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another cooler problem

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ruggb, Apr 11, 2019.

  1. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    I just replaced the inverter Control Valve 16670-21010. I had a P1121. Before I disconnected it I drained the thermos bottle of about 1.5 gal of AF. After much wrestling with hoses, the new one is in. Not much coolant on the driveway. So far so good.
    Now I need to get the 1.5gal back in but there seems to be no room. I topped everything off-radiator and overflow tanks, I have done the bleed from the little valve back to the overflow tank with the pump running for about 10 min, but there was no air to speak of. When I idle in maint mode the coolant temp gets to 96°C and the fan comes on, then it continues to over 100°C and I shut it down.
    I am assuming that AF needs to get back into the thermos but how? I am not pumping air. Currently I still have a P1121 AND a P1150.
     
  2. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Have you tried running the heating system? Did you have the heater running when bleeding air out of the system? Check that you are getting heat and check for gurgling noises, which would confirm that there is air in that part of the system. Also, are you sure you didn't switch the intake and output hoses when you changed the 3 way valve? Did you check the proper operation of the thermostat, belt-driven water pump and Coolant Heat Storage water pump?

    I believe the P1150 code relates to another issue. Maybe you need to clean the throttle body and Mass Air Flow sensor.
     
  3. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    dave - thanks
    Yes, I did also try driving the car around the block with the heater on. No heat. No gurgle, but then I may not hear it, old ears.
    I am not 100% sure about the hoses (but maybe 98%) because there was white paint on both hoses but just 1 dot on the top hose. The top hose turns more to the driver side. The bottom one goes more straight back.
    Since the P1150 came up as soon as I finished I have to assume it is something about the install. The only connections I took apart were on the headlight and valve (I think). Other posts have mentioned getting a P1150.
     
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  4. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Here are the work ups for those two codes

    P1121 - Coolant Flow Control Valve Position Sensor Circuit Stuck

    P1150 - Coolant Path Clog Up For Coolant Heat Storage System

    Probably a reasonable conclusion. The "clogging" is most likely an airlock. Did you run the CHRS pump to ensure you filled it with fresh coolant? Anyway there is good info in the work ups.

    Hope those help.

    [EDIT]

    Here is a diagram of how the cooling circuit is plumbed:

    Prius ICE cooling curcuit NA.png
     
    #4 dolj, Apr 12, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 12, 2019
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  5. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    I ran the pump via the relay jumper for 30 sec periods about 10 times. I need to look at the thermos and see if the sensor is still connected. I don't remember disconnection it and it is hard for it to fall off, BUT this post has it listed as the first cause of a P1150
    Possible causes Coolant heat storage tank outlet temperature sensor

    Read more: P1150 2008 TOYOTA PRIUS Coolant Path Clog of Coolant Heat Storage System
     
  6. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    Are the engine and inverter cooling connected or are they totally independent?
     
  7. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Totally Independent. You will get a whole different set of codes if the inverter cooling system is malfunctioning.
     
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  8. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    In case you had not figured this out yet, that valve is misnamed and is really an engine coolant control valve.

    Continue checking fluid level in the radiator and overflow reservoir. Turn on cabin heat to max, fan speed high, continuously rev the engine to circulate fluid. Run the CHRS pump a few times manually to move fluid into the canister.

    Yes, it appears you still have air in the engine coolant loop. See my posts 22 and 42 here:
    Changing engine coolant | Page 2 | PriusChat
     
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  9. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    Yeah, now he tells me...........AFTER I finally figured it out. There are so many posts about this subject and all of them perpetuate the myth that this "inverter" control valve has nothing to do with the engine cooling system. WRONG. All the AF that I drained from the thermos came from the engine cooling. It all went back in there eventually. After I ran it to about 109°C and shut it down, I returned the next AM to find the engine reservoir empty. I removed all the caps, connected a tube to the 'purge' valve and inverter reservoir, refilled the ENGINE reservoir, run it up to about 111°C in Maint mode and things started happening right. The fill tube started purging air and I kept adding AF. I finally shut it down again and waited. The ENGINE reservoir emptied again and the rest of the AF went in. Heat came from the heater. I reset the P codes and drove is a few miles. The inverter reservoir never was in the picture. I still don't understand, but it is done.-- I think.
     
