I bought a used Prius for $2800 hoping to save on gas since I was spending $110 a week on my truck. Right now, I have $1800 in the bank and $940 in cash. I just got quoted $2000 to replace the head gasket, and I know I will owe $2500 in taxes this year. Looking at my finances, I can’t afford to have this done by a professional or even an enthusiastic amateur… So I guess I have to do it myself. Is there a video that shows step-by-step how to do this with simple explanations? I’ve done plenty of basic maintenance on my Tacoma, but this Prius is a different story. I’ve only had it for 3 days. I knew it needed some work, but I wasn’t ready for the head gasket issue. When I bought the car, I even checked for white smoke, but now I’m feeling frustrated. Please, can the forum help me with some YouTube tutorials?
Hey, want me to send you some pictures of the repair manual? I got mine for $20 on eBay.
Keats said:
Hey, want me to send you some pictures of the repair manual? I got mine for $20 on eBay.
Yes, he definitely does.
Keats said:
Hey, want me to send you some pictures of the repair manual? I got mine for $20 on eBay.
What’s the name of the book? I’ll get it.
Keats said:
Hey, want me to send you some pictures of the repair manual? I got mine for $20 on eBay.
What’s the name of the book? I’ll get it.
Look for a Prius repair manual. It’s handy to have as a reference. Should cost about $20 to $30.
Keats said:
Hey, want me to send you some pictures of the repair manual? I got mine for $20 on eBay.
What’s the name of the book? I’ll get it.
Probably “Haynes.”
@Nuri
I think you can find actual repair manuals from Toyota. Haynes should be a second choice.
Zev said:
@Nuri
I think you can find actual repair manuals from Toyota. Haynes should be a second choice.
Says the guy with a Haynes profile photo.
Zev said:
@Nuri
I think you can find actual repair manuals from Toyota. Haynes should be a second choice.
Says the guy with a Haynes profile photo.
Haha! You noticed. Yeah, I was really disappointed with it for my Honda SM4 CB3. It wasn’t helpful at all when I needed info.
I thought it would make for a good profile picture!
Just to clarify - how do you know for sure it’s the head gasket?
Edit:
The Prius 20 series doesn’t usually blow head gaskets. Sometimes, the injectors can get blocked and create an engine knocking sound.
You can have the injectors cleaned. It might be cheaper to buy new ones from AliExpress - I’ve used them in several Priuses without any issues.
Or, it could be a bad spark plug or coil.
First: Get new spark plugs. NGK IFR5T11 plugs are cheaper than the Toyota/Denso ones.
Second: If there’s a misfire error code, swap the coils around to see if the code follows the coils. For example, if you get a cylinder misfire in cylinder 1, switch the coils and see if the code moves to that coil.
Third: Clean or replace the injectors.
Also, don’t forget to check and clean the hybrid battery blower fan. That’s essential.
@Montana
I’ve seen some white smoke, not a lot, but that’s the only sign I have. I think the EGR cooler might be clogged and could have caused heating issues that warped the gasket. The engine shakes a lot, like an uncle in rehab. Without digging in, I can’t be sure, but I’d be happy if it just needed new engine mounts and a hole in the exhaust.
@Montana
Important question.
Do you live near a city with lots of Prius taxis? If so, ask a cab owner who they trust for repairs. There are often people who will do head gaskets for a lower price. As a professional, I wouldn’t recommend this, but if I were in your position, I might do it. Just weigh the risks.
Sign up for Alldata and JustAnswer. You can find step-by-step guides on Alldata, and on JustAnswer, you can ask a Toyota tech to look at your pictures and videos and answer your questions almost in real-time. There’s an extra charge for phone calls.
I replaced a messed-up ABS pump in a Gen 2 using those resources. It was tough. I’ve never done a head gasket, but I understand it’s mostly about taking things apart and putting them back together. You just need to lay the gasket down correctly.
@Brice
Does the Prius even use torque-to-yield bolts? They might not be needed since it has a low-HP Atkinson engine.
Check out Car-part.com for a used engine for your Prius. They used to be pretty cheap.
Axelle said:
Check out Car-part.com for a used engine for your Prius. They used to be pretty cheap.
This guy only has basic mechanical experience doing maintenance, and you think swapping an engine is better than a head gasket fix?
Are you sure your Gen 2 actually has a head gasket leak? How did you figure this out? Seems pretty unlikely.
PaulMagnet said:
Are you sure your Gen 2 actually has a head gasket leak? How did you figure this out? Seems pretty unlikely.
I agree. Plus, no EGR valves.
I helped a buddy with his Gen 3 Prius head gasket last week. We had never done it before, but we followed a bunch of YouTube videos and it all worked out. It’s running great again. You can do it; YouTube is a great resource.