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Check hybrid system warning after manifold cleaning

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by thomassurdi, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. Avi's Advanced Automotive

    Avi's Advanced Automotive Independent hybrid repair shop

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    Yep! here's a video of my car:

     
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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  3. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    SOLVED!

    Avi’s, you hit the nail on the head.

    I live in Florida and it’s been raining for days here but It finally stopped long enough for me to go out and retrace my steps. I took everything apart and found the hose to the PCV valve unattached and ducking behind the manifold. Cleared the codes, detached the battery. Went and took a shower, cake back and reattached the battery, and started the car up. It ran rough for a few seconds but didn’t stall. Then it smoothed out and started charging the battery. Drove it around the block and eveything seems fine. Phew!

    Thank you to everyone who tried to help. This whole ordeal now seems sort of embarrassing in retrospect, but I’m glad it was something simple and not something big. Only costs me a few days work.

    Hopefully this will be a lesson for someone else so they don’t have to learn the hard way like I did.
     
  4. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Btw holy Sh#t that video.
     
  5. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Thank you , it is great to hear which of the many advices was correct.
     
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  6. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    It's issues like this that highlight the fact that it is hard to diagnose a car remotely. In most cases a bit of guessing and baseline assumptions are made. It's only after a bit of back and forth that things can be honed in on.
    I really appreciate it when people come back and gve the final outcome, even when it may cause them some embarrassement.
    It does help the community at large.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    High five! Basically: a massive vacuum leak.
     
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  8. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Yup. Vacuum leak, essentially. At least I know my car a little better now. I always learn a lot when I make big dumb mistakes. Glad I got the techstream and learne shows to use it. Now I’ll have it on hand for the future.
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Relief though. (y)
     
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  10. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    thomassurdi-
    I think its in your blood to tinker, problem solve, and perfect things---DIY. But we also Save $, grow personally, pride in ownership, etc... You are definitely not afraid of vehicle maintenance, nor making & learning from dumb mistakes. Great attitude!
    Not every DIY is ready and motivated for a techstream, but you acquired one pretty fast in your development. I think for you, as you grow to better know your PRIUS (cars in general), car projects are going to quickly get more challenging, interesting and complex, as routine car fixes will be old hat and sooo 5minutes. When possible, I find every opportunity to get under my vehicles, for the same preventative maintenance you did.
    Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts with the PC community... As you see, we very much enjoy riding along for the learning as well. Keep it up!
     
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  11. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Thank you for that Prius_angie. I do feel like a know my car a lot better now. Or at least one part of it. It’s really true that you only ever learn by doing.

    As a nice side benefit to this rollercoaster of a job, since swapping my 12v battery, when thinking it might be the cause of my issue, my gas mileage has shot up to over 51 from the 46ish I’d been getting.

    Interestingly, the hybrid battery seems to actually have more power and is charged higher more frequently. The car actually accelerates much better while staying within the eco battery bar. I’ve only owned this car for a few month, and only now Am i getting an idea of what a Prius can really do. I have to say, I like it a lot.

    Another side note as the saga continues, I think I maybe have messed up my MAF sensor cleaning it when I probably didn’t need to. (Yes i used the correct cleaner). My check engine light came back on and the car has been idling inconsistently when the gas engine fires up at a stop. I have a new one in the mail and im assuming it wil take care of the problem since the code indicated MAF.

    From my research I’m finding that certain codes seem to be stored semi-permanently in the CPU which is indicated in the techstream software with a check mark. This was a government mandate on all cars starting in 2010 to keep people from cheating emissions tests by clearing codes just before the test. The change battery pack code from running the battery low during my original problem came up as well, but I’m sure the battery Is fine and the code was just dormant. I think it just doesn’t clear until you complete a specific drive cycle, and the MAF being an actual issue brought the permanent code up with it.
     
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  12. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    thomassurdi,
    Nice, by being more actively PRIUS aware, you can see the before and after issues with clarity. Leveraging the PC community only amplifies that projects and learning get done. I really liked it earlier when i owned two PRII; doing preventative maintenance was SO easy as I knew what RIGHT looked like by comparing one with the other.

    You did A LOT of carbon buildup cleaning with the EGR/ PCV/ intake manifold /throttle body-job. PRIUS should be humming.

