Any Prius Mechanic near Atlanta for Engine Coolant Change?

Tricky to change the coolant for the radiator engine or the inverter actually both are pretty straightforward The inverters more tricky than the engine is for sure so I don't know what you're doing The coolant for the engine is silly straightforward about like any other Toyota I've done my Gen 2's and 3's right here in the driveway a couple of minutes drain it all out completely sometimes I flush and refill with the Asian 50/50

SM-A715F ?

 

get a price from a few dealers, you never know

 

Some people undo the wrong plug when they're doing the inverter but and then they wind up doing the transmission and the inverter which is what I do when I do it The coolant loop that goes through I guess MG1 and MG2 or something down there but there's a lower plug on the tranny you take out and all that coolant drains out

SM-A715F ?

 

Inverter is easy done it 3 times in my driveway.

But Engine coolant is very difficult and full dump is not the way to do it.
Nothing but trouble and the people on this site having the most trouble never had a scan gauge too. Had no idea if the engine was over heating from airlock.

Just dump the rad a few times.

With engine cold open the rad cap and on the bottom of the back of the rad on the drivers side is the rad dump valve. Open it up dump the rad close that dump valve fill it backupwithtoyota LLC. Do that few times over the years.
Dump the old coolant into the toilet.
Done deal.

No airlock no drama. Just check rad level a few times after car has been driven and cool keep coolant at the top of the neck.

 

This will be a joy to you if you ever have to do some motorcycles or power sports equipment working on their ABS brakes or cooling systems are very similar to the prii. I guess that's why I don't have any problems with that stuff because it's just like working on bombardier road tax power sports equipment smaller coolant hoses long runs ABS systems with accumulator pumps that wind and make noise and do all the same things makes sense to me

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Service manual pages

 

Yep that's it see my fender liners and stuff like that or trimmed and cut out so I just reach under there and open these things and I'm not having to remove every little clip and screw matter of fact I'm looking for a nose for my Gen 2 like I would have on my Corolla or something or one piece stick on thing that I can take on and off in a matter of seconds when I want to yeah needless to say I haven't done much with that I haven't had the time but that's I'd like to find a nose that gives me quick access One of my '04s doesn't even have a rubber nose on it I just drive it around with the metal bumper running across the front that piece of aluminum and you can see the horns and the catch can or the you know tank for the coolant and all that stuff just sitting there that car doesn't drive anymore so it's a parts car but I drove it around like that with no nose on it for a long time and I would like to find a nose that's a one piece like fiberglass thing eliminates all those fender liners and all that nonsense

SM-A715F ?

 

Has nothing to do with the CHRS system. Take cap off rad. Open dump valve. Let it drain. CLOSE dump valve. Fill it back up with LLC.

Open the rad cap with engine cool next few days keep it filled to the top of the rad neck.

 

I can usually reach my radiator drain plug from above open the radiator reach down undo the dump which is the radiator drain plug you don't have to take it all the way out it'll just hang there and squirt the stuff right into a bucket or the dirt if that's okay where you live and that's the happening when you fill it up I recommend personally what I do is fill it up till it's very high on the neck but not level almost dropping down the return tube I let the car run a few minutes while I'm goofing off see if it goes down it usually doesn't it actually starts to rise a little I put the cap on as that rise starts to occur somebody's sitting in the driver's seat maybe holding the gas down for this vehicle and then I hop in the passenger seat and we go for a ride get everything nice and warm when I stop to get a Coke or whatever I check the levels I look at the tanks usually actually the car is not super hot so I'll crack the radiator cap it'll whoosh take it right off nothing spews look at the level of the water it's about where I left the house same so I leave it put the cat back on and we continue on and we're done

SM-A715F ?

 

There is no under shield over the back of the radiator. You do have to fish your hand around some small hoses to open the white dump valve.
It’s plastic be nice to it.

no hose required.

just need a big container like you use for oil changes. Done this maybe 4 times over 14 years.

Just watch it Over a few days keep it at the full line.

G2 is easy on the Ice coolant but hard on the Inverter fluid. That’s just as easy to change.

 

Worlds longest sentence and impossible to read.

 

But you'll do it or you'll pay somebody to do it

SM-A715F ?

 

No.

I did, but i guess it is not strictly necessary if you don't mind a bit of a mess.

8 mm ID (5/16") although I only had 6mm (15/64") to hand so dipped the end in a cup of boiling water and stretched the end out to 8 mm with needle nosed pliers. That worked fine for me.

 

Nope, leave that well alone.