1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

My bulletproof '12 obvious overlook

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by athlete11, Feb 12, 2020.

  1. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    My bulletproof 199,150 mile '12 Prius II CEL came on 2 days ago, the dreaded P0302.

    Oil level mark on the dipstick was nonexistent. I was due for an oil change.
    Coolant level was 1" below low mark.
    A few finely black speckled dots visible in coolant, although still very pink.
    The kicker: the harness leading from the ignition coils to the left and downside the rear of the engine was caked on with oil and dirt. The debris starts right about where the head meets the block and it's heavy, completing coating the 3 connectors at the bottom of the block (oil pressure, crank position, and O² sensor). That left corner of the engine is completely caked on with black soot, grime, dirt.

    The real kicker: I've taken my car in for the inverter recall around 150k. I specifically remember asking them if they changed the coolant in the process. In my haste, I've failed to realize the engine and inverter coolant are 2 totally separate systems! Bonehead move. Now I've got 3 days to get this puppy back on the road. I've done a head gasket and timing belt on a prior car, a '96 Civic, so I have some wrenching experience.

    Will also, while I have the engine apart, clean the egr, intake, pcv, and whatever else I've heard thrown around on here since I initially purchased my '04 Prius.

    So for anyone reading this, learn from my obvious blunder. As maintenance free as these cars are, they're not bulletproof.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,471
    4,373
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Bonnie and Clyde would still have died in a Prius.
     
    Rebound, Vman455, pjksr02 and 3 others like this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,467
    38,102
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    While you've got the head off, check that all four pistons come up to the same level. Hopefully you don't have a bent piston arm, but a good time to check. "Short Blocks" can be had for under two grand, fwiw. Get a complete gasket kit (part number in attachment). Maybe new head bolts?

    Besides US, you might want to check out Amayama.
     

    Attached Files:

    athlete11 likes this.
  4. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm extremely meticulous when it comes to doing my own maintenance.....not so much this time around.

    Contacted Gasket Makers and have an appointment next Monday. These are the YouTube guys who posted several how-to's on blown Prius hg's. I should be on the road within 3 hours.

    Do they use Toyota oem parts and fluids? No
    Do they use new head bolts? No
    Are all washers and gaskets replaced when doing the work? No

    I'm considering buying all the parts and fluids beforehand, but I'm gonna put my faith in them.
     
  5. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    3,193
    2,315
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Where are you in the Bay Area?

    I have a recommendation for a machine shop if you need one. They did a decent job on my cylinder head when I replaced the head gasket on my 2011.
     
    SFO and Raytheeagle like this.
  6. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Currently in Sacramento.

    When I did my '96 Civic, I used Tennyson Machine Shop in Hayward. I think he charged me between 150-250, don't remember the exact figure
     
  7. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    7,471
    4,373
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    “Gasket Masters”. It would interesting to hear how this works out. I wonder why Toyota says pull the engine if this is possible in a few hours?
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,467
    38,102
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Toyota would probably say to remove your pants to take a pee. :rolleyes:

    In the Owners Manual they say to remove the 12 volt if you intend to charge it.
     
    #8 Mendel Leisk, Feb 13, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2020
    Rebound, bisco and athlete11 like this.
  9. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    In its simplest form, a faulty hg is the flattening of the gasket itself. Why, if you can access the gasket, would anyone need to pull the whole engine?
     
  10. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    3,193
    2,315
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    How did the repair turn out?


    iPhone ? Pro
     
  11. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    April 11th, 2 months and 1 week of sitting in the garage...... She's running beautifully now! Amazing how much work can get done during a quarantine.

    Gasket makers never did show up that Monday. I didn't even bother to call. Somewhere deep down I knew it meant I'd have the satisfaction and peace of mind of doing it myself..... oh, and a few new tools to play around with.

