Head gasket failure reports (posts}

[StephenK]

Recently on Facebook, although mainly from the US, there have been a numerous posts of head gasket failures. 

Is this a common failure in UK CTs or is it purely down to high mileage CTs in the US? 

[diabolik]

I believe the 95 petrol is what makes it running with no issues but I might be wrong. E10 could also affect our CT in the next few years.

Keep in mind that americans tend to do a lot more miles than we do on this pretty island.

In other news, to keep it nice and clean do your Oil changes religiously at 5k and clean EGR valve pipes and the intake every 50k.

[Las Palmas]

8 hours ago, diabolik said:

 clean EGR valve pipes and the intake every 50k.

Is it not taken care of when car is serviced?

[steve2006]

2 hours ago, Las Palmas said:

Is it not taken care of when car is serviced?

I doubt it, servicing seems to be more check and tick these days. Even the calliper slide pins aren’t greased during a service leading to the eventual “seized calliper”

[StephenK]

There seems to be too much inspect only on service items rather than perform preventive maintenance, eg disassemble and reapply required lubrication, etc. 

Regarding the EGR, can carbon build up be prevented by the use of oil or fuel addatives / treatments? I have seen on some previous service invoices, eg oil flush / cleaner and fuel addative. Is this to prevent EGR problems? 

[diabolik]

@StephenK you could install an oil catch can. It will reduce the carbon deposits on your EGR but you will still have to clean it every 50k miles just in case.

Additives are worthless but an oil flush every 2-3 years could have to get the sludge (if any) out.

As the frequency of blown head gasket on our side of the world is low, I would:

- keep my oil changed at 5k miles or 1 year (any 0w20 API SN certified or dealer oil is fine)

- egr valves pipes intake manifold etc cleaned every 50k miles

- if you are in to extremes get an oil catch can (I'm not sure if you will pass MOT with one installed tho) and empty every 5k miles or whenever is getting filled.

- coolant every 100k then every 50k

A useful channel is car care nut on youtube. The guy is a toyota pro. Also you could always spend days/weeks/months reading on the prius chat forum which has tons of topics about everything.

And remember a CT is just a glorified Prius/Auris. I'd pick a CT all night long though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ColinBarber]

16 hours ago, StephenK said:

I have seen on some previous service invoices, eg oil flush / cleaner and fuel addative. Is this to prevent EGR problems? 

No, just to stop a build up of sludge in the engine (which won't really happen anyway if they are using the correct Toyota fully synthetic oil) and to keep the fuel injectors clean.