I have had the experience of putting a lot of money into bulletproofing a 6.0 powerstroke engine and it worked great. Then it was totaled in an accident and as The Car Wizard said in the video, the insurance company did not pay a dime more than what they estimated the vehicle was worth.
@@CarWizard In my case, it was $5K into a $15k truck. But the insurance will still only give you $15 for it, if you're lucky. Had the accident not happened, we'd still be driving it. So you definitely have to weigh your options, including what might happen.
@@CarWizard i don't know how law in conjuction works with insurance in the US, but here in the EU you can get your car appraised if it has some work done etc. If done from a reputable source. personal story inky dinky twingo i had for 6 months was heavily customized custom paint job etc bought it for 800, got rear ended and my garage where it was serviced appraised it for me (after the crash but they knew the car before total) @ 2000€ and got paid out that amount by the insurance company of the guy who totaled my car.
@@CarWizardI am going to be buying a $6-7K truck in a couple months. Was planning on putting a little money into, nothing crazy(thankfully I can do the work myself), for this simple fact. Early 2000s Tundra or Silverado most likely. Thanks for the guidance! I think the actual moral of the story is, do your own mechanical work.
The moral of this story is that the overwhelming cost of most repairs is *labor,* not parts. And finding a good mechanic like the Wizard is worth paying for.
Way back in the 1980s I had an Alfa Romeo with the 4 cylinder “Boxer” engine and it blew one of its head gaskets. I was very busy at the time so I booked it into a local garage to have it fixed. I was told that they would replace the timing belts etc and I paid for the job to be carried out. Everything was fine for about six weeks when there was suddenly a large bang and the engine lost all power and was making the most horrendous noise (I was doing about 70MPH when it happened). You guessed it, the belts had snapped and the valves had hit the pistons, some of which had actually broken off and were embedded in the pistons. Upon examination the belts had not been changed. The garage refused to accept responsibility. End result was the car was a write-off. It just goes to show that over here in the UK all those years ago we also had scammers. Great channel!!
I had a lady come into the Autozone I used to work at and her car was making a god awful sound like that and she asked if I had any idea what it might be, I noticed the plastic covers over her radiator vibrating and pushed down on them and it went away. I ended up putting in a few new plastic clips and her issue was fixed for 3 bucks. Could see a shifty shop taking advantage of that poor lady and was glad I could help her out.
Long ago I had a VW Rabbit. It developed an overheating problem, in January, in Minnesota. Probably a blown head gasket. But it was too cold to do the repair in my garage. So I took a risk. I got out the long torque wrench and tightened up the head bolts to 115% of spec. The engine ran fine after that until we sold the car two years later. Probably not a universal cure but maybe worth a try if you are cheap or desperate or both.
The CT200h was my mom's last car... Funny story though, we had no idea it existed until we saw one on display at the corner of the local Automall. She wanted something with Prius-like mileage at the time, but HATED the prius. This was exactly what she wanted. We went in to check it out at Lexus, and found out the $29,995 trim level was only special order from the port. THAT NIGHT the Tsunami in Japan happened! So I told my mom, "Hey if you want this car, you need to buy it NOW because the plant that builds them won't be for awhile!" And the next day we went in and she ordered one from the port. There was like a 6 month wait list for like a a year after that because of the Tsunami!
My 2010 went out this way at 260,000. Traded in for a 2014 Its HG went out at 285,000 Taxi cab Prius mechanic put crate motor in for less than $3000 Still going strong at 355,000 Never any battery problems ever. Mever any brake jobs either. Incredible cars. CT200h is next on my list.
I saw a 2016 Camry with 415K miles and a complete service history. They only changed the oil every 6-9k miles. Had only 1 transmission drain, 2 new serp belts, a radiator, an alternator, front wheel bearings and 1 other minor repair I think. Plus brakes/tires of course. They still wanted $10k for it, probably $21-22K original price.
@@leivabernieBut you want good brakes when you have to use them, such as an emergency stop. Just do the pads and have everything lubed to make sure it's all in good working order.
Excellent video. 3 years ago i bought my 1 owner 2002 Lexus ES300 with 160,800 miles. Shortly after i bought it i had to have the struts replaced (the rear ones started leaking) and the AC compressor replaced. It started squealing but was working, i decided to change it before it fails. A few months later i had the original alternator replaced. a year later the original starter had to be replaced. Granted these are 20 year old OEM parts so for them to last nearly 20 years is a testament to the quality of Toyota/Lexus parts. All new parts are GENCO brand. One of the ignition coils went bad so i decided to have all 6 replaced with DENSO and 6 DENSO plugs. I did the front 3 but the rear 3 i had done by a shop i go to regularly. Exhaust Flex pipe started to make a low rumble so i had that replaced. Late last year the front brake calipers started to freeze up, had them replaced as well as the brake hoses. I change my own synthetic oil every 5k miles. Moral of my comments: although i put more $ into it than what i paid for the car, I'm content and happy i did. This 1MZ engine and smooth transmission will last many more years and its a keeper. i currently have 183k miles and these go for at least 300k miles if maintained properly.
I have owned a 97 Camry V6 with 1MZFE engine since new. Still running great with 240k miles. Original engine transmission starter and alternator. I did all liquids and suspension maintenance myself. Never brought it to a dealer. its timing belt was changed twice by my nearby local garage. I found both times the timing belt was like new no cracks. So I doubt the need of changing time belt at every 100k miles.
I got rid of my 2012 CT200h for this exact reason. Luckily Toyota learned A LOT from this generation hybrid system and its EGR issues, and corrected them in later years.
@@yslee1401the CT200h is built on the Corolla Auris platform which is the same platform as the Scion iM/Corolla iM hatchback. It’s not built on the US market Corolla platform
I did it in 14 hours including two lunch breaks in my dad's garage. Worst part was cleaning every mating surface befween the camshaft assembly, block, head, timing cover and valve cover. I could probably do it a lot faster a second time. I have a 2011 CT200h I bought with the blown head gasket. It looks exactly like the one in this video. I just DIY stuff, not a pro at all.
I bought a 2011 ct200h in 2021 for 8k with 123k miles. I drove rideshare for 2 years and put a total of 200k miles on it. At the shop I do the preventive treatment for the " issue" of the head gasket that is recommended. I will replace engine if I ever have too. I had to replace brake pump assemply. Cost of part 800.00 shop install 1200.00. Then like clockwork at 185k the hybrid battery had to be replaced. 4k lexus part shop installed. Ready to replace front break pads 2nd time and rotors first time. Various components on suspension replaced. Positives- great sound system. Good bass and power. I like the looks and drive and low center of gravity due to the battery weight. I used Perelli p- zero tires (3 sets great wet traction but fast tread wear. I still have wornout shocks and struts however. I found good pricing tires via online order from walmart shipped to walmart to install. I love this car and i instend to keep this till i croak. But i am 54. It's my car experiment. I only drive 15 miles back and forth on the old fart route in Clearwater Florida. I watch all of Wizards videos and Hoovie Garage too. On a side note I have no car common sense so to speak. Ex owner of Porsche 1988 944 turbo and 1988 911 Carrera.
I do. I bought a 2017 for 18k with 42k miles 2 years ago. 33k miles later and I'm still loving it. I plan to keep this car until at least 2032. Super comfy, tons of space for cargo when seats are layed down. Hauled 65" TV's, sets of sliding glass door blinds, bags of mulch/rock/concrete. Great little car that does what I need while averaging 40mpg consistently
Head gasket job tips: (1)Start with the least abrasive scrubbing material you have to clean up the mating surface on the head(s) and the block, the engine metal may be soft or coated. (2)Measure the block and the head(s) with a straightedge(if either is warped, a new head gasket will not solve the problem). (3)If you’re not sure if your head bolts are reusable, buy new ones(some head bolts stretch when tightened and can only be used once).(4)Most important tip is have an extra car, don’t do this to the only car you have because it will take a while. You SHOULD take your time if you are doing this at home. Second guessing anything? STOP and do more research
From someone who has done this job successfully, it’s great advice. I had the head skimmed and checked for $100. I just tossed the old bolts… they are cheap enough to just replace. I think they were $8 each. I had about $600 in the whole job.
Blown head gasket is how you know a Land Rover has been running recently. If the head gaskets are good, be very suspicious. It may not have been started for some time.
@BabyJesus66 That's weird. Mine has appreciated over the years. Some people are just better at buying and selling. A couple of years back, Jalopnik did a story on used Toyota buyers. They found out they were paying MORE than what they could buy a new Toyota for.
I remember when i was told by one mechanic that my 2000 camry was already knocking and it was best for me to just sell it to him. Good thing i got another mechanic to tell me that it was just the tensioner and might aswell so the whole water pump kit. Currently at 279000 still runs.
Rebuilt engine from Hybrid Pit in LA area shipped and installed for maybe the same money. Toyota revised pistons and rings on these gen3s which normally are oil burners as well.
