Coolant loss, leaking head gasket?

Snake oil!

 

Nothing personal, but about once a month some new member shows up here with a miracle product that just happens to cure the latest major problem that is going around. Are you surprised that these claims, always glowing, are met with some scepticism?

 

There is always going to be additives and quick fixes and sometimes they work. Most times they are just temporary though. I personably hope this works for ya..but for the most part,repairing problem properly is the best fix. Are you planning on dumping coolant and refilling with fresh coolant? Again, don't get discouraged, this forum is full of drama queens and naysayers...it's worse than the social network thingy more times than not, but it's packed with invaluable info but you just got to wade thru the malarkey. There really are a few really knowledgable pri people that respond.

 

I’m thinking about using the K-seal for my head gasket as well. A dump question but do you pour the k-seal into the coolant reservoir on the left side of the engine since there is no access to the radiator such as those in conventional engine vehicles?

 

Left side as you face the engine bay from the front of the car - yes.

Does your '14 have a blown HG? Please tell your story as we're quite into data behind these turd gen engine issues.

 

I'm thinking clogged EGR is a contributory factor to the head gasket failures, or even the root cause. Original poster mentioned bad EGR clogging. And then maybe the EGR clog is due to PCV dumping into the intake manifold, which brings us back to Oil Catch Can again.

Third gen ownership marches inexorably into the "cobbling" stage, lol.

 

I think everyone here with an awareness of the issue is on the same page as you, Mendel. Makes you feel for oblivious turd gen owners just racking up the miles...

 

Any updates? Did it hold up?

 

I just recently replaced my head gasket myself a few days ago due to having cylinder #1 misfire and losing coolant. I have a 12 Prius with 208,000 miles. So far after putting 1500 miles on the car everything is perfect!. I was skeptical on trying those sealants that you put in the radiator.

 

Hi everyone, I was going to make my own post, but this seems to sum it up for me. I have a '14 with 240k on it, and I've been noticing the coolant level go down the past few days. I'm thinking (based on this thread) that I also have a blown HG. There is some knocking when I first turn it on in the cold mornings. I did get some misfires codes for cylinders 1 and 2, but I added in a bottle of oil and no more errors. Still knocks a little. But, mainly, when it does knock I can kinda smell coolant, and like I said the coolant level is going down. Around 30k miles go I cleaned out the intake manifold and EGR pipe, but not the whole cooler. I'll check it for the creamy symptom, but wondering if this thing is doomed. I don't plan on fixing it if it's a blown head gasket. But it still runs fine after that initial start up in the morning, so maybe I can still save this thing. Any suggestions to avert a full failure? The kseal? Thanks for any help!

 

240K is a lot of miles. Judging from what you're saying, maybe time to sell it for parts. There are things that can be done, probably the most cost effective is to drop in and mod a low-mileage fourth gen engine from a wreck, they go for $1500~$2000. Maybe around $200? And that's just the part. Google "LKQ engines".

This one is going into a Prius v, but the principals are very similar, and his previous swap was with a regular 3rd Gen Prius.

Swapping in a Gen 4 Prius' 2ZR Engine into the Prius v | PriusChat

 

Clean the egr circuit stem to stern.

That’s a lot of miles in a short period of time. If the Prius is good in condition terms, I’d start pricing engine options as you may have lost the head gasket.

But clean the circuit would be the next step.

 

Just an update, though nothing significant. I did put that K-Seal stuff in the coolant reservoir, and the knocked seems have gone away completely in the past couple days, and it's been chilly out. But, i'm not even sure if i applied it right: I had noticed the level was below the Low line by about an inch. After adding the K-Seal, that brought it up to about Full. The next day (I had already driven about 130 miles after adding the K-Seal), i noticed that coolant had dribbled out around my tire, and i found that there had been quite a bit of bubbling and spraying of coolant out of the filler cap area. I then reread the instructions and it said that for pressurized systems to add the K-Seal right in to the hose, not the reservoir. Hm. So, i've been checking the coolant level and it seems to go up and down, and i'm always checking it after it's been off for a few hours. Anyway, i'm worried that my initial interpretation of the Low level wasn't entirely accurate. Do you guys know when the best time to check the level is? And how is it that i go from being Low, to spraying out of the filler cap? Thanks for any help!

And Ray, ya, i know, the EGR cooler. I just really don't wanna.

 

Loss of coolant and highly pressurized coolant loop is usually blown head gasket.
Getting quite common on a g3.

 

I can tell you from experience that sealer will get you about 3 months/3k miles. I was there in March. Mid July the head gasket failed and caused catastrophic engine failure. Start looking at Gen 4 engines in salvage yards. If you can do the work yourself, the Gen 3 head is a bolt on to the Gen 4 block. Then the engine bolts back in the way it came out.

 

@Joele3 has used Kseal or a derivation thereof for over 15k miles, so YMMV.

Clean the circuit before it’s too late.