Toyota Prius coolant leak.

Does street cred = license to rip people off? If so I NEVER want that.

 

Some would say they are the experts and know what they are doing .

Others would say they have to charge that to justify the rent.

It ain’t cheap livin out here.

 

Thanks for the input guys! I'm located in Austin TX. I've got a ticket in with headquarters and waiting to hear back.

 

Phone a few other dealerships while waiting.

 

Here is my take. A lightly used engine without a problem is $600 and can be ordered and on site.
Removing a Prius engine takes an experience mechanic 3 hours.
Separating the Transaxel and bolting to the new engine, an hour.
Re installing the new engine and startup 4hours.
For this they make $1800 ( that’s $225/ hour right?)

Total repairs, $2400 out the door. Problem fixed. Customer happy 1 day turnaround, And you get a perfectly good Prius engine in exchange you can disassemble and repair when convenient without a rush.

Disassembly, testing, machining, replacing head gasket offering a warranty on your work, parts I’ve never replaced a head gasket that didn’t have several days of work involved. And often the cause of the failure is not found. The time and difficulty involved costs more than $600 and you still have to put it back in the car to make your $1800.

Ask you mechanic which he would prefer and you’ll know why it’s recommended


iPhone ?

 

One question. Would any of the experienced mechanics recommend filling the coolant tank with the undiluted coolant? I know it seals small leaks. To you think this would be worth a try before replacing the engine?


iPhone ?

 

I’m going to analyze your reply one section at a time.

You will not find a Gen 3 1.8 for that price that is not a) a core needing overhaul or b) already suffering from a blown head gasket.

You need not remove the transaxle to remove the ICE. The ICE can be separated and removed in two hours or less.

You can remove the head with the engine installed, as there is a video on this post showing that.

It takes less then an hour to remove the head with the ICE removed.

The Prius engine simply has an issue with the head gasket, plain and simple. Clean out the EGR Cooler and intake while the ICE is out/apart. Put them back together and have a Prius that will provide multiple more years of trouble free service.

 

thanks guys still waiting

 

Dear cnc97; Namaste, I am but a simple Gen2 survivor, I bow to your superior Gen 3 acumen. Yes, it would take 1000 to get a gen 3 engine from eBay.


iPhone ?

 

I only know what I know, because I had to do it to my Gen 3. LoL. But I wouldn’t trade a minute of my experience or a dollar of the money I spent for anything.

Happy Purchase Day to my Gen 3. Purchased one year ago today!!

 

Me either and I wouldn’t sue Toy for the fun of maintaining the finest piece of engineering and only vehicle I’ve driven over 560,00 miles


iPhone ?

 

Still waiting to hear back. My car has been at the dealership for 1 week. Toyota corporate is telling me they have had a hard time trying to contact the service manager at the dealership.

 

While you wait:

 

Well Toyota is offering $2000 towards the repair. Remember that I was originally quoted 3600 plus tax for the head gasket. I guess that's better than nothing. They are going to tear into it. There is a chance it will cost more if there is any issues with the head or block. It's been at the Toyota dealership about 9 days and they are finally going to start work.

 

Interesting. Did they give an explanation of why not just "No"?

 

i don't understand

 

Bluntly, why did they agree to the $2000 concession?

 

Maybe Toyota's seeing a lot of head gasket failures, and clogging egr systems, and are thinking the latter is likely contributor to the former.

The egr system was introduced in 3rd gen, and maybe rushed? FWIW, 4th gen egr is actually noted in their promotional docs, as being redesigned, larger diameter, better flow. So there's maybe a behind-the-scene policy, to at least partially compensate 3rrd gen owners?

That said, the $'s the dealership is asking are onerous from the get go.

 

Could be. Let's track it for the benefit of those who may in the future see an oily milkshake under the radiator cap.