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Tedh1979 2005 Prius Project with multiple issues looking for help!

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Tedh1979, Apr 4, 2019.

  1. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    So what does the oil dipstick show? The coolant bottles? Did you try to get a Ready yet so that some codes might come up? I like “Car Scanner” for a free app that covers most if not all of the Prius sensors and trouble codes. I have attached a few sample screens I captured tonight with the system in Ready mode. Honestly your battery sounds bad but I would not do anything unless I could get the codes from a Ready state. Otherwise its a huge unknown on a car worth $4k in 100% solid shape.
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    The hybrid battery is too low to start the car.

    You will need to charge it up.
    Can do it with a whole-battery high voltage charger.
    Or jump start from another Prius.
    Or use some other charger for modules.
    Unless you maybe have access to another pack you can swap in?

    If swap out the lowest module for sure. There may be some other real clunkers as well. Hard to tell since unloaded voltage hides failed modules sometimes.
    Better to see while loaded.

    Torque Pro gives you the ability to read codes.
    I would think he P0A80,failed module codes, and others would show up.
     
  3. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    I know for 100% sure that the Prius lost a lot of oil on the tow truck bed so I know without checking that it is too low to start. I have not had my foot near the brake pedal because I don't want it to go into Ready mode yet. I spent a lot of time today just cleaning the car with my daughter. She was cleaning the outside and after I installed the battery and read the apps results, I then popped the hood and it was a disaster. It is really filthy. Looks like it hasn't been touched in years. It was so dirty that I couldn't even find my way around it. So I've cleaned the engine and tomorrow begins fluid level checks, but I know that if I add oil, it is just going to come right out. This may sound stupid, but if I can't easily find the location or cause of the major oil leak, then I plan to dump a quart of oil into the engine and hope that it comes out somewhere where I can see it come out. Then I'll know.

    I used Torque Pro. I paid $4.95 for it on Google Play. Maybe I don't know how to use the app right but I couldn't get any codes on Torque Pro. I was at least thinking I would get the P0A80 code if it was a bad hybrid battery. So my next step relating to the HV battery is to get a $409 + harness HV battery charger? Nobody I know has a Prius. My cousin has owned many Prius cars and now he has a 2017 Camry Hybrid but I don't think he would be willing to let me jump it from his car, if even possible. Junk yards have Prius hybrid batteries all over town, but none of the junk yards can tell me how long the batteries have been sitting for. I don't want to buy a battery with the same problem I have now. I know, for $1600, I can get new cells and rebuild the whole battery. For $500 a can get a rebuilt battery with a 3 year warranty including shipping to my junk yard that I deal with most, the same owner that sold me the Prius 12V battery for $30.
     
  4. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    As others have mentioned, he is a long way from even attempting to get the car into a Ready state. Everything he should be doing for the next little while should be in the IG-On state only.
     
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  5. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Dumping oil in and seeing where it comes out may be a quick solution for finding the leak. And not too expensive.

    I would replace that super low module before trying to charge the entire pack. That low one could be completely shorted out. Could be counterproductive trying to charge it.

    Another option would be to borrow a hybrid battery from a friend's prius when it comes time to systa the car.

    If you have a small charger you could individually charge up single modules to get them up to a higher voltage and a more narrow voltage range.
     
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  6. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    I checked all fluid levels today. All fluids are at a good level except the oil. I have some oil to dump in it today but I need to be under it to see where it is coming out. I want to put cardboard under it first. I have enough oil spots on my driveway as it is...... So do we all agree that the HV battery is too low to start the car? My point is that even if I get the engine fixed, will I still not be able to start it? I wish there was a way to bypass the HV battery all together and just run on the gas engine so I can at least test the engine when the oil leak problem is fixed. Just because I solve an oil leak doesn't mean the engine is good.
     
  7. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    Ok, I got everything in the engine compartment cleaned and all fluids checked. Didn't get cardboard but I wanted to work on it. I added oil. See pics below. I wish I would've put cardboard underneath it. So, bad engine? IMG_20190409_185302.jpg IMG_20190409_185308.jpg IMG_20190409_185311.jpg IMG_20190409_185317.jpg IMG_20190409_185321.jpg
     
  8. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Yep, It's thrown a rod. Total boat anchor now.

    I recall you said you had an inexpensive engine available. Time to execute that plan.
     
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  9. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    I don't know if the engine is still available now. I can find out tomorrow. $300 for an engine with 132K on it. I've read over past post suggesting that this car could need more than it's worth. I added up the worst case scenario with my ability to get discounted parts and a good deal on the engine and good deal on the labor. I was around $2000 I think. I did get a good 12V battery for $30 and yeah it's used but it is working good. But while working on the car I've noticed multiple things that scare me. I also didn't factor in the costs for a hybrid battery charger which is really expensive. And then I know I have at least one bad cell in my HV battery, but once I get the cells under a load, I could also have multiple other bad cells. I can get a HV battery that has been reconditioned with a 3 yr warranty for $500. I don't want to buy a junk yard HV battery and have it be so dead that I need an expensive charger to charge it. I still don't know the condition of the inverter or the transmission. What I'm getting at is that I want to comb over this car with a fine tooth comb now because if there are other "unknowns" that add to the price, it might not be worth it.

