NEW!!! Service Bulletin for Engine Knocking at Startup T-SB 0012-10

Warranty is usually 60k, The manifold fix was the original suggested fix for this issue however it was quickly abandoned after discovering it did not fix the issue in most cases. I have the same year with the same misfiring/error code. I noticed my engine temperature light come on and knew I was in trouble. I popped the hood to find my coolant level very low. Taking it apart found a blown/leaking head gasket... repairing it now.

If you don't have low ICE coolant you may be able to try the cheaper fixes: spark plugs, coils, fuel system cleaner, MAF cleaner but if none of that works or your coolant is low you are most likely looking at a more expensive solution (head gasket etc).

 

The tsb would never fix the problem, the problem is that the prius has blow-by. Blow-by is the results of loose rings or worn rings. On the compression stroke the fuel/unburned fuel goes around the rings and into the crankcase. The blow-by gases push oil, oil mist, water condensation, fuel from the crankcase into the pcv->pcv hose->intake plenum->combustion chamber. The oil/water/fuel is an incompressible solid that creates knock. The knock will cause a head gasket to fail. Ever do your own oil change @ 10k oci and smell fuel? Blow-by. Ever wonder why the oil comes out faster than it goes in? The oil is contaminated from fuel, water condensation, carbon (burned oil) and waters it down. In a diesel the soot from blow-by thickens the oil and causes the motor to run hot.

The fix is simple, install an oil catch can. They are not new and I have put a thread here on prius chat. The oil catch can prevents all the nasty stuff from getting into the intake plenum and combustion chamber.

Oil catch can Eliminate the knock.

This sticky needs to be removed as people are still coming here for a fix when the fix is not doing anything. It is misdirection that is upsetting the good citizens of priuschat.

 

Watch this entire video, it will help explain why newer cars are burning oil. Not just toyota, subaru, audi, bmw etc. Burning oil creates higher levels nitrogen oxides (NOX) and that is bad for the environment. I hope this does not turn into another dieselgate?

 

i understand his 'increasing consumption' proposition, but my engine doesn't consume any noticeable oil, at 53,000 miles. doesn't that disprove his theory about loose tolerances causing new engines to burn some oil? he says 'one liter/10,000 km' is okay.

 

Let me know when you hit 75k miles or so. Thats when our 2010 started to knock/ burn oil. We are making payments on it and I was pissed. "It's a toyota" I told myself. My 2005 did not burn oil until I hit 180K. I ripped apart the intake manifold on the 2010 and found oil in the throttle body. When oil is in the throttle body it will make its way into the combustion chamber. FUEL AND AIR ARE THE ONLY PARTS ALLOWED IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER! 14 parts air and 1 part fuel is how combustion on an NA engine works. Also known as stoichiometric. 14 parts air, 1 part fuel, 1 part oil, 1 part water makes engine not happy. Any other foriegn material in the combustion chamber will increase compression and make the car knock and run like crap. If you have ever done a compression test on an engine, you know that throwing motor oil down the spark plug hole will increase compression. The prius has a low compression motor and runs on 87 octane.

I have been working on cars for 20+ years and know exactly how an engine works. The oil catch can is a way of preventing 90% of the oil, water, fuel from the crankcase to enter your combustion chamber. All cars have blow-by. Google.... blow-by. If cars did not have blow-by there would be no need to vent the crankcase. My honda ridgeline with 158k has tight engine tolerances and burns no oil. The 2010 prius starts burning oil around 7k into the 10k oci. The prius with 110k on it, catches 2-3 tablespoons of oil in it every 10k oci. The rest of the oil passing the rings is burned in the combustion chamber and goes out the tail pipe and through the egr. That is why all the egr coolers and egr valves are clogging up at 120k+. All of the egr cleaning threads are here on the forums. The gen3 prius has looser tolerance's and will start to burn oil before the gen2 with similar mileage. That is why people here that owned a gen2 are pissed when their gen3 started doing this. The gen2 is not perfect because it will also have this cold start knock when it gets older. Ever wonder how the gen3 1.8l gets better mpg than the gen2 1.5l? That is why there are all these threads regarding oil consumption. Take this video with a grain of salt. It just points out why newer cars are burning oil. Some more than others. It was the cafe standards and Obama administration putting pressure on car manufacturers to be more green. As far as Toyota is concerned, they did a great job with numbers on paper and cars are running past the warranty to cover their nice person. What do they care if the car breaks past warranty. All they have to do is make a product better than the competition to stay in business. It is just business.

