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2005 Prius Oil Leak?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by hyp3rmil3r, Aug 16, 2021.

  1. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    I noticed every once in awhile my prius would show the red triangle for a split second. This light comes on sometimes to signify no oil pressure (amongst other things).

    I found this out and checked my oil, it was so low it wasn’t registering on the dipstick. So I topped it off, and a few weeks later, same thing. I noticed tons of oil gunk around the oil filter, and oil all over the bottom of the car.

    I kept topping it off, and it became really bad, and needing oil more frequently. I thought for sure the old filter was leaking, as when the engine would run, I could visibly see oil dripping from the filter at a fast rate.

    I just got an oil change and new filter and sure enough, its doing the same with this filter…

    Is there anything above the oil filter that could hemorrhage oil? It would be raining down on the filter and then dripping off of the filter. I have no idea whats wrong. I’m a diy guy before I bother with shops.


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  2. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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  3. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Did you do your own oil change? Are the pictures before or after you did your oil change? How did you tighten the filter? Are you sure that filter is made for the Prius?

    When you use the word "raining", it seems a bit excessive. The car holds about 4 quarts of oil, from your description, you should run low on oil after a couple days.

    Also when the car runs low on oil pressure, the damage has already started with engine wear.
     
    #3 JC91006, Aug 16, 2021
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2021
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  4. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Sure. Valve cover gasket. Oil cap. PCV valve or hose. Those come to mind right off.

    It's unlikely that it would come from above the oil filter without making a mess above the oil filter. But the pictures don't show anything higher than the filter, so they don't offer any clues.

    Also, as @JC91006 pointed out, when the red triangle comes on due to low oil pressure, you're already damaging the engine.
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Third gen's have had leakage around the oil pressure sensor, which is a little ways up the back side of engine, towards right end of engine (aka "front" of engine). Second gen might be similar? Follow the oil path up.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I once changed the oil on a 2000 Camry and didn't notice that the old o-ring from the spin on filter stayed on the engine side of the mount when I removed the filter. So I basically installed the new oil filter with a double o-ring.

    When I started the car, oil came spraying out everywhere under the car. Lost a lot of oil, very fast.

    Maybe you have a similar problem, or the surface of the oil filter mount is somehow damaged, gouged, not smooth, and not making a good seal?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  7. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    Hi all, I had the oil change done at a jiffy lube not a diy. I trust that they did the oil change correctly and didn’t leave the old gasket on or something along those lines.

    When I say raining oil I mean when the engine runs it deposits two very large oil drops on the ground, per second of engine runtime. It’s to a point now where driving it is a risk with how quickly it loses oil. I couldn’t find any info on where the pcv is located but that came to mind. Valve Cover could be another option but I didn’t see much oil around that at all. Ill take more pictures today. Oil is coming from the oil filter or above/behind it, because it coats the filter, pools under the filter and drips off of that onto the ground.

    As for the red triangle and engine damage, I’m not too worried. Car was $875 and I’ve driven it a ton. It still runs fine now - when it dies, it dies no biggy. Obviously I’d like to fix it and prevent further damage, and keep it on the road.


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  8. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    Leakage from the oil filter seal (or the filter itself is certainly possible. Or as suggested, the oil pressure switch is a prime suspect. The switch can fail and leak and the Gen2 has it mounted above the filter. You need to safely raise and support the car, clean off the filter and pressure switch, then watch while the engine runs to locate the (highest) point of leakage .

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I'm a little confused as to the orientation of the OP's pics. Are they looking towards the rear of the car, ie: the second gen has the oil filter on the front-of-car face of engine? It looks like the accessory belt pulley on the left side of pic.

    Attached oil change instruction has some line art pics, an excerpt:

    upload_2021-8-16_13-53-13.png
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    [mention]Mendel Leisk [/mention] thank you for that diagram! I’ll check the car now


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  11. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Fairly easy to find where its leaking.

    Jack up high like in the pic buy 2 cans carb cleaner and hose off affected suspected area so clean. Then put the car in Inspection mode where the engine will idle continuously for inspection till shut off.

    Go on you tube search Prius Inspection it will show you the pedal chicken dance to get the engine into Inspection mode.

    Scoot under the car with safety glasses and see where its leaking for the win.

    Bad news is since it has had a few omg I have no oil scenarios that's really bad for the engine and it probably is now if not already a little oil eating monster (OEM) from now on. The piston rings and piston rod bearings do not like running dry many a blown motor on here from lack of oil supervision.

    First sign of blown is knocking under load. Second sign is it throws rod #2 out the side of the block. Sometimes rod #3. Depends on its mood.
     
    #11 edthefox5, Aug 16, 2021
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2021
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  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Bonus points if, after cleaning it and letting it dry off, you spray a good coat of antiperspirant deodorant on the area. The white powder will help you spot the leak almost instantly. An old motorcycle trick. :D

    Not generally a good idea to trust those places. They've ruined lots of engines. If I needed to use them, I'd absolutely make sure before pulling out that the oil level was right and it wasn't leaking. Once you leave, they won't accept blame for anything.
     
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  13. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Hey Jerry i use Jiffy a few times. Have to keep your wits about you there. There Alldata database of car oil volume shows 5 quarts in a g2 so you must bring them a container of 4 quarts, and even then after watching them I still check the oil when I get home. It’s paid off never any oil drama.

    I bring them 4 quarts in a Mobil one jug and the factory filter. They charge me $20 labor.

    I bet Xglider is right I bet the old o ring is stuck on seen that myself.

    Never heard of the anti deodorant white powder trick that’s cool.
     
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  14. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    I do the same thing with dealer service departments.

    I give them 4 quarts of oil for the Prius, and 5 quarts for the Camry (3.5L V6) and tell them I'll top it up myself.

    I once gave them 5 quarts for the Prius and it was severely overfilled, not only did they dump all 5 quarts in, but they also added BG oil treatment too.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  15. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    Update - so it was the old oil filter that was leaking. It must have been spraying so much oil out that it coated some of the block near the oil filter attachment area. That dripped onto the new filter and pooled on it upon leaving jiffy lube. I feared it was already beginning to leak, hence my post here. I jumped the gun, it is no longer leaking oil. I inspected the underside while the engine is running and it no longer is dripping oil profusely. Lets see how many more miles it will chug.


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  16. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    Mods, feel free to delete this thread. Not sure if theres any substance for folks to learn from - if there is, leave it for future readers. This is a case of me jumping the gun.


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  17. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    This is another case of a botched oil change. They apparently forgot to tighten the filter. This story has been told by others, not limited to Jiffy lube services.
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Maybe tightened the ol’ never-failed-me-yet “hand-tight”. :rolleyes:

    for spin-on the spec is 13 foot/pound.
     
  19. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Who put the old oil filter on? Was that done by Jiffy Lube too? Or was that one a DIY?

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  20. hyp3rmil3r

    hyp3rmil3r Member

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    I think it officially died guys. I noticed yesterday the car was shaking at low rpms. Was fine otherwise. Started it today and it rumbled at idle and stopped. Red triangle of death. Turned off and on twice, ice doesnt start anymore. Rip.


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