I learned an extremely valuable lesson the hard way, after a major customization project accident: budget into the build what added insurance will be required to protect your investment. Far too many people put every dime into parts, labour and looks. Following an accident comes the gut wrenching shock, when the adjuster only gives you the basic market value. Whether it's custom or a major repair, protect yourself. After reading a Hotrod magazine, I decided to replace the blown 4 cyl in my 2 year old 73 Vega GT, with an an aluminum V8 from a 63 Olds F-85. First with the crappy automatic, then converted a Chevy 4 speed. I put months of garage time doing a complete engine overhaul. Getting custom motor mounts and machine shop work was very expensive. It turned out a great swap with the V8 weighing just 20 pounds more than the 4 cyl. Just weeks after getting the last bugs worked out, somebody made a left hand turn at a red light in front of me. The insurance company valued the car at its market value, based on the awful problems those original engines were causing everyone. My tough luck.
This era of CT200h/Prius are notorious for bad head gaskets, rough idle at cold start is the telltale sign. I've read people going over 200k to as low as 120k when it blew. The best option currently is replacing the engine with the fourth gen as opposed to a head gasket job. Like you said probably only worth it if you do your own work or plan on keeping the car for a long time. I own a third gen prius V with around 100k miles and anticipate having to do this sometime in the future, since I plan on keeping this car. I've already done the preventative EGR/cooler cleaning, but it's not a matter of if but when with this gen.
I don't believe you need the engine if you get a better than OEM head gasket. I had mine done at 125k miles and all is good. Cost parts and labor $2000. The www.youtube.com/@gasketmasters came to my house and did the work with warranty.
It is possible to reuse the block while changing everything else out but not very many people are willing to go that rout. You can use a Gen 4 EGR but that requires some real effort to install. Part of the problem with the failing head gaskets was the ECU settings for the water pump which Toyota didn't fix until 2014.
I had a 2004 Prius that went 200k, and a 2014 that went 18k, and luckily neither of mine had this issue. I maintained them very well and always changed the oil at 5000 miles regardless of what the dealer said. I traded the 2004 in on a 2014. I had the 2014 for 7 years...since it only had 18k miles on it, I sold it for about 60% of what I paid for it new, and put that toward the Model 3 I bought in 2021. I'm glad to be done with gas engines and all of the issues even the best of them have. I had nothing but good experiences with my Priuses but EV's as so much better.
Those head gaskets can definitely be done without pulling the engine out. It's actually an easy job as far as head gaskets go. There is no need to replace the timing set. I've done tons of those head gaskets and have yet to find even one with a stretched timing chain. The chains can go 400,000+ miles easy. That car can easily go double the mileage if you do the head gasket. No worries about any future transmission failure... those transmissions simply do not fail.
Did mine two weeks ago. Funny enough my car looks exactly like his. I was all in about $500 in parts including a water pump. My uncle is a service manager at a Toyota dealership and hooked me up. Took me 14 hours from start to finish and I was BEAT at the end.
My sentiments exactly with regards to the very robust timing chains. As the Toyota technician - YT Car Care Nut states - the chains are not like the Chevy types.
If you're doing the job yourself, yeah you don't need to do all the extra work. A shop can't do that. They have to warranty it. If Wizard just does the head gasket and none of the other stuff, and there is any sort of failure in the parts that can be but shouldn't be reused, guess who is liable for it?
@@StormsparkPegasus I've been in the auto repair industry for 20 years and with all due respect, you are dead wrong. I'll explain. If it is a reputable shop or more specifically a skilled technician, they don't just replace parts because "they may fail" or "I can't warranty the work if I don't replace it". Instead, they know how to check a chain for wear and can determine if a chain or the related components are in need of replacement. An OE timing chain set from toyota for that car is probably close to $1000. Most people don't like spending a grand if they don't have to. Spending $1000 of your customers money simply because you lack the ability to determine which parts are worn and which parts are not worn is no different than firing the parts cannon at a car. In the industry we call that a "blanket repair". Blanket repairs are just as expensive and firing the parts cannon. The mentality behind them is "it's fixed if we just replace everything". If that is the ideology behind auto repair, then the wheels and tires should be replaced when doing a brake job, right? Or the ball joints, knuckle, strut and control arms should all be replaced when replacing a wheel bearing, right? Or how about replacing the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, tensioner, idler pulley(s) and harmonic balancer when you're replacing a cracked serpentine belt. No. You check them when you replace the serpentine belt and replace if necessary. It's no different for a timing chain. Service procedure, per Toyota, is to inspect the timing components and replace if they display signs of wear, fatigue or damage. If not, they can be reused. Replacing the chain, tensioner etc simply because "they might fail" or because "I can't warranty my work unless I replace everything" is not necessary. It's lack of skill and it's incredibly expensive for the customer. People wonder why auto repair is so expensive. This is one of the reasons. Replacing perfectly good parts "just because" has unfortunately become not only normal, but accepted as standard practice. Shop's spend their customers hard earned money buying parts because they are too lazy to actually check them, don't know how to check them and/or they are driven by the fact that they can mark up an additional $1000 worth of repair parts, which is literally free money. I've done maybe 200 head gaskets in those cars over the last 5 years or so. I've never replaced a chain in any of them and I've yet to have on come back with a failed timing component. Why? Because I physically inspected each of them and determined they were just as good as they were when new and was able to confidently reuse them, thus saving my customers money while simultaneously earning their business for years to come. I still service at least half of those cars to this day. TLDR Replacing the timing chain set "just because it could fail" or "because I can't warranty it if I don't" is lazy, unskilled and very expensive for the customer. It's called a blanket repair and that is something that was very much frowned upon in the industry just 20 years ago. The OE service procedure per toyota: inspect timing components, replace as necessary. Takes you maybe 5 minutes, your customer saves 1000s. Now they are a customer for life.
Head gaskets on these third Gen Prii and Lexus CTs are pretty notorious, but thankfully the 4th and 5th Gen hybrid systems are super solid with very few issues.
At least some part as to why that is the case was due to some settings in the ECU that regulated the water pump which didn't get corrected until 2014. Gen 4 is really just Gen 3 done right and a lot of parts can be swapped over to Gen 3 cars though with some effort like the EGR for example.
annnnnd....clean the EGR valve, intake manifold, , throttle body, manifold EGR ports, EGR cooler and EGR to manifold pipe. This helps to keep combustion temperatures under control
Some shops would rather put a whole engine than go through the hassle of the head gasket. Easier for them to repair and send the customer down the road.
Car Wizard just put a video out recently on why he's not interested in doing engine replacements anymore. These junkyard engines are just garbage and 2/3rds of the time they're just as bad if not worse than the customer's broken engine in the first place.
@ 12:00 That happened to me in 2020. Used car prices were going crazy so I decided to fix everything wrong with the car I had at the time (a 2007 Pontiac G6) hoping to make it last as long as possible. I put over $3000 into that car and then hit a deer at 80 mph and totaled it. Luckily, I found another one, same year, same color and I'm using the old one as a parts car.
@0:23 No, Car Wizard dude, it basically is the Lexus version of a Toyota Auris Hybrid. @11:24 If you have access to a used engine was at least inspected, it might be cheaper. @12:44 That includes maintenance items. If you didn't pay the full msrp when it was new, the risk is worth taking, IMHO because crashes aren't that common. You either deal with the hybrid filter beforehand, spend big for a fix or get rid of the car.
I’m a major fan of the CT200h. Yes, the head gasket is a known failure point as mileage piles on, but the combination of looks, comfort, fuel economy, and reliability still makes them amazing cars. Awesome video Wizard!
I documented (on priuschat) in great detail with pictures etc of two engine rebuilds for two different prius that we have in the family. In total each motor cost 1200 or so in parts/machine shop head work to rebuild each. As someone else mentioned as well, the most expensive bit is labor. Both motors that I rebuilt had new cam bearings, rod bearings, updated 2015+ pistons, piston rings, seals, head gasket, valve seals, spark plugs etc.
I had a similar issue on a 2003 Camry, but we caught it quickly. It wasn’t coolant leaking in on mine though, it was oil spraying out. All we did was replace the valve cover gasket and plugs and it ran great until it was totaled in a rear end collision. Learning to do work yourself is very rewarding, both in money and confidence.
One way to ask that question: is it worth it to pay $5k to fix this known Prius / CT-200h problem compared with buying a different used one for $7k that may not have had it done yet? If either of those vehicles gets in a wreck the insurance company will pay the same amount, so the insurance question only arises if you're lucky enough to have someone wreck it before the work's done. 😂
But if you can confirm it was already fixed on the used one...@@danielgulick5752 Or, this is not particularly realistic or for everybody, get a cheapo used car, parts, carefully repair it yourself for a lot cheaper, then sell off cheapo used car. Downside: cheapo car may itself break down, and cheaper cars tend to be older/less safe in a crash. Time spent on the research and repair, risk of failure or mistakes. Risk of loss of car due to not finishing repair
Depends on the overall condition of the car plus the health of the traction battery and if the $7k is due for a new pack while the one with a blown gasket has a pack that is still good for another 100k miles for example then you are better off just fixing as buying a new pack will run about $3k on a good day unless diy.
Given the general state of used cars (you can get lucky but it's not guaranteed - most people do not maintain their vehicles properly), and the price of new cars...if you have a good car, and it just has an issue like this that can be fixed, I would say it's worth it, unless the cost gets so high that it costs more than buying a used car that doesn't have the issue.
Look forward to your video about CVT transmissions: the good, the bad, the ugly... I would like to buy a used Corolla or Civic, CR-V, or even a Fit, but scared of bad and not serviced CVT's. And the apparently terrible ones on Nissans... Thanks !
that's one dirty engine bay... but I love these CT200h's.. even with those failures, I would do what it need to fix it and keep it running forever. they are even more comfortable than the Prius of its time, very subtle, understated, practical and frugal.