I am here to inform priuschat members that there is a way to prevent knock and that the tsb 0012-10 does nothing and suggest you use a catch can. Google toyota burning oil and you will see it is happening on the corolla, tacoma, tundra etc. All newer models built in the last 5+ years with under 100k. Consumer reports and dozens of other articles are out there talking about how a lot of newer cars are burning oil.

 

I also noticed you have a plug in, Your rings may last you a little longer depending on your commute. Notice the prius on fire in my avatar, I am here to help put the fire out. Help priuschat members solve problems.

 

i agree that increasing oil consumption, for those that are experiencing it, is a big problem. but i don't agree with his theory that all modern engines burn oil from the get go, compared to engines 10 or 15 years ago. if they do, the amount is almost unmeasurable.

 

Is it possible to stop oil consumption if it's already started, by using a oil catch can?

 

Ours hasn't burned a drop, from the get go, AFAIK. I find it a little strange, and am kind of waiting for the shoe to drop.

 

Sometimes a restriction,even a small one in the PCV system cause the crankcase vapors (aka blow-by) to build pressure then drag a lot of oil with it into the intake.
Make sure the system is breathing correctly.

Can I ask what brand and type of oil you have been using and what viscosity?

 

No, oil will burn in the cylinder when the rings wear. The catch can helps 80~90% oil being pooled in the intake plenum and burning in the cylinder. The oil catch can works, there are other priuschat members here who have used them and have posted on how well it works.

0w20, I notice that around 7k it starts to burn at a more rapid rate. I check the oil weekly.


The manual stats that cars will consume oil and other member's here have complained about oil consumption, This thread is not about oil consumption, it is about the blow-by and oil being thrown into the intake/combustion chamber causing more compression and engine knocking. Take a high compression engine or turbo charged car and put 87 octane one it. Car will knock and run like crap until you change the fuel or put octane booster in.

 

You didn't state the brand of oil. Some brands have a lower flash point, lose viscosity and burn easily. Try a well known brand if you haven't

 

LOL that's a Japanese SUPER GT race car "Prius"

 

mostly mobil 1, but now I am on 5k oci for added insurance with tire rotation.

 

For betterment of the group, here is a recent TSB on EGR and P0401

I just spend my whole morning cleaning EGR Cooler assy.

I have been trying to figure out why my new (used/recently purchased. it is still new to me.) Prius was making noise on cold start with check engine light on (p0301)

I wanted to take it step by step so I replaced IM about a month ago (yeah. f*** me), the problem was fixed only for about a month.

And I, today morning, just did cleaning EGR solenoid, pipes, and cooler (which was completely clogged. no s***)

Thought T-SB-0010-12 was a confirmed fix, but Toyota OBSOLETED the TSB completely. No superseding TSB or what-so-ever.

Which means their lead was wrong.. I guess.

This NEW TSB I am posting up invloves with completely EGR System replacement AND ECU replacement AND Update for ECU.

I should've known better. But since my Prius Gen3 is completely out of warranty and even for emission warranty..

I decided to take a chance to clean EGR system and scrape all carbons as much as I can manually.

Let see what happens... I am pretty sure check engine light will return in like a year so..

But if I get a new EGR Cooler (COD), it is like $350.. the part alone.. phew.

 

Sorry pal, per the TSB you posted they replace the EGR valve, various EGR gaskets, flash the ECU and slap a fancy "Authorized Modifications Label" under your hood. There's no mention of replacing the EGR cooler or EGR pipe. But kudos, you did the best thing which was to clean all the carbon junk out of your EGR system!

 

I am reading it again, yes you are right. No EGR Cooler but cooler gasket. lol

It was a long day today.

 

Could this issue cause the engine to ping while driving when transferring from EV to the gasoline engine?

 

Did you ever figure out why it was shaking when going from EV to Gas engine?

 

needs a complete tune up.