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2010 DIY head gasket repair help in Madison, WI

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by makeitgo, Apr 29, 2020.

  1. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    Hi to all you Prius vets. I am a Chat newby in Madison, WI. Please read my story an share your experience.

    I have a 2010 Prius Gen 3 bought at 223K now with 293K miles with all the head gasket fail signs (code P0301, slow coolant loss and engine shutter at startup).

    I will try to run my own compression test (in maintenance mode) and if 2 thru 4 cylinders show good I plan to do a driveway head gasket replacement with egr/intake cleanout.

    For backround I've done full VW TDI engine pulls and builds. I have the time, a Toyota Corolla factory service manual, friend's backup car to run for parts and beer, nothin to loose plus the learning experience. I can get a low mileage imported engine from JDM for $1500 but have no hoist, or help (but could scrape up to $500 for a helper) for engine swap.

    Will anyone who has done their own head gasket job please offer the big DO's and DONT's?

    Can anybody in my area offer hands-free on advice if/when I get stuck? (choice beers supplied). That would be so great ! I
     
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Welcome to Prius chat(y).

    Your location is fortunate, as @ericbecky resides in your city:).

    He's an excellent resource and one that you can talk to;).

    @The Critic has also done the head gasket and can offer his experience. Not sure if he'd do it again or not though:whistle:?

    Good lick and keep us posted(y).
     
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  3. ttou68

    ttou68 Active Member

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    I recently done one on a fix upper I bought... I ordered Valpro head gasket set, head bolts and followed this video..

    Watch "Toyota Prius 2ZR HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT and CT200 step by step UPDATED INSTRUCTIONAL" on YouTube


    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #3 ttou68, Apr 30, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2020
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  4. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    The How To video looks great scanning it, thanks. From a Prius taxi yard, these guys don't fool around. Using a Felpro head gasket and aftermarket other gasket set and head bolts. Will try to get a compression test to day.
     
  5. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    Nice to be in the Chat, thanks.

    I did talk with @erickbecky recently about an engine swap option. Good guy, might help me out if I get stuck on this HG job.
     
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  6. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    How to compression test a 2010 Prius?

    The local Orielly Store compression rental test kit has no adapter for Prius 12mm spark plug.

    What testkit or adaptors are people using? Will the Harbor Freight gas engine compression test kit work? The deep spark plug well is a problem too, or do I just tighten down a little, holding the hose, on the rubber O-ring (but I need that 12 mm adapter) ?

    Any advice from your successful compression test is appreciated.
     
  7. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    Compression test completed using Harbor Freight (gas ICE) test kit for $23 out the door, comes with the right 12 mm adapter for the Prius spark plug hole. Removed all ignition coils and spark plugs, threaded on the 12mm adapter and also secured it with electrical tape so not to loose it when unscrewing from the cylinder head. I screwed gauge/hose assembly hand tight into each cylinder, turned engine over for 3-4 seconds to reach maximum guage reading.Tests run for all cylinder with cold and warm engine

    The results:

    2010 Prius compression test
    cyl cold warm
    1 100 118
    2 100 120
    3 110 118
    4 105 120

    Comparing these figure to the available reference compression psi target of 118 PSI I would say the test values and variation look surprisingly good, for 293K engine mileage. Oil consumption has also been pretty low around a quart per 6000 miles.

    I'll ask for your educated opinions out there on how these readings relate to the suspected head gasket coolant leak into Cylinder 1 producing the occasional P0301 code with engine startup shudder?

    I plan to start the head gasket replacement job myself tomorrow with the aid of an excellent video suggested by ttou68 (see above).

    My goal is to go another 50,000 miles and trade in before other major system failure. Transmission is smooth (fluid changed recently) and Hybrid battery cells are all in tolerance (using TorquePro app)
     
  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Did you do a wet test also? Or just dry?