I used my CT200H for a good 10 years before selling it off. It was still like brand new after 10 years 145,000kms with no top gasket failure or EGR issues. Change oil every 10,000kms, clean out the EGR cooler system every 3 years and Changed coolant at 100,000kms
My brother in law brought his Prius to me, and it was making the exact same noises. And like you said, I instantly was like "Oh crap"... But turns out it was luckily just a coil. Swapped the coil with the one next to it and the misfire moved. He was super happy because he thought it was shot. Lol
No shame in that so long as it's done correctly. Hence why I'd run away from a head gasket job like a little girl with my hair on fire. "A man's got to know his limitations."
My rule of thumb as a layperson is 5:1 for a job I've never done before, 3:1 for a job I've done a couple/few times, and 2:1 for a job I've done several times. Ex: A good technician needs 10 hours; I'll need 20, 30, or 50 depending on how many times I've done it before. I'll still do the work if I've got reason to, but I've got no illusions about how much longer it will take me. I'm currently driving around without a dash while I finish up the wiring of some upgrades I'm installing. I'm probably going to end up with well over 100 hours into the project, but doing it myself is the only way it's cost-effective. It would take a quality tech at least two full days to do the work, and the value of the upgrades is not worth multiple thousands of dollars in labor. (Plus I really enjoy leaning how to do new things, and I'm a perfectionist, so I know the work is done properly.)
I estimate it took me 24 hours for may daughter’s ‘13 Prius and that included unplugging the EGR cooler. The job wasn’t that bad. It looks much worse than it is… once the cowling and air box was removed, it opens up all kinds of space.
Water pump and collant maintenance is a must on these. The waterpump uses a plastic coated impeller which cracks and expands with time. Mine overheaded once did not trip a ligjt. I pulled codes found a hidden impeller speed code. Replaced impeller $20 been several thousand miles now. No problems.
I have a 2015 Prius C that just had the brake booster fail. It's a $3000 job, but I know the car and bought it new. I got lucky and it was covered under recall, but I would have spent the money if I had to. It's a good car and I hate having payments.
@@kimblem.w9952the brake booster on Toyota hybrids is electronic. The engine’s off quite a bit of the time so the power brakes need to continue to function, so an electronic brake booster is used to keep them pressurized. It’s essentially a partial brake by wire system.
@@tails300it's FULLY brake-by-wire apart from power failure situations. Some combustion Toyotas use this system as well so the stability control (VDIM in Toyota nomenclature) can react literally 1000 times a second, and be capable of saving a skid before you even notice you're starting to skid.
I have one of these!! 2011 that's notorious for burning oil and popping head gaskets. Mine doesn't burn an once of oil, and it has the revised intake manifold and the EGR and cooler has been cleaned. 200k miles and it still runs awesome. There are small ports in the intake manifold that the EGR feeds gases through back to the combustion chamber, make sure those are clean when servicing the carboned up EGR valve and cooler as those ports get carboned up as well! Many of us prius/ct owners believe the clogged EGR system causes high temps that blow the head gasket. Just a heads up for anyone who owns one and sees this before the gasket pops. This applies to Gen 3. 2010-2015
Been here before with Prius 3rd gen at 160k I DIY the Headgasket and took my time to de carbon the entire head and relap the valve seats, new head bolts, new water pump, thermostat and timing chain tensioner. Kept original timing chain because I read they don’t need to change❤ anyway car is now at 176k and I will still occasionally get that cold rattle but it is so subtle it’s probably condensation due to the bad intake manifold design. Car also still on original brakes and battery. It’s still worth some money and I love the car tbh, such a great gas saver and no payments ❤
Sold my 2013 Prius V w this problem as is for very good coin during the height of covid. It had 200k miles and was a great family vehicle but didn't want to go down a rabbit hole of repairs
Yeah, I've watched all their videos on how to do the job and will be doing it myself sometime soon. It's fair for Car Wizard to charge his price for it but the job doesn't really look that bad for an experienced mechanic with the right info on how to do it.
0:36 Stuff like adding images of cars when they’re brought up by Wizard would be some cool editing that shouldn’t take a whole lot if time/effort plus be a visual break from Wizard just standing there. Just an idea momma Wizard!!
If you use resale value to determine if it's worth it to repair a car and not the cost per mile that you'd pay if you get another 160k after the job then it seems expensive, but if you look at the alternative which is buying a new car with potentially more expensive repairs sooner then repairing an old car makes a lot of sense, even if it aproaches the price of a similar car in the used market.
I believe the intake manifold egr ports clogging are the root cause. The intake egr ports clog causing uneven combustion. Pinging causes pressure spikes causing gasket failure. I always recommend a new imtake manifold. The part number has changed multiple times.
Ct200h is a Corolla or Auris in Europe, it’s common for the Egr coolers let go that causes a dead miss water gets in the cylinder and blows the head gasket
1. At the beginning I was hoping it was just a fouled plug or bad coil, and then you said "let's look at the coolant"... Head gasket! 2. I'm proud of my estimate at that point, I guessed $4k! 3. I had a tiny version of that dealer slime when I bought my used Riviera. They insisted on giving me a full tank of gas before we drove back from Gilroy in the South Bay to Marin County in the North Bay... Turns out it had a very common problem with GM "fuel modules" - the fuel gauge sensor was wacky below half a tank... Fortunately, I was able to do enough searching on the web to buy just the sending unit, and not the entire $400 spring-loaded module that includes the fuel pump!
May i be bold enough to question something. A blown head gasket can come in several forms and doesn't always result in coolant steam cleaning the combustion chamber right??
It could be an oil/coolant breach, or oil/coolant to outside the engine or possibly oil to combustion chamber fail etc. Im not trying to be a smart ass but I love to learn and to benefit from other's wisdom.
It looks like you used a regular long socket to loosen the spark plug and a magnetic to pull it out. How do you reinstall the spark plug? Do you not use spark plug sockets with a built-in grommet or built-in magnet?
Gotta love Car Wizard for straight up truth! I remember when I was shopping for cars last year I learned about this issue in the CT200. The Car Care Nut went so far as to tear one down and showed exactly where the weakness was in the head gasket. Since I only buy used vehicles I do a lot of research. My wife was like, “But it’s a Lexus…” Not really.
Love me a good borescope! I call it my "show me the money" tool, can't argue with a short video of your head gasket actually leaking. Also, biggest issue with bigger buck repairs on a Prius or CT200 is condition of the battery. High mileage vehicle with an original battery might need one of those soon too, so don't forget to bring that up to your customer during "the talk"
I wanted to buy these when a whole month researching, realized they have gasket leaking coolant into the cylinders and cause misfiring. Some say the gasket leaks is the cause of overheating due to the failure of the electric water pump. For some reason, many modern cars don't come with a engine temperature gauge.
I recently had an argument on facebook where someone believed they were being scammed when they were quoted $2000.00 Australian to do a head gasket on an old Kia Carnival which has a front wheel drive quad cam wet wall cylinder V6 engine, I actually could not believe it was so cheap, the Wizard has refused to fix Hoovies V6 Maserati engine and this engine actually has similar architecture and an engine like that is a nightmare.
Head gaskets in modern cars are a nightmare in general. I think a lot of people that think they should be cheap probably had it done in a 1950's-60's car. Back then a head gasket was a simple afternoon job in your driveway. I had a friend when I was in my early 20's that had a 72 Chevelle (this was around 1995) that he was always working on, and he did the head gaskets on it in a few hours...it was a 396 big block V8. This was his project car, not really a daily driver. He was the same age as me - he was just a classic car nut.
@@StormsparkPegasus These old V8s were great like that, one of the reasons they are so popular is because they are so easy to work on, but although modern cars are so complex they do offer great mileage and fuel emissions, and I remember how bad the smog could get too, still love the old V8s though.
This is why I prefer the series two Prius. My 2004 model has been bulletproof reliable. The only repair was valve cover gasket at 140,000 miles. Otherwise, just normal maintenance.
I had a 2012. Purchase @125K miles in 2022. Head Gasket blown @ ~157K. Battery was replaced under warranty @ 127K, so I bit the bullet and paid $5.5k for HG, and while the engine was open, replaced the other components he noted. My start up with "Rocks" was only noticed once, and then the diagnosis. Hopefully the car will be good for another 10 years. I enjoy getting close to 40 miles per gallon. (Mine is the same color, but with a Black interior)
Wow. I thought I was the only one. I've owned a 2011 CT200h since new and sold it in 2018 with 207k miles on it. Most dependable car I've ever owned hands down by far but there were three instances when I'd start it the motor rattled something horrible. I'd shut it off and restart and back to normal. Only happened a total of three times. Aside from that a true reliability champ for me.
It’s not a bad job. No special timing tools needed. Good idea to install the updated PCV, intake manifold, and a new EGR cooler (all parts are cheaper and identical from Toyota btw)
similar to Prius, the HV battery needs replacement after 150k+ miles or the ABS module could die (accumulator leak) those are major high ticket items for this hybrid. Very common for Gen3 Prius which is a twin of this Lexus model to have head gasket failures.. the Gen2 Prius are more reliable.
