2010 Prius: Headgasket issue - should I fix it or get engine replaced

I agree. I've done the first two, just haven't got around to cleaning the EGR system. I did the EGR pipe. It was a mess! And my car is driven mostly highway with perfect maintenance and quality gas.

 

The smart business people should start hoarding Gen3 engines. It'll be like buying Amazon stock from 1997 LOL

 

Lol

 

I've actually got one laying in the garage. Blown head gasket and worn piston rings.

 

A working EGR system is a huge deal in improving engine temperatures and can make a difference of 400 degrees C (720 degrees F) in a Gen 3 Prius. It's even a bigger deal for Gen 4 engines because Toyota increased the max EGR flow rate from 21% to 28%

My rough calcuations for Gen 3 are in the thread EGR blanking plate?

 

You mentioned taking it to a dealer in another thread, what DTC codes did the dealer retrieve from your vehicle?

If you paid for the dealer inspection they should provide paperwork.

 

i think an average person can do anything they put their mind to.

 

So I replaced the EGR cooler on my 2010 Prius in April because it kept overheating. Toyota Dealer said that it was the EGR cooler. About a month later it started overheating again. I really haven't driven it since because I assumed that it might be a head gasket and I didn't want to damage the engine. So if I understood that last few posts correctly, a dirty EGR can cause the head gasket to go bad. Wouldn't my Toyota dealer know this?

 

Yes you can DIY. For a good idea of what's involved, check out @NutzAboutBolts videos pinned in 3rd gen maintenance sub-forum. There are a couple of preliminaries which he just ref's other videos, one for pulling off the air intake snorkel and air filter box (throttle clean video?), another for removal of the bottom of windshield cowl (spark plug change video). Maybe also removal of the engine underpanel? That's covered in oil change video, IIRC? Anyway, all the ref's are there, in the EGR video.

It would be good to do the EGR clean in conjuction with spark plug change and engine coolant change: the spark plug change also requires that cowl removal, and if you've drained the engine coolant then you don't need to hassle with clamping coolant hoses: it's all drained anyway.

 

Getting it out is the hard or costly part.

Cleaning out the egr once it is removed is the easy part.

We actually did this removal and replacement at one of the Bay Area meet ups. Took us about 5 hours. @Rebound had the windshield wiper cowling off and the coolant drained which sped the process up.

Something you can do with enough time and not a lot of money.

 

5 hours? dang, amateurs would take 8 hours. You've done this once before

 

Besides the usual tools, an E8 torx socket is needed, for backing out some studs. And a 12 mm ratcheting wrench is very helpful. Did I get that size right?

 

Yup.

 

Actually 3 times.

And I learn something new each time .

 

When they are clogged can you clean them out or is replacement the only option?

 

It can be cleaned.

I just have a spare so as to not rush the cleaning process.

 

I've had one replaced and another one that's gone bad, it was 800 dollars at the dealer I took it to. But the part can be had for about 200 dollars on a toyota parts website and done by a moderately capable person with a day's worth of time and a few tools that you might not have. I had to buy a star drive set.

 

And what is your cleaning process?

 

I use Brake Kleen and it works well.