Be careful not to overfill as well. I've recently read where some intentionally, at least with the gen2, keep the level just below full to be safe so no seals are blown from what reads like overpressure of the crankcase. Not certain, though also change your PCV Valve routinely. I overfilled my gen3 not thinking was a big deal and made for a goopy mess to clean up with hopefully no damage to anything. This was after running two full tanks of a bottle of Techron in each tank in a row. I noticed after the first refuel full tank without the first of some what was I guess misfiring causing the vibration though no rattle. Then the next day I happened to make a hour drive to a yard, then another hour plus drive to another yard. When I got out of that yard, I went to leave and had the vibration with rattle like that cold start scariness with what I assume is usually low oil. I turned off and checked the oil level and found was at half which was most likely a little lower level and was reading higher since sloshed around. Anyways, topped off to at the fill mark, at least I thought as I suspect I overfilled a second time maybe slightly. Pulled off the EGR pipe and was a quarter inch channel with goopy sludge that smelled like oil and gas. Same situation into the head where I found the fuel injections and backside along with valves nice and clean. About a tbsp of oil in the intake below the throttle body with that underside valve brown with some small particles. PCV Valve was plain stuck with hard carbon crusted tube coming out. Replaced the PCV Valve and tube and just came in to get torque specs and the torque wrench. Wow! Will replace the intake with the same 54 part that was on, though thinking more now that I will absolutely need to clean the EGR Valve and Cooler since will be oil carbon sludge gooped up and not compacted powdered carbon deposit. I found a lower mileage EGR circuit at the yard though am finding my 2013 EGR Valve is the 25620-37120 and the EGR from the yard is the prior revision 25620-37110 part, so not confident they will swap without any issues since there have been TSB and possibly firmware changes maybe related to specific parts. I haven't read into yet. I'll probably swap the EGR Cooler for the cleaner one, though debating since I need to pull more out to get to that. I might put everything back together and see how runs before hand, though thinking if I don't clean the sludge out almost immediately, that sludge will turn into hard carbon deposits. Definitely be careful using fuel additives, albeit Techron same two tank protocol worked great in the approx 238k 2006 prius, might have been a little aggressive on the gen 3. Finally, don't overfill your oil ever. Drain the oil down to the full mark if you do.

@@jafinch78 yes never over pour, I usually add around 4 quarts and check dip stick and go from there after a good warm up .

I doubt I change mine every 15k and it isn't even black. I have an LPG conversion though so maybe it just runs cleaner most of the time.

@@user936 LPG is a game changer when it comes to combustible engines

@@user936 That'd be super handy to have. I've thought for my small engine equipment, would be neat to somehow come up with a cost effective, yet safe, DIY natural gas compressor to fill tanks. Never thought about seriously for a vehicle, let alone a Prius. LPG would be more BTU's. Custom system or something COTS? How did you control?

Thanks Mate

How'd you get on? Mine shook for the first time today.

None

Its all sludge and dry. So I just used wiper wire to clean. Thats not too hard to damage the manifold and used carburettor cleaner and compressed air from the compressor to blow off the sludge.

Melbourne Australia

HI . It looks like you have problem with your drive shafts. Ask your mechanic to lift up the car and drive the car and see the drive shafts while the car is on a hoist. Hope you can find the problem.

Australia, Mate 🇦🇺

White smoke means coolant is burning. If your car consumes engine oil, and coolant, it means your engine head gasket has holes. Toyota prius 2010~2015 is well known for weak head gasket (due to using thin aluminum plate) and intake manifold getting clogged easily

I have 4th generation prius 2016 that have the same rattle at low rpm only also I loose coolant from my reservoir without any outside licks and I have steam and white smoke true my tailpipe. Is it possible to be the Egr cooler defective or more likely blow gasket? Any idea?

Melbourne

agreed, the PCV, EGR and cooler should have been thoroughly cleaned also.

@@brucewayne2773 Yeah, I'm about to embark on what I almost did what appears to be approx two years ago. I'll try to make a KZfaq video of the situation as well. Bonus is the yard car I found for a backup intake and EGR circuit, wound up being the later 54 intake part model that appears almost brand new. The EGR Valve though is the previous model, so not certain I can replace like for like. I was planning to relocate my PCV Valve, position the valve in the vertical position between the EGR Cooler and Coolant Tank and install an oil catch can, though I don't like the idea of using rubber hose to the PCV Valve so have held off until I determine which metal pipe design and material to use.

@@jafinch78 Using a fuel hose should be just fine since oe uses a regular hose from the throttle body to the pcv. Once you replace it or clean it is good for at least 100k miles. EGR cooler, I just sawed off the back mounting bracket for ease of future ease if removal. Not even sure why that thing was ever there.

@@brucewayne2773 I recall with the gen 4 engine swap the mounting is changed, though not certain if the back mounting bracket mount isn't used or what. Man, I just found a sludge fest mess in mine, albeit the EGR ports in the intake weren't completely clogged. Wondering if the EGR Valve got sludged open stuck maybe when starting or maybe restricted airflow through the Cooler funking up the EGR circiut flow? PCV Valve definitely was not rattling at all at first and barely when trying to see if could get to. Now to head back out and clean up more and get back to assembly. Will clean the EGR Valve now without a doubt and see if there is sludge fest going on in the EGR Circuit. Never overfill the engine oil, drain immediately down to full mark.

@@jafinch78 My cooler was so bad, I actually went to the local hardware store and bought a steel rod( I forget the exact diameter now) that would fit inside those fins. Had to physically clean out each and everyone of those many fins. use about 14 inch rod length attached to a pair of vise grips on the other end for leverage. EGR isn's so hard to clean out though as well as the intake manifold as compared to the cooler.

Melbourne , Australia

Melbourne Australia

Hi. If you were using 5w30 before and your oil level is not going down on next service. Keep using the same product. Do not change the oil grade. I think oil companies have changed oil gradations. It happened here in Australia as well. You should check the oil company if they made some changes or not. I am using castrol in all my and customers cars and I am satisfied with the outcome. In my opinion in your weather conditions 5w30 is good .

An expert opinion and one with sense. Thank you Una opinión experta y con sentido. Gracias