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Nasty Oil & Nasty Noise...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by lopro, Apr 30, 2022.

  1. lopro

    lopro New Member

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    Hello,

    Prius had been showing a red exclamation point for the past several days with increasing frequency. Then a noise began and got progressively worse within ~5 miles. I changed the oil/filter and the oil was black, looked nasty. Started car and the noise was just as it had been prior to the oil change for a moment (0.5s) before the tone of it deepened, was a less harsh noise but still present. Definitely coming from the engine, seems louder on the right side.


    What does this sound like is wrong with the engine and what do you advise? thank you
     
  2. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Maybe you should get the codes read on the car? That will tell you why the triangle is on

    When you say right side, is that the passenger side?
     
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  3. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    How old was the oil when you changed it and with how many miles?
    How much oil came out when you drained it?
     
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  4. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Did the red exclamation mark go away after you changed the oil? If so, low oil pressure is what turned it on.

    If so, and 3-4 quarts of old oil didn't come out, the I'd say you haven't been checking your oil and now need a new engine or new car.

    Tell us what the code reader says and how much oil came out and we can probably tell if the noise is what it appears to be -- destroyed bearings.
     
  5. lopro

    lopro New Member

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    Very little oil came out. I also did oil on a motorcycle after the Prius, a bike that holds ~2l of oil and I'd say around 1l of oil is what was in the prius. There haven't been any oil leaks that I can see signs of from the Prius(It's parked in my driveway). Last oil change was in Nov '21, the dealership a family member took the car to at 140k miles serviced the car and claims to have changed oil. I am wondering if maybe the oil wasn't changed. Current mileage is 145k.
     
  6. lopro

    lopro New Member

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    There do not seem to be any codes present... The red triangle would only pop up intermittently and never stayed on for more than a second.

    Sound of engine
    I am going to try to bypass the url filtering, hopefully moderators see no malicious intent here.

    youtube c'mon +slash+ shorts +slash + VWwRsWaXocE
     
  7. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    The red triangle that comes on for a second, is the second that the car has no oil pressure. So you should start paying attention to the oil burning, it will get worse
     
  8. JahT

    JahT Member

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    Here is the video to hear the sound, just creating as link to make it easier:

     
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  9. 2010moneypit?

    2010moneypit? Active Member

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    Does not sound good. Hard to diagnose over the internet but with what you said about low oil. You may need to do an engine.
     
  10. lopro

    lopro New Member

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    Thank you, much appreciated.
     
  11. lopro

    lopro New Member

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    Does burning oil produce a smell? Or any sort of exhaust smoke? I did not see this and I am attentive to the cars I drive, are there other signs that a car is burning oil?
     
  12. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    While the catalytic emissions control system is still functional, no, there won't be much to see or smell. Eventually the extra pollutant load of an oil-burning engine will overwhelm or clog the catalyst and then you're dragging a smoke show.

    The normal way to detect oil loss is by periodic dipstick checks. Nothing else satisfies.

    Noticing (and appropriately reacting to) a low oil pressure alarm is a last-chance emergency situation. If you hear/see it and shut down within seconds you are probably okay. If not, well... you can wind up posting sound clips and shopping for engines.
     
  13. Another

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    If it was done at a Toyota dealer and no prior problems with the car, it is quite possible the problem started there with an incompetent technician. I’d contact the dealer with the facts you have and see what they come back with.

    I once had a problem with a BMW dealer who screwed up an oil change. When I contacted the dealer a few weeks later they said, “no we didn’t do anything wrong and besides that guy doesn’t work here anymore.” It was especially curious because I never even mentioned the guy’s name.

    Toyota may be more helpful. If the dealer does not help, go up the food chain to Toyota Customer Care corporate division and open a ticket via their 800 number. Toyota does not ignore such problems if real. Make sure you lay put the facts clearly and are not belligerent.
     
  14. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Clue #1 that the engine was not getting lubricated.

    Leaks are rare in modern cars. Oil burning is very common.

    Whoever changed it should have first checked the level and advised whoever took it in that it was low. (And I'm sure it was low.)

    As @JC91006 pointed out, that intermittent triangle is the car saying, "I have no oil pressure and so my bearings are wearing out."

    You probably wouldn't see the tiny bit of smoke that escapes the emissions system. But a 30- second visit to your dipstick would tell you the story.

    And that's almost the final piece of evidence that engines will eat themselves if they don't have enough oil. The next stage is a broken connection rod and one or more holes in the engine block.

    Sorry, but that engine is scrap metal now. :(