Issue with MPG

I don’t know why but I just drove my car normally (oil changes here and there and typical maintenance) for years and when I started doing ride share driving recently , I started to look into ways of improving mpg.

I want to attempt the EGR cleaning myself as opposed to paying someone for it as I’ve been quoted in the 300 range for a cleaning.

Plus I’m coming up on needing new tires for my next rotation and im going back to michelins (will just need to wait for sale at Costco) and see if my mpg goes up with that change too.

I kind of regret not coming on this site years ago.

 

Where is the USA are you? Maybe there is someone close by that could show you and help you with it.
Video's are good, but having someone that has experience on hand is even better!

 

That's a good price, except makes me want to ask questions, as to what they'd be doing, how thorough/complete. You really want to disassemble and clean everything, the complete EGR circuit, and the intake manifold. And an Oil Catch Can is a good preventative measure. Watch @NutzAboutBolts videos, pinned in 3rd gen maintenance forum, to get some idea what's involved.

Again, you're well overdue for new spark plugs. Good video on that, same location.

 

It’s a hybrid certified independent shop that I work with.. they seem legit and honest after some work done on my Prius. The thing I like about this shop is they take photos of their work and include it in the diagnostic write up they send customers by email afterwards ( so your not in the dark with respect to work )..

But yeah.. I’ll have to check with them if they do the complete EGR system.

I’ve worked on previous cars I’ve had but all the work on my Prius has been dealer or independent mechanic. I want to try the EGR as I’ve seen the videos and it doesn’t look difficult. Just time consuming.

 

It's a pain to extract it, get it off the car. Come to think of it, it's a pain to clean too, lol. Some info (boiler plate text):

The smiplest way to see where you're at, is to check the degree of carbon build up in the EGR pipe, a stainless steel connecting pipe between the EGR valve and intake manifold. Watch @NutzAboutBolts video #16 here:

Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos | PriusChat

Two or three other videos linked there too, for the full cleaning of the intake manifold, full EGR clean, and Oil Catch Can install.

Good thread:

EGR & Intake Manifold Clean Results | PriusChat

Another:

Oil Catch Can, Eliminate that knock! | PriusChat

Somewhat tools worth having:

E8 Torx socket (mandatory)
E6 Torx socket (optional, but good to have, to remove the throttle body studs from intake manifold)
3/8" ratchet wrench, regular and long handle, flex head, you can never have enough
1/4" ratchet wrench, or 3/8" to 1/4" reducer
Ratchet extensions: you can never have enough
Long needle nose piers, straight and bent tip
Ratcheting 12mm box wrench (optional, but makes disconnection of the EGR cooler from exhaust easier)
Torque wrench (3/8" and 1/4" both good to have)
Floor jack and safety stands (or ramps): basically some method to raise front, if you need to take underpanel off, which you may need to, both for access and to recover dropped items.

 

So after cleaning my Prius' MAF sensor, car ran a 1-2mpg better. but recently the car's mpg drops again. Car's engine also runs more often, even battery has more than 3 bars. Esp switching between between battery only to gas, or the other way around. I don't know if that's due the AC is on more often in the hot summer. Anyone has any idea.

 

Mine has been running more often the last couple days that temps have been in the 90s. I think that it has something to do with the HV fan and other loads on the 12v. Since I’m not seeing the triangle of doom or a check engine light I’m going to let it go.

 

Both of ours do that in high temps....which makes sense. The A/C is a large draw. However, may way to get an OBD-II reader to monitor the battery cells and such.

I got a low energy Bluetooth model and it works great!