Toyota Prius: need answer FAST!

[Zeener Diode]

Originally Posted by brownie55

Maybe I did not understand. Can you explain the Pinto remark?

Pintos, like Corvairs, developed a reputation for being dangerous to their drivers. Likewise with the Prius. I was making a joke about this whole kerfuffle and your comment came from way out in left field.

[Chacoguy]

I can't speak for Zeener, but my comment was a simple, off the cuff, joke without much thought put into it. If I've caused offense, I'm sorry. If you knew me at all, you'd know that I would be near the last in line to defend corporate irresponsibility,

[Jaglavak]

I'd like to clear up a common misconception about brakes.

When you stomp on the brakes, the little caliper gizmos clamp onto the little rotor thingies and convert the kinetic energy of the car into heat. Both the calipers and the rotors get hot. The heat gets generated about as fast as the car stops; in other words quickly.

This heat is then shed to the airstream, but this happens much more slowly by comparison. *Key concept alert*
Brakes get hot quickly and cool down slowly.

The brakes on any modern car will overpower the engine. But you only get one good shot at it and then the brakes are smoked for awhile. Generally you won't have time to let them cool down for a second attempt. Most folks don't know that their first attempt needs to be their best one. If you make a couple half hearted stabs at it before the big one, the brakes will fade to nothing and you're compost.

I hope you never have to use this information.

[HongKongFooey]

Toyota's safety bulletin also mentioned depleting the vacuum assist. Are you able to shed some light on how that works? I'm not much of a car guy and mentions of the vacuum assist have been showing up a lot. I've been assuming they mean some kind of venturi but that's just a WAG I make while reading.

[Anacanapuna]

Originally Posted by Jaglavak

The brakes on any modern car will overpower the engine. But you only get one good shot at it and then the brakes are smoked for awhile. Generally you won't have time to let them cool down for a second attempt. Most folks don't know that their first attempt needs to be their best one. If you make a couple half hearted stabs at it before the big one, the brakes will fade to nothing and you're compost.

I hope you never have to use this information.

Coulda' used it about 25 years ago herding a 1979 Subaru down Flagstaff Mountain. I'm alive today only because my photographer finally regained his voice long enough to scream, "Downshift, goddamnit, downshift!!"

[Islander]

HKF said:

Toyota's safety bulletin also mentioned depleting the vacuum assist. Are you able to shed some light on how that works? I'm not much of a car guy and mentions of the vacuum assist have been showing up a lot. I've been assuming they mean some kind of venturi but that's just a WAG I make while reading.

You make WAGs while reading? Can you teach me? I'm not entirely sure what they are but I'll bet I could find a use for them.


ETA: Puna = fast typist

[HongKongFooey]

Originally Posted by Islander

HKF said:


You make WAGs while reading? Can you teach me? I'm not entirely sure what they are but I'll bet I could find a use for them.

Wild Assed Guess - I try not to make them while reading but in this case I have been.

[Islander]

Originally Posted by 3acres

Zeener, you should never panic until you're absolutely certain it's the right thing to do. I was laughing at the guy in California who was out of control in a Prius today; it was all over the news. He admitted he didn't even try to put the car in neutral. If I understood the report correctly, he never tried, even when the 911 operator asked him to. Sure pal, driving out of control at 90 mph is better than trying something simple. By the way, I know my Toyota (not a Prius) will shift to neutral at highway speeds; I've done it. I think it would be better to blow up the engine than die, but I guess some people disagree.

Hey Islander, do us a favor. Take your Prius out and shift to neutral while speeding out of control down some local highway. Let us know if it explodes or anything.

You know me too well. My devotion to Giraffe Boards will lead me anywhere. But if I'm not back by the close of business tomorrow, better check the 6 o'clock news.

[Anacanapuna]

Just make sure it leads you back to us, O Pioneer Woman!

BTW, these fingers are fast at other things, too. Just sayin'.

[Islander]

Look, yer married, laddie. Keep dem fingers to home!


I was gonna say, "in yer pockets" but feared that would lead to misinterpretation.

[Islander]

Originally Posted by Anacanapuna

Whoa! Alert to Uthrecht, Colonel Plink, and myself: Islander doesn't like fart jokes!

C'mon, you simmerin' cauldron of feminine loveliness, your post was a little ambiguous. But that's just the English teacher in me. Give the monkey boy a wink and let him watch you walk away.

Hey, I was only teasing. Was that so out of character?
This "simmerin' cauldron of feminine loveliness" rarely farts, however; she lines up dainty little toots that queue up overnight and pop gently out upon arising.
Except for that one time...when I was walking across the classroom, and with every step...music! OMG, I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. All a simmerin' cauldron of feminine loveliness can do at that point is to make it seem intentional, and escalate! TOOT! TOOT!

[Anacanapuna]

Island Girl, we must have a beer together one day.

Excuse me, but MsPuna informs me that Grandbaby Puna #2 is enroute to the land of the living. I have to go plug in my cell phone.

Watch for the thread!

[Jaglavak]

Originally Posted by HongKongFooey

Toyota's safety bulletin also mentioned depleting the vacuum assist. Are you able to shed some light on how that works? I'm not much of a car guy and mentions of the vacuum assist have been showing up a lot. I've been assuming they mean some kind of venturi but that's just a WAG I make while reading.

The power assist for brakes comes from engine vacuum. It's the big metal can about the size of a stubby cookie jar between the master cylinder and the firewall. Yes, I'm hungry. Notice the big thumb size hose leading from that to the intake manifold.

When the engine is WFO, engine vacuum goes away. It's hardly ever a problem because normally you would never step on the gas and the brakes at the same time.

The car has a vacuum can with check valves for these situations. Mostly intended for if you lose the engine. It stores enough vacuum for about one or two good stomps. You still have brakes after the vacuum can is depleted, but just no power assist. Then you might want to use both feet on the brakes.

[Jaglavak]

Originally Posted by Anacanapuna

Coulda' used it about 25 years ago herding a 1979 Subaru down Flagstaff Mountain.

OK, I think I see your error.