Just did tune up and now I have white smoke? Please Help

i know it's contraintuitive, but dielectric grease actually improves conduction where tight metal to metal connections exist. Not sure why, it could be due increased pressure or isolation from oxygen/moisture at the connection.
but, I only use it where intermittent problems exist (works great) and not routinely put it on all connections. it the OP put too much of it everywhere it could be simply too much.

 

I don't know of a Hybrid Mechanic. However, you have done all you can at this point with your car. I don't think you did anything wrong. If it is a head gasket, changing the plugs and tuning it up will make all other areas of the car run better, while putting pressure on an already worn out head gasket, thus the sudden white smoke. This use to happen to me with my 72 Datsun 510. The L-18 engine had the most sensitive head out there. Torque it wrong and it warped way to easy. I would take your car to a dealer to verify that it is indeed a head gasket issue and then look at your options financially to see what is best for you. Some here in Priuschat have advised getting a used motor. I think that is best. Labor will cost the same.

 

I'm not sure, but my parochial school back-ground seems to remind me that I think that means we've selected a new Pope.

 

Bring your car to Avi's shop. You can find him at hybridfix.com. He's a member on this forum and maybe you can call him to see his take on this. He's seen a lot of hybrids.

 

Maybe your car is not broken

 

I may be WAAAY off base here but wasn't there a problem and service bulletin on the 2010/2011 exhaust manifolds rattling cracking and causing cold starting issues?
is the white smoke condensation?
cold air being sucked into a hot exhaust system could cause it.

 

I suspect the EGR system. Go over it again and check everything.

 

Inspect water pump?

 

Absolutely! All the blown head gaskets I've seen are from warped heads from a cooling failure from a leak or a water pump not pumping.

Maybe put in a new timing chain while it's apart? Inspect camshaft & bearings? Or a new head if it's warped.

 

The same thing happened to me. Identical symptoms. Blown head gasket, sorry to say.

 

this is low miles for HG. people reported it here closer to 200,000 miles. anything special about this car? could you figure out what the previous owner did to this car?

edit: googling for HG prevention gave me some ideas: Preventing Head Gasket Failure

what if cooled EGR flow is poor increasing cylinder temps and detonation? lately, as my car is inching toward 90,000 miles i can hear some subtle rattling somewhere in the engine bay, sometimes coinciding with acceleration. i cleaned intake and EGR pipe but didn't do the EGR valve or cooler yet.

according to this: Blown Head Gaskets and How to Avoid Them
air pockets can produce local overheating. i bled air in coolant in my prius once and it was not exactly easy.

 

Here's a wild idea - what if the EGR cooler itself is cracked and leaking? Possibly leaking coolant into the intake? That would show up in a pressure test and might lead the mechanic to believe it's the head.

 

Replace the piston rings?

 

Good it's back -- sorry to hear ... my fear was correct.