167k 2010 w/ blown headgasket: Sell or fix?

A rebuilt engine with 5k mile oil changes would get you 100k more. Maybe twice that. The installer needs to clean up carbon buildup in your egr system and intake manifold which would be reused.

I would not simply replace yours with a similar model. You lose almost all of your car's value and just buy somebody else's problems. If replacing, go gen4 or better in Toyota hybrids or buy conventional in the $10k range.

Brake Boosters do fail. Probably three new car payments if it happens. I would give it 50% in the next three years.

 

I'm toting my Mom around now more this year and she likes full AC. I wound up removing all the foam blocking since writing last. Definitely makes a big difference she noticed, as did I with blowing colder air and keeping the engine temp now below 195.

Still no death rattle vibration on startup.

Thinking the damage was done and can only pray for oil to fill in some voids, however post Techron treatments I'm barely consuming oil again. Seems the Techron and oil overfill situation triggered the initiation of the head gasket dues. That coupled with the bad, or caused the to go bad, PCV Valve with those misfires and gunk funked EGR Circuit.

I'm still amazed at now ~284K I'm still getting 50-58MPG's around and no noticeable issues much.

Yes, worked great in the cold weather. Like an idiot who went all last summer leaving on, I wasn't thinking was going to cause any issues. Thankfully never got over 205, I only had that low load EGR obstruction knock and I now have dedicated smartphones as HUD's with Hybrid Assistant and Car Scanner with the bluetooth OBD2 adapter in each Prius.

The 2013 got me on edge and I'm being paranoid with the ~240K 2006 since that has the belt driven waterpump and seems not as long lasting part change intervals. Plus I've only owned since ~235K.

 

How much rust do you have

 

I think a lot of us wonder why you block the radiator at anytime? The car has special coolant tubes around the catalytic converter to warm up fast along with electric radiator fans that rarely run. The downsides of blocking the radiator are far greater on this engine as any overheat will reduce hg life.

Later hybrids have active grill shutters controlled by engine temp. Foam blocks are not controlled at all.

 

In winter I’ll put a single foam tube (~1.5” diameter) across lower grill, blocking 50% of lower. If temps are staying consistently below 10C.

If we get a cold snap and temps are staying below freezing (0C), then I’ll maybe add another tube to lower grill, effectively 100% block of lower. But only as long as the cold snap last.

this is a rough adherence to a guide posted here, except I keep it simpler and more cautious:

2010 Prius Grill Blocking strategy | PriusChat

 

In cool weather, the engine cools off fast on downhills, even with the grill half blocked, aggravating thermal cycling.

 

You should probably sell then.

My 2010(base model w/ 90k miles) was worth $9k in trade for my 2023 with a little body work that still needed to be done. The dealer put it on the lot at $12k after the work, and it was gone within a couple weeks.

 

I noticed an improved fuel efficiency, compared to the loss when the temps are under 55°F. My basic observation is if driving under 55 mph and the temps are under 55°F, I won't see 55 mpg when I typically do when the temps are above 55°F.

My guess is more stable temp control and reduced drag.

Keep in mind I'm in Michigan, though made a mistake leaving on during the warmer weather season.

 

Winter blend gas reduces mpg 2% regardless of outside temps. It is made to evaporate easier when the gas is cold. The gas will be reduced energy regardless of engine temp. Cold intake air also reduces mpg, sometimes by as much as 20% when combined with winter blend and a batch of lower than normal octane. Again, intake air is not warmed up by blocking a radiator.

Recent car active grille shutters do help aerodynamics and will heat the car up one or two minutes faster but older systems that heat the coolant with the catalytic converter do as much. Blocking the grille manually is old school to get cabin heat faster when radiator fans were mechanical. If I lived in Michigan again (previously Traverse City) I might add a block heater to warm the oil and engine coolant. However parking in a garage is easier.

 

I didn't know about the gas blend difference. Are there more than the two seasonal blends for say 87 octane?

I've written before about having a warm air intake circuit using a heat exchanger that would be basically a pipe around the exhaust manifold somehow so to not impact the range of operation. Seems around after the catalytic converter would be better? Use that waste heat in the most efficient way when better to. Controlled with a damper valve, with a pivot on the side versus center axis by the existing start of the intake circuit, similar to the grille shutters control.

I looked into the heater blocks a little and seems more challenging to deal with, without a wireless power supply interface.

I'll try to document when I open up the EGR Valve in more detail and explore to clean the exhaust pipe in the mean time while the car sits until I get everything for the head gasket change. I'd like to document my plugs and borescope the piston and cylinders with one of my two USB endoscopic cameras. Seems like a basic exercise that's simple to do and will document this experience more.

Interesting, albeit I don't yet confidently trust the brand, I found the rotor can be replaced alone in the water pump. This company dasbecam sells here for ~$27.

So far, at the least, I'm thinking ordering the following:

1. FEL-PRO HS 26515 PT-1 Head Gasket Set
2. FEL-PRO ES 72434 Head Bolt Set (Debating since commenters note bent bolts)
3. CTA Tools 9295 2 Pc. Toyota/Lexus Head Bolt Wrench Set

Any reason I'm better to go with other, say the Toyota latest equivalent options or other?