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2008 Prius Engine low power

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by George C, Jun 19, 2022.

  1. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    Going home the car few hundred feet from driveway beeps and red triangle.
    I got code reader engine low power. Right now the High voltage battery is low every time I try to get it started. She will start run maybe 5 seconds showing it's charging battery then shut off.
    One code was for the carb plate stuck so took the carb and intake out cleaned them from carbon also PCV valve was still clicking but cleaned it put it back together. While doing this disconnected 12v and hybrid.
    Plug 12v then the hybrid turn car on seems good beeps starts engine few seconds shuts off again and triangle check engine.

    Does a bad hybrid prevent engine from running?

    I have back end torn apart but my thought is tow it while in gear to see if regen will happen to charge that battery. I don't have tow hook for it going to call Dealer tomorrow see how much one costs.

    Thank You
    George
     
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Your symptoms mean that your engine isn't starting... And if you try to start engine too often before fixing it you can drain your hyrbid battery low enough that it can't start the engine until it's been recharged. TIme to figure out what broke...
     
  3. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    Code was P3190 Poor Engine Power

    I know that each time I try it's bringing battery down. But unless I pay $500 Canadian for the $300 Grid charger.
    I got on Thursday from 2005 Prius tow hook as mine did not have it. Anyways my idea tow it behind my Jetta if I can get it to go into drive.

    Right now have 12v charger that can do 6-30 & 200 amps hooked it up doing 6 amps

    Also wrecking yard I went to get that tow hook has 2008 they got in and until next week is when I have access to it the big battery he said $600 Canadian dollars so I am torn where I am going to spend the last bit of saved money I have.

    Now earlier I turned it on to see what voltage pack had then it throws the triangle and disconnects the relay I shut it off go back to the back again smell gasoline but haven't been able to get it to turn engine over again to replicate. I took back seat out to see the cover for tank right now waiting so it will clear triangle charge batter bit to try again.
     
  4. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    I took off the wipers and cowling off disconnected the coils took off the fuel rail with injectors out can anyone explain to me how is the engine starting with no coils connected? There is not fuel coming to the injectors they did not spray in that time of about 4 to 5 seconds of engine running. I found video saying that the Fuel Pump you have to replace the tank. In video guy spent $700 for new tank and pretty sure that was in US funds.

    I think tomorrow I will drop the tank and figure out where the pump is and see if I Can change it .
     
  5. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    The fact is the engine is not starting or running. The MG is turning the engine over in an attempt to start the engine, but it fails to start, hence the failed to start code. This attempted start will turn the engine for 12 - 15 sec before abandoning the attempt.
    Save your energy, you can't change the fuel pump in the North American version with the fuel bladder in the tank. The fuel pump is integrated inside the fuel bladder. That is why the entire tank is replaced to replace a dead fuel pump. You can test the fuel pump though and also check to see if you have fuel pressure on the fuel rail to verify the pump works or not before going the replace tank route.
     
  6. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    Let me repeat since you still seem confused on the difference between cranking and running. The engine is NOT running, it's being driven for 10 seconds or so by MG1 in failed attempts to make it run.

    The Prius doesn't start the ICE by laboriously, slowly, and loudly cranking it with a wimpy 12V motor. It uses a roughly 200 volt motor to spin it at about 1,000 rpm to start it.

    Once you've determined that the problem is the fuel pump as opposed to some other fuel obstruction, you might find a used tank at a junk yard.
     
  7. Another

    Another Senior Member

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  8. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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  9. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    I cut top off here is what it looks like inside Tank.
    I wonder if fuel leaked out as I tried to empty by putting pan and lifting tank took awhile. White tank has bit of fuel still in it.
    Far as I know when pump at gas station stops we don't add more because I read a post once of fellow was smelling gasoline come think of it I was smelling gas every time car starts for 5 seconds shuts off then smell of gas.

    I do believe here in Canada new tank is $1700 if it was $250 I would have got one already. Now I am waiting for Mike to call me back from Corey Auto Wreckers in London Ontario to see if the 2008 one they have if they have tank from that one. But same time how long before that one goes bad is what is on my mind but for now it would be cheapest way to go.
     

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  10. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    Well put the black tank inside car hooked up cords and I am suspecting the Pump is in the white tank waiting for it get dark use bright flash light behind it to see what I see through the white plastic tank. I know what engine should sound when you got noise coming from tail pipe engine is running brief then throws code. If it was just cranking I know as I heard it once before.

    What I don't understand is how is it running with no fuel nor coils to spark plugs not connected. Oh when it does start shows charging battery if engine is just turning over then there would not show charging.

    Logic is not working here no spark should be no start
     
  11. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    be careful not to drain the hybrid battery trying to start it
     
  12. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    Here is the bill from Rock Auto last tank. Not so simple here in Canada there is always that exchange rate and also the tax and Shipping
     
  13. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    You have posed such a good question here that it might justify an adjustment to what you think is happening.

    That display on the MFD is one of the car's least direct indications of what's really going on. It's basically a computer graphics project to display a pretty picture based on some laggy CAN messages being exchanged on the car's networks. It's entertaining and interesting and I'd trust it for many things, but probably not to convince me something is happening that's ruled out by other evidence.
     
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  14. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Probably not a great idea to post a photo that shows complete credit card details either.
     
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  15. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

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    YIKES!!! Now, anyone who sees that picture can use your card for whatever they want to buy online.

    Edited to add that I reported the post and asked @Tideland Prius to please remove the picture so that won't happen. Hopefully, before it's too late.
     
  16. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    At least it’s only CAD$
     
  17. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    Did you test that the old fuel pump was getting power and ground at the fuel tank connector before you ripped things out?

    (Sure would stink if a new tank assembly didn't fix the problem).

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  18. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    Rockauto shipping to Canada escalates according to size and weight. Rockauto Fedex shipping to Canada has increased 60% in the last 12 months. At least you got the last gas tank, now it doesn't show any in stock.

    Fedex $155 shipping would have been approx $30 to a drop in Niagara Falls US 60 miles from Brantford. Any heavy items from RockAuto I drop to North Dakota and drive down, making sure I have orders from other vendors at the same time.

    Eg. 2008 Prius left and right front struts and springs $160 to ship to Canada, $28 to North Dakota.
     
  19. George C

    George C Junior Member

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    Well as of yesterday got my 2008 working again. Plug on the tank black wire was showing it is ground the wire on the other side of it was white with black strip down it was also going ground was making no sense to me figured black is ground and white is live well confirmed the new tank pump was working as I put power to the two pins using another battery. I was peeling tape off wires ended cutting the black wire and white wire. At one point testing I reversed polarity could here more noise ended pipe under the car came off the tub and pushed out I think 3/4 fuel to the ground. Two bars left of fuel. I then found black wire has 14v on it when the engine starts for the 50 seconds so I soldered black wire back on and white wire and car started.

    I also had bought from wrecking yard another relay also a new computer for the engine programed came from Flagship company been 2 months. Today I put all things back together computer I left that triangle metal off as it kept hitting on back side and not lining up.
    Same relay is in it I am tempted yank new computer out plug in old one.

    I replaced computer as one of the mechanics I talked to I told him I had found ad on here where fellow had relay being problem he said it could be computer that isn't talking to computer so that is why I bought computer cause relay did not work that I got.

    Right now she seems when she gets warm she idles really low like faltering

    If engine light comes on again I will use Techstream on computer to read it .
    As of now I know more on this car.

    What caused this still unknown