Blown Head gasket rebuild....@297k

Good to see you back.

How’s the head gasket doing?

Might do a meetup in a couple of weekends if you are around.

Maybe we’d get to see the Prius this round instead of that nice white shiny Bolt.

 

I’m wondering if the 2015 really needs a catch can due to the revised pistons/rings. Bought my wife’s 2015 two about 6 months ago with 37.5 miles and immediately installed a catch can with stainless scrubbing pads in it. It has been driven appx 4k miles since then. Waxed it yesterday and checked the catch can while I had it in the garage. I tend to check the catch can about every 1k miles or so. Yesterday it had less than 1/2 teaspoon of water consistency oil in it. Over the 4k miles she has driven it I don’t think I’ve gotten more than a tablespoon of oil out of catch can in total. I know...cheap insurance regardless.

 

Your post has me starting to type, then deleting. Maybe there's less oil mist in the PCV air flow with the revised pistons/rings?

A post-winter check of the OCC should yield the most, fwiw. Revisit the intake manifold occasionally too: The easiest way with a good view is to lift off the throttle body: I've checked ours a year post-install, and there was just a sheen of oil at the intake manifold sump, no more pool.

 

I didn't know they put in different rings for my 2015. I have approximately 34k miles right now. Did Toyota really put in different pistons and rings?

 

That's what I'm seeing, just plugging various 3rd gen years in at McGeorge Toyota, and asking for pistons and rings:



Note that the latest pistons/rings part no's are those spec'd in the TSB for excessive oil consumption fix.

 

Mendel, if time permits, can you dig a little deeper and look into year 2016 and up for the models using the same Gen 3 engines as in Prius v, Lexus CT200h and perhaps Gen 4 piston and rings part numbers to compare?

Edit: I’m just curious if those engines are also using the improved parts, just curious, it’s not important at all.

 

Time .

He’s got time.

 

Wow! looks like I bought it at the right build and time.

 

I checked Prius v, it is similar, except the transition occurs completely in 2015, 2014 has the old pistons still.

4th gen has a new piston and ring.

It's quite easy to check any year/model: just enter the vehicle on McGeorge, then search for piston or piston ring.

Yes. Funny thing is, a lot of older 3rd gen Prius are not using any oil. Except overnight they can start. It seems like there could be a threshold. Maybe having cleaned EGR and an oil catch can helps too: time will tell.

 

Visual aid:

 

Looks like a work in progress with pistons and especially piston rings. It would be interesting to know what they changed.

 

Yeah I tried googling those part numbers, hoping to find some images to compare. No luck.

 

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I'm just completing a headgasket repair on my 2010 Prius and have a brace / bracket / plastic part that I'm needing some help ID'ing from those that have done the headgasket repair before... (pic below) I've got a thread with a lot more pics here: and I think I took it off right after taking the wiper & cowl off (so I haven't put that on yet)... Ideas??

Prius-Bracket03 by bwiencek posted Jan 7, 2019 at 9:40 PM

Prius-Bracket01 by bwiencek posted Jan 7, 2019 at 9:40 PM

 

did you add the seal packing to the front of the head gasket to seal against the timing cover? is it required?

 

Repair Manual instruction is to apply a bead under:



And then atop the head gasket, in the same zone. More info in attached.

 

Great video here, btw. Lots of hands-on tips:

 

He works pretty quick, I always do a better job of cleaning parts.

 

In the video, I am surprised they use a steel blade to scrape the aluminum surfaces. I think that risks scratching the aluminum. It would be better to use a plastic tool and solvent to clean the aluminum.