Sold a couple. Great cars, they drive so smooth. Barely any power, but good daily. Head gasket issues are well known major issue, and ABS module. Other than that and the battery, just drive it. 😊
1:30 into the video. Seems like the typical misfire or clogged injectiors causing the flywheel plate to clatter. Lets see if I'm right as I finish the video. Edit: 3:00. Looks like I'm right. I fixed a 2009 that was doing the same thing exept it didnt have any coolant leaks or head gasket problems.
160,000 miles. That's amazing. A common problem is not as bad as it sounds if it lasts that long before going wrong. Based on average years a US vehicle is held and the mileage travelled this is the end of life of a vehicles. If this is the only major issue in its whole life and can run another 160,000 miles it is really a reliable vehicle. You would have some many problems with many other vehicles in getting to this point. Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Landrover, Kia, Ford, GM etc etc
Oh my, I have a similar model. Year 2014. Were those still affected? Is it a matter of age or mileage? Don't forget that the Hybrid Battery also needs replacement one day. Both issues will total the car. So if hou haven't done the batt already, consider selling it to a pro that can repair it on own budget.
for those having a toyota/lexus engine, check your oil every 1000km if you do lots of cold & short driving you need to change the oil more often, when oil get just a little darker you should change it or buy a honda older than 2017 and don't worry about anything ever
Had one of these for two years. I drove it like I stole it every day literally trying to screech tires through every turn after work haha. Very reliable car. Just change the thermostat every 80k miles
Another, less invasive, method to check for cylinder to coolant leaks is by disabling the fuel pump as you would for a compression test, and having a helper crank the engine while you watch the coolant surface in the tank. On a good head gasket there will be only minimal disturbance to the fluid surface. Whereas a leak will cause the fluid to jump around due to pressure impulse bubbles propagating around. This works well as a quick "smell test" on engines where spark plugs are not quick to access and the leak is too small to show up immediately on the sniffer tool.
@@rogerpearson9081 on this motor, spark plugs are trivial to remove. On some engines, the upper plenum has to come off to even start. Pretty much every Toyota V6 out there and more. Pressure tester is always handy, but not everyone will have one outside of a shop what with all the different adapters. Plus there's the possibility of hydro locking a motor if you're not careful on the pump and you don't know how long someone was driving around like that. As for bubbles in the coolant, it's only a reliable test if the engine has been warmed up fully. Otherwise false negatives can and do happen.
Something that can happen with these hybrids is if the engine hydrolocks, the electric motor that starts the engine is strong enough to just grenade the engine or bend a connecting rod instead of just stopping
Thank you David/Car Wizard... I was just about to buy one of these cars.. I had assumed they were solid.. And now because of you- I know they have a common terrible mechanical failure on these engines.
apart from the HG issue it’s interesting how these cars with eCVT manage to do so many miles. I’ve recently drove a Ford that has a similar system and in auto mode it shuts down the engine on every slow down of the car😂. I know that while restarting the engine the oil pressure is low and additionally if the speed of the piston is low or it starts moving there is high wear. maybe the coating on cylinders and rings deal with this problem, low tension or other stuff… Anyway I ended up driving in battery recharge mode then use electric drive after entering city traffic
Getting a similar job done on a 2011 Prius. IMO worth it to fix. Seems to be a combination of the electric water pump and the hybrid stop start system that causes this to happen.
I've done a headgasket before but on an old iron duke. most likely didn't do it right but it worked and lasted longer than I had the car. I was 22 years old at the time and it was the only time I did it. the car lasted me 4 more years and I sold it to someone.
reason why i said I didn't do it right was I reused the head bolts, I reused everything but the head-gasket. Only thing I put on new was the head gasket. Had no issues. Thankfully.
These have an issue with the egr valve and intake passages getting carboned up and adding more pressure to the head gasket causing the failure. It would be a good idea to add these parts to the list.
My 99 5.7 c1500 suburban was sitting for about a year and a half. I was able to get it started but it has a knock coming from the engine. Now it doesnt start. Its been at the mechanic for over a month now. Just a week ago when I called them they still haven't even figured out what the issue is. They said it would be the rocker lifter and advised the heads would have to be machined. I really hope I can get it back running. I havent had a car since covid started 😭😭😭😭😭
I think there's a reason people think head gaskets shouldn't be so expensive. Because they're thinking of how much it was to do a head gasket on 50's/60's cars, with their much simpler pushrod engines, and much more room under the hood to work. I had a friend when I was in my early 20's (this was around 1995) who was a classic car nut even though he was the same age as me, who had a 72 Chevelle SS (I think his had the 396 big block V8, but it might've been the 327 small block, I don't remember for sure because I never drove it). He was always doing something to it, it was his project car. I remember he did the head gaskets on it in a couple hours in his driveway (plus the time the heads were at the machine shop). It barely cost him anything.
Some of those modern engine heads cant be machined because it'll easily throw the timing off slightly and throw weird timing related codes. You'll probably have to throw in the cost of a head if the old one isn't flat.
Did my head gasket in december about 10 thousand miles ago. Timing chain water pump thermostat resurface new bolts new engine seal kit. Put it all together and had an exhaust leak from the manifold! Took it to a mechanic $500 for that part and still under 2000. OEM parts too.
![My Lexus had a MAJOR HeadGasket Failure Not Once but TWICE! [Long Term Update CT200h]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rpCycYygyjI/mqdefault.jpg)
I have had the experience of putting a lot of money into bulletproofing a 6.0 powerstroke engine and it worked great. Then it was totaled in an accident and as The Car Wizard said in the video, the insurance company did not pay a dime more than what they estimated the vehicle was worth.
So moral of the story is, dont put $20k into a $6k vehicle. No matter what the story is.
@@CarWizard In my case, it was $5K into a $15k truck. But the insurance will still only give you $15 for it, if you're lucky. Had the accident not happened, we'd still be driving it. So you definitely have to weigh your options, including what might happen.
@@CarWizard i don't know how law in conjuction works with insurance in the US, but here in the EU you can get your car appraised if it has some work done etc. If done from a reputable source.
personal story inky dinky twingo i had for 6 months was heavily customized custom paint job etc bought it for 800, got rear ended and my garage where it was serviced appraised it for me (after the crash but they knew the car before total) @ 2000€ and got paid out that amount by the insurance company of the guy who totaled my car.
@@CarWizardI am going to be buying a $6-7K truck in a couple months. Was planning on putting a little money into, nothing crazy(thankfully I can do the work myself), for this simple fact. Early 2000s Tundra or Silverado most likely. Thanks for the guidance! I think the actual moral of the story is, do your own mechanical work.
@CarWizard I was in a similar situation. I fixed it. Car payments are super expensive now.
The moral of this story is that the overwhelming cost of most repairs is *labor,* not parts. And finding a good mechanic like the Wizard is worth paying for.
Most of the time the Wizard says, "I'm not going to do that job again!" 🤫🤭😂🤣
After 35 years, I'm still looking
Way back in the 1980s I had an Alfa Romeo with the 4 cylinder “Boxer” engine and it blew one of its head gaskets. I was very busy at the time so I booked it into a local garage to have it fixed. I was told that they would replace the timing belts etc and I paid for the job to be carried out. Everything was fine for about six weeks when there was suddenly a large bang and the engine lost all power and was making the most horrendous noise (I was doing about 70MPH when it happened). You guessed it, the belts had snapped and the valves had hit the pistons, some of which had actually broken off and were embedded in the pistons. Upon examination the belts had not been changed. The garage refused to accept responsibility. End result was the car was a write-off. It just goes to show that over here in the UK all those years ago we also had scammers. Great channel!!
thats when you burn the shop down
@@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong. That’s when you call an attorney and sue the hell out of them.
@@billhartsfield424 Nah. That can take years, and you could lose. Plus all the fees. Just teach 'em a lesson.
@@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong100%..cleans really well.
@@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong
How?
If you're not using them.
I had a lady come into the Autozone I used to work at and her car was making a god awful sound like that and she asked if I had any idea what it might be, I noticed the plastic covers over her radiator vibrating and pushed down on them and it went away. I ended up putting in a few new plastic clips and her issue was fixed for 3 bucks.
Could see a shifty shop taking advantage of that poor lady and was glad I could help her out.
You are a good dude
Long ago I had a VW Rabbit. It developed an overheating problem, in January, in Minnesota. Probably a blown head gasket. But it was too cold to do the repair in my garage. So I took a risk. I got out the long torque wrench and tightened up the head bolts to 115% of spec. The engine ran fine after that until we sold the car two years later. Probably not a universal cure but maybe worth a try if you are cheap or desperate or both.
My prius Headgasket blew at 270,000 miles, a few hundred bucks and a saturday of work and it runs great. They’re great cars, worth fixing for sure.
The CT200h was my mom's last car...
Funny story though, we had no idea it existed until we saw one on display at the corner of the local Automall. She wanted something with Prius-like mileage at the time, but HATED the prius. This was exactly what she wanted.
We went in to check it out at Lexus, and found out the $29,995 trim level was only special order from the port. THAT NIGHT the Tsunami in Japan happened! So I told my mom, "Hey if you want this car, you need to buy it NOW because the plant that builds them won't be for awhile!" And the next day we went in and she ordered one from the port. There was like a 6 month wait list for like a a year after that because of the Tsunami!
I wish I’d have kept my 2011 Land Cruiser.