    I saw a 2011 today that is a really good deal. And yes it is running and driving. Still haven't diagnosed anything like the HV battery which I now have the capability to do, but it is $5500. I know the Gen 3 models have more to worry about. EGR problems, head gasket problems, intake manifold problems, and the worst of all, oil consumption problems. I also am not a big fan of the Gen 3 interior design of the cockpit. I know the 2010 is the worst year of the Prius but I'm trying to figure out if all the big issues were resolved by 2011 or not. I don't want to buy another piece of crap.

    I'm not giving up on the Prius yet, but much of it will depend on if that engine is still available and how much the labor will be. But that is where I am at now.
     
  10. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    With 183k miles, a broken engine and damaged HV battery, I would also choose not to fix it. There are plenty of other Gen 2 cars out there that would have less serious problems. Perhaps you could use this one for parts. Do you have a place to store it? It's too bad this one didn't work out better for you.
     
  11. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    I'm thinking this at this point. $300 for an engine with 132K on it. $500 for a hybrid battery that is fully reconditioned with a 3 year warranty. I can swap the hybrid battery myself. I need to find out exactly what the labor would be to swap the engine. But, if the good deal on the engine is gone or the labor is going to be much higher than I'm thinking, then maybe it isn't worth it. If I can get the engine for $300 and have it installed for a cheap price then it still would be worth it.

    I'm on the border what to do right now. Most Gen 2 cars out there that are affordable have a lot more miles than even this Prius has. I am surprised that my Prius with 183K has so many issues. I am not surprised that it needed a 12V battery and I'm not surprised that it needs Hybrid cells or a different reconditioned Hybrid battery, but I am really surprised that the engine is blown. I saw a 2011 Prius last night. I wasn't even looking for a Prius but it looked really sharp. It's a 2011 Prius for $5500. The thing that scares me about it, is actually what got me to notice it. It has aftermarket wheels on it and they are much larger than normal. It doesn't look ghetto, but you can tell a younger person probably owns it. I don't want a Prius that is all torn up. But I know that 2010 was the worst year for Prius cars. Lots of oil consumption issues and head gasket issues, EGR and intake manifold issues. I know that 2012 models have most of these issues fixed. I'm trying to find out if a 2011 is a good year and I'm getting different answers. I really don't like the cockpit inside a Gen 3, but it seems like a good deal and of course I'll diagnose it since it's a running car and is a lot more than $800. But I'm on the fence if I should fix this Prius or get the one I saw last night or keep on looking.....
     
    #71 Tedh1979, Apr 9, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2019
  12. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Based on the experience you have had fixing up broken cars and selling them for a profit, I guess you are less inclined to write-off this car than some of the rest of us would be, and maybe the perspective you have of its value is more accurate than ours is. Probably the selection of well-cared-for Gen 2 Prii in your area isn't as wide as it would be in a larger, coastal city.

    I believe one of the things that would give me pause for this car is the fact that the engine blew, almost certainly because it was not properly maintained. These engines are very durable but cannot tolerate being run out of oil. If the previous owner never bothered to check the oil at all, I would have to wonder what other maintenance was neglected. Maybe there is nothing that a change of fluids won't solve, but anything that does break on these cars tends to be expensive, as I'm sure you are aware.
     
  13. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    Yes I'm aware that normally this would definitely be a write off for a normal person. Tons of money for an engine and tons to install it. Tons of money for the HV battery and money to install it. Both bumper covers need repainted. The list goes on and on. So far I've spent $800 on the car and $200 on the tow. I've spent $30 for the 12V battery.

    I sent a message to the mechanic I mainly use. He will let me know the price to install an engine tomorrow. I talked to the mechanic I know and he wants $800 labor to take out the bad engine and put a new engine in. That isn't terribly high, but it is much more than I expected. Hoping my main mechanic will be much cheaper. Yeah I'm aware that this car wasn't properly maintained. The fluids are all up to their full levels, but it doesn't mean the fluid isn't good or bad and the last owner might have topped off the fluids AFTER the engine blew just to sell the car.

    I absolutely HATE to give up on a car! I'll know more tomorrow about what direction I need to go in.
     
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  14. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Find a second one of the same vintage and use the first one as a parts donor as needed.
     
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  15. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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  16. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    Thank you @Skibob for the info! Haven't seen your posts lately. Glad you decided to stop. I always appreciate your help. I've watched this video a few times! The user did an amazing job of putting that video together. It was well done.
     
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  17. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    I'm not surprised at the engine at all. 160-220k is about when I feel that these engines start to consume oil. A lot of people, myself included, don't realize it until it's super obvious. I was very lucky in that I caught it at almost the low oil mark on the dipstick (I check oil levels every 3-4 fuel fills), but I've never had the dealer come and tell me my car is low on oil (and basically every oil change on our car has been done at the dealer because I hate dealing with fluids).

