Intake manifold cleaning and found this

Possibly someone was thinking of the Exhaust Heat Recirculation System (which is not the EGR, and is also not a catalytic converter).

If you look at the picture, you can see that the exhaust pipe is a boa constrictor digesting four elephants:



The first elephant (well, the leftmost, I guess that would be last in order of swallowing) is a catalytic converter.

The next one is also a catalytic converter. After that is the EHRS heat exchanger (seen here with a handy sign saying so), and after that is a sub muffler.

Because the EHRS exchanger is in the coolant loop (you see the hoses), it is at risk of clogging from head gasket seal products.

 

Hope for the best. For catalytic converter, it really dependa on how many gallons you had use and dump it to catalytic converter. My Altima 02 catalytic converter failed at 65k miles after about 3 gallons of burned coolant. Coolant is very good in killing the Cat. Faster than oil burning.

I would keep driving it and use it as long as it works. Maintain it but do not put any expensive and unnecessary cost to make it perfect.

 

I wonder what they even meant by that. A Prius hasn't got any kind of transmission you flush.

 

You can do several drain-and-fill sessions, with a drive around the block in between. Useful if there’s contamination. Yeah I know: you get maybe 90% with each drain, much more than a conventional automatic.

@oasmith with well over 300k miles it served you well.

 

Given the engine has 400k miles with a blown head gasket for the last 150k miles thanks to a case of sealer (maybe you should seek a sponsorship from the sealer company) and you make your living driving, I would get a newer car in the 100k mile range even if it means payments.

Absolutely do not get another 2010-2015 Prius or 2012-2017 Prius v wagon. Your luck won't repeat itself. I would look for 2016 or newer Prii hatchbacks or more reasonably an older Civic, Camry or Corolla non hybrid 4 cylinder.

 

The transmission fluid in eCVT is like Differential, no torque converter that may keep some of the fluid. When you drain and refill, you replace virtually 99% of the fluid.
That's why it does not even have a filter, just like differential or transfer case.

 

I doubt it's 99%; maybe 90%? Again, a multi-drain "flush" would still be warranted, say if you had a brain-fart, poured in some engine oil.

 

It is 99% if we wait it drips overnight. . There is no need to worry about the old fluid. In torque converter type transmission, having some leftover of old fluid is actually beneficial. The clutch materials that is floating in the ATF helps the clutch pack engage perfectly. That's why the service manual said drain and refill not flush.

My neighbor had Suburban. The transmission was slipping after fluid change. He collected the varnishes and solid materials on the old fluid and put it back to the transmission with some old fluid in it. It worked again but not sure for how long.

ATF fluid in eCVT does 2 jobs. Cooling and lubricating and there is no need to worry about cutchpack or torque converter. Replacing 2x at once is just waste of resources and supporting Putin war. There is no benefit on overdoing it.

 

Ah geez, now the gloves are off.

 

That's hilarious. Prius uses a continuously-variable transmission, and runs the small four-cylinder engine at whatever RPM the car's ECUs agree on.

That mechanic might be ok for other cars; take the Prius somewhere else.

 

Toyota WS is really dark even when you just open it. You run it for few hours in any transmission, it will turn even darker. There is no single report of transmission problems in 3rd gen Prius that are sold millions worldwide. If there is any, it is caused by accident, fire, or sabotage.

If you already fixed the head gasket and other issues in the engines, keep driving it. Check all the fluid (brake, coolant, and oil) are always at the same level. Even if you eventually have catalytic converter code, reset it with any capable OBD2 scanner every 200 miles or so. If you live in states that require no emission and MOT tests like Florida, we never care about CAT. if it died, we just ignore the check engine light from it.

 

Your car had finished its duty for 400k miles. Time to make it as a parts donor.
I am not sure how hard getting 4th gen Prius or any hybrid these days with high fuel price.
I am willing to pay 20% more than kbb price for well maintained 200k miles car. Often they are highway miles and the wear is lower than 100k miles City drive.

 

Just wondering the oil change cycles and oil types for a long 394k marathon

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

It is not easy. If you drive minimum 30 minutes on each trip, often at 70mph cruise speed, once a year is fine. Once you do many short trips and rarely in highway speed, 6 months is a must or it will starts consuming oil and the catalytic converter takes the hit.

 

To me, either case requires 6 month for a gen3 Prius. I.e dont drive much during winter but oil still gets dark even after 2k. These cars eco-friendly but it poisons itself with bad internal design. So needs a careful maintenance. I'm glad toyota got over all these problems with Gen4

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Dark oil does not say anything. It depends on brand and dye type. It also tell us the detergent works. It's not about color. You should use 0w-20 full synthetic like Toyota genuine oil, mobil 1, Pennzoil platinum, castrol edge, etc. You also can get extended performance oil 20 k miles rate, it's similar to longlife in EU that has higher detergent and TBN. Mobil 1 has them in cheap Walmart.
Gen 3. has similar engine as gen 4. Its only the EGR design that need regular cleaning 75-100k miles. Most people can get 200k miles without issue. Most post online because only people that has problems. Its not that easy to find such problem in EU because they use mostly super95/midgrade E5, not regular E10 and always use "full synthetic" or group iii or iv oil, not quick lube $20. The oil alone cost minimum €45 per 5L bottle.

In conclusion, any car should have 6 months oil change interval including gen 5. to avoid oil consumption issue. European cars promote longlife interval, 2 years because it will die from any reason anyway before reaching 200k miles in general.