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Help! Inverter Coolant Pump replacement - problem

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by fl6ki, Jul 8, 2021.

  1. fl6ki

    fl6ki Junior Member

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    So I managed to get my hands on a brand new(OEM) inverter coolant pump and installed it today, I checked all connections everything etc. Unfortunately, there is no swirl in the tank. I flushed the system before replacing the pump. After filling up the tank with new coolant, IG-on, pipes are shaking and there is something going through them, the pump is making noises(not turbulent, stable) but no swirling in the tank and there is no flow through the bleeder valve. Each time(IG-on for 20sec) the level of coolant is going down, not leaking anywhere, checked that.
    Any ideas? Blockage? If yes, how to check for it and fix it?

    There was some crust on the inlet of coolant.
     

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    #1 fl6ki, Jul 8, 2021
  2. fl6ki

    fl6ki Junior Member

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    Ok, It's fixed. So for someone else in my position:
    It took around 10 more times of ig-on and refilling to get the pump working properly. Now it's all good, swirling and pumping.
    The bleeder valve is a bit problematic on my prius, as someone previously overtightened it and now it leaks a bit. But I solved it by putting a tie-wrap on the end of the hose until I get the part to change it.
     
    #2 fl6ki, Jul 9, 2021
  3. pasadena_commut

    pasadena_commut Senior Member

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    That pump must be primed. If there is air at the inlet nothing is going to happen. Also, do not run it dry, it will wear very quickly.

    I have never refilled any empty system (which yours was, I assume, since you flushed it.) Off the top of my head I suspect there is a big air bubble going up from the pump inlet into the inverter. The pump will spin with that there, and maybe move a tiny amount of air, but it won't push fluid. Try pulling the hoses off and cap both (initially) with rubber corks. Then take the lid off the overflow and uncork the hose which goes to the inlet. If nothing comes out of it try adding coolant into the overflow tank until it does. If that doesn't work attach a funnel at a level higher than the inverter via another hose to that inlet house and pour coolant in there until the bubbles stop coming out of the inverter and the level rises in the tank. With that side full cap the inlet house. Do more or less the same thing on the outlet side so that you know it is full of fluid too. Then reattach the hoses to the pump and try again.

    Also check that you didn't swap the hoses on the pump.
     
    #3 pasadena_commut, Jul 9, 2021
  4. fl6ki

    fl6ki Junior Member

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    Yup, thank you. I checked the hoses and the connector(although it only can go one way, who knows what the previous guy did). I was thinking of going your route but I was able to pump "manually" the collant by squeezing the pipes. After 6-7 starts it started working properly. Coolant stabilized, the pump works flawlessly, everything looks and sounds great. Only thing is the bleeder valve that the previous guy tighten so hard that it took a lot of force to unscrew, so now it has a bit of leak on the sides. But fixed that with a tie-wrap until new part arrives.
    thank you!
     
    #4 fl6ki, Jul 9, 2021
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