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Here is a long awaited update, and resolution. For those of you who predicted a failing HG, you all called it.
A good friend who works at Toyota as a tech, stepped in and took on the job. He's done dozens of these fixes and is apparently common with 3rd gen Prius engines. He performed the following:
Heads were checked for any signs of warp, and were within spec
Performed a leak test, and no signs of leaking
Replaced with a brand new intake manifold (PN 17120-37091, should be the latest revision to supercede all others)
Did another oil and oil filter change, all oem parts of course
Replaced engine coolant with oem fluids
Valve cover and Timing cover, re sealed
Car drives like a champ again, and I can now rest at night. Thank you, one more time, for those of you who followed along, and offered help
Good luck, but I just went through the head gasket repair and I think I had driven my 2012 less than you did after it started going bad. After doing the HG repair, I drove it about a week before the rod broke and blew the back of the engine out. I hope your friend took a look at the short block and the piston!
Last edited by Joehydro; 06-26-18 at 10:07 PM.
Reason: Add photo
Good luck, but I just went through the head gasket repair and I think I had driven my 2012 less than you did after it started going bad. After doing the HG repair, I drove it about a week before the rod broke and blew the back of the engine out. I hope your friend took a look at the short block and the piston!
Do you think the repair caused the second problem?
No, could they have done due diligence a bit better to ensure no bent or otherwise damaged feat in the short block? Maybe. But no scoring was evident and I really didn’t drive it much (less than 100 miles) after the gasket was probably done. .
Chargerfan: Glad to see you have your car back and running!! Having had the same experience, I am so happy to have had the best experience with repair shop in getting mine done. So far, mine has been running great.
Chargerfan - Is your friend for hire? Or does he have a shop? My car has the same issue and needs repair. Dealer estimates $6000 for gasket repair but they aren't sure if thats the issue. I changed spark plugs, oil, EGR value and exhaust. I'm located in LA. Thanks!
Chargerfan: Glad to see you have your car back and running!! Having had the same experience, I am so happy to have had the best experience with repair shop in getting mine done. So far, mine has been running great.
It was quite a mission, I'm glad its done and overwith
Originally Posted by blksolara
Chargerfan - Is your friend for hire? Or does he have a shop? My car has the same issue and needs repair. Dealer estimates $6000 for gasket repair but they aren't sure if thats the issue. I changed spark plugs, oil, EGR value and exhaust. I'm located in LA. Thanks!
I'll ask him. He is in Temecula, it quite a ways away from LA
Assuming he takes the job.... he would prob do the job at his work (a dealership), and my guess is, he does it off the books.... I dont ask too many questions.... lol
if your heads are warped .... that may explain why the dealer wants alot of money. I was lucky enough to catch it early ... he only had to replace the HG, no need to resurface the heads and create more work/labor. I hope you're in the same boat and your fix is equally as easy.
also, as for them telling you "they are not sure if thats the issue" took some *****, and I commend them for that. the dealers down here in san diego (lexus of escondido esp) could not.... for the life of them .... even get close to figuring out what is wrong/what could be wrong/etc etc
Originally Posted by Vegasaurus
THANK YOU for the extremely, extremely valuable information.
Charger fan, great thread and write up! I actually am having the same issue with my 2011 CT (183K miles on it). How much $ out of pocket did you end up paying to resolve this issue (if you don't mind me asking)? I went to the dealer a few times, and was told that I would either need to take the engine apart to try to remedy the issue or just replace the engine all together (was quoted about $3K just for labor for the engine swap). I too am somehow burning oil and the computer codes show that 2 of the cylinders are misfiring. Is the head gasket fix all that the root issue was or was there more to it? Sorry there is a lot of info. on here!
Kind of wishing I came across this thread a few weeks ago! I did do a search on Google but never found this one, used key words like "CT200h engine rattle" or noise at startup and never saw this. I'm now trading my car in and getting a new ride, but now a bit regretful about all of this.
Thanks jimmyc, the goal was to be informative as possible, and to hopefully save another person the same headache I had to go through
Keep in mind, my price is "my price"... he is a friend. And I've done stuff for him in the past (alignments, detailing, etc). But lets just say, it was under 3k. I do not get a warranty .... something to keep in mind for those who are into that kind of thing (for me, I personally dont care since I void warranty's.... all the time)
Shops/dealers will be iffy on price quotes, until they tear down, they wont know if you will need JUST the HG replaced, or if you'll need heads resurfaced as well ... which of course will cost more. And worse case scenario, if they see any damage to the rods and/or other things "while in there", they'll have to break the news to the customer about the need to full on replace a motor .... which is a very much a possible outcome
In regards to your question on misfire on cyl 2, you'll need to do more research and dig further. From what I personally gathered from browsing the priuschat forums, it all starts with the hg leak, which causes misfire in cyl 1 and/or cyl 2, and if continued to be driven on .... more (severe) damage to follow. There's also the fun issue of the egr clogging, and intake manifold either in need of replacement, or cleaned out .... which everyone (on prius chat) believes is apart of the root issue/adds to the issue
If it makes ya feel better, I had the same oil consumption issue. The prius chat guys said to me "welcome to the oil burners club" .... and its all a matter of acceptance and dealing with it, from here on. Toyota says, my oil consumption was "normal" .... smh
Grats on the new ride, I just hope it doesnt have a prius engine inside the hood o_0
Awesome, thanks for the reply. It sounds like a made a good move then to move on, rather than dump more $ into this (you're lucky your friend is good with cars!). Very impressed with your miles on your CT and amazed that it's the same hybrid battery. Yes I have a feeling the manifold replacement would help too, I have had that "fluttering" noise under low acceleration while taking a turn, but that I could live with.
I'm curious as to your brake replacement on your CT. I only had to replace my front and rear pads/rotors once in my 184K miles! Maintenance in this car is almost NONE!
My friend said, in another 100k .... it is more than possible for the hg to fail again, and the egr components to clog again, and the intake mani to accumulate oil again. And the oil consumption.... there is virtually no way to stop that.... short of adding oil every 1k miles. So yes, you made a good move. May I ask, what car you went with?
I believe, Raidin went 400k on the same hybrid battery.
For Brakes, I believe I was able to get 100k out of my oem pads/rotors. I believe those who drive alot of highway miles (or are more gentle on the brake pedal) will naturally get more life out of their oem brakes. I have quite the heavy foot, I myself am shocked I was able to go as far as 100k
Maint on the car was indeed, (for the most part) very trouble free and simple. I walk away a happy customer, as I loved the crap out of the CT, but I am at the same time a little disappointed in Toyota for not addressing an issue that is causing plenty of customers to blow engines.
06-18-18, 12:41 PM
I'm now trading my car in and getting a new ride, but now a bit regretful about all of this.