It’s a pretty nice looking car, I like it and never really knew about it either
was it a reliable vehicle for your mom? what was the mileage ?
gas consumption
@Keless She only had it for 3 or 4 years and drove it just 15k miles. Zero issues just oil changes, averaged 40mpg on city or highway driving.
My 2010 went out this way at 260,000.
Traded in for a 2014
Its HG went out at 285,000
Taxi cab Prius mechanic put crate motor in for less than $3000
Still going strong at 355,000
Never any battery problems ever.
Mever any brake jobs either.
Incredible cars.
CT200h is next on my list.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
Change your brakes bro
I saw a 2016 Camry with 415K miles and a complete service history. They only changed the oil every 6-9k miles. Had only 1 transmission drain, 2 new serp belts, a radiator, an alternator, front wheel bearings and 1 other minor repair I think. Plus brakes/tires of course.
They still wanted $10k for it, probably $21-22K original price.
@@playerroku4412This car has kinetic regeneration brakes, it doesn’t apply the brakes until necessary.
@@leivabernieBut you want good brakes when you have to use them, such as an emergency stop. Just do the pads and have everything lubed to make sure it's all in good working order.
Excellent video. 3 years ago i bought my 1 owner 2002 Lexus ES300 with 160,800 miles. Shortly after i bought it i had to have the struts replaced (the rear ones started leaking) and the AC compressor replaced. It started squealing but was working, i decided to change it before it fails. A few months later i had the original alternator replaced. a year later the original starter had to be replaced. Granted these are 20 year old OEM parts so for them to last nearly 20 years is a testament to the quality of Toyota/Lexus parts. All new parts are GENCO brand. One of the ignition coils went bad so i decided to have all 6 replaced with DENSO and 6 DENSO plugs. I did the front 3 but the rear 3 i had done by a shop i go to regularly. Exhaust Flex pipe started to make a low rumble so i had that replaced. Late last year the front brake calipers started to freeze up, had them replaced as well as the brake hoses. I change my own synthetic oil every 5k miles. Moral of my comments: although i put more $ into it than what i paid for the car, I'm content and happy i did. This 1MZ engine and smooth transmission will last many more years and its a keeper. i currently have 183k miles and these go for at least 300k miles if maintained properly.
I have owned a 97 Camry V6 with 1MZFE engine since new. Still running great with 240k miles. Original engine transmission starter and alternator. I did all liquids and suspension maintenance myself. Never brought it to a dealer. its timing belt was changed twice by my nearby local garage. I found both times the timing belt was like new no cracks. So I doubt the need of changing time belt at every 100k miles.
I got rid of my 2012 CT200h for this exact reason. Luckily Toyota learned A LOT from this generation hybrid system and its EGR issues, and corrected them in later years.
The big difference between the CT200H and Prius is the rear suspension setup. This one uses a double wishbone on the rear and the ride is way better
Because the only thing that shares with the Prius is the engine. The rest of the car is different, because is a Toyota Corolla hybrid
@@pablonavaridas3302 but the Corolla Hatchack does not use double wishbone suspension
@@yslee1401the CT200h is built on the Corolla Auris platform which is the same platform as the Scion iM/Corolla iM hatchback. It’s not built on the US market Corolla platform
The whole interior.
Love my 2013 CT. Great car.
I did it in 14 hours including two lunch breaks in my dad's garage. Worst part was cleaning every mating surface befween the camshaft assembly, block, head, timing cover and valve cover. I could probably do it a lot faster a second time. I have a 2011 CT200h I bought with the blown head gasket. It looks exactly like the one in this video. I just DIY stuff, not a pro at all.
Lexus not so reliable it seems.
Why they blow head gasket.
That should never happen
@Angry-Lynx yeah. They have made a lot of good cars but that one was a miss.
I bought a 2011 ct200h in 2021 for 8k with 123k miles. I drove rideshare for 2 years and put a total of 200k miles on it. At the shop I do the preventive treatment for the " issue" of the head gasket that is recommended. I will replace engine if I ever have too. I had to replace brake pump assemply. Cost of part 800.00 shop install 1200.00. Then like clockwork at 185k the hybrid battery had to be replaced. 4k lexus part shop installed. Ready to replace front break pads 2nd time and rotors first time. Various components on suspension replaced. Positives- great sound system. Good bass and power. I like the looks and drive and low center of gravity due to the battery weight. I used Perelli p- zero tires (3 sets great wet traction but fast tread wear. I still have wornout shocks and struts however. I found good pricing tires via online order from walmart shipped to walmart to install. I love this car and i instend to keep this till i croak. But i am 54. It's my car experiment. I only drive 15 miles back and forth on the old fart route in Clearwater Florida. I watch all of Wizards videos and Hoovie Garage too. On a side note I have no car common sense so to speak. Ex owner of Porsche 1988 944 turbo and 1988 911 Carrera.
Man, how did you go from cool cars like the 944 to a Prius??
Scotty Kilmer is not going to like this.
Theres a 2011 for 10k @ 100k miles near me. Would you recommend getting it in this 2024 age?
I do.
I bought a 2017 for 18k with 42k miles 2 years ago. 33k miles later and I'm still loving it. I plan to keep this car until at least 2032.
Super comfy, tons of space for cargo when seats are layed down. Hauled 65" TV's, sets of sliding glass door blinds, bags of mulch/rock/concrete. Great little car that does what I need while averaging 40mpg consistently
@@gmcrusher77I’m getting 54 mpg right now
Head gasket job tips: (1)Start with the least abrasive scrubbing material you have to clean up the mating surface on the head(s) and the block, the engine metal may be soft or coated. (2)Measure the block and the head(s) with a straightedge(if either is warped, a new head gasket will not solve the problem). (3)If you’re not sure if your head bolts are reusable, buy new ones(some head bolts stretch when tightened and can only be used once).(4)Most important tip is have an extra car, don’t do this to the only car you have because it will take a while. You SHOULD take your time if you are doing this at home. Second guessing anything? STOP and do more research
From someone who has done this job successfully, it’s great advice. I had the head skimmed and checked for $100. I just tossed the old bolts… they are cheap enough to just replace. I think they were $8 each. I had about $600 in the whole job.
Blown head gasket is how you know a Land Rover has been running recently. If the head gaskets are good, be very suspicious. It may not have been started for some time.
Blown engine is how you know it's a third gen Tundra. Or transmission failure is how you know it's a fourth gen Tacoma.
@@Land_Raver Good tip's, I will keep an eye out lol.
@@Land_RaverLosing 60k in depreciation the first year is how you know it's a Land Rover.
@BabyJesus66 That's weird. Mine has appreciated over the years. Some people are just better at buying and selling. A couple of years back, Jalopnik did a story on used Toyota buyers. They found out they were paying MORE than what they could buy a new Toyota for.
I can't believe he bought one. They are a disaster. You could not give me one for free. LOL
I have a 2013 ct200h with the same issue. I repaired the motor. Right now it has 354235 miles and running.
DAAAAAAAAAAAMN lol
Hey, at what mileage did your HG got blown?
@@Cornel1983_ 146,000 Miles.
I remember when i was told by one mechanic that my 2000 camry was already knocking and it was best for me to just sell it to him. Good thing i got another mechanic to tell me that it was just the tensioner and might aswell so the whole water pump kit. Currently at 279000 still runs.
He wanted that Camry for himself
You're an honest mechanic. A rare find these days. Heck even the dealership I purchased my car from seems a little sketchy to me.
On camera everyone is honest.
Rebuilt engine from Hybrid Pit in LA area shipped and installed for maybe the same money. Toyota revised pistons and rings on these gen3s which normally are oil burners as well.
I learned an extremely valuable lesson the hard way, after a major customization project accident: budget into the build what added insurance will be required to protect your investment. Far too many people put every dime into parts, labour and looks. Following an accident comes the gut wrenching shock, when the adjuster only gives you the basic market value. Whether it's custom or a major repair, protect yourself. After reading a Hotrod magazine, I decided to replace the blown 4 cyl in my 2 year old 73 Vega GT, with an an aluminum V8 from a 63 Olds F-85. First with the crappy automatic, then converted a Chevy 4 speed. I put months of garage time doing a complete engine overhaul. Getting custom motor mounts and machine shop work was very expensive. It turned out a great swap with the V8 weighing just 20 pounds more than the 4 cyl. Just weeks after getting the last bugs worked out, somebody made a left hand turn at a red light in front of me. The insurance company valued the car at its market value, based on the awful problems those original engines were causing everyone. My tough luck.
This era of CT200h/Prius are notorious for bad head gaskets, rough idle at cold start is the telltale sign. I've read people going over 200k to as low as 120k when it blew. The best option currently is replacing the engine with the fourth gen as opposed to a head gasket job. Like you said probably only worth it if you do your own work or plan on keeping the car for a long time. I own a third gen prius V with around 100k miles and anticipate having to do this sometime in the future, since I plan on keeping this car. I've already done the preventative EGR/cooler cleaning, but it's not a matter of if but when with this gen.
I don't believe you need the engine if you get a better than OEM head gasket. I had mine done at 125k miles and all is good. Cost parts and labor $2000. The www.youtube.com/@gasketmasters came to my house and did the work with warranty.
@@michaelking4578 Roughly the same price as a gen four motor which has fixed this flaw and also has slightly better MPG.
