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Coolant crystals

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by PriusBarber, Jan 28, 2019.

  1. PriusBarber

    PriusBarber New Member

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    I changed the coolant inverter pump this weekend and decided to check the resevoir beside the inverter and noticed what looked like some kinda small crystals. This is the photo. The whole reservoir drained completely and I refilled and topped off after changing the coolant inverter pump.
     

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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    might be a good idea to drain completely and refill with new fluid
     
  3. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Shards of plastic maybe? Shouldn't crystals sink to the bottom? You can do what I did (accidentally). The inverter pump on our 2007 failed on Friday afternoon, just past Tampa as we were on our way down I-75 to Fort Myers. (It had a good run, the car has 270k miles and there is no record of it ever having been changed). I was going to call Tampa Hybrids, as had been recommended by @jerrymildred among others, but discovered to my dismay that they are closed on weekends. I was expecting to have to change it myself, but was fortunate to find a shop, Goodyear Auto Service on US301 in Riverview, that did the job for me. I supplied a gallon of Toyota SLLC, but they appear to have used very little of it. I noticed the reservoir was a little low after they had finished the job, so I poured some more in, got a little carried away, and probably ran half a cup or so out the top. Hopefully anything that was floating also ran out on the ground. Does anyone have an opinion as to whether filling the coolant reservoir right to the top is likely to do any harm?
     
  4. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Looks like some kind of contamination at that zoom level. Maybe it was inside the pump you installed? You could wick some out with a cloth or paper and feel it. Since it's floating, I wonder if you can suck it up just the top of the liquid. (Not in your mouth. Tastes NASTY!) I'd do that before draining and replacing it because when you drain it that will let whatever that is go back into the system.

    Also, you didn't mention bleeding the system. You'll need to do that to get out all the air if you didn't already.

    @davecook89t, sorry you missed Todd. I hope to get over there to see him today since I need to go in that area fora meeting anyway. My wife just discovered that the check we wrote him for the coolant valve we just replaced, while it was correct, our credit union paid out the wrong amount. So I owe him $6. I'll tell him you tried to throw him some business over the weekend. :D
     
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  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    I told Todd about your adventure. He said he was actually in the shop for a while Saturday and was sorry you missed connecting, but glad you got it fixed. Then he pretty much insisted I take one of his two for-sale Teslas for a spin. I drove the 2015 S 70. That was fun! :D
     
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