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Woowza! 3191 was 'Now that I can push the button"

Discussion in 'Generation 1 Prius Discussion' started by depriusoto, Sep 14, 2013.

  1. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    It finally stopped raining long enough here in the desert that I could get out and clean the throttle body. Took of the air filter housing so I could look at the butterfly and get a better look down the intake throat. It all looks clean. There was no oil on the butterfly valve that I could see, it opens a bit stiffly but I think that's normal.
    Here's the problem. Instead of the oil in the sump that I'd expected to find there is gas. This is where the smell is coming from. I used a couple of rags to soak some of it up.
    Thoughts, suggestions?
    Thanks in advance,
    Ed
     
    #1 depriusoto, Sep 14, 2013
  2. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    Thinking about this situation I came up with idea that some thing is off with the valve timing. An intake valve or valves are not closing at the correct time so that gas from the FI that goes into the cylinder instead of being compressed and ignited is flowing into the intake manifold. Given that possibility I would expect some sort of DTC indicating a malfunction in that system. Valve stuck open, for example?
    Am I thinking in the right direction?
     
    #2 depriusoto, Sep 16, 2013
  3. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    No I'm afraid you have got it wrong. The Prius engine is an Atkinson cycle engine. Some of the intake charge is pushed back into the inlet manifold to reduce the effective compression ratio (inlet valves are held open for part of the compression stroke). If this were not done the compression ratio would be 13 to 1. this is why you have fuel there.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #3 Britprius, Sep 16, 2013
  4. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    So it would be normal to find gas at the bottom of the throttle body. I knew the Atkinson cycle engine was different so this is a great help. Thanks!
     
    #4 depriusoto, Sep 17, 2013
  5. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    The Atkinson cycle engine works on the principle of a long combustion stroke, allowing more of the expansion of the burning gasses to be used. This makes the engine about 10% more efficient than an Otto cycle engine (normal petrol engine) although it's power out put for a given capacity is lower, but uses less fuel to achieve a given output.
    The same length of compression stroke would give to high a compression ratio. The reason why the valves are held open and some of the intake charge expelled back into the intake manifold.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #5 Britprius, Sep 17, 2013
  6. depriusoto

    depriusoto Member

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    UPdate.
    I've not tried starting the engine again as my SOC is low. I bought new battery from ELearnaid and installed it about a week ago. Removed the spark plugs - they are all oily.But the tip of the electrode still has the little ball in good shape on all 4. The two outer plugs were slightly less oily- enough so that I could see a bit of the porcelin which looked to be that good color of light brown/tan that I associate with a good burning. I have new Denso plugs and will install them.
    I'd hoped to do that yesterday but when I went to put the car in ACC there was no power. The new battery was at 4.6 volts after sitting four 3/4 days. Doors were closed and no light was left on.

    I'm putting the battery on charge and will see how it comes back. I plan to leave it in the car and hook it up for a jump start first and see if it will come on in ACC so I can see if the SCangaugeII registered any new codes. Then I'll unhook the ground and the positive cables and charge the battery.

    Meanwhile, what do you all think is stuck in the on position that would drain the battery that quickly?

    Ed K
     
    #6 depriusoto, Sep 23, 2013
  7. Britprius

    Britprius Senior Member

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    Did you check the voltage on the new battery before fitting it. There have been a number of reports of discharged batteries coming from Optima.

    John (Britprius)
     
    #7 Britprius, Sep 23, 2013
  8. mlibanio

    mlibanio Member

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    Try the trunk light switch. Sometimes if it has been slammed down hard enough, the pin stays in the down poistion. Happened on my Dodge Neon and my Prius too. Almost impossible to diagnose. I found it by putting my iPhone in video recording mode, put it into the trunk and closed the door. Turns out, when I opened the trunk the video showed the light was on. Simple fix.
     
    #8 mlibanio, Sep 26, 2013
    bwilson4web likes this.
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