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Oil consumption, P1121 at 97K, what else do I need to service

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by ScoobyRacer, Sep 18, 2015.

  1. ScoobyRacer

    ScoobyRacer New Member

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    Been searching and lurking for a while, and I wanted to put everything I am considering in 1 thread for some advice.

    Wife's Prius is at 97K and change, on a recent 1600 mile trip I noticed excessive oil consumption. It was about 1/2-3/4 a quart low before the trip so I topped it all the way up to F before we left. I noticed 4-500 miles in (checking every fill-up) we were consuming a significant amount of oil so topped up again and checked every fill-up. Ended up going through a bit over 2 qt over the 1600 miles including topping up when we got back home. The driving was very high speed, 85-88MPH and we had bikes on the back so there was a pretty good load from wind resistance. Still this consumption struck me as excessive, so I am thinking I may need to check / replace the PCV. Any other reasons for high consumption? It doesn't consume nearly as much with mixed around town driving (but that is also my wife driving). Oil is full synthetic Motul Eco-Nergy 5w30, OEM filters. Used Oil analysis recently came back looking fine, no wear metals.

    The P1121 is the coolant valve, and seems pretty common. I am also reading the inverter coolant pump goes about now so that is on my list. It just started last night and has cleared for the time being.

    Trans oil was changed at 60k, figured that would be worth changing again.

    Water Pump has never been changed. No signs of leaking. Is this worth changing?

    Accessory v-belt - just changed this before the trip, it was very cracked and in poor shape.

    Spark Plugs - never changed, planning on changing.

    Valve lash adjustment - not much info about this, and one of the few things I don't have tools/experience to do. Has anyone done this? Valve train is not noisy at all.

    Air/Cabin air filter - will change.

    Anything I am missing? Worth it to tear into the battery fan filter? With the number of issues I am seeing with the G2 with hybrid pack issues and engine trouble I am seriously considering selling, but it has been a fantastic car up to this point.
     
  2. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    Oil consumption increases with engine rpm. I would guess that the 1.5L engine is running at 3500 rpm or higher when you're driving at 85 to 88 mph (assuming a level, dry surface with minimal cross or headwinds).

    But a quart every 800 miles is excessive for a Prius even at 88 mph, which indicates something's not right. None of what you listed
    except the spark plugs and engine air filter would have any effect on the OC.
     
  3. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    change the PVC valve ..theres youtube videos on how to change it and where it is..as they get older they all burn oil..mine goes through a qt every 2000 miles
     
  4. valde3

    valde3 Senior Member

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    I don’t think the trans fluid needs changing if its only 40t miles old.
    Bough coolants could be changed. Engine coolant can easily be changed while replacing coolant control valve. System is super hard to bled…
    No need to change mechanical pump that’s not leaking.
    Check that you didn’t put belt on too tight. It happens very easy. If belt is too tight it will wear the water pump fast.
    Valves should not need adjustment. Adjustment is only made if they are noisy. Adjustment is complicated proses.
    You should clean the battery fan if you don’t know how dirty it is.
     
  5. ScoobyRacer

    ScoobyRacer New Member

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    Sounds good. I tried to match the tension from the old belt onto the new belt, so hopefully that is fine. I'll look at the battery fan.

    I have read that some people recommend leaving the coolant past 100k if it still looks good because of the bleeding issues. Condition is bright pink with no contaminates. I am 50/50 on pinching off the lines and leaving it vs changing it.
     
  6. ScoobyRacer

    ScoobyRacer New Member

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    I am hoping this is my issue. I may try to inspect the intake to the manifold for oil to confirm, but it seems most are recommending replacing the PCV every 60k.
     
  7. ScoobyRacer

    ScoobyRacer New Member

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    Doing a compression test crossed my mind, I haven't searched yet on how you do that with a push-button start, but otherwise I have the tools (though the car doesn't seem down on power at all).

    [edit] Ok, looks like you have to have a scan tool that can 'request cranking'. Anyone know of a not super expensive scan tool that works with an '09 prius to run diagnostic tests? I have a BT scanner but nothing to access test programs on it.
     
