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I've searched everywhere & found nothing about bleeding the coolant from a gen 3 prius

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Allison Meggison, Dec 2, 2019.

  1. Allison Meggison

    Allison Meggison Junior Member

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    It seems like I just open the coolant reservoir when it's not hot, put a funnel in it and start the car? Revving it for about 15 seconds and then maybe squeeze the hose gently ? My heater isn't working. I just had an engine replacement and it's still overheating and the heater quit working. Also it was throwing an o2 sensor code upstream so i replaced that. I've seen videos that say you just put a funnel in the coolant reservoir tightly while adding coolant and/or revving the engine. Isn't there a more official way to do this?
     
  2. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

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    Toyota removed the coolant bleed valve sometime in 2011, I believe, so you're correct, just dump in the coolant and gently squeeze the hoses. It will bleed itself, near as I can tell.

    For your other problems... if you have an O2 sensor code, it's probably one of the O2 sensors. If you're overheating, it could be the engine coolant pump (which would explain why your heater doesn't work) or the thermostat. These pumps are electric and you don't want to use an engine that isn't circulating coolant; you'll blow the head gasket and maybe worse.

    It's all do-able; you don't have a serious problem yet, just a part replacement.
     
  3. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    Try the bleeder valve white platstic screw
     
  4. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Didn’t you add a bunch of stop leak?


    iPhone ? Pro
     
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  5. Allison Meggison

    Allison Meggison Junior Member

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    The old engine had stop leak in it but I had the engine and catalytic converter replaced a week ago. I replaced the 02 sensor that it was throwing the code for. Before the engine replacement i had replaced the water pump but still had problems shortly after replacing it. I would bring it back to the shop but they took 4 weeks to do what they said would take 4 days. I drive for Lyft full time so I've missed a lot of work. I thought there wasn't a bleeder valve @tankyuong
     
  6. Allison Meggison

    Allison Meggison Junior Member

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    *The 02 sensor on the new engine (the engine i have now) is the one that was just replaced yesterday. Now I'm trying to bleed the system
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You replaced the engine but the stop leak product went anywhere the coolant goes: the radiator, cabin heater core, and so on.

    2013's don't have the bleed bolt, but maybe you can just disconnect the hose at the same junction? If there's air in the sytem, that's the high point and hopefully there'd be air right there.

    Still, considering the stop leak, likely blobs of it everywhere, maybe a fool's mission till you get the entire coolant circuit flushed.

    FWIW, the Blue Devil makers recommend 50/50 distilled water and white vinegar as a flush, but who knows. Be careful with that too, flush the vinegar out thoroughly asap, it'll corrode aluminum.

    Stop Leak Will Come Back To Bite You | PriusChat

    Best approach might be to get a "mechanical general contractor", someone or place trustworthy. Tell them the whole story, sort out a course of action. Just cutting your losses and selling the dang thing is one option.
     
  8. Allison Meggison

    Allison Meggison Junior Member

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    Lol yea I've been trying to sell it, I'm trying to fix it before selling it. I
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You should see an alert: I mentioned you in another thread, where there is good news: a vinegar/water mix dissolves the stop leak gunk. :)
     
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  10. Tim Jones

    Tim Jones Senior Member

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    Yikes........