Under load, my Copart sourced '06 Prius makes an awful rukus. I am thinking not unlike a loose chain in a '70's BMW '02 series slapping on the aluminum. I cannot figure it out! Not like a rod knock, too high pitched and ooooow, so nasty loud. Has anyone had a chain loose enough to make noise? Was it provoked by being under load? It is such a pain that you can't really "rev" a Prius in neutral (can't find the butterfly!). Any thoughts are appreciated. I may just hope it goes 20K without blowing up but I am not inspired to drive cross country...Thanks in advance...
If you're a diyer, open up the valve cover, and inspect the timing chain by touching it if its slack, you know the chain or timing chain slack/tension guides needs replacing. Obviously, you would have to open up the timing chain cover to access the guides, and chain, if you're going to replace them. Other things could cause the noise. If it possible to do a short video pls?
163K whhich is why I did not really think about the timing chain at first, but I can't imagine what else it might be,
Can you describe the driving conditions for 'under load'; over a certain RPM, accelerating hard from a stop, while climbing a hill, hauling eleven buckets of paint, etc. When did it start making this noise, and how long have you had this vehicle? Are there any codes or lights on the dash? Have you noticed a change in MPG? Conventional or Synthetic oil, and at what change interval?
I bought it sight unseen as a salvage vehicle, I suspect that it had been subject to unusually high levels of abuse. I am not sure why, it just struck me that way. I bought a main bat from a local rebuilder and I get better in town mileage than from any of my other 4 or so gen IIs, a solid 50 + in DC driving. I suspect a great battery. I put syn into it, but the noise is present to anyone with a half an ear toward their vehicle and excessive to anyone who works on them. In my experience, chain slap is almost cyclical and changes with load, this is a steady 70's lifter-esque tap that is steady under any and all types of acceleration. I'll check again later, but it almost does not seem to speed up with the car. It is hard to describe any better. I don't know if anyone has ever heard a rod knock in a Prius, I almost doubt it, but it is way to high pitch and frequent for that, in my experience. I suspect that I will take multiple hours getting the valve cover off, only to find a tight chain and to wish that I had left it alone and gone on a hike instead! If I wasn't considering giving the car to my daughter on the left coast, I'd leave it and drive. But I really do appreciate the thoughts and inspiration to dig in!
Put the car in inspection mode go on you tube search. Prius inspection mode That allows engine to run continuously. If no master red triangle light on dash it’s mechanical. If timing chain slop was so bad it would throw a timing code. No codes on dash= blown motor. In inspection mode get under front of car and listen for bad sounds down under. Many post about blown motors that have been oil starved. The throttle body butterfly is under the air cleaner box on the left side of the throttle body. It’s spring wrapped like all tbs. But this car does not rev like other cars as it’s got by fly wire and the tb motor will fight you.
Thank you so much for the guidance. Especially about the timing codes, I really don't want to pull the cover. I will try to get a decent video with audio and try the inspection mode. It drives awfully well for a blown motor, but I will check the posts! Thanks again!
