2008 prius owner. Couple questions?

Peace

 

Hi Patrick / Terry,
I was out last week got bit by the evil worm. In regards to that inverter pump that I installed previously. That was the real deal. I compared it side by side. The beauty of this is there is not really much mileage on this pump so Ill keep it for a spare.
I finally got all those pumps installed and the mechanical water pump too. You guys are absolutely right. the engine was almost 8 quarts (2 gallons) and the inverter is close to a gallon. So that's almost 3 gallons total. Its a good thing I did the thermostat on the last part. I took off the thermostat, flush it thoroughly, Fill it up from the thermostat housing mouth (old school). when it was leveled, I put the thermostat back, fill it up from the radiator top, while I had the bleeder valve open. I have a small vacuum/inverter pump that I use on machining, I installed it on the bleeder to help a bit. Its was exactly almost 2 gallons when I topped off the radiator. I fired it up, open all the heater to max, give it a 2000 acceleration for 10 mins. Stop the engine and let it cool down for 35 minutes while I was cleaning up. I saw the reservoir went down very little and so I added a few before the high side and that's it. Been driving since.
Today I got the scanner, tried it while monitoring when driving just stays at 81. No wonder when I was touching the hose I was asking myself if the water is even circulating. This hybrid engine can run a bit cooler than the regular traditional gas engines.
I have a question. On this Autool X50 picture attached. is that like a trip reset? Do I have to set the configuration like the engine size and all that stuff?
Thanks,
Joe

 

Congratulations on your success. You actually used much more coolant than I recall: 6.5 quarts for the engine and 2.5 quarts for the inverter is my experience. Glad you did not run out of coolant.

Regarding the Autool X50, I have it set as follows: Large display is engine temperature. Lower right display is battery voltage. Lower left display is engine RPM. (BTW I'm using this in my Jaguar, not a Prius.)

You don't have to set the configuration for engine size. The point of doing that is to get the fuel usage indicator to read within a useful range.

 

I use to hear a dragging / winding noise whenever I park the car. Now its just whispering.
Okay..
Can you leave the Autool X50 plugged in overnight?
Just waiting for the dog bone motor mount, install it then Ill change the oil and filter and hopefully its good to go. You just use a normal oil on this hopefully nothing special and expensive. Lol....
Heck I only use 10/40 regular quaker state and a box of Purolator which I bought when it was on sale for my 86 Toyota pickup and I have almost 325k on it.. Lol.....

 

The Autool X50 will automatically shut off when it detects the 12V bus voltage has dropped down, which occurs when the car is IG-OFF.

 

repeat
Hey Terry,
What's up buddy? Haven't talk to you for a while. How's everything going with you and the car? I got all the pumps done on my car last week. The only thing I haven't done is changing the dog bone mount underneath and change the oil both tranny and engine. After the prius I gotta start working on the Austin Healey for the car show is coming up on April. By he way show you this picture. This friend of mine John finally got one of my cars he brought it home all the way to Scotland.

Hope things are well with you. Hit me up!
Classic Car Guy

 

Been busy upgrading the solar array and solar/battery management on my Hino motorhome so we can run the air con 24/7 for the trip to Western Australia and back. With temps up in the 50*C mark on the run between Port Augusta and Norseman (1700km each way) I doubt I'd survive it without the air con running. The Temp in Port Augusta hit 49.9*C a few days back, there are no towns big enough to have an official weather station between there and Norseman in WA , most of the places marked on the map are just a fuel station that is also the local shop, restaurant, motel, caravan park, licenced bottle shop and bar. Sounds big but they aren't, many don't even have a concrete driveway.
Managed to put the angle grinder through the end of my index finger last night so that is slowing things down a bit. The new runners for the slide out lithium battery tray made it a bit wider than the hold in the body work and instead of leaving it till this morning, tried to cut the offending bit away late yesterday, not a good result. Through the centre of the nail dividing the top of the finger into two parts. Hopefully I didn't reach the bone, the pain isn't quite as bad today so I think I might have been a bit lucky.

T1 Terry

 

Sounds like a very nice trip plans and doing a nice project but Oh man.. Ouch. We all have deeds to do but try to relax a bit. When it comes to that its a different story. If I was just there Id give you a hand in any way I can help. Were gonna be needing that index finger in A1 condition soon enough for that trip! A rejoice and more to come.
Same here. I have to figure out how I can rush the cars now for the time can be pressed. In no time it will be summer. in-laws are coming. I'll try not to see myself just turning screws after work. There are properties I need to take care of that's why I bought the prius for I'm gonna be driving back and forth like a taxi.

 

Hi Terry,
Today I was leaving a little late to work and all of a sudden the red triangle showed up. Lol. told myself "not right now." So I turned off the power, pulled out the Autool X50 and I plugged in the OBD II scanner and I got this. U0293. No thing in my book chart book.
I turned off the car. pulled it out. start it and the triangle was gone.
I test it again and reset the code. Gave it a spin , came back check it again. no code error.

