Getting ready to do EGR/manifold/throttlebody, etc. cleaning-have lots of questions-long post-sorry

Hey guys. Thanks for your continued help and feedback. Just want to give an update.
Yesterday I worked on cleaning everything. I tried to stop up one end of the EGR cooler so I could fill it with hot water/oxiclean, but couldnt find something to keep it blocked, so I wound up using electrical tape and sealed all the parts on it where the coolant runs though, and then using a 5 gallon bucket and boiling water I mixed it up with a bunch of oxiclean and then just dropped the entire EGR cooler in the bucket and let is soak.
While it soaked I worked on all the other parts. I did the throttle body by hand with old toothbrush and brass brushes and brake cleaner and got it all nice and clean. I then did the EGR pipe and the smaller pipe that is on the front part of the EGR cooler piece with the sensor. Got them all nice and clean.
Remember this part?

Well I found a youtube video where a guy shows how it call comes apart. The screws were on there super tight and when I tried to move them with a manual screwdriver I started to slightly strip them. I then grabbed my impact driver and with a hex phillips head they both came loose. I then took that cover off. From the video, I learned that there is a magnet and 2 ball bearings under it screwed onto a plunger on some springs. He showed that it must move freely and his didnt so he replaced that entire assembly. When I took mine apart it was all clean and moved very well. I used this to my advantage when cleaning the underside of it and inside where the pin goes down to the plunger part. Again using brake cleaner, and brushes, etc. I got it all nice and clean.
I checked the EGR, drained the bucket as the water was no longer hot, reboiled some more water and mixed in more oxiclean and again re-soaked it.
Now onto the manifold. This thing was nasty and loaded with greasy, slimy crap. I did my best to clean it, but eventually I got tired and cold from being out in the garage most of the day cleaning this stuff, so I put it into a oil catch pan and dumped the now luke warm water from the egr cooler into it and let it soak. I then took the EGR and sprayed a ton of oven cleaner in both ends and let it sit overnight. With the little energy I had left I stopped, cleaned up, and mowed my lawn.
This morning was another cold and now rainy day. Since after today I have to work again the next 3 days, I was determined to get most if not all the cleaning done. I asked a neighbor to borrow their pressure washer. Out in the cold rain on my driveway I blasted the EGR with it on the most pinpoint nozzle setting. I had to hold it in my hand and spray it the other, so I got completely soaked, but man it looks almost brand new now. I went back and forth spraying all over through each end. So much crap still was coming out of it. Eventually clear water was coming out of each end. I can now look through it on both sides and see to the other side pretty much on the entire thing.
While I was at it I decided to blast the manifold. I had already taken off all the parts yesterday in red in this pic:

I took off that hose too.
I then blasted it on the driveway and kept one foot on it to keep it from moving. I did adjust the dial down from the tightest jet spray settting as I didn't want to break or crack the plastic. Again I just went back and forth spraying down every hole on it, the side holes where the PCV hose conects into, etc. So much crap/oil/debris also came out. I spent probably 30 minutes spraying it as well.
When I was done it almost looks brand new.
I then cleaned up and went in because I was so cold from being soaked, and the cold weather, and it was raining too during all of this. I was too cold and couldn't feel my hands anymore, so I packed in and called it a day. I can now feel my hands again.
So the next time I work on this I will take some pics of the cleaned parts. The pressure washer really is the way to go in my opinion.
So what do I have left to do:
1) gently clean the areas where the fuel injectors are and around them.
2) Get the OCC ( I ordered the one from Dan's recommendation thread-minus the vent on top)
3) Put everything back together, put the coolant back in and then pray it all works again!

A couple of other things.
I found that gasket. I was looking where I assumed it would have fallen down, but it was nowhere near there. I will take a pic of where I found it later this week and post it in here so future individuals where know where to look.
I noticed it is like a spring steel gasket where it is 2 pieces of metal held or stamped together at the ends. Does it matter which way I put it back on when that time comes? I am assuming no.

I did shine a flashlight up into those openings on the intake system to see what my fuel injectors looked like. They maybe have a tiny bit of buildup on them, but they don't at all look like the ones in that photo. I can still make out the black tip on the end so I think I am good there and won't mess with them.