    #7 ScoobyRacer, Sep 18, 2015
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2015
  8. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    You should also do a leak down test. It's the opposite of the compression test.
     
  9. ScoobyRacer

    ScoobyRacer New Member

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    I'll give that a shot, sounds like an easier way to go about it.
     
  10. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    That is a bad idea. After such a long service life, the coolant should be replaced. The idea is to replace it before it starts looking nasty.
    Get Mini VCI.
     
  11. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    Too early for the spark plugs, manual says replace at 120k.
     
  12. Beachbummm

    Beachbummm Senior Member

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    if you think about it these motors should not be burning oil until about 250,000 miles because they don't run all the time like a normal car..lets say you have 100,000 miles on your prius and its burning a qt between changes the motor might have 65,000 miles (just a guess as to the %) so the motor is worn out sooner then a regular car..but the prius will hit 250,000 miles where the same motor in another model will not...its a trade off I guess..
     
  13. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    My 2004 has 205K miles on the odometer and the oil consumption rate is ~ 1 quart per 2,000 miles. It has been consuming oil at a noticeable rate since ~80K miles. Clearly at higher engine speeds the oil consumption rate will increase.

    I disagree with the concept that just because the Prius engine does not run all of the time, that therefore fewer effective miles are logged. The miles traveled on electric power are not free. The gasoline engine has to produce the power which brings the car to a higher elevation so that as the car moves down to a lower elevation, regenerative power is available. Alternatively, the gasoline engine has to produce the power which recharges the traction battery, to the extent that regen braking is insufficient.

    Compared to a "normal" car, the Prius engine size is small for the size of the vehicle. The Prius engine displacement is 1.5L (1.8L for 3G) compared to other cars which might have a 2L to 3L engine installed. Hence the Prius engine is working harder when it is on.
     
  14. jadziasman

    jadziasman Prius owner emeritus

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    The Prius engine is also subject to greater wear than an engine in a conventional gasoline or diesel powered vehicle in that the more miles it accumulates, the more start-stop cycles it amasses. Prius taxis used in large cities typically have the most start-stop cycles - lots of starts and stops in heavy city traffic. Start-stop cycles primarily cause surface to surface wear: crankshaft and connecting rod bearings, piston ring peripheral surfaces, etc. And once wear occurs, oil consumption should be an inevitable consequence.
     
  15. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    Startup wear occurs because there is no oil left on the components, and it takes a few seconds for the oil pump to get the oil through the engine. Taxis will only have one of these cold starts each day.

    They do run less than a standard car, but not that much less. Even in city driving - when you are moving the engine is running (excluding the plug ins). The standard cars around you are running at the stoplights but at a low rpm. When the Prii is running its average rpm is higher.
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    You can be moving and the engine is not running, quite a bit actually.
     
  17. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    Depends on the model. If you are going to keep up with traffic in any Gen 2 the engine will be running. Plug-in Gen 3, sure (as I said in my prior reply).
     
  18. benkhanobi

    benkhanobi Member

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    I used to drive the GM diesel cars back in the 80s- a common complaint was hard stating caused by low compression on an engine with over 80,000 miles or so. GM sold a special additive that you added to each cylinder, by removing a glow plug. The additive helped removed the carbon that built up on the piston rings, which caused them to stick in the groove, which lowered compression and caused more blow by, which caused even more carbon build up. I used the additive at least once on every car I owned. The engine would blow white smoke out the tailpipe as the carbon burned out of the cylinder. Not having seen a Prius engine tear down on an oil burning engine, I can't comment of the possibility of normal ring wear vs, stuck piston rings from carbon build ups. My 07 Prius had a little over 90,000 miles on it when I traded it and the oil at 5000 miles still looked clean and was down no more than 1/2 quart. On the last year of service I had at Toyota in 2013, they used a different bulk oil on the oil change (spec'd for the Gen 3 model ?)- I asked why it was different that the previously recommended oil weight and was assured that it was fine for the older Prius- but I had my doubts
     
    #18 benkhanobi, Sep 2, 2017
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2017