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blew up my engine today

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by tankyuong, Jul 10, 2016.

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  1. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    at first it was leaking coolant very slowly,then making the rattling engine noise at low rpm then a part flew off while on the highway gushing out oil.Time for a new used engine.Planning on diy if all else fails off the junker.230,000 miles on odo.
     
    #1 tankyuong, Jul 10, 2016
  2. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Wow, sorry to hear that. From your description, it was probably a head gasket failure. Once coolant/water entered the combustion chamber/cylinders, the engine threw a rod, that's when the oil started leaking out of the engine.
     
    #2 xliderider, Jul 11, 2016
    Former Member 68813 likes this.
  3. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    #3 JimboPalmer, Jul 11, 2016
  4. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    #4 tankyuong, Jul 11, 2016
  5. BigBear2010

    BigBear2010 Member

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    Failure at 230k miles!? It rarely happens to prius. First time i see it. Sr for your loss
     
    #5 BigBear2010, Jul 11, 2016
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  6. Redpoint5

    Redpoint5 Senior Member

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    Doesn't Japan have some silly law about only allowing engines to be used until 100,000 kilometers? I've heard this is why used replacement engines are relatively affordable on Japanese vehicles.

    Strange that the Prius would just detonate like that. It's common for a Subaru to loose a head gasket, but haven't heard of it on the Prius before.
     
    #6 Redpoint5, Jul 11, 2016
  7. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    I would be curious to see the service history on the car.
     
    #7 BZzap!, Jul 11, 2016
  8. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    Car-part.com is your friend in these situations. It's a salvage yard search engine.
     
    #8 ALS, Jul 12, 2016
  9. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    I guess it was the warning. either a bearing was shot or low oil.
     
    #9 Former Member 68813, Jul 12, 2016
  10. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    It would make for an interesting DIY thread.....


    (EDIT: no....not grenading an engine, but replacing it with a used motor.) :D
     
    #10 ETC(SS), Jul 12, 2016
  11. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    found a place that would do it for 1200 labor
     
    #11 tankyuong, Jul 13, 2016
  12. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    For a 2010?
    That's reasonable...
     
    #12 ETC(SS), Jul 13, 2016
  13. Redpoint5

    Redpoint5 Senior Member

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    How much for the motor, and where did you find it?
     
    #13 Redpoint5, Jul 13, 2016
  14. tankyuong

    tankyuong Senior Member

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    1000 with 100000 miles, the repair place found it only ne somewhere
     
    #14 tankyuong, Jul 14, 2016
  15. ozmatt

    ozmatt Active Member

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    Hi all, earlier this week I was talking with the local hybrid taxi mechanic in my area who is responsible for around 100 vehicles, he mentioned the 30 series prius do sometimes pop head gaskets, he also mentioned their fleet of 30 series cabs have been killing traction batteries way faster than the 20's ever did.. I recall there was a 30 series on ebay about a month ago with a blown hg, I think this is going to end up common for 30's as they get older.

    cheers ..
     
    #15 ozmatt, Jul 14, 2016
    tankyuong and Redpoint5 like this.
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Is it completely cost prohibitive to replace the head gasket? Would that be due to warping, need to machine the head? The engines that are available, are some of them refurbs that went through a head gasket replacement? Or mostly salvage?
     
    #16 Mendel Leisk, Jul 14, 2016
  17. MrMischief

    MrMischief Active Member

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    $1,274 - $1,620

    Head Gasket Replacement Cost for Toyota Prius - RepairPal Estimate
     
    #17 MrMischief, Jul 14, 2016
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  18. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    I thought it was because the engine is tucked so far under the cowl that it must be removed in order to remove the head. True?
     
    #18 CR94, Jul 14, 2016
  19. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    interesting. according to: Why Head Gaskets Fail
    HG can fail when there is preignition due to EGR system not working. Well, the 2nd gen didn't have EGR and the 3rd gen has EGR valve/cooler that plugs up often. One more reason to take the EGR valve/cooler apart every 100,000 miles to clean it up.
     
    #19 Former Member 68813, Jul 14, 2016
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  20. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Pairing the egr cooler cleaning with the coolant flush would save a step in the process. But a great catch and suggestion.
     
    #20 Raytheeagle, Jul 14, 2016
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