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Follow up on the Oil Consumption Problem

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Peter123, Aug 16, 2019.

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  1. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    I have had some PMs asking about this. The original problem last year was high oil consumption, about a quart every 1000 miles. The first fix was to change the PCV valve and clean out the EGR system.

    Then we targeted cleaning up the piston rings since that is the usual cause of the problem. We used a combination of oil cleaner and engine cleaner. The oil cleaner was Motor Flush. The engine cleaner was Cataclean. Some people prefer Seafoam for engine cleaning, but I think Cataclean is more brutally effective.

    In early spring, at 5000 miles since the clean out, I did another oil change. The oil level was down 2/3 to 3/4 of an inch with no oil added during the 5000 miles, which was a huge improvement. I did another oil clean with the Motor Flush product, but not the engine cleaner.

    Last week, after another 5000 miles, The dip stick was down 3/8 of an inch. The oil consumption problem has gone away.

    As an added side benefit, the rough engine start problem we had has also gone away. I didn't notice it at first because it was an intermittent problem. I think it only happened on Monday mornings when we hadn't driven the car over the week end. None of us has experienced a rough start since the original clean out.
     
    #1 Peter123, Aug 16, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2019
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  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    How many miles on the car?
     
    #2 Mendel Leisk, Aug 16, 2019
  3. gliderman

    gliderman Active Member

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    How much and how many times did you use the engine and oil cleaners?
     
    #3 gliderman, Aug 16, 2019
  4. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    #4 Peter123, Aug 16, 2019
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  5. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    oil cleaner twice and engine cleaner once
     
    #5 Peter123, Aug 16, 2019
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    if it's that simple, you'd think toyota would do it
     
    #6 bisco, Aug 16, 2019
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  7. mjoo

    mjoo Senior Member

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    So they can sell fewer new cars and engine repairs? You must be joking

    Pixel XL ?
     
    #7 mjoo, Aug 16, 2019
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  8. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    The issue I face is that I do not know if I did a 20 percent clean or an 80 percent clean. I got it clean enough to get the piston rings working correctly. How long will that last? The clean out is easy enough that I can repeat it if needed though.
     
    #8 Peter123, Aug 16, 2019
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  9. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    What’s your choice if engine oil and filter for your Prius? I’m putting together a mental list if majority of oil burners are using OEM oil and filter together. Some of us believe that both oem doesn’t provide enough protection.
     
    #9 Grit, Aug 16, 2019
  10. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    I used Toyota branded products for several years and then changed over to Mobil1 oil and WIX filters.
    Toyota Part numbers were 04152-YZZA6 for the Oil Filter and 00279-0WQTE-01 for the Oil in Quarts.
    Then WIX filter 57064 and Mobil1 0W-20 oil.
    I am not sure of the change over date.
     
    #10 Peter123, Aug 16, 2019
  11. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    Thank you for posting and following up about your experience with this. My car doesn't seem to burn oil at a problematic rate yet but I plan on doing an engine clean with BG EPR at my next oil change to see if that has any effect.
     
    #11 mikey_t, Aug 16, 2019
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  12. tvpierce

    tvpierce Senior Member

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    Impressive results.

    I may give this a try. Thanks for posting.
     
    #12 tvpierce, Aug 17, 2019
  13. bikes4u

    bikes4u Member

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    So you just added these cleaners to the oil and gas and ran it? How long before oil change while running it? Can you please explain this further? Thanks

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    #13 bikes4u, Aug 18, 2019
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  14. mikey_t

    mikey_t Active Member

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    With fuel cleaners, you pour it into your tank when it's almost empty and then fill up. Then you drive until the tank is almost empty again. For oil cleaners you pour it into the crank case, put the car into maintence mode, then run the engine idle for 15mins. Then drain it and change your oil.
     
    #14 mikey_t, Aug 18, 2019
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  15. Peter123

    Peter123 Active Member

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    Put the oil cleaner into the oil and run it in maintenance mode and then change the oil and filter. If you do not want to go to the trouble of looking up maintenance mode, then usually just turning on the A/C will run the internal combustion engine. I had a lot of crap on the filter the first time I did this.

    Link to Motor Flush
    Motor Medic | Motor Flush | Get More Out With Every Oil Change

    Cataclean instructions say to put it in the fuel tank at 1/4 full and run the car, preferably at freeways speeds, for at least 15 minutes before filling up the tank. I had it on the freeway for a lot longer than that.

    Link to Cataclean
    Cataclean 120007 Cataclean - The Original Liquid Science - Complete Engine, Fuel & Exhaust System Cleaner
     
    #15 Peter123, Aug 19, 2019
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  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Regarding the first sentence: I don't think it's necessary to nearly empty the tank when adding a fuel cleaner. I'd think as long as the fuel gauge is down a few bars, if you add the cleaner and then fill up, it's going to be completely mixed.

    Regarding the last sentence: yeah that's probably right, and hadn't really occurred to me. The longer you go without refilling, the more it'll work, without dilution.

    Still, my comfort level is to fill up whenever it's below half, that's my code, lol. Mainly because I want to be the one filling up, so I can maintain my fuel economy and Fuelly stats.
     
    #16 Mendel Leisk, Aug 19, 2019
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  17. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Thanks for the followup!

    Our 2010 liftback has an oil consumption issue. I have used 'BG products EPR' engine cleaner a couple times. I'm not convinced it has helped any. I also use Techron additive every now and then. No dice there either.

    I think I will try the Motor Flush / Cataclean combo on the next oil change...sometime in the fall. (y)
     
    #17 farmecologist, Aug 19, 2019
  18. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Deferred gratification?
     
    #18 Grit, Aug 19, 2019
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  19. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Well since I just changed the oil...it isn't worth it to change it again right now. (y)

    BTW - you have quite possibly the largest signature I have ever seen around here...har har.
     
    #19 farmecologist, Aug 19, 2019
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  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Assuming you haven't: try a hard core soak, where you remove the spark plugs and pour a few ounces into each cylinder, let it soak at least a day. Maybe crank the engine over by hand periodically (ratchet wrench and socket on an extension, through the passenger side wheel well). Then baste out anything left, and change the oil/filter.

    I think the direction to crank it is clockwise, anyone know for sure?

    They go clockwise, about 9 minutes in, in this video, fwiw:



    Another reason that seems very likely: that's tightening the bolt on the flywheel, not (possibly) loosening it.
     
    #20 Mendel Leisk, Aug 19, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2019
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