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2011 V ( JDM ) 2011 Oil reducing

Discussion in 'Prius v Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ahmad ashfaq, Jan 15, 2019.

  1. ahmad ashfaq

    ahmad ashfaq Junior Member

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    Hi Folks,

    I own a Japanese model of Prius V , with 112000 Miles now , the oil level on dip stick shows reduction ,
    changed from 0W20 to 5W30( Both Full Synthetic ) , but the dip stick shows reduced oil level ,

    There is no exhaust smoke , no leaks etc

    What do you guys recommend ,

    Shall i replace engine , if replace shall i swap the wiring and gear too or
    is there any other recommendation .
    the fuel economy is 475 Miles on 10.56 Gallon,
    the dip stick shows different levels on each side , i am attaching pictures for your consideration .For those of you wondering the background picture , its a tobacco pack warning about throat cancer if you smoke lots of them ,
    IMG_2391.jpeg IMG_2390.jpeg
     
    #1 ahmad ashfaq, Jan 15, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2019
  2. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    I see the level like that sometimes. I read it as the level is the lowest one. If you have the time and ability to monitor the level so it doesn’t go below the lower marker I would just add oil as you go. There is a certain level of loss that Toyota considers acceptable.
     
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  3. ahmad ashfaq

    ahmad ashfaq Junior Member

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    Thanks Jzchen, i m observing it daily now ,
     
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  4. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    No don't replace the engine until it breaks. What is important is how many miles before you lose a quart of oil? If you can get three or four tankfuls before adding a quart you are ok. These engines do burn some oil,
     
  5. ahmad ashfaq

    ahmad ashfaq Junior Member

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    Thanks RJPARKER , ill keep that in mind , Engine change will be the last resort .
     
  6. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    I recommend that you don't panic.

    The low mark on the stick is about 1 quart low.....maybe 1 liter on yours.
    How many miles does it take to reach the lower mark ?
    And yes, it is perfectly fine to run it that low for a while.
     
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Some oil consumption is very common; it becomes a concern when the rate of consumption is extreme. You need to determine with how many miles the oil level is dropping. As an example:

    The level was at the top mark immediately following an oil change. Then after 2000 miles it had dropped 1/2" below top mark.
     
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  8. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    The low mark is the minimum acceptable level, not low.
     
  9. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Do you REALLY want to argue over nits and semantics ?
    Would you feel better if I had said "lower mark" ??
     
  10. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    No, just trying to mimic the way you answer here... (Sorry)...
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    More nits, just for the record: the distance between the two marks on Prius dipstick is 1.6 quarts (1.5 liters).
     
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  12. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Wow, nice info! Thanks! (Sincerely). I stopped reading through entire manuals starting with a 2009 model year when they kept getting so darn THICK!!!
     
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  13. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    To add to Sam spade 2s point, I would add about 0.8 qt to 1 qt if it did reach the lower mark. I like the level right in the middle. (Again, my apologies if I came off blunt).

    (I wish I had the due diligence to “check every day”).
     
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  14. ahmad ashfaq

    ahmad ashfaq Junior Member

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    400 Miles driven , to lower mark
     
  15. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Top it off with enough oil to get to the top mark and carefully note how long it takes to get close to the lower dipstick mark. If your level drop was only 400 miles, then you may get 800-1000 miles per quart, not great but first I would double check. Sometimes the filter was not full when they changed the oil which would show as lower almost immediately. By the way, on my Prius v it's one quart between the dipstick lines.
     
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  16. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    Did I say 0.8 to 1 qt? I meant 0.5 to 0.7 qt...
     
  17. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    I am talking about the Canadian up there that may have those 0.95 quart liters on his mind.
     
  18. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    Just to be sure we have the picture right.............
    The oil on your dipstick goes from the top mark to the bottom one in only 400 miles ??
    Is that what you are saying ??

    If that is true, I think there is probably nothing YOU can do to help that situation......except replace the engine or the car.
    I think I would get it inspected for leaks and try a heavier "high mileage" oil, like a 15W40 maybe.
    But don't get your hopes up too high.
     
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  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Freshly downloaded from Toyota Tech Info (my previous pdf was missing some pages anyway): it's 1.6 quarts, or 1.5 liters (page 372 of 2012 Prius v Owner's Manual, US edition).

    OP's photo's don't look too alarming. A quart in 400 miles though, is very alarming. Maybe more testing/confirmation needed.
     
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  20. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    It must be my English genes working with Imperial quarts. I will document the next time I need a quart.