What year engine to buy?
Thread Starter
Driver
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 85
Likes: 1
From: kansas
What year engine to buy?
Hey guys, I have an ct200 with 240k miles and am thinking the head gasket is done. The engine chatters quite a bit at idle but drives fine. I'm pretty mechanically inclined but have never done motor swap, but after researching and reading posts, many have said it's a pretty simple and straight forward engine swap. I'm getting ready to buy a new engine to swap, what year should I try to get to best avoid another head gasket issue. Most engines I see are being sold with around 50-60k miles, but I think lots of people are saying to try to buy the '16 model. I think anything newer than the '16 engine would eliminate the headgasket issue from the Prius but would require more than a straight swap. Trying to keep this swap as simple as possible. What do you guys suggest or done, and any hint/ recommendations? Thanks in advance.
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 256
Likes: 47
From: Canada
The engine revisions were applied for late 2014, 2015 and up. Have you done an EGR cooler, EGR valve, intake manifold, EGR pipe clean yet? A coolant pressure test, coupled with a borescope camera inspection afterwards would positively rule in/out a headgasket issue.
If you specifically asked for a HG part number from 2015 + (I can't remember if the HG was superseded for all years by default now), then you're pretty much getting the same HG benefits as a 2015+ engine. The more major issue tackled in the engine revision was oil burning at high mileage; redesigned piston rings.
If your VIN is before this: JTHKD5BH#E2180953, then it's not revved.
If you specifically asked for a HG part number from 2015 + (I can't remember if the HG was superseded for all years by default now), then you're pretty much getting the same HG benefits as a 2015+ engine. The more major issue tackled in the engine revision was oil burning at high mileage; redesigned piston rings.
If your VIN is before this: JTHKD5BH#E2180953, then it's not revved.
Last edited by morganc; Nov 2, 2025 at 05:50 AM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
kiiddcrash
ES - 1st to 6th Gen (1990-2018)
2
Jul 10, 2012 06:59 AM
350PsDMeuP
IS - 2nd Gen (2006-2013)
35
Feb 16, 2010 07:00 PM
