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

I don't know. Maybe it doesn't combust and just turns into a gas like water does, but probably not...

 

Exactly. Detergent in fuel helps minimize deposits on injectors and intake valves (ignoring direct-injection engines, which we don't have), because they're exposed to that fuel. I'm not sure detergent would have any useful effect after it has been through the combustion process.

 

It helps. e85 burns with a lot less soot than gasoline. Go light a cup of both on fire and note the differences. But the lambda of alcohols is not the same as standard E10 so to get a high enough quantity of fuel system cleaner through the system to have a cleaning effect would not be possible unless you had a flex fuel vehicle. But yeah alcohols and particularly ethanol (even e85) are great as dissolving sludge. Soot wise if you don't burn any oil at all it can be minimized by the not burning oil, but you will still get soot from combustion.

 

It'd be above my pay grade to comment on how much light is shed on properties of detergents by properties of ethanol.

 

True I don't know a ton. I just know don't try and fill your E10 vehicle up with e85 as the vehicle will run lean. But i have heard gm guys with flex fuel vehicles using e85 every so often on a close to dry tank to clean the fuel system and possibly the valves a bit more. It did great when i have use it a couple times. Its so cheap compared to actual cleaners its basically free. Its almost $2/gal even right now. A gallon.

 

BTW, what I did have was the shaking on very cold mornings. Since the clean out, it has not happened, and start is smooth as silk. I have not lost a drop of coolant. I but it to the line and photographed it, a year later it had not changes.

 

Thank you for such a detailed write up! its extremely helpful for others here looking to do the same service. Do you know if the EGR gasket part numbers you listed would be the same for the 2013 V? I know the V and the regular prius have differences but I believe all the EGR components would be the same from what I read. My car just turned 180k and the engine has had no issues but I have to replace my brake booster assembly as its starting to go bad and while im in there I plan to swap out the plugs, replace the PCV valve, replace the water pump, clean the EGR system and intake manifold, and replace engine coolant and inverter coolant. Its alot, but while I have the cowl off I want to get it all done. I hope to try and do most of the items separately where I can start the car when Im done with each item listed and check for codes so if I do get one I will know where my issues might be.

 

Yeah I think the EGR components, including gaskets, are all the same. Ditto for intake manifold. You can get part nos from parts.toyota, Amayama, McGeorge Toyota Parts or whoever website. EGR gaskets are metal, fairly durable, intake manifold gaskets are pliable material, still quite durable. With the EGR gaskets study them careful when removing, take pics: some are sorta reversible, not sure how critical it is. They dimple in one way.

 

Thank you for this writeup, video links per section, and photos. Helped tremendously for me to do this complete job including catch can. I have 240k miles. I was getting 40 mpg, so i am curious if this will have any impacts.

 

FYI. If you take your car in to the dealer for a "fuel system flush," they will unplug your fuel pump, hook your fuel rail up to a can of the same fuel system cleaner that you buy in the store, and let it idle in the shop until it uses it all up. They use compressed air to pressurize the can of fuel system cleaner and pump it in through the injectors just like normal.