Nutz About Bolts Prius Maintenance Videos

This is where you start with the front tires 2 psi higher than the rear, and then put them in Becket formation?

-Chap

 

question on the brake bleeding. Your video shows you using a fluid vacuum, which is fine, but I don't have one. Would a plastic line connected at the brakes to allow the fluid to drain out work just as well?
Also technically, instead of sucking out the fluid from the reservoir, couldn't i just let it bleed out through the brakes at the wheels, as long as I have a 3rd person watching the level to make sure it doesn't get too low? Then just add more new fluid to the reservoir?
Just trying to simply and understand how to do this without a fluid vacuum. Thanks

 

I did the brake fluid replacement, mostly without any suction. I used a syringe and tube extension, only to do the initial sucking out of most of the (old) fluid in the reservoir. The logic with doing that is to avoid having to send so much old fluid through the system, catch it before it even enters the lines.

But for the rest, I just relied on brake pedal being pressed, used a clear line with an automotive bleed-bolt connector pushed on. I also followed the sequence per the Repair Manual, which is a little different but not sure that it matters:

Front right
Front left
Rear left
Rear right

I used two pints, and maybe 1/4 of the replacement went into the reservoir, 1/4 during the front brake bleeding, and the remainder during the rear brake bleeding. You should aim to finish up with the level in the reservoir the same as it was at the outset, no higher or lower. And with a little bit of fresh fluid left over. Then, check it a few days later: if the fluid level has stayed the same, I would recycle the left over fluid, oil recovery places will take it.

@NutzAboutBolts video is invaluable in showing the "invalid" mode, and the techinique for opening/closing the bleed bolts, in conjunction with pedal pressing. I've bled brakes, many years back, and often ended up with spongy pedal. But after this time the brakes were nice and firm.

The front brakes in particular you need to be careful: one person firm up the pedal with multiple pushes, then press-and-hold. Then you open, and quickly close, the bleed bolt. The brake pedal will go down to the floor quickly when you do this, so you need to do just short shots. The video shows this very clearly, with split-screen.

With the rears you can hold the valve open till the cows come home, due to the electric pump appliying pressure all the while the brake pedal is pressed: it's easy to get the bulk of fluid changed there.

It took my wife and I maybe an hour to do this, and we're complete duffers.

 

Just thought I would share...I changed out the spark plugs today after watching the NutzAboutBolts video. I tried to get around taking the wiper assembly out but I just didn't have the room to work. So, I got to it and disassembled it all. Why Toyota...why?! It wasn't that bad really just a bit of time. Everything went well and it was pretty straight forward. I kept it organized as I took items out so it went in just the same. Replacement plugs from Toyota Parts Dept. with anti-seize and dielectric grease. After everything was completed, it started right up! Next on the list: EGR cleaning. The plugs are original as I'm the orig owner w/119k mi now. Thanks for the videos @NutzAboutBolts. Keep 'em coming!

 

nice work!

 

thanks for your reply. I called my dealer and they said it would be about $130 for them to do it. this may be one of the tasks i'm willing to let them do. I just don't like messing with taking the tires off and doing brake jobs and the such... never have, never will like it.

 

Because, with a 120K mile replacement interval, it's not that big a deal to pull the wiper motor assembly and try. It isn't difficult and takes little time once you learn how.

 

For me what's worse than the labour is that it's so damn maddening, the cavalier attitude of Toyota engineers: they could have tweaked something, a wee bit, and it would be possible ease the ignition coil stems out of the tube without all this BS.

 

Once you remove it so many times, it takes 10 mins to remove everything lol

 

As I've said before, it takes me 10 minutes to get that dang corner of windshield plastic trim piece off.

I've also mangaged to put the wipers back on before the motors? Something like that, it was doable, but totally wrong, lol.

 

If you use power tools, it'll be fast to take those 10mm bolts from the wiper motor metal mount piece. Also, how you put the wipers back without the motor when it's suppose to be mounted on it? Or am I missing something? Lol

 

I managed to put something significant in, then turn around and see something else significant, that should have gone on first, lying on the floor. Trust me, I'm capable of top order mayhem.

 

Lol

 

Might have been I put in the wipers and motors, and forgot cowl.

 

Best to have 2 people then

 

If there was only someone to help.

 

Lol like they say, "time is money"

 

We'll just have to keep on top of him from afar to avoid "senior moments".

 

He's in Canada, it'll be hard lol