Burning 3.9qts every 1000 miles

Or maybe the knock is from coolant steam blowing in through the spot where headgasket fails between cylinder 1 & 2 when engine is hot just after its turned off and then the next day once the engine is cold you got pistons pushing water when tries to start?

As in fastest way to check for headgasket failure on Gen3 Prius is a sucking sound when you open the lid on the coolant reservoir.

 

Let's not hijack the thread with a discussion of a Gen 3 issue that is not really relevant in a Gen 2 forum.

 

You just made the 242nd comment on this thread... A thread that big can't be hijacked, just momentarily distracted.

 

Well, let's not be distracted then.

 

You can DIY an alignment job with tire pressure...

 

how?

 

If it pulls to the right, you boost tire pressure in right wheel and lower tire pressure in left wheel. If it pulls to the left you do the opposite of that...

 

We really need a ROFLOL button in addition to the "Like button.

 

There are diy alignment methods with strings and measuring tapes. But not as good as a $60 alignment at the cheapest place in town. Plus the only good reasons to need an alignment on these cars is you took things apart or some suspension components need replacing.

 

Also when I was in High school I had a friend who was older than us who we depended on to buy us beer and when he noticed the alignment got bad he'd park the trouble wheel against a curb and then forced the steering wheel to bend the tie rods to get it to drive straight... As time went by he had to do it more and more often until the car couldn't be driven anymore.

 

Hope the tie rod didn't brake when he was racing or on a long trip.

 

It was a beat up early 70's Toyota Corina and it was the late 80's and he was hella poor so it was a junk car for the most part... But I'll always remember how we got on the freeway to go somewhere and he took an exit saying he had to find a curb to fix his alignment again. At the time I worked at an auto repair & body shop and was impressed by his resourcefulness.

But in High school I did have some other friends who were brothers who's family was the Pereras, a well known name in the racing world. Those kids always drove Mustang Shelby that they were constantly working on and he did have one if his tie rods fail while burning rubber on a circular freeway on ramp and crashed off the road pretty bad. I was always grateful to have survived our lunch time drives and make it back to school on time. I stopped riding with them once they told me that story.

 

Nice story dude. I had my 72 charger 318 stock, tie rod break in a parking lot in the late 80's early 90's. I was about 15 miles from home after a job interview iirc, and all I could think of as I was standing staring at the front wheel was holy moly if that had broken on my way home instead of in the parking lot I'd probably not be typing this now.,
I also have similar jr high and high school stories .... I worked in a neighbors body shop 30 miles from home summers and after the 2 brother owners sold it and moved to FL the new owners kept me on. I'll never forget all the good and bad things I learned and or heard while working there.

 

Years ago a friend had one literally "brake." Instantly. When it broke (past tense of "break" ), the left front wheel went full lock left and the right one went full lock right. The little pickup stopped like it hit something.

 

Brake vs Break is only surpassed by Advice vs Advise around here.

 

I thought Pruis/Prius was in the lead?

 

Although not related you can buy toe plates of amazon for a diy alignment. Much easier than you think. Then just use a digital cube level and strap it to the steering wheel somehow so you know the steering wheel is perfectly straight. $80 in materials.

Shit an alignment here is $100 at cheapest. The big name chains want $140

 

The 72 charger had cam bolts for the lower control arms. It's always nice to know which bolts and connectors adjust all the various alignments like thrust angle, toe, caster, camber, Are there others now?
Getting them all within spec isn't easy.
I had an alignment done on our 02 civic and the tech told me he couldn't get the right front to spec. And also said I'd need a cam kit to fix it. I had recently asked the dealer to replace the right front sway bar link ./ stabilizer link. After the alignment I took a look at that right front and noticed the lower control arm was squished like an accordian about 1/2 inch. After replacing that control arm the 4 wheel alignment was than easy to get within spec.