     
  9. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    Dry test only. I'm thinking the test figures looked "good" and oil consumption is low enough to stick with this engine after HG job

    The other easy preventive maintenance item i will do along with reconditioning the head and replacing all head gaskets & seals

    - egr valve & cooler clean
    - intake manifold clean
    -replace thermostat housing assembly
    -new PCV valve

    Questions:

    Is a new crank seal in the timing chain cover really necessary?

    Am I missing any other Must Do items on my list?

    Thanks
     
  10. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Since you are replacing the head gasket, you must be doing the valve guide seals also? Correct?
    I think that is where most of the oil usage is coming from. Not the rings.
    If it were the rings, the compression would be lower, and go a lot higher on the wet test.
    And you would be loosing power, and see a lot of blue smoke out the tail pipe.
    If you had not planned on replacing the seals, I would consider it. They get hard and brittle and
    then they don't seal correctly allow oil to be sucked into the manifold to be burned. Since it's a smaller
    amount, you don't notice it out the tail pipe.
    I personally would replace the crankshaft seat. Inexpensive, and easy to do with the timing cover off.
    Other than that, I think you have it covered.

    Good luck and keep us up to date on your progress!

     
    #10 ASRDogman, May 5, 2020
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
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  11. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    Yessir, my gasket kit includes new set of valve oil seals the machine shop will install for me and I will replace that crankshaft seal.

    Any tips out there for properly retightening the crankshaft bolt with only a common torque wrench and no special tool?
     
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  12. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Aside from the special tool, your only option is to use a strong air impact and a torque stick, followed by a few more ugga-duggas. ;)
     
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  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    I'm not sure what it looks like, but if there are gaps, you can wedge a hammer handle, or pry bar
    against a tab on the block to hold it while you torque it. Not sure what the torque is, it's not super high.
    Their is not stress on it since there are no belts.

     
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    "Special Tool" can be a couple of pieces of flat bar with holes drilled, and bolts? Basically a long leg to act as a torque arm, a shorter leg near the end that Y's out. You bolt the two top ends of the flat bar to pulley, rotate it 'till the long arm is stopped by the ground.
     
  15. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    The torque spec is 140 ft-lbs. Like I said, use a 140 ft-lb torque stick with a STRONG air impact:

     
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    @ASRDogman has a point though. I wonder if the engineers just mailed-in that torque spec, say used the same as Corolla, which has belts? Better safe-than-sorry I guess.

    FWIW, I think there's always a way to stop it turning, with some sort of bar and bolts. Doesn't have to be complicated. I think that's what Toyota's special tool looks like.
     
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think you could jury-rig this readily: a longish piece of flat bar with a few holes and bolts. Maybe even wood.

    upload_2020-5-5_9-25-44.png
     
  18. makeitgo

    makeitgo New Member

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    I have made that Y-arm sprocket holder tool before for VW TDI work, but it's sitting in Virginia storage unit. May fab another one or just find a way to restrain the balancer then use the torque wrench.
     
    #18 makeitgo, May 5, 2020
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
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  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Okay, so all you need to do is to put two bolts in so they don't cross the center bolt, then use a
    pry bar, NOT a SCREW DRIVER, there is a difference, then you had hold the two and squeeze them
    together. No special tools required. But it's not to have them!
     
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  20. 2012 Prius v wagon 3

    2012 Prius v wagon 3 Active Member

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    Real question here, not kidding, hoping to learn something, let me know what is wrong in here ...

    My understanding is that the only reason the Gen3 Prius has a crank pulley (while having no belts) is that it shares the engine with the Corolla (which does have belts), and rather than make two different engine variations, they make one.

    In some (most?) engines, the crank bolt holds the crank pulley on there but also, behind the pulley, it holds the timing sprocket / Woodruff key in place, etc., so it is needed, regardless of any belts on the pulley. On those engines, it would be a disaster to leave the pulley + bolt off, even during a brief test.

    But is that the case on these engines?

    So is it possible to leave the crank pulley off as well as the crank bolt? Do the bolt and pulley do anything at all at this point?

    Like my great grandpa always said, "never put anything off until tomorrow if you can put it off indefinitely." :D
     
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