has the Icon Gas-Pump lit-up. No White Bars showing for gas at all. The car starts jumping when I go to pull into the station from hwy. So I cut the key off and put car in Neutral and coast to the Pump.
CLOSE-CALL !!!!
Click on Pic. to Enlarge:
...................................It took this much gas to refill to the top: {The $2.999 Price is for 89-Octane Gas. I filled up with 87-Octane Gas @ $2.899} The 87 Octane Price is to the Left of 89 Octane Price showing in Pic.
Click on Pic. to Enlarge:

................................This shows Gas-Gauge with Icon Gas Pump Lit and "No-Gas".

Thanks to Wayne I kept my Nerve and drove right on like I had good sense.

I drove this HCH II with {No-White-Bars} showing for another Approx. 72 Miles.
I would not suggest trying to drive further if you don't want to "Walk".

Note* Extremely Windy conditions and Pouring Rain. This I would think entered into the miles driven to empty. I drove with Cruise Control and at 50MPH with "No-A/C" on. Tire Pressure was set at 55PSI:

[brick]

Good story. You guys crack me up I tell you, I get nervous when I even get close to the "E" nevermind past it. My first use of hypermiling techniques before knowing what "hypermiling" was involved a situation where the needle started dropping a whole lot faster than I expected. Shedding 10 or 15mph off of the cruise speed did the trick, much to my surprise.

My college advisor once told me a good one about a road trip he went on with some of his buddies. I guess they misjudged a fuel stop while driving this big van in the middle of nowhere. They had to draft a semi for 20 or 30 miles, just barely getting to a filling station as the injectors started sucking air.

I wouldn't do that too often, though. Fuel pumps don't like spinning without lubrication or cooling

[psyshack]

Ive put 30 or so miles on my EX with no bars left. Thats more than enough for me. Im sure I could coax near fifty miles out of it, if I had to. but no need to go there.

[philmcneal]

indeed that's hardcore, congrats on the way back home! love them hybrids yum.

[tarabell]

Aw sympathy, shmimpathy. Spare me the melodrama. How many miles did you get out of that tank and what was the mpg at the end? And how the heck did you possibly cram 13.2 gallons into a 12.3 gal (according to spec) tank?
( )

[psyshack]

Originally Posted by tarabell

Aw sympathy, shmimpathy. Spare me the melodrama. How many miles did you get out of that tank and what was the mpg at the end? And how the heck did you possibly cram 13.2 gallons into a 12.3 gal (according to spec) tank?
( )

Tarabell

Ive got as much as 13.9 gal. in my EX. Just slowly top it off in the cool of the early morning. Right up to the filler line lip.

It makes Wayne smiles and get teary eyed when you do it.

psy

[krousdb]

The Prius can go 9 hours after the add fuel warning. Do not try this at home.

[Don]

Tiger,

While I was reading your post, I noticed that the math seemed fuzzy. If you put 13.22 gals in at $2.999/gal it should have cost you $39.65 to fill up. The picture shows you only paid $38.32. Did the gas station lose some money? Just curious!

[tbaleno]

I think the 2.999/gal was for 89 octane, It is likely the gas cost 2.899 for 87. I assume you got the 2.999 from the picture of the pump which doesn't show the price for regular so I'm guessing from what most stations do with their pricing.