Save A Failing Toyota Prius Head Gasket Doing This One Simple Thing (No Sealer Required!)

Save A Failing Toyota Prius Head Gasket Doing This One Simple Thing (No Sealer Required!) | Torque News

 

He is going to try an 800 mile 12 hour trip that way.

 

Somebody gets the point. The author states in another article he is going to pull the engine and rebuild. The real debate should be - is this better than using sealer or leaving the cap on while shutdown like most do when they continue to drive the car? He is implying no real damage occurs after it starts because no misfires or hydrolock "should" occur in the shortterm.

 

That's why the author advocates a rebuild versus a head gasket. Same thing I would do if I did not want to junk the car.

Lets look at some of the quotes in the article:

1. If your 3rd Generation Toyota Prius has a failing head gasket and you cannot afford to repair it right now, I have a solution for you.

2. Gen 3 Prius uses a coolant expansion tank that allows you to remove the cap even when hot (as long as the system is not over full). While this initially went against the safety mechanism in my brain, I have repeatedly tested the method to ensure consistent results. Every time I have driven the car long enough to get it good and hot when I park it, I open the hood and release the pressure from the cooling system.

3. Periodically taking the cap off after driving the car will do everything you need it to do without compromising the vehicle while driving. I have driven the car now for several days doing this. The check engine light was on for a misfire but has gone out and not returned because the car is not misfiring on startup.

4. The idea behind doing this trick is not to fix the car but limp it along until I can get it home and repair it properly.

Now for the rest of the story:
How Long Can I Drive A Gen 3 Toyota Prius With A Failing Head Gasket? | Torque News
Once I get it back to the hybrid lab, the engine is coming out, and it is getting a complete rebuild top to bottom.

 

In the second article he cautions he might not try an 800 mile trip if the head gasket had progressed to a rattle every start. Even then he is testing his 15 years of expertise the hard way. How Long Can I Drive A Gen 3 Toyota Prius With A Failing Head Gasket? | Torque News

 

In my part of Texas a complete rebuild cleans or replaces everything on the engine. It certainly does the pistons, bearings, head, egr, intake, pcv, plugs and other maintenance items. The guy I recommend has a full box of egr coolers ready to go.