Loud noise led to Holes in engine block

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Ohsheet, Jan 15, 2025 at 5:47 PM.

  1. Ohsheet

    Ohsheet New Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    If anyone has any information on why this may have happened I would really appreciate it big big time..

    So recently I bought this 2013 Toyota Prius hybrid from my nephew who was moving out of state pretty quick with not much time so I got the car dirt cheap..it's in basically new condition except for the fact that his brother didn't know or didn't care about maintaining a vehicles fluids so it had a blown head gasket..so I do the head gasket job took my time about two weeks..so now it's up to par, no check engine lights everything good all fluids topped off, no leaks anywhere what so ever..rolling smooth (feelin like I just rolled off the showroom floor haha) for about I'd say like 3 months..no long trips, no side shows doing donuts or figure 8's or drifting..basically just cruise to the grocery store, Home Depot/auto part store etc..so yesterday my niece asked if we could go do a couple Door Dashes in the Prius, I said sure I'll go for the cruise..we pick up the order and head to the destination, we are on a long FM back road and I realize that it's in "Power mode" so I asked her to turn it back to normal mode..you do that just by pressing the power mode button again..and I don't know if it just happened to be a coincidence or that button had something to do with it but literally right when she pushed the power mode button you hear "BAMPSHHHBOOM KAPOWWWSCRAPESCRAPE!!!" felt like we had ran something over so we pull over I look under the car, Oil everywhereeeeee..and a long trail of it in the road starting where we heard the noise..had her towed home and no she's on a lift..I took a few photos to share with you guys..but anything you guys have would help a bunch any information or just leading me to the right direction on how I should go about fixing this...sighhh..thanks in advance everyone
     

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    #1 Ohsheet, Jan 15, 2025 at 5:47 PM
  2. MAX2

    MAX2 Member

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    I'm sorry, but you'll have to replace the engine.
    During its operation, it jammed internally and was damaged, parts pierced the engine housing. Now the engine is only for scrap metal.
     
    #2 MAX2, Jan 17, 2025 at 2:04 AM
  3. xliderider

    xliderider Senior Member

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    Vehicle:
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    Model:
    Three
    For whatever reason, at least one of the pistons seized and threw a rod out of the block.

    When you replaced the head gasket, did you check for warpage or get the head machined?

    Did you use new head bolts, or did you use the old head bolts?

    The head gasket most likely failed again, this time, letting in a lot of engine coolant into one or more of the cylinders and since the liquid coolant is incompressible, blam... something had to give.

    SM-G781V ?
     
    #3 xliderider, Jan 17, 2025 at 5:07 AM
  4. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    When the head gasket leaks and is left untreated for a while, repeated attempts to start the engine in a hydrolocked condition will slightly bend the connecting rod of the cylinder where the leak is worst.

    Once that rod is bent, it's going to behave badly with regards to the bearing on the bottom end. Once that bearing wears out, it's pretty normal for the rod to break and violently eject part of itself through the crankcase wall.

    Replace engine to continue using car.
     
    #4 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Jan 17, 2025 at 7:46 AM
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