It is possible to reuse the block while changing everything else out but not very many people are willing to go that rout. You can use a Gen 4 EGR but that requires some real effort to install. Part of the problem with the failing head gaskets was the ECU settings for the water pump which Toyota didn't fix until 2014.
I had a 2004 Prius that went 200k, and a 2014 that went 18k, and luckily neither of mine had this issue. I maintained them very well and always changed the oil at 5000 miles regardless of what the dealer said. I traded the 2004 in on a 2014. I had the 2014 for 7 years...since it only had 18k miles on it, I sold it for about 60% of what I paid for it new, and put that toward the Model 3 I bought in 2021. I'm glad to be done with gas engines and all of the issues even the best of them have. I had nothing but good experiences with my Priuses but EV's as so much better.
Those head gaskets can definitely be done without pulling the engine out. It's actually an easy job as far as head gaskets go. There is no need to replace the timing set. I've done tons of those head gaskets and have yet to find even one with a stretched timing chain. The chains can go 400,000+ miles easy. That car can easily go double the mileage if you do the head gasket. No worries about any future transmission failure... those transmissions simply do not fail.
Did mine two weeks ago. Funny enough my car looks exactly like his. I was all in about $500 in parts including a water pump. My uncle is a service manager at a Toyota dealership and hooked me up. Took me 14 hours from start to finish and I was BEAT at the end.
Agreed 100%
My sentiments exactly with regards to the very robust timing chains. As the Toyota technician - YT Car Care Nut states - the chains are not like the Chevy types.
If you're doing the job yourself, yeah you don't need to do all the extra work. A shop can't do that. They have to warranty it. If Wizard just does the head gasket and none of the other stuff, and there is any sort of failure in the parts that can be but shouldn't be reused, guess who is liable for it?
@@StormsparkPegasus I've been in the auto repair industry for 20 years and with all due respect, you are dead wrong. I'll explain. If it is a reputable shop or more specifically a skilled technician, they don't just replace parts because "they may fail" or "I can't warranty the work if I don't replace it". Instead, they know how to check a chain for wear and can determine if a chain or the related components are in need of replacement. An OE timing chain set from toyota for that car is probably close to $1000. Most people don't like spending a grand if they don't have to. Spending $1000 of your customers money simply because you lack the ability to determine which parts are worn and which parts are not worn is no different than firing the parts cannon at a car. In the industry we call that a "blanket repair". Blanket repairs are just as expensive and firing the parts cannon. The mentality behind them is "it's fixed if we just replace everything".
If that is the ideology behind auto repair, then the wheels and tires should be replaced when doing a brake job, right? Or the ball joints, knuckle, strut and control arms should all be replaced when replacing a wheel bearing, right? Or how about replacing the alternator, power steering pump, water pump, tensioner, idler pulley(s) and harmonic balancer when you're replacing a cracked serpentine belt. No. You check them when you replace the serpentine belt and replace if necessary. It's no different for a timing chain.
Service procedure, per Toyota, is to inspect the timing components and replace if they display signs of wear, fatigue or damage. If not, they can be reused.
Replacing the chain, tensioner etc simply because "they might fail" or because "I can't warranty my work unless I replace everything" is not necessary. It's lack of skill and it's incredibly expensive for the customer. People wonder why auto repair is so expensive. This is one of the reasons. Replacing perfectly good parts "just because" has unfortunately become not only normal, but accepted as standard practice. Shop's spend their customers hard earned money buying parts because they are too lazy to actually check them, don't know how to check them and/or they are driven by the fact that they can mark up an additional $1000 worth of repair parts, which is literally free money.
I've done maybe 200 head gaskets in those cars over the last 5 years or so. I've never replaced a chain in any of them and I've yet to have on come back with a failed timing component. Why? Because I physically inspected each of them and determined they were just as good as they were when new and was able to confidently reuse them, thus saving my customers money while simultaneously earning their business for years to come. I still service at least half of those cars to this day.
TLDR Replacing the timing chain set "just because it could fail" or "because I can't warranty it if I don't" is lazy, unskilled and very expensive for the customer. It's called a blanket repair and that is something that was very much frowned upon in the industry just 20 years ago. The OE service procedure per toyota: inspect timing components, replace as necessary. Takes you maybe 5 minutes, your customer saves 1000s. Now they are a customer for life.
Head gaskets on these third Gen Prii and Lexus CTs are pretty notorious, but thankfully the 4th and 5th Gen hybrid systems are super solid with very few issues.
At least some part as to why that is the case was due to some settings in the ECU that regulated the water pump which didn't get corrected until 2014. Gen 4 is really just Gen 3 done right and a lot of parts can be swapped over to Gen 3 cars though with some effort like the EGR for example.
annnnnd....clean the EGR valve, intake manifold, , throttle body, manifold EGR ports, EGR cooler and EGR to manifold pipe. This helps to keep combustion temperatures under control
Some shops would rather put a whole engine than go through the hassle of the head gasket. Easier for them to repair and send the customer down the road.
I feel this tho like my personal car yes I would but it just hard to send it out and hope it lasts
Car Wizard just put a video out recently on why he's not interested in doing engine replacements anymore. These junkyard engines are just garbage and 2/3rds of the time they're just as bad if not worse than the customer's broken engine in the first place.
@@Darksynewhat about a brand new engine? Or are these hard to obtain.
@@bdw66 for the money worth speding now...yes. often its sillly prices not even worth spending. a remanufactured maybe though.
@@bdw66 a short or long block from the dealer just wouldn’t be worth it for how much they charge at the dealer.
16:35 great advice on cars and yourself. I always say unless you’re a mechanic or a doctor, don’t call either one of those with your own diagnosis.
The shop I work at specializes on these engines I have even seen blown head gaskets as low 131k miles on some 3gen prius
"Scotty never told us THAT." :o)
What do ya'll charge for a headgasket or an engine swap?
100% agreed. Some will say that could not happen but that's because they're toyota fanatics.
Most likely, the egr valve will need to be replaced, and that's not cheap.
There like $250 not that expensive and that’s oem
Water pump has a plastic stator which expands and cracks, always a good check. The water pump is super easy to replace.
The pump needs to come out anyway with this job.
The water pump is extremely easy to change on this car, the thermostat housing directly behind it.. not so much 😂
Just did mine about a month ago.
@ 12:00 That happened to me in 2020. Used car prices were going crazy so I decided to fix everything wrong with the car I had at the time (a 2007 Pontiac G6) hoping to make it last as long as possible. I put over $3000 into that car and then hit a deer at 80 mph and totaled it. Luckily, I found another one, same year, same color and I'm using the old one as a parts car.
@0:23 No, Car Wizard dude, it basically is the Lexus version of a Toyota Auris Hybrid.
@11:24 If you have access to a used engine was at least inspected, it might be cheaper.
@12:44 That includes maintenance items. If you didn't pay the full msrp when it was new, the risk is worth taking, IMHO because crashes aren't that common. You either deal with the hybrid filter beforehand, spend big for a fix or get rid of the car.
I’m a major fan of the CT200h. Yes, the head gasket is a known failure point as mileage piles on, but the combination of looks, comfort, fuel economy, and reliability still makes them amazing cars.
Awesome video Wizard!
known head gasket failure means it's NOT a reliable car
-known major failure
-it's a reliable car
Pick ONE
@@petrosaguilar8916 It's a little different when the known failure generally occurs after 200k miles.
@@one_mega_ohm9139 this one occured at 161k and another poster here said his head gasket failed at 130k miles.
I wish that Toyota put a temp gauge in these vs just the engine over temp light. I think the head gaskets would survive a bit more
I documented (on priuschat) in great detail with pictures etc of two engine rebuilds for two different prius that we have in the family. In total each motor cost 1200 or so in parts/machine shop head work to rebuild each. As someone else mentioned as well, the most expensive bit is labor. Both motors that I rebuilt had new cam bearings, rod bearings, updated 2015+ pistons, piston rings, seals, head gasket, valve seals, spark plugs etc.
I had a similar issue on a 2003 Camry, but we caught it quickly. It wasn’t coolant leaking in on mine though, it was oil spraying out. All we did was replace the valve cover gasket and plugs and it ran great until it was totaled in a rear end collision.
Learning to do work yourself is very rewarding, both in money and confidence.
One way to ask that question: is it worth it to pay $5k to fix this known Prius / CT-200h problem compared with buying a different used one for $7k that may not have had it done yet?
If either of those vehicles gets in a wreck the insurance company will pay the same amount, so the insurance question only arises if you're lucky enough to have someone wreck it before the work's done. 😂
That’s what I was thinking. $7k for a used one that will probably have a the same issue by the time it hits 200k.
But if you can confirm it was already fixed on the used one...@@danielgulick5752
Or, this is not particularly realistic or for everybody, get a cheapo used car, parts, carefully repair it yourself for a lot cheaper, then sell off cheapo used car. Downside: cheapo car may itself break down, and cheaper cars tend to be older/less safe in a crash. Time spent on the research and repair, risk of failure or mistakes. Risk of loss of car due to not finishing repair
Depends on the overall condition of the car plus the health of the traction battery and if the $7k is due for a new pack while the one with a blown gasket has a pack that is still good for another 100k miles for example then you are better off just fixing as buying a new pack will run about $3k on a good day unless diy.
