Anyone done a heat exchanger bypass on a 2016?

The OEM uses spring clamps because they're better. As the rubber squishes over time beneath the clamp, the spring continues to exert the same pressure. The worm-drive clamps stay the same circumference, so the pressure falls off, and they also apply uneven pressure, with a hard spot under the worm drive.

By the same token, if this is just a temporary repair while waiting for available parts, it won't be on there long enough for the long-term advantages or disadvantages of the clamps to make any difference.

 

Heat exchanger does nothing once the engine is warm. You can block it. It is not even installed in south area of Germany, France or UK in corolla hybrid. Only the northern area and Scandinavian get this heat exchanger as standard. Yet, many just remove them completely if it starts having issues.

 

I was going to suggest looping the coolant hoses @ the engine end; may be easier. I usually use a longish hose to provide a true loop, that doesn't "kink". Just make sure the loop isn't going to rub against anything that will wear a hole into it. This way, if you have state smog inspections, the undercarriage will at least look "kosher". You could explain the hose loop under the hood as a leaky heat exhanger; that your going to fix, when you gather enough money - not really a lie; you simply didn't define which heat exchanger.
Re car ramps; Only the low profile ramps will work on these cars. I use them to access the jack points @ the engine carrier/cradle. I jack the car up from there; if I need extra room. I don't like doing a single point jack-up, on one side of a uni-body car. There's a chance you can twist the uni-body; though I believe these modern fabrications will be able to withstand this sort of abuse. I should also point out, always use jack stands or some sort of secondary mechanical support. I'm lucky enough to survive an industrial Hein-Werner auto jack failure. If it wasn't for those jack stands; I wouldn't be here today. The jack stands was also Hein-Werner by the way.
I wouldn't worry much about capping-off the defective heat exhanger. The damage has been done and exhaust gases will seep into it anyways and probably blow the caps-off.

Just my 2-cents...

 

You could use a couple of 90 degree elbows, connected with just a few inches of coolant hose. Just enough that the elbows don't run into each other.

Regarding safety:

When raising either the front or rear, I then place jack stands, and settle the car onto them. And then push this section of tree stump I've got: it's about 12" diameter by 13" long, kind of a wood "pill". I'll push it under, slightly beyond the area I need to access, under some significantly structural component.

 

Good idea with the log backup system, I'm going to start doing that in future.

 

You can use the regular ramps if you place some sort of pre-ramp ahead of them, to lift the car high enough for the cowling to clear the ramp. Short 2"×whatever boards, for example, stacked if necessary.

 

I always use 1 or 2 pair of jack stands.

 

My exceptionarity secure and safe jack stands.

 

What's up with the orange pipe?

 

Apparently kryptonite for Cat thieves.

 

ODD situation, that Toyota can’t do this simple fix, even with the exhaust system part supply problems. Seems to me they could go to bat for owners, ask for an exemption from the regs. Might draw attention to their mess up though?

 

Whatever you do, you still need to keep the exhaust heat exchanger valve connected. Otherwise, you will get a check engine light and a trouble code.

You might also measure the resistance in ohms of the solenoid and replace it with a resistor of equal value.

 

You can always go to the auto parts store to get a "U" shape heater bypass hose like this one.