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Necessary to remove inverter to replace the inverter bleeder hose?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Psamtik888, Nov 13, 2021.

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  1. Psamtik888

    Psamtik888 New Member

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    Long time lurker here! So my inverter bleeder hose is showing signs of leaking internally-pink crust at the visible end, and drips on the hoses below it. My 2nd inverter water pump died the other day, so I have to drain the system, so I might as well do this hose and few other inverter hoses. Looks like from the parts diagrams the bleeder hose meets the transmission or radiator underneath the inverter? Do I need to remove the inverter to replace the hose? Has anyone else done this before?

    Does anyone have pics of the engine bay with the inverter out, so I can see what runs under the inverter? Been trying google, bing and youtube and no luck so far Would be a big help, thanks!
     
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Never heard the term bleeder hose relating to the inverter coolant. No such thing. There just coolant circulation hoses. Picture please of what your calling a bleeder hose.

    Use the search forums link up top search priuschat for inverter removal.
    Many have been replaced on here.

    As a side note it’s Easy to bleed the inverter coolant it has a peacock in front of the inverter you run a jumper hose from that to the reservoir open the bleeder peacock and it will self bleed itself.
     
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Ah, but how would it self bleed itself if the fluid could not get to that petcock by traveling through the hose G9236?

    [​IMG]

    Hmm, the other figure that shows it is "radiator and water outlet" under "engine".

    That does look like a challenge to replace with the inverter in position.

    [​IMG]

    As an aside, I can see now how so many people mix up the engine thermos arrangements and the inverter cooling system, what with Toyota themselves stuffing them into one drawing like that....
     
    #3 ChapmanF, Nov 25, 2021
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2021
  4. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    It is important to clean up well after bleeding this system because otherwise those crystals can form. It looks like there is a leak when it was actually just spilled fluid from the preceding bleed. A few drops on the side of a hose are harder to see than pink crystals on the side of a hose. If the fluid level is OK then there most likely was not a leak. Unless you can see cracks or other damage in that hose, or there is a mass of pink crystals below it, you might consider just wiping it all off with a damp cloth or sponge until it is clean, and then doing the same after changing the pump. Also check around the bleed valve a day or two later, just in case it really is leaking there, rather than waiting for the next pump failure.
     
  5. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    I also remember that when bleeding my Gen 1, there was some leakage around the bleeder threads during the process. The bleeder has a nice nipple on the end for attaching a hose back to the reservoir, but that doesn't catch what comes around the threads.

    Gen 1 is extra fun in that respect because it has two of those bleeders, and one of them is on the pump-suction side of the loop, so while the other one is oozing fluid out around the threads, that one is sipping air in around the threads, and somehow, the bleeding job never seems to be quite complete. :)

    I was able to get around both issues by taking both bleed screws out (some time when the car was off), and putting blue Hylomar on the threads and putting them back in. That stuff never hardens or sets, it just stays there being blue Hylomar, and stopped the oozing and sipping just as well two years later, when I did it again, as it did the first time.