No "how-to" head gasket posts for a Gen4?

So you at least have a cross-leak between the coolant and engine oil passages. If that cross-leak was at the head gasket; you should be able see the tracing/rupture on either side of the head gasket. If you don't; the cross-leak is someplace else.

 

So you at least have a cross-leak between the coolant and engine oil passages. If that cross-leak was at the head gasket; you should be able see the tracing/rupture on either side of the head gasket. If you don't; the cross-leak is someplace else.

 

All the 3rd gen owners got to be guinea pigs for Toyota, and the reward was to "pound sand".

The red stuff on the head gasket is a coating, not loose? Wouldn't be a stop-leak product?

 

2016-2018 were the primary years for that. By 2019 (not sure what production date month maybe) they should have all been remedied by then. But YMMV as usual.

 

I asked Google AI, and it's saying 2016~2019. It mentions T-SB-0135-19, which just says those model years, no mention of a VIN cut-off.

 

Sure, and just like with the revised piston rings in the February 2014 and newer Prius'..it matters what month the car was made. But only us nerds who know, know. The 2019, AFAIK could be the whole model year, or not. Would like to know.

 

Specific VIN's were mentioned for the 3rd gen piston/ring revision.

 

Yes and there was also info way back in the archives here with a direct link to a legit TSB that explained what month the production swapped over, so my guess is those VIN #s will coincide with that date. Personal experience, I've seen cars build date 01/14 that burned oil and some 03/14 that didn't. TSB was likely true.