Given the general state of used cars (you can get lucky but it's not guaranteed - most people do not maintain their vehicles properly), and the price of new cars...if you have a good car, and it just has an issue like this that can be fixed, I would say it's worth it, unless the cost gets so high that it costs more than buying a used car that doesn't have the issue.
Look forward to your video about CVT transmissions: the good, the bad, the ugly... I would like to buy a used Corolla or Civic, CR-V, or even a Fit, but scared of bad and not serviced CVT's. And the apparently terrible ones on Nissans... Thanks !
that's one dirty engine bay... but I love these CT200h's.. even with those failures, I would do what it need to fix it and keep it running forever. they are even more comfortable than the Prius of its time, very subtle, understated, practical and frugal.
100% agree
I used my CT200H for a good 10 years before selling it off. It was still like brand new after 10 years 145,000kms with no top gasket failure or EGR issues. Change oil every 10,000kms, clean out the EGR cooler system every 3 years and Changed coolant at 100,000kms
Just dust. You DO NOT want to pressure wash under the hood of a modern car. It will wreck the electronics.
I like dirty engine bays. It indicates that the car hasn't been worked on in a while/nothing broke recently.
My brother in law brought his Prius to me, and it was making the exact same noises. And like you said, I instantly was like "Oh crap"... But turns out it was luckily just a coil. Swapped the coil with the one next to it and the misfire moved. He was super happy because he thought it was shot. Lol
I could still do the work, but your 18 hours would be 40 for me.
No shame in that so long as it's done correctly. Hence why I'd run away from a head gasket job like a little girl with my hair on fire.
"A man's got to know his limitations."
My rule of thumb as a layperson is 5:1 for a job I've never done before, 3:1 for a job I've done a couple/few times, and 2:1 for a job I've done several times.
Ex: A good technician needs 10 hours; I'll need 20, 30, or 50 depending on how many times I've done it before.
I'll still do the work if I've got reason to, but I've got no illusions about how much longer it will take me.
I'm currently driving around without a dash while I finish up the wiring of some upgrades I'm installing. I'm probably going to end up with well over 100 hours into the project, but doing it myself is the only way it's cost-effective. It would take a quality tech at least two full days to do the work, and the value of the upgrades is not worth multiple thousands of dollars in labor. (Plus I really enjoy leaning how to do new things, and I'm a perfectionist, so I know the work is done properly.)
I estimate it took me 24 hours for may daughter’s ‘13 Prius and that included unplugging the EGR cooler. The job wasn’t that bad. It looks much worse than it is… once the cowling and air box was removed, it opens up all kinds of space.
The old softly softly catchee monkey
Water pump and collant maintenance is a must on these. The waterpump uses a plastic coated impeller which cracks and expands with time. Mine overheaded once did not trip a ligjt. I pulled codes found a hidden impeller speed code. Replaced impeller $20 been several thousand miles now. No problems.
I have a 2015 Prius C that just had the brake booster fail. It's a $3000 job, but I know the car and bought it new. I got lucky and it was covered under recall, but I would have spent the money if I had to. It's a good car and I hate having payments.
woah why so expensive? Is it tied to the hybrid system somehow?
When was this recall done ???
@@kimblem.w9952the brake booster on Toyota hybrids is electronic. The engine’s off quite a bit of the time so the power brakes need to continue to function, so an electronic brake booster is used to keep them pressurized. It’s essentially a partial brake by wire system.
@@tails300it's FULLY brake-by-wire apart from power failure situations. Some combustion Toyotas use this system as well so the stability control (VDIM in Toyota nomenclature) can react literally 1000 times a second, and be capable of saving a skid before you even notice you're starting to skid.
I have one of these!! 2011 that's notorious for burning oil and popping head gaskets. Mine doesn't burn an once of oil, and it has the revised intake manifold and the EGR and cooler has been cleaned. 200k miles and it still runs awesome. There are small ports in the intake manifold that the EGR feeds gases through back to the combustion chamber, make sure those are clean when servicing the carboned up EGR valve and cooler as those ports get carboned up as well! Many of us prius/ct owners believe the clogged EGR system causes high temps that blow the head gasket. Just a heads up for anyone who owns one and sees this before the gasket pops. This applies to Gen 3. 2010-2015
Been here before with Prius 3rd gen at 160k I DIY the Headgasket and took my time to de carbon the entire head and relap the valve seats, new head bolts, new water pump, thermostat and timing chain tensioner. Kept original timing chain because I read they don’t need to change❤ anyway car is now at 176k and I will still occasionally get that cold rattle but it is so subtle it’s probably condensation due to the bad intake manifold design. Car also still on original brakes and battery. It’s still worth some money and I love the car tbh, such a great gas saver and no payments ❤
Know a dude with 850k miles on his CT200h it’s bulletproof after you fix the headgasket 💪🏻
That ct200 is the old one. The new engine has whatever problem fixed
@@j.a.7721 While they did make some revisions to the 2015+ models they still face headgasket issues.
Sold my 2013 Prius V w this problem as is for very good coin during the height of covid. It had 200k miles and was a great family vehicle but didn't want to go down a rabbit hole of repairs
I stopped my 2001 Deville Northstar from overheating and I didn’t have to drill out 20 head bolt holes. Only one hole had stripped out threads.
This fix costs $900 all included in Sacramento :)
Takes ~5 hours. With the warranty.
(No need of coils nor head resurface in 90% cases)
Yeah, I've watched all their videos on how to do the job and will be doing it myself sometime soon. It's fair for Car Wizard to charge his price for it but the job doesn't really look that bad for an experienced mechanic with the right info on how to do it.
18 hours for this kind of job Is Crazy....
0:36 Stuff like adding images of cars when they’re brought up by Wizard would be some cool editing that shouldn’t take a whole lot if time/effort plus be a visual break from Wizard just standing there. Just an idea momma Wizard!!
JDM low mile crate motor is around $1200-$1500 shipped would also replace the water pump with a new unit.
Those on ebay that claims "jdm" is 90% false.
If you use resale value to determine if it's worth it to repair a car and not the cost per mile that you'd pay if you get another 160k after the job then it seems expensive, but if you look at the alternative which is buying a new car with potentially more expensive repairs sooner then repairing an old car makes a lot of sense, even if it aproaches the price of a similar car in the used market.
Thank you for making this video and every video you make. I sent this video to friend and he managed to get his ct200h running again!
I quite like the CT, my dad had a 2019 CT 200h in a deep blue colour.
What about the EGR, Inter Cooler and exhaust manifold? Lots of carbon build up.
I believe the intake manifold egr ports clogging are the root cause. The intake egr ports clog causing uneven combustion. Pinging causes pressure spikes causing gasket failure. I always recommend a new imtake manifold. The part number has changed multiple times.
Thats an interesting take and never considered them to be related. Nice one!
Ct200h is a Corolla or Auris in Europe, it’s common for the Egr coolers let go that causes a dead miss water gets in the cylinder and blows the head gasket
1. At the beginning I was hoping it was just a fouled plug or bad coil, and then you said "let's look at the coolant"... Head gasket!
2. I'm proud of my estimate at that point, I guessed $4k!
3. I had a tiny version of that dealer slime when I bought my used Riviera. They insisted on giving me a full tank of gas before we drove back from Gilroy in the South Bay to Marin County in the North Bay... Turns out it had a very common problem with GM "fuel modules" - the fuel gauge sensor was wacky below half a tank... Fortunately, I was able to do enough searching on the web to buy just the sending unit, and not the entire $400 spring-loaded module that includes the fuel pump!
I had my done for my 2010 prius for $1000, part + labor. Not sure if I got lucky or this guy is over quoting.
May i be bold enough to question something. A blown head gasket can come in several forms and doesn't always result in coolant steam cleaning the combustion chamber right??
It could be an oil/coolant breach, or oil/coolant to outside the engine or possibly oil to combustion chamber fail etc. Im not trying to be a smart ass but I love to learn and to benefit from other's wisdom.
It looks like you used a regular long socket to loosen the spark plug and a magnetic to pull it out. How do you reinstall the spark plug? Do you not use spark plug sockets with a built-in grommet or built-in magnet?
Gotta love Car Wizard for straight up truth! I remember when I was shopping for cars last year I learned about this issue in the CT200. The Car Care Nut went so far as to tear one down and showed exactly where the weakness was in the head gasket. Since I only buy used vehicles I do a lot of research. My wife was like, “But it’s a Lexus…”
Not really.
Love me a good borescope! I call it my "show me the money" tool, can't argue with a short video of your head gasket actually leaking. Also, biggest issue with bigger buck repairs on a Prius or CT200 is condition of the battery. High mileage vehicle with an original battery might need one of those soon too, so don't forget to bring that up to your customer during "the talk"
Wizard, definitely check if the EGR cooler is plugged up… some believe this is a contributing cause of the head gasket failure.
Great bore scope most of the bore scopes I have ever used could never see that vivid amazed😮
I think they have issues with the egr valve and/or pcv valves. I would check that. I own a prius, I know about it and the head gasket problem.
I wanted to buy these when a whole month researching, realized they have gasket leaking coolant into the cylinders and cause misfiring. Some say the gasket leaks is the cause of overheating due to the failure of the electric water pump.
For some reason, many modern cars don't come with a engine temperature gauge.