    To be fair, I don't think any engine really tolerates being run out of oil.
     
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  18. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    Update. I have a good mechanic who will replace the engine for $520 labor and tow it to his shop for free as he has a tow company. I got the $300 Prius engine with 132K for $200 today. The $520 charge does not count fluids, spark plugs, wires, or gaskets. I could use all the old ones from the old engine but I don't want to. All of these things are really cheap on eBay. @Skibob mentioned a 4 channel hobby charger and a load tester for about $500. And I know how to replace cells in a Prius battery before because I helped my cousin do it to his Prius a long time ago. But I can get a $500 refurbished battery with a 3 year warranty. I was planning on just getting the $500 battery. I know it isn't a new battery with new cells, but it isn't $1600 for just the cells either.

    I look at it like this. I want to fix this car but I know not to put too much of an expensive part in it. I'm only doing the engine and hybrid battery because I think the price is really good. But I'm hesitant on putting in something as expensive as $1600 worth of new cells if that makes sense. I haven't mentioned that my son has been watching me work on the Prius. He is interested in a Prius now. He currently has a 2004 Grand Prix GT with over 200K.

    I intended for this car to be my car because I don't need anything fancy, but it is a little rougher than I would like and it has ZERO options. I mentioned finding a 2011 Prius that I liked but couldn't get a clear answer if that year has many of the problems that a 2010 has. It was 2010 owners VS non-2010 owners. I quoted a reputable site and they quoted consumer reports. Did everyone forget the scam that happened to Consumer Reports decades ago? It appears so. Anyways I went and actually drove the 2011 today and it had issues. The engine was misfiring. I brought my bluetooth OBDII scanner and Prius apps. The seller's face hit the ground when I pulled out my scanner and phone. It had a bad EGR valve error and on Dr. Prius, two cells were bad. So I passed.

    I don't want a car payment and I don't really need a fancy car, but I do need something reliable. My brother-in-law is the sales manager of Hyundai. He knows about the hybrid interest that I have and he knows the Prius I have now has a lot of problems. I told him last night that the engine was blown. He called me this morning and told me that the Ioniq doesn't sell well and I don't know why. I watched the Autoguide.com YouTube video and the 2017 Ioniq beats the Prius in every category. My brother-in-law knows my particular model and year Sonata is in high demand. I have the limited turbo with the year of the most HP. He offered me a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq with 23K on it for $14,484 and offered to give me $10,000 for my Sonata which is almost blue book instead of trade in. My Sonata has really low miles, less than 70K and is mint and I could probably get $12K for it, but this seems like a good deal. That would leave me with a $4000 car loan. He also said since the particular car was used by Hyundai as a customer rental car, it hasn't been registered to an individual and therefore I'm eligible for the lifetime free warranty replacement on the batteries. I decided before I jumped into this, I'd go check out a similar year Prius. Toyota would not offer me any good deal at all. The 2017 I looked at did not have Apple Car Play or Android Auto. That puzzles me. The Ioniq has better MPG and the interior quality is much better in my opinion. I also liked that the Ioniq has the 6 speed transmission. My last two personal cars have been a Hyundai with the 6 speed transmission. The transmission is great. But I also know the Prius transmission is extremely reliable. I honestly like the Ioniq better than the Prius, especially looks, but my problem is that it is a Hyundai. My last two Hyundai vehicles have been junk. My 2012 Elantra was bought new and the engine blew at 40K. There is finally a recall on the complete engine. My 2011 Sonata Limited Turbo has been a high maintenance car considering the miles. Hyundai had a ton of quality control issues from 2011-2016 and the CEO was replaced. The 2017 Elantra's new engine and new suspension are 100 times better than my new Elantra I had, but it came at a cost because the interior was much more plain and the exterior wasn't sexy anymore. The Ioniq looks like an Elantra to me with a different rear end. But I am scared to buy another Hyundai and have more engine problems or other problems. I also don't like the service department. I do like the lifetime battery warranty. So I am on the fence. I swore I'd never get another Hyundai. I noticed some people on here have an Ioniq as well. I might privately ask them what they think about it.

    But one thing I know for sure is that the 2005 Prius I have now will now definitely become a project car and will definitely get rescued again. It will either stay with me or it will go to my son and I'm not sure about that yet. Tonight I am ordering plugs and wires and fluids and gaskets.
     
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  19. Tedh1979

    Tedh1979 Member

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    I didn't know Gen 2 models had oil consumption issues? I thought that was a Gen 3 only issue? The Prius had oil in it even with a blown hole in the bottom because as the car drove on the tow truck coming home, it dumped a TON of black oil on the flatbed ground. I'm not saying it was completely full because most likely when it blew, a bunch of oil came out, but I know it wasn't empty or near empty. That is why I was surprised it blew a rod at 183K, but anything is possible. I've had worse happen to cars with much less miles.
     
  20. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    Don't know what to tell you man ... they have oil consumption issues at high mileage. There are lots of examples on this forum.
     
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