Prius Gen 3 Major Maintenance: EGR, manifold, spark plugs, Oil Catch Can

I'm more than the pics just relying on the miles.

 

The pics confirm what the mileage says.

Time to cleanse the system.

 

Ok, here are your pictures! I spent the afternoon, not always enjoyably, removing my EGR cooler and valve. ("Proximal" is closer to the exhaust). Given my 10+ years and 177,000 miles, I'm inclined to just replace the two parts, but intend to take a shot or three at cleaning at least the cooler.

I'm thinking I will reassemble the EGR circuit, then tackle the intake and PCV valve, possibly with OCC, unless there's good reason to just do it all now.

Thank you again to everyone. Comments, please!

 

She be clogged! I went ten rounds with my cooler. TKO in the end. It was a good fight!

Do it all now since you will have a clean slate.

I want to see the light.

 

To be honest, I've seen worse EGR cooler pictures. Why'd you listen to me, lol.

Ah but it was timely, better to be seeing it like that, than TOTALLY socked in with carbon. The valve looks pretty bad.

I would definitely give cleaning a try. What worked well for me with the EGR cooler (which is stainless steel):

Plug one end, mix up a saturated solution of hot tap water (roughly a cup, just a bit more than needed) with powdered Oxi-Clean (laundry additive, mildly caustic, probably two heaping tablespoons).

Pour it into the cooler, stand it on end, and let it sit about an hour. You should see bubbles frothing out the top, with carbon on the crest.

After about an hour it should subside. Pour it out, rinse thoroughly, and repeat. Five or six reps should hopefully return it to as-new condition.

For the EGR valve, I just used brake cleaner and brushes. I didn't remove the black plastic cap, just pried the valve up gently with a knife tip, sprayed and brushed, was able to get it clean relatively easily. Don't use oxi hear, the valve being mostly aluminum.

Similar clean to valve for the EGR pipe.

Don't delay cleaning the intake manifold for long: it's EGR passageways will be just as clogged, and leaving them would defeat the purpose.

 

@Raytheeagle swears by pressure washer for the cooler. I've heard others say using both methods works too, what one doesn't get the other will.

It's nice to avoid brake cleaner with the cooler, if only because Oxi's environmentally friendly, can be done in the house.

 

It's alive, Mendel!

 

I'm usually part of a time sensitive cleanse, and there is no better way to clean it than with a pressure washer.

If retired, have time on your hands and not rushing the job, the oxi clean method may work. I tried it once with a severely plugged cooler and it was a disaster .

Pressure washer cleansed it in no time flat.

And the local car washes are a great option for those that do not own a pressure washer themselves.

 

Oven Cleaner!!! That's what I used on my RD350 and the cooler. Does a great job of eating and
softening the carbon.
Wear gloves, spray it in both ends. Let it soak. As bad as yours looks, I'd check it after 5 minutes,
then spray it again. After 30 minutes, try the pressure washer.
Then repeat.
I wouldn't use it on the EGR Valve. A still wire brush works best for that. And then maybe Gunk.
The flammable one. The foaming one does NOTHING.

I didn't use the pressure wash on my first one. But, it wasn't clogged like yours. It was mostly sooty.
But the oven cleaner removed everything.
The spare on I got was about the same. I tried my pressure washer and it got rid of most of it.
But I'm going to use the oven cleaner to clean the last layer off. Then the pressure washer again.

 

After a day of soaks with OxyClean and oven cleaner, things are looking better. I'm concerned, though, that water doesn't run through the cooler (where exhaust gases would flow), except very, very slowly, like a seep. Does this indicate a clog, perhaps from dislodged carbon, yet to be dissolved? I can't imagine a pressure washer would push sprays of water through my cooler in its current state.

Also, I've removed the intake manifold for cleaning. It could use a good overnight soak in gasoline (just a joke, referencing another thread)!

 

Water flow should not be impeded.

a pressure washer will push 1700 psi at the carbon deposits and guess what happens?

They comply and get the heck out of the cooler.

Give the pressure washer a shot and in 15 minutes, you're all sorted.

 

Ray
I took your advice and my cooler was clean in less than 5 minutes with 3k psi.


QUOTE="Raytheeagle, post: 3002151, member: 146078"]Water flow should not be impeded.

a pressure washer will push 1700 psi at the carbon deposits and guess what happens?

They comply and get the heck out of the cooler.

Give the pressure washer a shot and in 15 minutes, you're all sorted.[/QUOTE]

 

Agreed with time actually spent under pressure is 5 minutes.

But I typically have to find a mechanism to hold the cooler, then set up, then return the holding device to its original state.

Glad for another success story for pressure washing.

 

I'd add that a thin gauge wire run through helps, but sounds like pressure washer delivered coupe de grace.

 

I used a car wash pressure washer myself, spent $10 for the time it took. Well worth it; I was also washing out all the dish soap i had poured into the cooler. Worked well, sparkly clean. Plugged all the exit points with rubber, so water only entered one way and exited through one other, then kept swapping; so that it maintained highest pressured water pushing through it. Definitely the most efficient way.

 

I am reporting that I finally had time to put my 2010 Prius back together again (I have 177,000 miles, and never had any DTC codes, knocking, or oil or coolant consumption).

I bought a new EGR valve because it's a new part number, and also a new cooler because I was concerned about the corrosion on the nuts where the studs screw in, for the exhaust connection, way in the back. Cost was a little over $500 from McGeorge Toyota. The car started up and there are no codes, and none set after a lengthy drive. I'll withhold judgement on performance, because I always feel my cars run better after oil changes and washings, so...

Notes for others:

- I cleaned my intake manifold in a hot solution of OxyClean, after using carburetor cleaner to get much of the build-up off. Even after several cycles of the OxyClean, there were deposits in the EGR "gallery" of the intake, and in the passages to the intake. Thanks to Mendel for recommending drinking-straw cleaners, which worked well to finally get thse passages clean.

- I did not replace the nut on the lower stud of the EGR cooler. That's the one that is difficult to reach. The cooler seems to be pretty firmly mounted, at least for now.

- I put in a new PCV valve. An oil catch can will likely be my next proect.

 

No-one replaces that nut.

 

Some do.

I collect those that don't get replaced.

 

I did, God knows why though. Next time (if there is) I'll leave it off, and maybe back out the stud as well.

 

I replaced mine. They were all easy...