I found a cheap replacement engine on the internet. But now I'm having trouble finding someone willing to swap it out for me. Every mechanic freaks out when I mention supplying my own engine, grumbling something about too many variations that makes it too much a pain or something. What's up with this? As far as I know, there's only 2 engines for the 2nd gen prius, and the one I have is VIN B. Any chance of explaining it's a guaranteed fit or explicitly freeing them of liability (since the engine includes part/labor warranty)?
Keep trying... You'll find someone... Full on shops with lots of employees & overhead are focused on doing the most profitable work only. You need to find a mechanic with low overhead and no employees who's trustworthy and has lots of experience.
Shops charge substantial markup on aftermarket parts they procure. That possibly could be the reason.
There isn't but there's minor upgrades... For exampe Gen2 Inverters before July2007 are not compatible with cars with Gen2 Inverters made after that month. They refer to it as a "split year."
Can you provide any details as to what makes them incompatible? Curious because I have both 2005 and 2007 inverters on the shelf as spares. Having not looked closely at them, is it just a part number difference, or can they truly not be interchanged?
This is something the various wreckers had in their parts reference... I recall on PriusChat coming across an explanation about some upgrades addressing some problems and if I remember correctly the ECUs have a slightly different conversation with the ones made after July 2007, but I don't know specific or reverse compatability. Just know that all the used parts suppliers were aware of it...
