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

That’s unfortunate .

You doing another motor swap, or has the time come to move on?

Good luck to you and your sister .

 

I think I might try one of those head gasket stop leaks? I remember a member here using it with success. Do you remember who it was?

My sister is planning to go back to college 2 hours away in less than two weeks, and she doesn't have any money. Maybe, just maybe it's a leak? ! Going to inspect it tomorrow

 

@Joele3 has been using it with success.

I think he’s done over 15 k in this condition so far.

 

sorry to hear it aaron! is there any possibility that the engine had more miles than they told you?

 

I knew I could count on your memory! Thank you!

 

I they had the vin and all of that information. Also the engine doesn't burn oil, and the oil hardly turns brown over thousands of miles. So it definitely seems like a newer engine to me.

 

No worries.

He’s a nice guy too (met him to smog our Prius in December).

He’ll be along and probably give an update .

 

@Aaron Vitolins maybe try a leak down test first? And just for giggles check the underside for coolant crusties. Probably will just confirm your suspicions, but who knows.

 

I hope it's not as bad as it sounds. I don't have anything to add to the other good advice but my regrets.

 

Gosh you guys are always so helpful, seriously though, just know I have such a helpful group of people here makes me feel a lot better. I appreciate it so much! I will be going over to look at it today and inspect for crusty leaks.

 

Leaking water pump? That was the reason for our civic's drinking problem, but sadly that was just one of myriad other issues.

 

I'd love a leaking water pump honestly! Fingers crossed

 

Good news! False alarm! Small crack in the coolant line going to the egr system. Yes, green coolant (wrong coolant) because engine was almost empty and hot on the highway and my sister could only find the green crap. Going to put a new hose and new SLL pink coolant back in today. Yay!

 

Well that’s a good reason why.

Now she just needs to carry the correct coolant.

Is flush it several times to get all the other stuff out.

 

Drain as much as possible. There's a spigot on the back of the engine block you can crack open, for example.

On our myriad Hondas, whenever I've taken off the engine block bolt it always seemed like about a quart gushed out, with "gush" being the operative word: it comes out hard/fast, nigh impossible to catch, needed lots of rags to mop up.

OTOH, I've heard the engine block drain on the Prius yields next to nothing?? Wouldn't hurt to try though. I finally saw the dang engine block spigot, one time: I was looking at the O2 sensors, had both the engine underpanel and the one behind it, off the car, and that afforded a clear view. It's a sort of bleed bolt with spigot, similar to the radiator drain, so you can hook tubing up to it, have an "orderly" drain. Looking at the rear of the engine, it's in the upper right quadrant, pretty easy to spot. You could maybe find it from around front with a mirror.

Yet another drain point: there's coolant lines running down to the coolant heating system on the exhaust manifold. Disconnect the lowest one of those should get a bit more coolant out.

Maybe do a drain and fill, drive for a few weeks, do a second one?

Continue to monitor and ponder on that? Maybe good old EGR clogging?

 

Update! New hose, new clamps, new coolant, cleaned throttle body thoroughly. Runs beautifuly! Very good outcome to the scary situation!

 

Need a "double-like button for that one!! How about two thumbs up?

 

Thanks Jerry!