Don't pre-judge this post- not a head gasket issue

I changed my oil and rotated my tires last week; then 4 days later, I noticed a coolant loss of say 2-3 inches in the reservoir. I check my car every 3-4 days on every thing- oil, tires, etc. I never even lost this much coolant back when I already replaced the headgasket 50,000 miles ago. (I have to state this, because over on the facebook forum- you could just go on there and post you are asking for thoughts on the best color for a GEN3, and 1/3 to 1/2 of the replies will be "It's probably a head gasket". Car had the code P148F using the car scanner app, no dash lights or check engine lights.

I had a guy near me that had a pump he pulled off of his car and he replaced the impeller, so I was waiting for him to get home and try his pump- the price was near free. (He replaced his pump at 130,000 miles and when taking the pump off realized it was the impeller only. He installed new pump, and was just going to sell his gently used one and bought a new impeller for it because he's a good guy.)

While waiting on him to get home, I took off the pump and looked at it. It was turning freely, no impeller damage. I put back the pump when he told he me he would be delayed. Drained and refilled the coolant.

Never a code since that day, no coolant loss. I never even saw where the coolant loss was to begin with- it sure wasn't in my yard or my work that I could tell (I park in the same spot- I'm an executive with the same spot.). Not really, I park so far away to get my exercise.

What could have been the issue? I'll keep watching it. It' has never gotten hot. Ever. Ever. I have gauges and apps- I watch it ever since before the head gasket.

Sorry for the long post. I respect the opinions of the fine scholars and engineers here at Priuschat. Someday, if they ever let me retire from the big place where you all have been ordering packages every 3 minutes (starts with an A), I will give back to the forum in some way.

 

Miles at time of headgasket repair, which included all of the typical things you would recommend- intake manifold cleaning, egr cooler, etc. That was about 265k. I have cleaned the intake manifold recently. I'm waiting for more patience or too drastically lose weight so my fingers can fit in tighter places before I do the EGR cooler. I just couldn't get er done. Car now has 315k

 

Yea, I didn't see that it was needed. I would have replaced it that day- but I couldn't find that those were available locally- only online. Please correct me if I can find one anywhere. HOwever, the person I was buying the pump from was selling me the pump (with a new impeller) for just a few more dollars than a new impeller. LIke I said above, he was just being a nice guy and paying the learning experience forward.

 

No warning light- ever. I totally see how it would come out the reservoir, I didn’t really see anything like that. Perhaps it had already burned off or dried up. I’ve read some other ways that coolant can escape, like something about the heat exchanger, just haven’t researched that more since I haven’t lost any coolant or overheated based on the gauges I have.


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300k on a 2014 isn't uncommon is it? I bought this after making job change and driving company cars for 25 years. I like it that wherever I go, I'm getting their the cheapest way, I do like to travel. I drive around 120 miles round trip to work 4-5 days a week that if I time in right, I can drive no more than 60 mph the whole way; which is very easy on the engine. Probably I add 1 to 1.5 quarts in between 5000 mile oil changes.

So I used to never change my oil, or have much car maintenance anyway; but I would go to the dealer for the oil changes; it seemed only about 60 bucks and I no longer lived in the "big city" like I used to. Where I went wrong, and I think every one in this forum agrees- is 1) the 10000 mile oil changes and 2) not checking the oil regularly when I bought it at 168,000 miles on it; because to me it was a nearly new 4 year old car that never burned oil. AND THEN one day the guy at the dealership said "man check your oil more often, it was very low when you pulled in". Heck, I wonder how many other times I pulled in there and it was low! It's my fault either way.

This thing is a beast. I have access to in my opinion most of the service records via carfax. It's only had for maintenance- brakes front and back, wheel bearing, and headgasket. That's it, nothing else. I Uber some and people still tell me how nice it is. I have had it six years and it looks like I may need a 12 volt battery it pretty much died on me last night after running hazard lights for 5-10 mins.

 

Ah right, challenge on. I’ll probably make some other posts by end of day lol.


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