  10. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    I replaced the "inverter" cooler control -- so aptly misnamed -- because of a P1121 code.
    All the AF I took out is back in except for a few spills.
    I ran it in maint mode and things seemed fine. It ran to 96°C, the fan came on, it dropped to 85°C and cycled thru that a number of times. Heat coming from the climate control. All done, NOT!
    Wife took it to church this AM and had some warnings on the way back. I got a pending P1121 but then it went away after I drove it around the block. It got up to 120°C on my drive. Running in maint it gets to 96°, fan starts and it keeps rising. No heat coming from the climate control.

    What is it trying to tell me?????
     
  11. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    That you still have air in the engine coolant loop. After the engine has cooled down, check coolant level in the radiator as well as the overflow container and fill both. Check this repeatedly until both remain full.
     
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  12. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    Everything is full. The engine OF tank is 3/4 full. It feels like the thermo is stuck. It worked fine when I tested it. It started happening on the way BACK from church -- or she didn't notice it getting there.
     
  13. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    That maybe true, but that does not mean you don't still have air in the system.

    You may need to repeat the cycle where you run the ICE in inspection mode with the heater on max heat and the fan on full for one or two more 15-20 min cycles.

    If you haven't already read elsewhere, leave the black front engine cover off until a week after you are satisfied that all air is out. That way it makes it far easier checking and filling the radiator filler neck.
     
  14. ruggb

    ruggb Junior Member

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    thanks dolj
    I bought more AF this AM. I put about 8 oz in the OF tank, maybe 2oz in the radiator. I ran in maint for 15 min b4 the fan came on (about 34° to 96°C). It is cycling like it did when I tested it. In fact, it feels like the thermo is stuck open now. Even with hard accel. I can't get it over 97°. The 120°C that it got to yesterday never happened when I was filling it when there WAS air in it, and it didn't come down from that very fast even though the car was moving and coasting.
    I guess I will just have to watch it - but it is the wife's car.
     
  15. Jorge P

    Jorge P Junior Member

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    I am having the P1150 code and would like to know which is the pump that is supposed to run with the relay jump, nothing happens when I try that jump with my multimeter. Maybe I need to eeplace a pump. Is it the collant heat storage pump or the auxiliary water pump? Thanks.
     
  16. Jorge P

    Jorge P Junior Member

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    2gen prius 2008
     
    #16 Jorge P, Dec 30, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2019
  17. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    The engine coolant heat recovery system pump is the pump which is manually activated. The reason to run the pump is to refill the coolant heat recovery canister and get air out of that portion of the engine coolant loop.

    The point of using the multimeter is to measure current drawn by the pump. Obviously you have to set the meter to read DC current, not DC volts. If that is too difficult, forget about using a meter and just use a paper clip to jump the appropriate relay socket terminals to activate the pump.
     
  18. Jorge P

    Jorge P Junior Member

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    Thanks, I do have the meter set to read DC amps... will check again tomorrow, could the pump be bad?
    I never used the meter for amps but it looks very easy... I did change the cable on the meter to the 10A. Max. Socket. And dial 200 Amps, the other choices are mAmps. Anyways will try the paperclip too. I was tempted to do that. I live in hot Florida and it is cooler this week, maybe that is why the p1150 now... although I had an engine light for long time and fixed a couple of week ago when I replaced the ecu and the inverter pump p1121 - I am also new to the obdii which I am using with my phone with Torque pro. And yesterday I changed the temp senaor by the "thermos" That did not go well... I used I sensor from Discount AP. It looks almost the same but the senaor itself is a bit different. The thread looks the same. But now it is leaking on that spot even with the old sensor... hope I don't have to replace the whole thermos and sensor assembly...
     
    #18 Jorge P, Dec 31, 2019
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2019
  19. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Hey wait a sec ... misnamed where? Toyota just seems to call it valve assembly, water, with bracket. Does it show up with 'inverter' in the name anywhere in Toyota's Repair Manual, or in the Techstream fortune cookie for the code? Or is this more a caveat emptor thing when using third-party manuals or scan tools?

    Are some of those posts on PriusChat? Maybe a little follow-up wouldn't hurt them any.
     
  20. Jorge P

    Jorge P Junior Member

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    After a few weeks out for work I came back to play with the prius cooling system, I didn't find a good valve for the thermos in ebay, they look too ruated. So I ended up fixing mine. I don't have the p1150 any more but now I have the p1118 although no "check engine" light... I did change the temp sensor in the bottom of the thermos... Can't seem to be able to get rid of the p1118 code now...