First Gen 1 Prius Plug-In w/ Blown Head Gasket?

Does that mean we'll have pics soon?

Maybe while you take some pics, you'll inadvertently take one and create an avatar .

 

if i knew how to take a pic, i would do it.

 

You can remove the pipe, fairly easy, then EGR valve, a little tricky? (haven't done that) , then shine a light into the cooler outlet, to get some idea of condition?

 

that's not gonna cut it! i need pics! videos! detailed, line by line instructions! and even then, i would have to roll the dice...

 

Up for a 4 hour drive on Saturday the 29 th?

I just might know someone who will be doing similar maintenance.

No instructions required.

 

that's beyond my ev range.

 

Perfect opportunity to give the rarely used ICE a chance to get a work out.

 

Complimentary pink coolant on ice for all comers!

 

I see what your getting at here; blown EGR cooler, coolant back flow into cylinder 4 via open exhaust valve while engine off. Tracksydes chronology of the Techs scrambling with symptoms after replacing head gasket and finally diagnosing spark plug. I thought the same thoughts when reading thru... Awesome to hear this play-by-play of dealer repair, though.

I'm gonna disagree here and say I think the intake manifold is the most clog prone part of the circuit. In part because when my 2010 had the missing under light throttle issue, cleaning just the IM remedied it completely for the last 40k miles. At 140k, my cooler has never been cleaned. My thinking is that the cooler sees high temp gasses straight from the exhaust manifold, less likely to condense while passing thru the radiator passages. By the time they been cooled by the cooler, passed thru the valve, the pipe and into the IM circuitry, they've cooled to where condensation is more easily achieved. Agree with both yourself and Ray that oil burning could be exacerbating the already wonky EGR circuit.

In the end, I'm not sure if it matters which part of the circuit is most clog prone. I would think once there is complete or near complete blockage, heat related engine damage is just a function of time away. People with the EGR symptoms (or even without symptoms!) need to clean the entire cicuit. This "I cleaned the EGR pipe" thing going on around here isn't a fix.

Still, all just a knucklehead thinking out loud...

 

You must have never owned a Subaru!

 

My guess is the kit includes 2 additional gaskets if they replaced the pipe. One between the egr and pipe and one for the pipe to intake manifold.

 

A link to 2010 Prius Toyota Parts Online page with EGR components:

EGR SYSTEM for 2010 Toyota Prius | Toyota Parts

I entered 2012 PIP and the EGR system was absent, so defaulted back to 2010. It's interesting the simple connecting pipe (item 5) is referred to as "tube", and the cooler is referred to as "pipe". Not the most descriptive/discriminating titles. I can't see there ever being a need to replace the tube (item 5), it's a pure-and-simple plumbing piece.

Pic for easier reference:

 

I notice when my car is fully charged you lose 1.5 miles of EV range as soon as you turn the a/c on. I just figured it out the other day. The display changes as soon as you hit the a/c.

 

It sure does! A/C or fan, the range change is the same. It's actually a percentage because, if you only have 5 miles of range left before you turn on the fan or A/C it drops by about a half mile or so. I have some experiments in mind to try to regain range in hot weather. Some free, some not so free, but still cheap since I'm cheap.

 

Toyota parts or OEM in terms of pricing is difficult to understand .

A recent example:

I went to 2 local dealers to price a front wheel bearing hub assembly for our 2010 Prius II. The quote came back at $339 at each dealer. If I go to rock auto, a moog or timken bearing is $150 or thereabouts.

For the egr valve, I paid $35 and for the cooler $65 at the local salvage yard.

Prices charged by Toyota do not reflect the actual costs.

 

i guess it's supposed to be a warning that your range will be affected by a/c use. not sure why it comes on with just the fan though, and i think someone said prime is the same way.

 

So as some of you may remember, I replaced my sisters 2010 prius engine with a low milage 2013 plug in prius motor last year. The motor has done over 50k miles in the last year (and a few months). So the engine actuality has about 85k on it. Well that engine is now drinking coolant, and a slight start up rattle has started. I'm pretty upset over this. My sister loves the car, and we've put so much work and time replacing the motor.