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Just lost all the oil in the engine

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by kenmorem, Feb 10, 2021.

  1. kenmorem

    kenmorem Junior Member

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    i just did an oil change last night. this is probably my 3rd or 4th one on our prius that we bought used. it has 125k miles on it.

    today while my wife was driving, she got a low oil pressure light that flickered on and off for a bit, before then staying on permanently. she said she smelled some oil burning smoke as well. total drive was 4 miles or so. pressure light came on at about 2 miles. she got to a parking lot, parked, took the kids out to the playground, etc. came back and checked the dipstick and it was bone dry. looked under the car and there was a small puddle - certainly not a full 4.4 quarts.

    i drove up to meet her and confirmed the issue and then we went home. tomorrow a tow truck will take it to the shop. i doubt it's seized up since there was still some oil left in it when she parked.

    so, what did i screw up? can this just happen randomly? we had the oil pressure switch replaced 9 months prior to theoretically stop a slow leak (unsuccessful). i replaced the crush ring on the bolt and the o-ring on the filter + new OEM filter.

    when i filled the oil, i tossed in about 0.7 quarts of 5w30 in with the remaining new 0w20 synthetic (amazon oil). i had read that mixing wasn't an issue and wanted to kill off a partial bottle.

    a side note: my friend, a few years back, had his oil serviced at the dealer. a few days later, same thing happened to him as it did me, only they seized up the engine. has this been a semi-known issue with priuses?

    lastly, if it is seized, is it worth it to find a used engine and have it dropped in? my mileage was never great - 39mpg - despite good driving habits.
     
  2. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    From your description? Something went wrong with the filter installation and the oil was pumped out under pressure.

    This is mostly a guess; I think you'll find a very obvious cause once you have eyes on it in the full light of day.
     
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  3. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Once the leak source is determined (and I agree it is likely to be a blown out oring on the filter) the 'smart/easy' thing to do would be to correct the leak source, add oil and fire that puppy up. See what it does. You may get lucky and the car has no damage. You may not be lucky and it may billow smoke from the xhaust or clatter like crazy. The only way to find out is to try. I've had cars that needed >2 quarts just to get to the dipstick and they were fine. You just never know.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Either the drain bolt or oil filter failed. O-ring on the permanent oil filter jumped the groove.
     
  5. kenmorem

    kenmorem Junior Member

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    looks like it was the o-ring on the filter. bummer. lesson learned for me.
     
  6. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    hell, before the tow truck comes, I'd throw another filter on there and add oil and see what happens. If it runs and doesn't blow smoke out the exhaust you'll probably be ok. If it was totally jacked up, she'd either hear all the clacking or a rod would be sticking out the block.
     
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  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Then maybe do the conversion to spin-on.
     
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  8. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    hope the spouse was on ev most of the time so minimal to no damage was done. Another thing about the o ring even if you put it in the correct groove, if you don’t lube the o ring before or after you screw the filter back on, the o ring can work its way out of the groove. oil dabbing the o ring helps it slide along the metal as you tighten the filter.
     
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  9. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    Always start the engine and let it run after an oil change. Check for the obvious leaks, shutdown and then recheck the oil level. Easier than swapping an engine.
     
  10. Classic Car Guy

    Classic Car Guy Active Member

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    Hope everything is okay with you man. All the blessing!. Run ... Run like a mighty new car..!
    Just like what they say, do an LOF and run it 10 mins in idle. Visually check everything especially underneath the car. Then see if your good to go..
    That could happen to anyone.
    Good luck!
     
  11. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Can you make a video of how to lube it AFTER you've screw the filter back on? :eek:(n):whistle:

     
  12. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    ^ that.

    Don't feel bad.
    I've made just about every oil-change mistake you can think of - including a failed oil filter install - which is why I always peek under the car for a bit while it's running after the change......AND why I always double check that there's an old filter in the oil catch pan...AND why I double check that the filler cap was re-installed..... :D

    There's very little chance that you hurt the car.


    Folksy Anecdote:

    My mom got an oil change years ago at a local jiffy-lube place owned by a friend of the family and she noticed after a while that the CEL didn't go out....and so she DROVE BACK.
    Oil sump was bone dry.
    They didn't put oil in the car!!
    They admitted fault, offered to replace the engine if it died or started clattering, and advised her to just drive if for a while to see if anything goes wrong with the engine.

    That Corolla (a 2004, I think) is still in service as a daily driver used by her step daughter.

    Last time I checked, it didn't burn a drop.
     
    #12 ETC(SS), Feb 11, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 11, 2021
  13. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Doh! Thanks for catching that. I meant to say you can oil up the o ring before you thread it onto the filter or oil it after you thread the o ring on to the filter. Not oil up the o ring after the filter is screwed on, I’d hate to video tape that haha, imagine all the feedback lashes I get
     
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  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    The permanent housing is a design fail: anything that needs SO much attention, and you don’t know till it’s too late. Do the conversion, if your engines ok.

    Spin on oil filter | PriusChat
     
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  15. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    plan to keep mine and drive it to the ground, Engine is great so far, not converting unless the fram ultra filters are discontinued.
     
  16. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Toyota makes a spin-on filter. o_O

    The conversion parts were under $100 CDN for me, with shipping, through Amayama.
     
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  17. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    my oil changes are long after 10,000 miles and no spin on filters that fits the conversion will safely go past 10,000 miles. And imagine the metal landfill, oh the humanity!!!
     
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

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    Meh:

    upload_2021-2-11_9-3-44.png

    Toyota (spin-on) filter part no: 90915-YZZF2
     
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  19. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    Mendel, please feel free to purchase and send me the parts, or send the money for the parts,
    and 10 Toyota filters, and drain plug seals. Well, you can skip the seals.
    It's not a design flaw. Again, if you use the CORRECT Tool for the job, and don't over torque it,
    you wont have a problem with it.
    The problem is that "some" people over torque it which could lead to damage.
    There are aluminum replacements you can purchase for about $20 on ebay.
     
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  20. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    you beat me to it!

    :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
     
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