$395 for valve inspection

What is recommended is listed in owners' manual.
Valve inspection is definitely not required in any vehicle.
Why stop at the valve? Why not the every part of any vehicle.
By all means, tear it apart and inspect every parts and put them back together.
Dealer would find any ways to make your pocket lighter. It is up to you to say NO.

 

Mark,

You might want to post this in the Gen2 forum. As far as I know, the Gen3 ICEs have hydraulic lifters which require no maintenance. If the lifters are solid, then yes, at some point, a valve adjustment is called for. Now, whether that's the case on yours or not, I do not know.

 

In my best Italian accent....Forget about it!

 

Blanket statements are usually always wrong. (notice I avoided one myself)

Non-hydraulic valve trains require adjustment for valve lash/clearance and the intervals for these mechanical valve systems will be listed in the owners manual.

If the prius motor has hydraulic activated valves, then you are being scammed.

I can't post links yet so search wikipedia for hydraulic valve train for more info.

 

Classic and 2G do not have hydraulic lifters. The "valve inspection" should consist of listening to the engine for excess valvetrain noise. Do not pay $395.

 

Where in the Owner's Manual? The recommended maintenance for an '04 Prius is the same at 65,000 and 70,000 miles and consists of:
- Replace engine oil and oil filter
- Rotate tires
- Visually inspect brake linings/drums and brake pads/discs

 

Did the service manager show you the CORRECT owners manual? Perhaps he pulled a fast one and showed you the service manual for some other car?

 

I'll do the inspection for you for $100. Hold your computer up to the engine on your Prius. Okay, the valves look good. Now email me the $100.

Seriously, your dealer is ripping you off.

Tom

 

Yes, valve inspection is listed as an item at 60K miles.
Toyota Parts and Service

However, read footnote 6 which is applicable to that item:

"6) Check for tappet noise and engine vibration and adjust if necessary."

So, all that is required is to listen to the engine for 2 minutes. If your valves need adjustment (which is not likely at 60K miles if you have been keeping up with engine oil changes) then a $400 charge would be about right. The valve cover has to be removed and the two camshafts taken out of the car in order to replace the solid metal buckets that provide valve spacing.

 

what does a tappet noise sound like?

 

Tap, tap, tap...

 

I hear you knocking, but you can't come in.

Tom

 

OK, if this makes you happy....
"usually not required"

 

I listened to several youtube videos, this 4 cyl Mitsubishi is the one I liked the best for this example
YouTube - evolution lifter tick

I believe I've heard is once in my prius , last winter I accelerated too much when my engine was still very cold- in the teens. I had run it long enough for the oil to have circulated, and I reflexively backed off. Cold engine accelerations are notoriously hard for any engine and I try to avoid that.

 

Thanks for the example.

 

For my 06 Prius at 120k miles Toyota of Santa Cruz, CA talked me into doing a valve clearance inspection since I had not done this at 60K miles and I mentioned that I occassionally would here a tap tap tap sound when going up hill while accelerating. And at a special discount of $450 labor plus $23 gasket plus $3 washer. And the spark plug replacement labor would be free since the top of the engine would be taken apart anyway.

The result of the valve clearance inspection is that everything is fine and the valves do not need adjustment at 120K miles.

Perhaps this information may be useful to others. It is certainly consistent with many of the posts on this thread regarding advice at 60K miles.

Regards
Davd

 

Yes, that's right, but to check one only needs to take the valve cover off, a feeler gauge, and a way to turn the engine, I believe. $395 isn't so bad considering the hourly rate. The dealer in Sunnyvale I asked said $795 and requires shims, both wrong. I wouldn't trust them to care about accuracy too much. I think it is good to check it for the reference point, just in case something in that particular motor is off, like the person did at 120k. I also notice over three plus years of ownership, that the 1.5 engine is a little valve train noisy even from new. I plan on DIYing it at 100 k. By then six years from now, I may figure out how to turn the engine over, probably just by the crank pulley bolt.