New Head Gasket!

Thanks for the very nice writeup!

Fortunetely I don't have this issue (yet), but I wonder: would this be a permanent solution for oil burning? If so does it mean an older Prius with a new hybrid battery and a new head gasket will last at least another 10 years?

 

Great piece of work, would you ever do it again?

 

I put my motor back together today. A few more hours and the car will be ready to start up. I just replaced my head gasket to. Ryan was helpful in Sharing pictures of how he lined up the timing chain. I must say intake camshaft was a bit of a trick to know which line matched up with the orange links it's also important to note that every time I tried to put on the the rear shoot the timing chain would always jump one link unless I held the chain against the crankshaft sprocket.

 

Do you know the timing cover sequence and torque specs? The valve cover torque and sequence (if it applies) also by any chance?

 

Sequences the same as it is for any card start from the middle and work your way out. Off the top of my head to turquoise 35 foot pounds then I have to turn in a quarter turn. In other words you always do the same sequence starting from the middle and after talking them all 2 35 go back and add a half a turn to all of them then go back again and add another quarter of a turn to all. you can pretty much feel the both stretch and you can tell that you're reaching the end of the stretch point

 

Very nice. I personally wouldn’t have done it with the engine in the car. Just due to the issues with making sure the timing marks stay lined up. But it’s good to know it can be done.

I’m “negotiating” the purchase of a 13 Prius v that has a small “invisible” coolant leak.

 

Is it easier to replace the engine than do the gasket?

 

In my opinion there are risks involved trying to get and keep the timing marks aligned while working across the fender. But as this thread shows, it can be done.

I’ve had the engine out of mine 4 times. The last time I did it, I started removal at 10am, tear down at 1115. Reassembly at 230pm, installation at 4, and it was running at 525.

It’s not what I would call hard, but labor intensive. I also realize the fact mine has been out multiple times means all the nuts and bolts are going to come right out, versus one that has never been apart.

 

I'm out of my depth, but I believe oil consumption could also be due to piston rings failing, stuck, whatever. A compression test and leak-dwon test can help determine what the problem area is.

 

You could always put the chain on one tooth off, so when it jumps, it jumps to the correct position. I forget which car it was a friend of
mine did that. After it jumped twice, he said, Okay, and put it off one tooth off. When it jumped, it was correct. Something I've kept in
the back of my head should I ever come across that problem.

 

curious, why would you do it so many times?

 

First time was original expired engine. Second time was to check transaxle damper. Third was timing cover leaking. Last time was to fix bad valve on number 1 cylinder.

Trust me, I only WANTED to do it once. LoL. But I refused to give up.

 

I don't see any number in there for machine shop work ... did you have any done (or do you have your own shop), or just put a new gasket on and bolt the head back down?

-Chap

 

On my final reassembly, I “draw filed” the head. That is, lay a long fine pitch file across the width of the head. Drag it from one end to the other of the head. If three or four drags haven’t cleaned up the entire surface, the head is out of the flatness tolerance. Mine was .0005 across the length. And .001 across the width when I put it back together. I think tolerance is .005.

 

What you call "double hex" socket bolts are usually referred to as XZN or triple square socket heads. They are very often used in VW's, Mercedes or other European made cars.

 

.05, millimeters, I think ... just a hair under .002, inches.

Seems like you're still good, anyway.



-Chap

 

This is the Repair Manual language I think:



Googling the term I found this right away:

And in case you're using an Ad Blocker:

 

Both shapes have twelve points, but I wonder about their interchangeability. For the same width across flats, the ideal shapes differ notably, especially in the depth of the splines:

​

Has it been your experience that a triple square tool works with a double hexagon bolt head, or vice versa?

As @Mendel Leisk kindly observes, the Repair Manual for the Prius calls for a “10 mm bi-hexagon wrench,” 09013-7C310, when removing the cylinder head bolts. Toyota’s service tool catalogs list the two types separately, as does the catalog of the Kyoto Tool Co., which identifies the latter as the kind used on German cars.

 

did you have to drop the subframe and lift the car off of it or were you able to pull the engine out the top? Got pictures?