Blown Head gasket rebuild....@297k

How much would the dealership charge for blown headgasket repairs?

 

Down in San Diego you’re probably north of $4k at a dealer.

Probably north of $2500 to $3k at an Independent shop.

 

$1200-2000 in L.A. Quick Auto Help LaBrea & Adams. No I don't work for the shop.

 

Do it only if you plan on keeping the car awhile. Very labor intensive work. If you decide to do it. Keep in mind other minor repairs/upgrades to do to keep your Prius running like new. There are wonderful examples in this site, with detailed photos and lists of what should be done with a car your age.

 

I didnt do it myself. yes i plan to keep it until 400k

 

Late to the party here, but thought I would make myself another statistic for the clogged EGR system. Unfortunately I was a victim of head gasket failure (2012 Lexus CT200H at 203k miles) due to this system. Not knowing I should keep an eye out for this issue and started reading AFTER we replaced the engine, i am going to be checking/cleaning the EGR system in the fall each year. Since this thread discusses using an Oil Catch Can, once our "warranty" on the engine replacement is up, the OCC will be installed. I'm disappointed with the dealers though, our dealer was "Surpised" this even happened to our engine. "These engines have a great track record". Apparently the internet begs to differ, and since this certainly sounds common due to the TSB, why wouldn't the dealer mention it as something that should have been replaced? (pictures: egr to intake tube, EGR valve output side, EGR Intake side, EGR intake cleaned, EGR Cooler.) . After seeing the Intake and the cooler being clogged, we definitely had a ticking time bomb for a head gasket failure.

OP (@danlatu), now that it has been a few more years, any update as to the benefit of the OCC keeping the EGR system clean?

 

Has anyone tried using an Ultrasonic cleaner and gotten good results compared to the wire/drill method?

 

I put a Moroso 85474 Oil Catch Can (well, they call it an air-oil separator) on, about 16 months and a bit over 10K kms back. I cleaned the intake manifold and EGR stem-to-stern around the same time. Yesterday I took off the pipe for a look: completely clean inside. 10K kms is not a lot, but it was clean.

 

No but a pressure washer is the best tool for the job.

If you don’t have your own, the local manual car wash has one for a small fee.

I’ve cleaned our circuit twice and do it every 50k miles and found residue each time.

Oil catch can was installed around the last egr circuit cleanse at 175k miles and 200 k is fast approaching .

 

Yeah but how do you know it's better if you never used an ultrasonic cleaner?
It's like us Oxiclean guys who never touched a squirt gun.

I'd be really impressed if someone blasted out the cooler with it still on the car. Maybe remove the EGR and lay down towels or something...

Pixel XL ?

 

Ive used an ultrasonic bath in my past, just not for the egr cooler.

It took awhile for that to work it’s magic where the pressure washer is a quick and effective solution .

But if someone has an ultrasonic bath at their disposal, give it a shot.

 

@Raytheeagle just did another cleanup on egr path including IM and new PCV. Iys been almost 70k since changed HG. Cooler was really filthy almost clogged again but valve and pipe were preptty clean. IM wasnt so bad too. Been cleaning bottom of TB every 10k. Im averaging now 50 mpg. New battery has a strange symptom. Car approaching 150k. Insignificant oil consumption of .5 qt every 10k.

 

Any oil catch can installed?

I’m on the egr circuit cleanse every 50k miles and it sounds like a good interval based upon your observation.

I do a coolant swap when I do the circuit cleanse, and I think this is also a small level of insurance .

Good data and thanks for sharing .

 

Thanks for the replies. My cooler is currently sitting in an Oxy bath (5 min already seeing a difference). I have a friend with ultrasonic cleaner, but I’d have to ship to him. I know they work amazing for carbs to get the small passages. It’s still too cold to use the pressure washer, but yeah I’ve got one (lol I think all homes should just come with them. How I lived without one for 30 years is beyond me

Even though I’m rebuilding the old engine, hopefully the addition of this maintenance item means I’ll never have to use it and can sell it




iPhone ?

 

No occ. Will continue without. Will change coolant at 100k interval or if other serious problem before that.
Achiles heel of this car as we know is the egr circuitry. Im observing all.
So far at over 30 yrs of driving toyotas, that car became an attention wh**re.

 

Easy Off oven cleaner works great. And you don't HAVE to heat it up. Spray it into both ends and let it soak.
You can rinse with just a hose.

 

Love this thread.

 

To those of you that have done this job, @danlatu, @leeb18c, @amos, etc., what brand and where did you get them from? It looks like Fel-pro is the only one in stock anywhere. The last Felpro I used had the holes for the dowel pins too small. The gasket fit snugly around the dowels and it caused the gasket to bow, not sit flat on the block. It still leaked on my civic vx; can anyone confirm it fits correctly on a prius?

Did you replace the gasket only or did you get the set?
Did you re-use the bolts?
What all parts did you re-use?

thanks everyone, and good thread (I just finished reading the whole thing)

 

Hi there, I personally buy the Head gasket set from AutoZone ( felpro) everything works out great

 

I used the Toyota engine overhaul gasket kit, part #04111-37315.