Hello, I just completed the EGR Valve/Cooler, Pipe, Intake Manifold cleaning on my 2012 v/3. I had a nut and stud problem. When attempting to rethread the stud into the lower EGR cooler (the end coming from the exhaust) I dropped one of the studs. To make matters worse...I also dropped one of the nuts at the same location. Anyone doing this needs to be "painfully" aware of the deep dark abyss that lives under this area! I search with lights, camera, etc...no joy! Those two parts have now become part of the deep, dark abyss that obviously can eat parts, hardware and take a bite out of your pride! Should I do this procedure again, I will take the time to sling a cloth underneath and suspend it with magnets, clamps, magic...or something! I had to replace the stud with a 8/12mm bolt from another location. I used the hardware store replacement bolt/nut where it was easy to access. Thanks to all of this forum that have provided guidance on how to do this job. The NutsandBolts videos were EXCELLENT!
Video #13 (spark plug change) here, about 5 minutes in: Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos | PriusChat They might be the wiper motor/linkage hold-down bolts? He's moving pretty fast, hard to see them, but they seem similar. And he notes: there's four of them.
Mendel, Thanks! You replied before I could rewrite my post! LOL. I got frustrated and just decided to start putting things back together. Guess what I found...YEP... The wiper motor bolts! I ran back in the house to delete the original thread...but could not find a way to do that...so I just changed the topic and content. However...still hardware related. Thanks again...your assessment was spot on and appreciated!
I was thinking you'd already put the cowl and wipers back on, but was a little puzzled: it'd be pretty hard to overlook the wiper linkage hold-down bolts, lol. I managed to put that area back together once, missing something crucial, maybe the motor linkage. Or the cowl, I forget now. Thought I was done, then looked over, saw a big component lying on top of some stuff in the garage, groan. For the dropped bolts, jack up the car and take off the underpanel, if you haven't: they may have fallen all the way through. If you're lucky. It is pretty dense in there though.
Mendel, LOL...stuff happens! Yes, I had pulled the under-panel when I installed the lift kit...hadn't put it back on. It never made it to the ground. I will have a plan the "next" time I have to do this! I can usually find stuff with a light or my bore-scope camera...but not this time. Things were eaten by the Deep, Black Abyss!
You’ll find them on top of the trans axle. Grab a magnet and root around. Glad everything is clean and sorted though I bet.