    Naw, you probably didn't mess up the MAF sensor area; ensure a tight air-box seal & retighten up all the phillips head flexible couplings surrounding the plastic pipes. Kinda hard to mess up the MAF as its well protected/contained. Sounds like you properly used a bottle of MAF spray from an autoparts store. Don't forget to do an "Italian tune-up": drive REALLY FAST during a test drive to clear the gunk out and allow time for car & computer to resettle. Make sure the roads are NEARER to your home; in case you need to retreat. You cleared/pushed a lot of carbon & chemicals into the car, it needs a little time distance to clear. For me, the project you did and check spark plugs & new air filters (engine/cabin) would complete the preventive maintenance for the FUEL-AIR-SYSTEM and usually gets me back quickly to GREEN BARS on the battery recharge screen of MFD of all 3 of my hybrid type cars (Camry, Prius Gen2/3); do the MAF spray 2-4 times/year usually keeps me in the GREEN. Its a true 1-minute job.

    I see you playing around with your NEW techstream; i think its really cool. You can explore all if not majority of Toyota/Lexus models (so you can explore friends' cars); health of all your battery modules; TPM tire pressure monitor; brakes/ABS; history of car issues that are not cleared; etc

    If the immediate gratification is setting a good taste for Prius preventive maintenance projects & you have TIME, consider these systems next & start a NEW project thread. Reality is you are good with your DIY hands, if you can successfully tackle the FUEL-AIR SYSTEM, then the below projects are also manageable:
    - WHEELS- new tires; rotations; alignments; brakes; bearing hubs; shock-struts; prep spare & compartment, inspect tears in undercarriage boot seals (trans-axle, ball joints, rack & pinion assembly, etc); etc
    - LIQUIDS- oil/filter; brake fluid; transmission/axle fluid, coolant (both engine radiator & inverter); inspect health of all gaskets (valve cover, intake manifold, cylinder head, exhaust manifold, etc), etc
    - ELECTRONICS- upgrade to exterior/interior LED lights; upgrade radio/CD player; integrate new bluetooth phone system; make a spare key; hybrid battery cleaning (terminal corrosion/ filter/fan,etc).

    No fear---Keep at it!
     
    #52 Prius_Angie, Mar 21, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2018
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  13. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    Also double check the vacuum lines to the throttle body. Those can easily come undone when reassembling things.
     
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  14. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    To more easily find the leak, get the car in maintenance mode so that the engine is idling. Then, using carburetor cleaner, spray around the known points that leak: Around the PCV hose, intake manifold, throttle body to manifold, etc. It could also be a kinked gasket or something not seated or torqued correctly. If the RPMs go up slightly when spraying in that area - you found the source of your air leak.

    My problem with putting it back together was - the air snorkel clamp was a PITA. This is the giant spring that, when it's not handled just right, will fly off into outer-space or smack you in the face.
     
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  15. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Included is a picture of the latest round of techstream codes for the recent check engine light. I’ll go out there right now and check for vacuum leaks and clean the MAF again just to be thorough.

    Trans fluid replacement was on my to do list as are spark plugs and installation of adjustable camber bolts on the front end.

    I got a great deal on this car, a sexy black, 5 trim 2010 (8 years old at the time of this writing) Prius with 143,000 Miles for $5400. The dealer had just gotten it and gave me the cash price which was going to go up $1000 the next week as he would then have to pay taxes on it. I was all over it. I had to sell some stocks, and make two trips to Orlando (2 hour drive), one to buy the car before anyone else could and one with an escort to pick it up. I’m babying the crap out of it, and I want to get her all cleaned up so we can be together for many years to come.
     

    Attached Files:

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  16. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Got all that done, cleaned out, tightened up and now the car is driving great! No check engine light so far.
     
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  17. Prius_Angie

    Prius_Angie Active Member

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    Nice deal on BLACK PRIUS
    Techstream rocks
    I dont see a CLOUD SYMBOL to denote any MAF annotations... looks like your MAF symptoms are less a tangible issue
    Me thinks your last tinker buttoned up the problem--- Good job
     
    #57 Prius_Angie, Mar 21, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2018
  18. taxibuddy

    taxibuddy Member

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    Sounds like when I bought mine except I made to trips to NY from Atlanta. One to buy the car at auction and one with a friend to drive it back. Since it was an auction, I was also at risk of coming home empty handed. Fun times!
     
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  19. thomassurdi

    thomassurdi Member

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    Whoop, check engine light is back on. Drove it for a good 20 miles before it popped back up. The car is still running great. I’m thinking it’s a permanent code that’s not going to be easy to clear and any time the car has the slightest issue it’s going to pop back up. More annoying than anything at this point. Anybody know how to clear permanent codes by any chance?
     
  20. ericbecky

    ericbecky Hybrid Battery Hero

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    With Techstream.
     
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