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What is the solution when you start burning too much oil?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Higgins909, Nov 12, 2023.

  1. Higgins909

    Higgins909 Member

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    Did a 370 mile road trip this weekend. Drank 1.2~ quarts of oil. I did something like this about 1-2 years ago and burned 0 oil from what I could tell. I recently did a BG EPR treatment on my last oil change, about 1000 miles ago. I plan to do it again at my 200k mark which would only be about 2000 miles interval. I have no idea if it did anything.

    I've done the PCV before but should definitely take the throttle body off and look in the bottom of intake manifold for pooled oil.

    I'm guessing it's burning this much oil through the rings. Is a 40k JDM engine the way to go? I don't know how legit they are. I'd love to do it myself but don't think it will happen. That way I get new cylinders, pistons, rings, head gasket, timing gasket. I think you had to take the timing cover off to do the head gasket and that was a $2,000 job just for that. From what I hear.

    Thoughts?
    Higgins909
     
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  2. nicoj36

    nicoj36 Active Member

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    Gotta clean egr, intake manifold. Also if you're doing BG epr, gotta add BG moa too.
     
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    It's a 13 year old car, of a type that usually lasts about 15 years.

    If it were mine, I'd just find some cheap oil to run through it until I replaced the car.
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    The crappy oil control rings are your enemy here The compression rings are not made to hold back oil scrape it back and pull it through the channels provided. That's done by the oil control ring If you ever get to see one of these and you know what real oil control rings look like your crap yourself It's quite hysterical actually but from this generation of this vehicle I could only expect such this is why I'm asking about the new two liter but apparently that's a detuned Camry thing it looks like and they've had lots of problems.
     
  5. Doug McC

    Doug McC Active Member

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    It isn’t what you want to hear, but it’s the truth: too late to stop it, the best you could hope for is to mask it and dump it, or replace the engine. For a knowledgeable explanation of the cause, check out The Car Care Nut. He has a couple of videos on YouTube that address this problem.
     
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I mean reality of the situation who cares unless you're leaving a trail of blue smoke behind you driving which I kind of doubt drive the PP out of it. You're not going to pull it down and put new rings on those old pistons of inferior design blah blah blah right? So you just drive the h a l e out of it and put in that cheap oil you know the kind you get it to stop and go for $0.99 a quart 30 weight like what's in the lawn mower no reason to be spending now. you might make close to another hundred k as long as you're not smoking and looking like Fred Sanford running down the road all puns intended. Then you should be good to go shouldn't even matter cost you a couple hundred bucks in oil oh well.
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Drop in a new short block, around $2k USD for the part?
     
  8. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Hybrid pit sells "new" engine for around $2100.....
    Depending on how much you drive. Keep it under 65mph and drive easy and it
    won't consume as much.
    If you plan on keeping it that is. Or if you have the money, a short block, if you can do the work.
     
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  9. johnHRP

    johnHRP Active Member

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    There is no point getting other engine if they also have similar design flaw. Get 2015 engine, you have better luck with them. Otherwise, some product from BG44k may help reducing oil consumption. If I were you, I check the rest of the car first if everything is great and decide to keep it driving or get 2015 engine. If the oil consumption is left so long, the catalytic converter may need replacement soon too.
     
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  10. 80eagles

    80eagles New Member

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    I am a long time lurker that finally joined the forum. I have had 3 Priuses with the one that I have now which is 2012 Wagon V. 153K Oil burning we all know what that is with the Gen 3 engine. On the V that I have it burned oil, but what I did is put 1/2 a bottle of high mileage seafoam in the crankcase and my oil burning has stopped. I would imagine my oil rings and passages were gunked up. Give it a try and it may give you a solution. I have been driving back and forth from West to East coast of Florida several times every month for the last 6 months and have not had to put any oil in. Hope my example helps!!
     
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  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah I hope.
     
  12. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Yeah I hope.
     
  13. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    How much oil does it burn? How many miles for you oil change interval?
    How fast do you drive?
    70 & 72 can be "quick" roads to drive on. (y)

     
  14. johnHRP

    johnHRP Active Member

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    If you caught it on time, some engine flush product can reduce the burning rate. Changing the oil every 5k miles/6 months is the best prevention. Some 2010-2014 owners burn no oil on their priuses because of good oil change habit.

    The burning rate is proportional to engine rpm. Cruising at 75 mph easily double the oil consumption of 55 mph.
     
  15. 80eagles

    80eagles New Member

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    Well how did it burn about a quart every 2500 miles now no oil consumption, oil change every 5K as we know why you should not do it at 10k like toyota wants us to do it. On the highways 70-75 mph, local driving 40-50 mpg
     
  16. 80eagles

    80eagles New Member

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    The high mileage seafoam is left in the crankcase with the oil, I change it every 5k with oil change. The only time its flushed when I am doing an oil change and then pour 1/2 bottle with new oil. Yes prior to me having the V it was burning oil at 1 qt every 2500 miles and thats when I started using the seafoam. Right the 2014 Prius I had did not burn any oil because the person before must have done 5k oil change and the person that had the 2011 Pri did not because it burn oil like a mother. I have had 3 Priuses
     
  17. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Until our head gasket in the 13 persona really let go up to $200,000 and some change were absolute trouble-free miles for the previous owner the original owner and myself $237,000 mi I believe the rattle started in the head gasket was apparent The head gasket was replaced by somebody I know but they didn't realize there was lower end damage starting after I was shown pictures of my bottom end before the head and timing mess was put back on I could see in the pictures this was problematic I didn't even want to pay to have the work done I was trying to stop the people and they had already put the head back on bad situation that just was made worse and this was my first run-in with the two ZZ Atkinson cycle engine Very similar to the Camry A engine that is of the same design open deck all of it A engines are sailed all over the world You can see beautiful cameras and perfect shape their engines are blowed up just like the Prius almost exactly like.
     
  18. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    1qt at 2500 miles is not bad.
    how did it burn about a quart every 2500 miles now no oil consumption
    "HOW" ? Maybe mistyped? :)

    This will oil like it burns the gas at this speed.
    On the highways 70-75 mph

    Slow to 65mph and you'll greatly reduse the oil burning.
     
  19. Priipriii

    Priipriii Member

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    Thicker oil
     
  20. 80eagles

    80eagles New Member

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    That is the question for sure, but thats what is happening now. I guess in my engine the piston rings or valve stem seals were gunked up and the oil passages must have been gunked up too thats the only logical thing I can think of.