Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos

To do a compression test, pull the top apart, remove the coils and plugs. Unplug the injectors. Screw the tester into the first cylinder. Hit the power button, and push down the accelerator pedal. The engine will be commanded on. The spinup will do the job for you. Repeat for other cylinders as required.

 

Re; Nutz About Bolts.

I forgot to mention that I sent these guys an email on Christmas eve as my 3rd Gen started missing.
Hats off to them that I got prompt response to my numerous emails all during the Christmas festivities.

 

You can also turn on the heater. On a cold vehicle, turning on the heater requires hot water circulation and so the engine must start up.

 

Hi NutzAboutBolts,

Do you have a video on GEN 3 AC Fan Replacement of Condenser Fan Replacement (right side)? It makes a disturbing noise when AC is on.

Thanks

 

Welcome to Prius Chat .

Have you opened the glove box and taken out the filter to see if something is in the squirrel cage fan?

That might explain the noise.

I’d look at that before replacing anything.

Good luck and keep us posted .

 

Is the "condenser" the AC radiator , in the front of the engine bay?

 

The condensor is in front of the radiator and cools the hot(ter) freon. The evaporator is behind the glove box,
and provides the cold air to the cabin.

 

I always trip over the terms, keep it straight by thinking: if you are condensing it, it's going to get hotter, so that's the one at the front of the car. Somewhat akin to wringing a wet cloth to get water out of it: similarly you compress the AC gas to squeeze the heat out of it.

 

The expansion valve, or orifice tube, takes the high pressure and opens a small hole to the evaporator.
The speed of the freon escaping and expanding causes it to get extremely cold in the evaporator.
The fan blows over it cooling the hotter air. And it also take moisture out. There's all kinds of science behind it.
Too complicated for me, basically that what it does.
I'm certain "someone" will give a long, huge, detailed explanation of how it work to show how stupid mine is......

 

Mostly I was trying to steer the focus away from the dash, back to the front.

 

No sorry, I don't. Do you have a video of the noise issue?

 

So the EGR cleaning and blown head gaskets seem to be an issue with the early 3rd gens. From your knowledge, what year of the 3rd gen/Prius V (wagon) did this issue become resolved?

 

The EGR system on 3rd gen Prius and the Prius v hasn't changed to speak of, for the various years. Fourth gen Prius has done a major mod to the EGR: much greater cross-sectional area through the passageways (looks to be roughly double 3rd gen and v), inlet downstream of the Catalytic Converter (vs at the intake manifold on 3rd gen). Toyota even notes the 4th gen EGR revision, in some press releases.

 

Thank you for answering my question. It is possible to take out the 3rd gen/V EGR and put in one from the 4th gen? forgive me, I'm not mechanically inclined. And did any of the Prius C's have an EGR issue?

 

I'm not sure if the c has EGR, or if it does, it's very rudimentary, and not problematic??

Someone here has transplanted 4th Gen EGR to 3rd, ultimately successfully IIRC, but it's not a trivial undertaking. He might have needed 4th Gen intake manifold as well. AND, it requires significant mod of 3rd gen exhaust manifold, heating and bending the EGR feeder pipe to match up with 4th Gen EGR cooler inlet.

My 2 cents: I would just clean the 3rd gen EGR.

 

It’s an issue with a lot of engines. That, and the PCV blowing oil into the intake. I think the regular maintenance is the best route, and it’s maybe... every 50K miles or more that you’d do this.

 

For those who are not mechanically inclined. How much does a shop charge to do something like this?

 

Generally auto repair shops won't clean the EGR System. It takes too long to do. Your best bet is to buy a used one off of EBAY, clean it your self (several threads provide various cleaning methods) and have your mechanic swap it in.

 

Problem is, I'm not mechanically inclined. Even with the videos and thread suggestions. =(

 

You could buy a new EGR valve and EGR Cooler assembly and have your mechanic install it.