I struggled with removing the old PCV valve because my socket wasn't long enough to fit on there and allow me to completely attach the socket wrench because of the stem of the valve. I had to put the socket on, then put my wrench partially into the end and managed to loosen it. I left it in for now as I still need to clean around and above it.

I think that is about it for now. I will try to work on this more the next day I am off, but I definitely want to mount the OCC on that bottom front part of the frame below and to the passenger side. I will take a pic next chance I get, but wondering:
1) Where can I get a metal ring holder (would prefer metal over plastic) that I can use to hold the can.
2) Can I drill holes into that frame so I can run some nuts and bolts through it to the frame to hold the OCC.
3) The OCC I bought is this one.
The reviews on it say the hoses are cheap and recommend better ones. What type of hose do I need to get and what diameter? I want to try to find them at menards. Also, I want to do what others did and reuse the original pcv hose end that flares out and connects to the manifold. I need a double ended barb connector in 3/8" diameter right?

Sorry about another long post, but thanks for the continued help.

 

Okay. Well the day the engine goes on it, I will just junk it and get a new car. I don't think it would be worth the time and money considering how little the car is worth now. If I make it over 250K which is just shy of another 90K miles I will be happy.

No new updates as I have been working. I plan on doing more cleaning tomorrow. My OCC from amazon shows up tomorrow. I still need a metal or plastic ring or some kind of holder. Can anyone make any recommendations? I also want to mount it below the PCV valve. I would like to mount it to the lower part of the frame. Can I drill some holes to mount it?
Thanks

 

Does Dan make them available for purchase?

 

Hello everyone. Sorry I haven't been back in this thread for some time. I did eventually find time to complete everything. I am happy to say that the prius is running great. Everything turned out good. I was able to thoroughly clean all the EGR components, manifold and parts, throttle body, air intake system, and was even able to take apart the EGR valve with an impact driver. The valve and springs moved very well, so I just put a dab of grease on top where I say some from factory and put it back together. Using new gaskets on the manifold, throttle body, and a new PCV valve, I installed the OCC up by the top right where most people put it. I then put everything back together, refilled the engine coolant, and re-installed the battery. I started it up in maintenance mode with coolant reservoir cap off, it ran a little shaky at first, but then settled out and a minute. After 5 minutes I ran the heat on full blast HI until fans kicked on. Saw small amount of bubbles at first in reservoir but after a few minutes it stopped. After about 10 minutes I turned off prius. I checked the coolant level a short time later and it was done just below the low mark. I refilled it with fresh coolant and checked again later and level was good. I drove it around close to the house yesterday and all was still good-ran great, and best part I didn't get any codes (I didn't have any prior to starting all of this either). I took it out again this morning for a small trip for some errands into town and it was still running great-it feels like it has a little more pep. I will look forward to seeing how it performs over the next couple of weeks in terms of MPG. Before I did all of this it wasn't suffering too bad-probably 48-50 average, but hoping that it will go up more now that this is all done.

It is sitting at 159K, so I don't plan on doing anything again until closer to 200K. Around that time if it is still in my possession and running okay, I will probably change the plugs again along with all the coolants and ATF fluid.

So what I have yet to do on it is the following:
1) HYbrid fan cleaning
2) AC cleaning

These will be some items I will hopefully sometime later this summer. I tried to do the AC cleaning before, but all the dealerships by me could not obtain the kits to do so.

The prius is almost due for its 5K oil change (due around 160K). Around 110K I dropped from 10K intervals to 5K intervals because it burns a lot of oil. Up to this point I have still been using FS Mobil1 0W20. I have been thinking about switching up to a slightly thicker oil to maybe help with this problem. Would it be okay to say go up to FS Mobil1 5W20? What are you guys using to help with this? I am in the Midwest (Northern Indiana), so the car will be driven in cold/snow on average 5-6 months out of the year. Would FS 5W20 be okay?

Thanks for your continued help.
Some pics of the completed engine compartment

 

Oh forgot to mention, the OCC is just floating in that space. I put it in a beer coozie, think someone else did that as well. Anywhere I can buy a metal or strong polymer mount for it?
Thanks

 

Okay-would 10W40 be okay with as cold as it gets here?
I changed the ATF at 110K miles when I did the plugs, and the coolant changes, and the brake fluid change.