I recently had an argument on facebook where someone believed they were being scammed when they were quoted $2000.00 Australian to do a head gasket on an old Kia Carnival which has a front wheel drive quad cam wet wall cylinder V6 engine, I actually could not believe it was so cheap, the Wizard has refused to fix Hoovies V6 Maserati engine and this engine actually has similar architecture and an engine like that is a nightmare.
Head gaskets in modern cars are a nightmare in general. I think a lot of people that think they should be cheap probably had it done in a 1950's-60's car. Back then a head gasket was a simple afternoon job in your driveway. I had a friend when I was in my early 20's that had a 72 Chevelle (this was around 1995) that he was always working on, and he did the head gaskets on it in a few hours...it was a 396 big block V8. This was his project car, not really a daily driver. He was the same age as me - he was just a classic car nut.
@@StormsparkPegasus These old V8s were great like that, one of the reasons they are so popular is because they are so easy to work on, but although modern cars are so complex they do offer great mileage and fuel emissions, and I remember how bad the smog could get too, still love the old V8s though.
My courier company does not use 3rd gen prius for this exact reason, we had great luck with 2nd gen and prius c... 450xxx+miles
Yep the water pump replacement on my 2017 VW jetta cost 1,500 in total cause it involved a partial rebuild. Got rid of it
Heck yeah
New Car Wizard content while im already binge watching his old content, good stuff
I repaired mine, I used the old head bolts & timing chain, so far so good 40k miles later running like new
This is why I prefer the series two Prius. My 2004 model has been bulletproof reliable. The only repair was valve cover gasket at 140,000 miles. Otherwise, just normal maintenance.
Gen2
Just an FYI the Gen 1 was produced from 1997 through 2003. The 2004 model is Generation 2. These are two very different cars.
@@houseofno My bad. You're correct!
I had a 2012. Purchase @125K miles in 2022. Head Gasket blown @ ~157K. Battery was replaced under warranty @ 127K, so I bit the bullet and paid $5.5k for HG, and while the engine was open, replaced the other components he noted. My start up with "Rocks" was only noticed once, and then the diagnosis. Hopefully the car will be good for another 10 years. I enjoy getting close to 40 miles per gallon. (Mine is the same color, but with a Black interior)
5.5k holy fuck you got taken for a ride
Wow. I thought I was the only one. I've owned a 2011 CT200h since new and sold it in 2018 with 207k miles on it. Most dependable car I've ever owned hands down by far but there were three instances when I'd start it the motor rattled something horrible. I'd shut it off and restart and back to normal. Only happened a total of three times. Aside from that a true reliability champ for me.
A question please? Does this include the Camry Hybrids of the same years? Thank You…
It’s not a bad job. No special timing tools needed. Good idea to install the updated PCV, intake manifold, and a new EGR cooler (all parts are cheaper and identical from Toyota btw)
similar to Prius, the HV battery needs replacement after 150k+ miles or the ABS module could die (accumulator leak) those are major high ticket items for this hybrid. Very common for Gen3 Prius which is a twin of this Lexus model to have head gasket failures.. the Gen2 Prius are more reliable.
Sold a couple. Great cars, they drive so smooth. Barely any power, but good daily. Head gasket issues are well known major issue, and ABS module. Other than that and the battery, just drive it. 😊
1:30 into the video. Seems like the typical misfire or clogged injectiors causing the flywheel plate to clatter. Lets see if I'm right as I finish the video.
Edit: 3:00. Looks like I'm right. I fixed a 2009 that was doing the same thing exept it didnt have any coolant leaks or head gasket problems.
160,000 miles. That's amazing. A common problem is not as bad as it sounds if it lasts that long before going wrong. Based on average years a US vehicle is held and the mileage travelled this is the end of life of a vehicles. If this is the only major issue in its whole life and can run another 160,000 miles it is really a reliable vehicle. You would have some many problems with many other vehicles in getting to this point. Hyundai, Mercedes, BMW, Landrover, Kia, Ford, GM etc etc
Oh my, I have a similar model. Year 2014. Were those still affected? Is it a matter of age or mileage?
Don't forget that the Hybrid Battery also needs replacement one day. Both issues will total the car. So if hou haven't done the batt already, consider selling it to a pro that can repair it on own budget.
for those having a toyota/lexus engine, check your oil every 1000km if you do lots of cold & short driving you need to change the oil more often, when oil get just a little darker you should change it or buy a honda older than 2017 and don't worry about anything ever
I'd get it done depending on what the car is still worth. Why spend a bit more than 5k to buy a used car to have the same problem down the road?
Had one of these for two years. I drove it like I stole it every day literally trying to screech tires through every turn after work haha. Very reliable car. Just change the thermostat every 80k miles
Best channel ever! I've learned so much
Another, less invasive, method to check for cylinder to coolant leaks is by disabling the fuel pump as you would for a compression test, and having a helper crank the engine while you watch the coolant surface in the tank. On a good head gasket there will be only minimal disturbance to the fluid surface. Whereas a leak will cause the fluid to jump around due to pressure impulse bubbles propagating around.
This works well as a quick "smell test" on engines where spark plugs are not quick to access and the leak is too small to show up immediately on the sniffer tool.
The widard visuall confirmed that it was coolant in cylinder 1. We all know about bubbles in the header tank but which one?
@@rogerpearson9081 on this motor, spark plugs are trivial to remove. On some engines, the upper plenum has to come off to even start. Pretty much every Toyota V6 out there and more.
Pressure tester is always handy, but not everyone will have one outside of a shop what with all the different adapters. Plus there's the possibility of hydro locking a motor if you're not careful on the pump and you don't know how long someone was driving around like that.
As for bubbles in the coolant, it's only a reliable test if the engine has been warmed up fully. Otherwise false negatives can and do happen.
Great Test Procedure! I liked the Techschlong but there weren't any when I followed the link so couldn't buy one from you.
They have the Alpha Romeo Milano in Mexico too. But they call it the "Alfonso Roberto Poblano" It's somewhat reliable.
Something that can happen with these hybrids is if the engine hydrolocks, the electric motor that starts the engine is strong enough to just grenade the engine or bend a connecting rod instead of just stopping
Forgot SHOP SUPPLIES.Toyoda timing chains don't automatically need to be replaced, per a toyoda Master Tech.
The car care nut
@@gregjohnson2073 Him too.
Thank you David/Car Wizard...
I was just about to buy one of these cars.. I had assumed they were solid.. And now because of you- I know they have a common terrible mechanical failure on these engines.
These problems were fixed in the 2015 facelift.
apart from the HG issue it’s interesting how these cars with eCVT manage to do so many miles. I’ve recently drove a Ford that has a similar system and in auto mode it shuts down the engine on every slow down of the car😂. I know that while restarting the engine the oil pressure is low and additionally if the speed of the piston is low or it starts moving there is high wear. maybe the coating on cylinders and rings deal with this problem, low tension or other stuff… Anyway I ended up driving in battery recharge mode then use electric drive after entering city traffic
Toyota updated the piston rings on those as well. If you’re going in there, it’s probably best to do that as well.
Getting a similar job done on a 2011 Prius. IMO worth it to fix. Seems to be a combination of the electric water pump and the hybrid stop start system that causes this to happen.
I've done a headgasket before but on an old iron duke. most likely didn't do it right but it worked and lasted longer than I had the car. I was 22 years old at the time and it was the only time I did it. the car lasted me 4 more years and I sold it to someone.
reason why i said I didn't do it right was I reused the head bolts, I reused everything but the head-gasket. Only thing I put on new was the head gasket. Had no issues. Thankfully.
These have an issue with the egr valve and intake passages getting carboned up and adding more pressure to the head gasket causing the failure. It would be a good idea to add these parts to the list.
Thanks for all the info Mr carwizard but, how do I avoid this problem from happening? Thank you
My 99 5.7 c1500 suburban was sitting for about a year and a half. I was able to get it started but it has a knock coming from the engine. Now it doesnt start. Its been at the mechanic for over a month now. Just a week ago when I called them they still haven't even figured out what the issue is. They said it would be the rocker lifter and advised the heads would have to be machined. I really hope I can get it back running. I havent had a car since covid started 😭😭😭😭😭
I did my 2010 Prius in car had it apart in a few hours sent head off then just few hours to put back together
I think there's a reason people think head gaskets shouldn't be so expensive. Because they're thinking of how much it was to do a head gasket on 50's/60's cars, with their much simpler pushrod engines, and much more room under the hood to work. I had a friend when I was in my early 20's (this was around 1995) who was a classic car nut even though he was the same age as me, who had a 72 Chevelle SS (I think his had the 396 big block V8, but it might've been the 327 small block, I don't remember for sure because I never drove it). He was always doing something to it, it was his project car. I remember he did the head gaskets on it in a couple hours in his driveway (plus the time the heads were at the machine shop). It barely cost him anything.
Impressive diagnosis! Enjoyed your video as always.
Some of those modern engine heads cant be machined because it'll easily throw the timing off slightly and throw weird timing related codes. You'll probably have to throw in the cost of a head if the old one isn't flat.
This one can be skimmed no problem… I’ve done it.
Did my head gasket in december about 10 thousand miles ago. Timing chain water pump thermostat resurface new bolts new engine seal kit. Put it all together and had an exhaust leak from the manifold! Took it to a mechanic $500 for that part and still under 2000. OEM parts too.