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**HELP** - Oil fully drained and now this..

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by PriPri20xx, May 28, 2017.

  1. PriPri20xx

    PriPri20xx Junior Member

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    Okay here are series of events:(2012 Prius w/ approx. 110K miles)

    Changed oil ~3 months ago with about ~4-5k miles since. All was running fine with no indication of low oil. I am check every two weeks (call me paranoid)

    On my short trip yesterday I saw slight smoke from engine bay, immediately pulled over and oil was fully drained. Filled back up with 4 quarts at a local gas station and 2-3 miles in low oil light illuminated again. Pulled over immediately and sure enough all the oil had gushed out again!!

    I figured the oil filter / drain plug must have come loose if not fallen out - I was only few miles away from home lifted her up and sure enough oil everywhere - removed oil filter - which looked fine along with its rubber gasket. Oil plug was tight, no indication of leak here. Cleaned it all up and filled up with ~4 quarts of oil.

    Drove it around a bit to see if the leak was present. Seemed fine.

    Next morning checked dip stick and oil level looked fine. However when the engine runs it just does not sound as it was before. There is no white smoke or indication that head gasket was blown. Coolant levels were all normal. I did not drive it much since as I didn't want to damage it any further ...There was some fresh oil on the ground from when it was parked overnight. Unsure if that is fresh oil or left over from previous night.

    In any event at this point I am completely lost. There are no engine lights and or codes present to troubleshoot.

    This video I took does not seem to show the heavy shaking and clonking noise... but here it is anyhow..... where else could I be loosing oil from ?

    Thank you all in advance.

     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If it continues to hold the oil now, after having removed and reinstalled oil filter and drain bolt, I would put my money on the oil filter: misaligned O-ring? It's not clear where it's starting from?
     
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  3. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Welcome to your first post on Prius Chat (y)!

    You said there was oil all over the place. Did you ever find the source? You said you cleaned everything up, but still a drip or so. I would ensure I found the source of the leak before taking it out and about in case it happens again.
     
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  4. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    4 quarts is a lot of oil to leak out. Can it all leak out of the oil filter without the drain plug? Oil pan? That's nearly all the oil in the car. You should do a full inspection of where the source of the leak is from
     
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  5. PriPri20xx

    PriPri20xx Junior Member

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    I thought I would post this before I lifted her back up again tomorrow and did a more thorough analysis. At this point the shaking of the engine and what sounds to be a misfire/knocking is what concerns me the most. I just drove it around my neighborhood a bit and let it cool down. Will check it again tomorrow.

    Yes,4-quarts of oil to disappear is alarming!
     
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  6. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Is it throwing any codes? Do you have a code reader?
     
  7. PriPri20xx

    PriPri20xx Junior Member

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    I did plug in my ODB code reader - all checked out ! There are no lights visible on the dash
     
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  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    I think it'd all leak out at the oil filter only while the car's running, oil being pumped up to the filter.
     
  9. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Heavy clonking noise and vibration? Have you ever had an engine running on only 3 cylinders? ;)

    There have been several instances of a Prius engine throwing a connecting rod through the lower engine block. Look for one or more holes in the lower engine block, that's probably where all the oil is coming out of the engine.

    Hope I'm wrong, but you said the filter and drain plug look ok.
     
  10. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    In watching your video, I do not see the engine shaking and the idle doesn't sound that bad. I have seen a 2012 PIP idle on 3 cylinders before.

    I would find the location of the leak as priority #1, then see what other collateral damage happened a priority #2.
     
  11. Former Member 68813

    Former Member 68813 Senior Member

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    How about this wild guess. PCV plugged up, the crankcase pressurized by blowback, and oil pushed through a main seal. You should be able to see some oil drips from the point of exit.
     
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  12. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Could engine oil be getting pushed into the transaxle, if it turns out to be clogged PCV? Just a thought, not really sure how they connect. (n)
     
  13. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    4 quarts leaking out past seals in 2-3 miles of driving?
     
  14. scona

    scona Active Member

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    I had something similar happen. There was no sign of oil under the vehicle when the oil was full and with the engine running at up to say 1500 rpm. If the car was driven a few miles 4 quarts of oil would disappear in short order. It turned out to be a hairline crack in the spin on oil filter that only allowed leakage when the oil pressure was higher. I put it up on jack stands and got someone to sit in it and "drive it" at 30 mph indicated. Scary, but the oil started pumping out in short order. As previously mentioned it could well leak at the filter seal when the pressure is higher, also. Good luck trying to get it sorted out, very strange when this sort of stuff happens.
     
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  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    If you do something like the described, definitely put some timber blocking or heavy tree trunk section under the car, something thicker than you. (y)
     
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  16. danlatu

    danlatu Senior Member

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    Your engine sounds like it is done. If you ran the car low on oil you may have done irreversible damage. A clogged pcv and upper crankcase vent would cause a huge main seal leak, a timing chain seal leak or even a dip stick popping out. When you said oil was everywhere?? Pics would be great. If you have any slow leaks from rubber parts and want to buy some time this stuff works great. Just read the reviews. Saved me from pulling a motor from a slow main seal leak on my truck.
    Screen Shot 2017-05-29 at 2.30.34 AM.png
     
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  17. PriPri20xx

    PriPri20xx Junior Member

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    Here are some preliminary pics.. in the process of cleaning it up and hopefully identify where this leak is coming from ..tight fit here not the greatest pics IMG_20170529_113231.jpg IMG_20170529_113151.jpg IMG_20170529_113133.jpg

    Nexus 6P ?
     
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  18. PriPri20xx

    PriPri20xx Junior Member

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    I have seen one in my slightly younger years racing Camaro with 300 shot of nitrous. I can assure no NOS on my Prius

    Nexus 6P ?
     
  19. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Your first pic is very telling I think: looking up at exhaust manifold , EGR cooler and back face of engine. Oil seems to be coming from high up, judging from the droplets hanging.

    Is oil pressure sensor around there? Or more to passenger side??
     
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  20. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    It definitely looks like it is coming from high up on the block or it is spraying upwards from something?