2011 Prius Head Gasket Failure at 185k - Summary

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL

I wonder if ARP makes a head stud for these?

I checked when this was going on as a joke and didn't see one listed. Critic and I were texting eachother joking about it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal

Originally Posted by OVERKILL

I wonder if ARP makes a head stud for these?

I checked when this was going on as a joke and didn't see one listed. Critic and I were texting eachother joking about it.

Hey, why not right?

 

[KrisZ]

Thanks for the detailed summary. Well done 👍

 

[Omahaug]

Beautiful, great pictures, great job.

 

[The Critic]

Thanks everyone.

Originally Posted by rekit

Good work. How do you check for bent rods without getting to them? It seems the takeaway would be to re-torque the head bolts at some interval. The older Supras and others (late 80's) had HG failures, supposedly due to the removal of asbestos from the gaskets. Happened to my 89. 94 was ok tho.

AFAIK, the easiest way to tell is to set the cyl #1 to TDC and inspect the position of cyl #4. If they're drastically off then there are probably issues. Unfortunately, this means you cannot find out until after the cylinder head is removed. If anyone has better ideas, let me know.

Originally Posted by dogememe

Disappointing that's a common issue. No brand of car is without faults. Do you like the car?

The car suits my needs just fine, so I would prefer to keep it until it is no longer economically feasible to do so. This repair could have been the breaking point if I had to pay someone for the repair.

 

[hpb]

Nice work. You said the book time is 18 hours with engine removal - do Toyota recommend pulling the engine for a head gasket? It's obviously not necessary.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by hpb

Nice work. You said the book time is 18 hours with engine removal - do Toyota recommend pulling the engine for a head gasket? It's obviously not necessary.

Yes, Toyota's repair information lists engine removal as part of the procedure. Certain parts of the procedure (mainly the timing cover) would be easier with the engine removed.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted by Rmay635703

General consensus is you need to clean the egr often and have a catch can, proper cool down of the engine before shutdown is important as well.

EGR? What EGR? 1.8L uses valve float head cross-flow to achieve EGR. There's no EGR valve or plumbing.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by HangFire

Originally Posted by Rmay635703

General consensus is you need to clean the egr often and have a catch can, proper cool down of the engine before shutdown is important as well.

EGR? What EGR? 1.8L uses valve float head cross-flow to achieve EGR. There's no EGR valve or plumbing.

The 2ZR-FXE has a EGR cooler and EGR valve. The 1ZZ-FE (03-08 Corolla/Matrix) is very different than the 2ZR-FE and 2ZR-FXE.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal

Originally Posted by OVERKILL

I wonder if ARP makes a head stud for these?

I checked when this was going on as a joke and didn't see one listed. Critic and I were texting eachother joking about it.

I was goading him to get ARP head studs - but ironically they do make them for the 1st-2nd gen Prius since the same basic engine(Toyota 1NZ) is shared with the Scion xA and 1st gen xB. The Prius version has different cams to become an Akinson-cycle engine and a much different intake. And apparently some people do put boost on the non-Prius version of that engine.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted by nthach

I was goading him to get ARP head studs - but ironically they do make them for the 1st-2nd gen Prius since the same basic engine(Toyota 1NZ) is shared with the Scion xA and 1st gen xB. The Prius version has different cams to become an Akinson-cycle engine and a much different intake. And apparently some people do put boost on the non-Prius version of that engine.

There was a Prius in the Super GT series.

 

[01rangerxl]

Nice work. Being willing/able to take on more challenging DIY projects definitely helps with getting the most out of a car. I imagine this job at the usually quoted prices means it's trade in time for many owners.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by 01rangerxl

Nice work. Being willing/able to take on more challenging DIY projects definitely helps with getting the most out of a car. I imagine this job at the usually quoted prices means it's trade in time for many owners.

Or try to sell it at a premium price, at least from what I see being listed on Craigslist in the Bay Area, and pass on the problem to the next person, most likely someone wanting to drive for Uber or Lyft.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted by KrisZ

Originally Posted by 01rangerxl

Nice work. Being willing/able to take on more challenging DIY projects definitely helps with getting the most out of a car. I imagine this job at the usually quoted prices means it's trade in time for many owners.

Or try to sell it at a premium price, at least from what I see being listed on Craigslist in the Bay Area, and pass on the problem to the next person, most likely someone wanting to drive for Uber or Lyft.

Like this person? https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/oakland-2010-toyota-prius/6822785910.html "One owner only, the body and interior of this car are in good condition (normal wear and tear), clean title, regularly maintained and cleaned, CARFAX report available. This car did have a head gasket problem in the engine which has been worked on by an excellent mechanic. The head gasket was causing the car to lose fluid and coolant was entering the cylinder. While it is not possible for the head gasket to be replaced without replacing the entire engine, the mechanic fixed the problem with Blue Devil head gasket sealer which seals the head gasket so it is no longer leaking fluid. This car is fully functional and drivable, but it is ideal for commuting/local driving, not long distance driving. Also, this car needs to be driven gently without aggressive acceleration. Mechanic's contact information, detailed information on work done on the car, and CARFAX reports all available upon request. Great for local commute, first car for teenager, transition car, etc. $6,700 OBO" (2010 Prius with 125K miles)

 

[KrisZ]

Lol, at least it was disclosed, but still that blue devil stuff will not last long.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal

There was a Prius in the Super GT series.

I think I read that. It's in the category below the Supra/SC430/NSX. Except the 2ZR-FXE isn't used, it's a LeMans Prototype V8 bolted up to a stock Hybrid Synergy Drive system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_GT#Super_GT_(2005%E2%80%93present)

 

[The Critic]

Update: I have driven the car for about 800 miles since the repair. No misfires, no leaks (or seeps) and no unusual noises. Coolant temps are stable at 190-195F.

 

[The Critic]

Update #2: I am currently at 189K, which puts me at 4K miles since the repair. No issues. Will do an UOA at 190K to check for any coolant contamination.

 

[spiderbypass]

You are awesome. Thank you for sharing steps on process with pictures of your hard work. Thank you.

 

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by The Critic

Originally Posted by KrisZ

Originally Posted by 01rangerxl

Nice work. Being willing/able to take on more challenging DIY projects definitely helps with getting the most out of a car. I imagine this job at the usually quoted prices means it's trade in time for many owners.

Or try to sell it at a premium price, at least from what I see being listed on Craigslist in the Bay Area, and pass on the problem to the next person, most likely someone wanting to drive for Uber or Lyft.

Like this person? https://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/d/oakland-2010-toyota-prius/6822785910.html "One owner only, the body and interior of this car are in good condition (normal wear and tear), clean title, regularly maintained and cleaned, CARFAX report available. This car did have a head gasket problem in the engine which has been worked on by an excellent mechanic. The head gasket was causing the car to lose fluid and coolant was entering the cylinder. While it is not possible for the head gasket to be replaced without replacing the entire engine, the mechanic fixed the problem with Blue Devil head gasket sealer which seals the head gasket so it is no longer leaking fluid. This car is fully functional and drivable, but it is ideal for commuting/local driving, not long distance driving. Also, this car needs to be driven gently without aggressive acceleration. Mechanic's contact information, detailed information on work done on the car, and CARFAX reports all available upon request. Great for local commute, first car for teenager, transition car, etc. $6,700 OBO" (2010 Prius with 125K miles)

Run !