    The best part came when I put the car into maintenance mode a few hours ago. I decided 5 min into it, I'd rev the engine to 2-3k rpm to get to operating temp quicker. Held it there for about 10 min and decided to take it higher. Next thing you know, I hear the engine stutter and the gas pedal is unresponsive. I get out of the car to see the damage and see visible smoke puffing from the muffler, and it smells sweet.

    After 5 min of breaking the bad news to my wife, and contemplating calling gasket makers again, or even securing a used engine, I trudge back into the garage and give it another go. Turns out everything was fine. Drove it 20 miles tonight, about 12 highway and the check engine light never came on.

    The worst part of the repair was running into Safeway tonight for distilled water to go with the sllc.
    That, and fastening the last nut on the rear right of the egr.

    I also snapped the bottom stud that holds the chain tensioner and the "lower bolt" of the camshaft housing assembly. Both just would not register on the harbor freight 3/8" torque wrench. Luckily they weren't clean snaps and I was able to unscrew the remaining threads.

    I'll post the few pictures I have tomorrow from some of the progress.

    Time to put new front rotors on the wife's Camry tomorrow. Thanks to @NutzAboutBolts and @Mendel Leisk, as well as gasket makers priceless YT vids.
     
  12. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Mods, anyway this can be moved to the Gen 3 forum? No V here, just a Prius II
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2008
    23,064
    14,971
    0
    Location:
    Indiana, USA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    Changed the gasket on a friend's old Civic once and burning the residual coolant out of the exhaust still seemed to take about a week. (Car had been driven with bad gasket for a pretty good while.)

    Job requires timing cover off, timing cover is sealed with FIPG, you get like a two minute window to apply the bead, meticulously clean and precisely to specs, and not mess it up placing the cover on, all in very tight quarters and lousy visibility with the engine in place. People succeed, but I'd probably be cussing a blue streak.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,467
    38,102
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    You know toyota super long life coolant is pre-mixed?

    Were you by any chance misreading inch pound torque values as foot pounds?

    Some of the alternate FIPG's have a longer cure time. Permatex Ultra-Black IIRC is what Gasket Masters were using, and it's leisurely. Hopefully compatible.
     
  15. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Thanks for the reassurance! The exhaust gases have been totally clear since the first night.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  16. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Just realized this now. D'oh!

    I assumed the concentrate red top was the same as the 50/50 mix...... I purchased a bottle of each. Did some reading and it seems red is long life but pink is the newer formula that comes from a factory fill. Has anyone used red in a Prius? I suppose I can just do another drain and fill at 30k miles, this time with the pink.

    What do you guys suggest?
     
  17. athlete11

    athlete11 Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 13, 2012
    11
    9
    0
    Location:
    Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    IMG_20200312_234513.jpg
    Not sure what this is, but it was fully coated. To the right of the engine just under the egr cooler.

    IMG_20200401_144141.jpg

    Didn't see the service manual require rtv in this area of the timing chain cover. I didn't include any when I installed the cover.

    IMG_20200401_140917.jpg

    .......it connects to the bottom protrusion on this part of the block.

    IMG_20200226_004448.jpg

    Oil sitting at the bottom of the throttle body

    IMG_20200226_011913_1.jpg

    Sludge and coolant in this hole of the intake manifold that connects to hose leading to pcv valve. Used a brass brush and a drill to get the caked off mess out of there

    IMG_20200226_012038.jpg

    Cylinder 2. Not totally clogged, took a minute of pressure washing to get the water to shoot through unimpeded
     
    #17 athlete11, Apr 14, 2020
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2020
    Aaron Vitolins and Raytheeagle like this.
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,467
    38,102
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    If you started with the full strength concentrate, diluted it properly, I would just leave it for a goodly while. (y)

    As you say, I think it's supposed to replaced more frequently? Dealership should know, how long it's good for.
     
  19. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2005
    3,193
    2,315
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    The first picture looks like a vent or breather for the trans, but it is hard to tell.

    What oil do you use and how often do you change it? Your engine has a lot of varnish build up.