2 days ago the maintenance light went on and I just reset it. I don't know if it has something to do with it. Anyways Im on the jobsite now and no problem here. It runs like just the way it was. Is this a normal random phenomena or is this a sign that I should get a corolla?
Lol..
Thanks Bro.
Joe

 

DTC U0293 means that the engine ECU lost communications with the hybrid vehicle ECU. It is possible that the Autool X50 is causing that fault.

The MAINT REQD light coming on is unrelated to that. The light is on a 5,000 mile odometer timer to remind you to change engine oil/oil filter.

 

Hi Patrick,
Sounds great. Car is running fine and thank you!
Changing the topic a bit, since when I change all those pumps, I actually serviced the throttle body for it was just right there in front of me. I notice when I use to drive it like on 45 mph, I use to feel a very slight surging, Now I don't feel that anymore. and when I get off the car, there use to be a dragging pump noise, now I can only hear a whisper. The gasoline on this car is really good. I use to pump $34.00 every 4 days on my Toyota pickup. with the prius its $18.00 every 11 days...... Luv it.

 

Hi Patrick its Joe,
Today I changed the tranny fluid Toyota ws done! .. and the engine oil and filter, I just put quaker state 5w-30 full synthetic and toyota fiter. So do I just set the reminder 5000 on the engine oil and 5000 on the filter just to make it easy?
Thanks,
Joe

 

The reminder is at 5K mile intervals. I change the full synthetic oil at -7500 mile intervals. It’s up to you to decide what your oil change interval will be.

 

I bought 12 sets of oil filter. This should last me for a long time. Like what I mentioned to you before I'm not too familiar with these new cars. Every car after 1997 is new to me.
When I change oil in my other cars 3,000 miles. I just turn the filter down and reuse it again. at the 2nd time I change both. I use just the old 10w-40. even I get over 300k miles doing this, I don't advise anyone to do the same.
Being said the prius is a new ball game to me with a different oil that I'm use to. Back to the prius again Ill just change the whole thing 5k. Until I get the feel for the car. But so far so good with the gas mileage!
Thanks Patrick!

 

Whats Up Terry Baby? Been a long time man!

 

It was the trip from hell, both temperature and problems while there and mechanical issues on the way home. The system we went to sort out became such a nightmare we decided to pull the whole lot out and give them their money back.
The Hino developed a mechanical problem with the injector pump resulting in a max of 90km/h on a down hill run and 45km/h on even the slightest up hill run. 2,500km at that speed with the day time temps hovering around the 50*C mark so the road temp was even higher, the engine couldn't cool enough so the temp gradually climbed through the day. One of the worst parts were crossing towards the Nullarbor Road House. The gauge was off scale and the over heat light on but we weren't game to stop because there is just nothing for hundreds of kms in either direction. People die from heat stroke when stranded so we didn't want to take the chance. There was a bar at the Nullarbor road house so we decided to have a few cool drinks while the Hino cooled down. By the door was a thermometer that read 48*C and written under it "but it's cool inside" :lol: It was after 5pm and still 48*C, no idea how hot it had been while we were driving there.

T1 Terry

 

Hi Terry,
Sorry for the late response. That was definitely a red flag and you wont even see it coming till you're there. Bummer. In the other hand, glad that you made it "at least in" one piece. I hope you're back in the mainland and relaxing. because there only one way to cut that thirst"
open sesame.. woooshousck!

Miss you man!
If you cant be good be bad!
Classic Car Guy

 

Hi Patrick and T1Terry. How are you guys doing? Its been a while I talked to you guys. Anyways just wanna reach out and since the last time I talked to you guys was around March. Since when I got my first Prius Dec. 2018, so far I have ran 17,000 miles no problem at all.
I am happily surprised by the services that this car made since that time and it actually served my purpose. I couldn't have made it without your guys help. Thanks and happy good week end to you!
Joe

 

Great to hear the Prius has lived up to high praise we gave it :lol: Both of my Priuses (or what ever the word is) are still going strong, well except for the ex taxi Prius killing its slapped together from stuffed ex house battery cells 12v battery. That was because the back hatch weather seal is stuffed and comes out of position causing the rear hatch to not shut properly. This kept the inside light on and because we hadn't used it for 2 weeks the battery was absolutely drained. Made up another one and it seems to be fine now.
the silver Prius is still going great, the plug in pack we now recharge via our motorhome solar/lithium battery/inverter (the Hino with the 1600w of solar) so travel from home to work and back home is no free. Unfortunately the battery only mode is limited to 80km/h (50mph) so not really suitable for trips to the next town or Adelaide, but in mix mode we are getting 2.5ltr/100km (a us gal = 3.785ltr, 100km = 62 miles) so ya gotta be happy with that.

T1 Terry

 

Hey Terry. What's up baby? Been a while! The story continues on the red Prius I bought last December 2018. The last time we talked, I was working on the Prius on changing all the pumps for I was so "...paranoid..." with the horrible stories that I heard from people being a proud owner then boom.., turn into a money pit nightmare! I almost traded my Prius for a corolla Someone like myself has no experience with hybrids although I had Toyota pickup all my life and incredible car so I decided in venturing with this Prius. Guess what, almost 18k miles now and hopefully if I can keep it up. I'm already happy. It actually did its purpose. Ill chat with you more this weekend for I have an early meeting tomorrow. Later Bro!