Massive Coolant Leak!!! Please help. (Now $4,000 Engine Repair!!!). Fixed! (Post #48)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Priski, Sep 26, 2023.

  1. Brian1954

    Brian1954 Senior Member

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    The engine will overheat and it could push coolant out of the overflow tube that is just underneath the cap on the plastic reservoir. You sometimes will not get a trouble code when the engine water pump is going bad.

    I recommend that you purchase a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter and use an app to monitor the engine coolant temperature. Normally the temperature should not go above 200F.

    You could have a water pump going bad and not a bad head gasket.



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  2. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    And by the time you're changing out slugs commonly called Pistons rings and doing machine work you pretty much lost that battle or you're in so far you think you have no choice or whatever the cases maybe. At those points early on I try to just change the complete engine assembly and/or the transmission so that what I put back in the car is relatively low mileage takeout from the country in which they hail from. That way there I feel I have a chance If I start rebuilding $300,000 mi parts well that's just that. I can do way better than that for less so why not at least it seems way better to me in my 2010 car I have a 2015 engine a 2015 transmission from an Asian country that got yanked out of a car because they have very good tax incentives to get people out of cars when they reach around 65 $70,000 whatever it is it's better than what's in place here. So there's always that. That's why I'm phasing out my two generation 3s and won't make it to 4:00 or 5:00 and 6:00 I'll stick with the two until I'm ready to go to the next step in the evolution of automobileia whether that will be hydrogen full electric what have you doesn't matter I'm 7 to 10 years away from that now. So it's not even on my radar I may be dead by then. So my only mission now is to keep my generation two's on the road and a good supply of them here to carry us the next 7 to 13 years or so and that's that Gen 3's they'll be no more coming to the property here ever again It's not a sustainable vehicle in any stretch of the imagination if you're going to actually use the vehicle It's just not for us.
     
  3. Priski

    Priski Junior Member

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    Hey guys, so I got this unfortunate news about my car. Any thoughts of what you guys would do? I am contemplating getting an all new engine replacement.
     

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  4. Priski

    Priski Junior Member

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    Hey guys, here is what is wrong with my 2013 Prius 3. The mechanic quoted me a repair of $4000. What would you guys do? I am thinking of replacing my motor.
     

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  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    The cylinder head recondition price is decent.

    Actually there are no all new engines available. You can buy a new short block and a cylinder head along with a slew of other parts and build it. Probably $10k up.

    Better to get a professionally rebuilt low mile (not yours) engine installed. Possible for the same $5k.

    Prius gen3 hybrid pit rebuild ebay.jpeg
     
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  6. Priski

    Priski Junior Member

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    I am going to look into this.
     
  7. ForestBeekeeper

    ForestBeekeeper Active Member

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    What is your mileage at?
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Witness Leader

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    Is this from a dealership? Price for the head gasket doesn't look bad. Close to a grand USD to replace water pump and thermostat seems steep, especially because they'll be doing this all together.

    An alternative to "new engine" might be new short block (everything between upper oil pan and head gasket), which is around 2 grand USD for the part.
     
  9. Pdaddy

    Pdaddy Member

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    Get 2 more quotes and a written guarantee that this that this will fix the problem. But how much is the car worth?

    SM-G960U ?
     
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    That’s what I was afraid of.

    you can plug your car into kbb.com for a value with a working engine.

    for that price, it might be worth looking around for a JDM engine swap, or gen 4 replacement
     
  11. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    You should shop around for a Prius tech other than the dealer....
    That's a lot of labor money.

     
  12. RRxing

    RRxing Senior Member

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    No part numbers or labor hours on the estimate? Is this a Toyota dealership?
     
  13. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Labor is listed as $2,663, around 18 hours at $150 an hour.
     
  14. Priski

    Priski Junior Member

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    No this was a repair company I used near by. Are Dealership diagnostic free?

    Yes, that is sort of high. I am most likely going to do an engine swap but I purchase the engine and install for labor is $700-1000. My local prius community recommends this other shop. Not the one from the estimate that is closer to me.

    To me it's worth fixing. I cannot afford to purchase a new car currently :/
     
    #34 Priski, Sep 27, 2023
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 28, 2023
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  15. Priski

    Priski Junior Member

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    Hey guys, is there anything else you think I should do while my prius engine is out? I have a refurbished battery only a year old already if I get a motor with 50k miles I should be set for awhile.
     
  16. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    reseal the timing chain cover
     
  17. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Upgrade to new egr
     
  18. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Everything on the engine should be cleaned up or replaced if needed. These engines are typically full of carbon in the head, cylinders and egr. You could have a warped head, block or bent rod.

    Be careful of the cheapest fix where they just swap the hg. Many have a second or even third teardown immediately after a hg. Don’t try to sound like an expert - ask for details on what is cleaned up and what is replaced or refurbed.

    A used engine is often a poor choice regardless of stated miles. Typically the seller has removed the vin plate which might allow a carfax and dealer record verification. Professionally rebuilt will last years.
     
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  19. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy Active Member

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    wow... went that far on the job. Hopefully you'll shed some light along the way.
     
  20. taxidriver50005

    taxidriver50005 Active Member

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    Only paid £1000 in total for my head gasket repair, that includes everything except water pump.... Yes head was pressure tested and skimmed and valves reground... Genuine gaskets too.
    Mechanic charge was £500 the rest was machine shop plus parts.

    I'd shop around for a more reasonable quote.

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