To replace the entire engine, or not to replace the entire engine, that is the question?

It sounds like you need a used or a rebuilt engine. If it were me, it would be a used engine that was rebuilt. I would not rebuild your engine since it ran out of oil and is overheating.

A simple engine swap with an unrebuilt used engine would be less money but is likely to have the same oil consumption problem sooner or later.

This is not entirely your fault. The 2010-2014 Prius engines from the factory often fail with oil consumption, head gasket issues or overheating. Toyota actually fixed the engines free under the 5 year 60,000 mile powertrain warranty because THEY KNEW their design was flawed. When you get it fixed, go with 5,000 mile oil changes rather than the recommended 10,000 mile changes.

You will hear others say "clean the egr" blah blah blah. It won't help. Ensure all the egr and intake manifold parts are cleaned well when they rebuild your new to you used engine.

There is a good chance your hybrid battery will fail in the next couple of years. So if you are financially strong right now and can afford a total loss as a trade in, while paying a premium for a new or recent used car, then go that way. Most can't justify it right now so major repairs are more common. If you trade the car the dealer will simply auction it off giving you maybe $500 in real value, regardless of what they say.

Finally, ask around for a quality independent shop. Some can do the engine for $3,500-$5,000.

 

You could do a short block replacement. I believe it’s everything between cylinder head and the lower split line in the block. It has the cylinder bores, crankshaft, pistons.

They’re around $2~3k new, and rebuilt may be available for significantly less. Not sure what the labour would be on that; if $3500 guess you’re back where you started: around $6500. But you’ve got brand new.

And hopefully it’s the revised pistons/rings, not sure how to verify that. You’d think that’s all Toyota would be using, after the low-tension piston ring fiasco.

I think a Prius v short block, and even a full engine, will be identical to 3rd gen Prius; the differences are only in the transaxle.

 

Put a stick of dynomite in it...................... it will only be more $$$$$$$$$$$$ thousands of dollars next...

 

how do you know that whoever changed the oil didn't tighten the drain plug fully, or use a washer to seal it?
how many miles did it go from the oil change to the problem?

 

Did only one engine replacement. 2k later I was back for another under warranty. Not a Toyota but an example of what can go wrong.

How much do you trust the rebuilder (mine was a national rebuilder) and the assembler?