NEW!!! Service Bulletin for Engine Knocking at Startup T-SB 0012-10

Anyone have this file still?

 

I have a 2102 V, and it does this same knock after sitting for long periods of time in driven.
I wonder if they have a TSB for the V too then?
(I know, check the V forum). lol

 

The v has essentially the same engine. The transaxle has some diff's is all.

 

Wow! Thanks for the info. I had the knock happen 3 different times. At first I thought it was a small animal under the hood at startup. Of course on opening the hood, nothing. I'll talk to my dealer. Two years ago I had my intake manifold replaced due to a crack. The repair was covered under the emissions warranty. edit: bummer mine is a 2012.

 

I tend to only get it (on both my wife's 2011 liftback and my 2012 V) when we leave them parked for a while.. like in the garage for a few weeks.. it's generally only once, the first time after leaving them sit.. really difficult to reproduce it after the one occurrence. So, I wonder if this is something to talk to the dealership about? (assuming both are out of warranty now)

 

How many miles on it?

If it's possible to research and DIY the EGR/intake clean out, I would go that route. The dealership will VERY likely be expensive, frustrating, incomplete. DIY where you just clean parts is basically free, apart from a few cleaning supplies, and maybe replacement of the pliable intake gasket, if they're knackered.

Info here:

Bad Flywheel | PriusChat

 

There's a link to the file is in the first post.

 

The file is basically an instruction on how to replace the intake manifold with a revised version? I think that proved fruitless though, didn't resolve the issue. I think you just need to clean it, and if you want it to stay clean longer install Oil Catch Can.

 

When I first got my 200k Prius in February of this year this "startup shudder" was pretty common. I live at 7000' in the dry desert, fyi, but we get a decent amount of snow. In the summer, the misfire on startup went away completely. Never encountered it once in the last 6-months...until the temps dropped again.

I'm running an Oil Catch Can, have thoroughly cleaned the EGR, and cleaned out the intake (not updated) about 6,000 miles ago.

Is anyone else concerned that this misfire might be the culprit behind blowing headgaskets? Or at least, another factor in it's demise?

 

I'm thinking not a culprit, rather a symptom, due to coolant seeping into cylinder, most typically cylinder one or two.

 

Check this out...

 

Why would it only do it when cold, though?

For instance, this morning I fired it up and it started fine. It's like...20 degrees (f) outside.

I marked the coolant tank when I got the car 8,000 miles. It's dropped maybe an 1/2 inch during that time? So if it's weeping coolant, it's a very slow rate.

Because the Prius is my beater (I've got $900 into it) I'm in no rush to do the headgasket. Until steam is pumping out the tailpipe, I'm gonna give'er. Oh, and my valve seals are trash, so maybe a complete motor would be a better deal anyway.

 

It's burning oil?

 

Why not, not spend the money on a used engine that could possibly have the same problems,
and replace the head gasket and valve guide seals, for a lot less money.
Then you know you have a reliable engine.

It's a guessing game with a used engine.

 

I had this very problem and they charged me to replace the intake manifold at the dealership. Do I have any recourse?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

How much?

I think the revised manifold* might help slightly, but not a lot. Periodic cleaning, say every 50k miles**, is much more beneficial.

* From some low-res pics I gleaned the IM rev is change from 4-into-1 EGR passage, to 4-into-2-into-1.

** Being OCD and Canadian, I’ll do it every 50k kms. At least…

(Link to more info in my sig (bad flywheel))

 

Does anyone in Toronto, Ontario had their head gasket replaced by an independent garage? How much did it cost? Any referral for a reliable garage which is specialize or experienced in doing this for Prius?

 

The engine is an oil burner. Don't bother trying to fix it. It's cheaper to just get another one and it takes far less time and then you have a good engine. Fixing this one is Seldom ever wise

 

At 220,000 km (about 135,000 miles) odometer reading, mine is not burning a lot of oil (at least not yet). The engine makes the terrible knocking noise about 4 or 5 times a year at this stage (usually in cold winter days). When it happens, I immediately turn the engine off, wait 10-15 seconds and restart it. In most cases, the noise would be gone after 2 or 3 tries. I learned of this issue many years ago from this forum. Since replacing the head gasket is the fix, I wouldn't mind look into this option and see how much it cost first. If a thousand dollars can keep it running for a few more years, it may still be worth it.

 

"IF" you wanted to spend a little more, I'm don't know the cost, getting the newest pistons & rings, probably the
2015 ones, and replacing the valve guide seals would take care of the oil burning.
It would certainly last more than a few years.