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What is this and how much is it going to hurt $$

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by wheelsup, Mar 28, 2023.

  1. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Hi Everyone,
    • Know nothing about Toyotas/Priuses assembly/maintenance speaking
    • Gen 3 2010 II w/ 135k, bought used in 2011 @ 40k miles
    • Inverter failure eight years ago under warranty, otherwise only book maintenance performed
    • Have noticed slowly dwindling coolant levels since about 60k miles, it has been added twice or thrice so far, very small amounts
    • Noticed an oil leak after 300 mile trip (see pics)
    • Run 5w-20 IIRC
    I've done some searching and wondering if it's the infamous "timing cover leak" that I'm looking at.

    Assuming it is, is this a DIY job or outside the realm of what that entails? Also, have heard many have head failures, looks like it's wise to combine the two. Are head failures common/a given or should I just focus on this timing cover leak (if that is what it is).

    Link to a preferred writeup to perform the job? Or co$t performed by a local mechanic? Other things to do at the same time, assuming we want to keep the vehicle?

    I've included some pics, some from before me cleaning with brake clean the others afterwards.

    Thanks

    1.jpg 2.jpg 3.jpg 4.jpg
     
    #1 wheelsup, Mar 28, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 28, 2023
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    We can't jump to repairs until we finish diagnosis... It's fairly normal for early gen3 to loose coolant at this age and you can sometimes go years before needing to replace the headgasket and cleaning the EGR to resolve it.

    But the oil leak issue needs to be identified and quantified as major or minor like you explained with coolant before we can address the concern. So far it looks to be minor...

    As in clean up the mess it made in engine compartment and do regular inspections of where the leak is coming from and how much oil is being lost. Once you post that info we'll have lots of links to share about how to do the repair.
     
    wheelsup likes this.
  3. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Thanks. Have company visiting this week so this will have to be done later. Oil loss isn't bad, it's not dripping, but an annoyance.

    My own car leaked oil from its rear main seal for years, I just added oil until I replaced it when doing a transmission swap, so I know the drill. But it's annoying and I'd rather not have to deal with it. We only put about 4000 miles a year on the car, so this could go forever with just a pan on the ground, but still annoying. Something I didn't think I'd have to deal with, with a Prius, tbh.
     
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  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    During your cleaning you can partially appease your annoyance by slightly tightening any fastener you can access....
     
    wheelsup likes this.
  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    The timing chain tensioner or oil pressure switch have been reported in addition to the timing chain cover relative to passenger side oil leaks.

    Somewhat difficult to see although clean it and put on a lift. Remove the undercover and front passenger side wheel and access panel to help view the area.
     
    #5 rjparker, Mar 29, 2023
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2023
    wheelsup likes this.
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Like the guy above said it's usually not the timing cover leaking most of the time it's the oil pressure switch I would say the timing chain tensioner could do this also It's over there in the same area on most of my Gen 3's I put in a new oil pressure switch I use my pressure washer and clean that mess up and it stays silver eat off clean for many years then the next time it happens it's that same switch again I rarely seen the timing cover per se leaking in any of my Toyota chain engines all the way back to 22R that was an engine.
     
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  7. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Well that is encouraging, hopefully it ends up being the same thing for me. Wonder why your oil pressure switches keep leaking, is it a crush washer or an o-ring seal?
     
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  8. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Thanks, I'll do this, clean it up and take some pics.
     
  9. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    The seal in the top where it turns from metal to plastic for the tang to stick out for the wire to slide on etc that seal blows out oil starts coming out of the very end and then it just becomes a mess The timing chain guide can also do that so there's two things right there on the side of that cover and that can be suspect way before the form and place gasket job FIPG is what's used on the cover Gray I believe
     
  10. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The slowly dropping coolant may be another can-of-worms; at 135K you're getting into the head gasket danger zone. Saying you've done just by-the-book maintenance, presumably you haven't cleaned the EGR system, including the EGR passages of the intake manifold? That should be done very, very soon (see top two links in my signature, on a phone turn it landscale to signature), but first things first, any rattle/shake during cold starts?
     
  11. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    have EGR Cleaned ASAP!!!!! For sure.
     
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  12. wheelsup

    wheelsup Junior Member

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    Follow up on this, the part was $16 at Advance Auto and fixed the leak, it was the oil pressure sensor.
     
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  13. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Very common replacement issue