Prius 2007 Timing chain replacement

[Tokyojoe]

Hello first time post . I have a 2007 Prius T Spirit 1.5 with 203K miles on the clock . It’s a great workhorse and has been very reliable.

 

for a while now I have had a P0016 error code ( camshaft sensor) I have replaced both the sensors and believe that this is almost certainly a stretched timing chain / tensioner wear . Question is I am struggling to find anyone in London who knows how to replace the timing chain / tensioner and sprockets. The kits are available on line with all the parts for a reasonable price although I know the labour is going to be the major part of this exercise. The only people I have found are suggesting swapping out the whole engine which seems a bit overkill when only the timing chain needs changing. The car is stil driving well although possibly an occasional rattle from the chain. Any suggestions or is it really a case that eco omicaly it is better to swap the whole engine out just for a worn tensioner and chain?

[Hybrid21]

Certainly does seem a bit extreme Joe swapping the whole engine 😮

I'm sure someone with knowledge of that vehicle will post with their opinion 👍

[flash22]

What part of London are you in, a decent mechanic can do a timing chain it's just an engine - i would get the chain done as long as the engine is not burning any oil, some garages seem to be scared of working on hybrids

P0016 is cam-crank correlation, so likely the cam chain/guides, sprockets and tensioner need doing (usually comes in a kit for sub £120) but do get a decent kit like a Febi or Blueprint item

eg.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234649827311

[Tokyojoe]

Thanks for the replies . I am based in Bromley South east London . I have phoned a number of local garages and either they are not able to do it or quoting crazy prices. I did approach a Toyota main dealer a while back and they told me to do it they would have to lift the entire engine out ( I know this is not the case as there is a partial video on YouTube of someone in the states replacing his ( Below) and although i am reasonably competent I don't have the confidence to try it myself. Would be great to find a UK / London based garage /mechanic who has done this successfully and has a reasonable charge. I think as you say a lot of mechanics are uncertain when it comes to Hybrids , also it appears that after gen 2 its either much easier to get to the timing chain or less likely to stretch. I have even called a number of garages who advertise themselves as timing chain specialists but as soon as you say Prius they say they cant help.  

 

[TonyHSD]

9 hours ago, Tokyojoe said:

Thanks for the replies . I am based in Bromley South east London . I have phoned a number of local garages and either they are not able to do it or quoting crazy prices. I did approach a Toyota main dealer a while back and they told me to do it they would have to lift the entire engine out ( I know this is not the case as there is a partial video on YouTube of someone in the states replacing his ( Below) and although i am reasonably competent I don't have the confidence to try it myself. Would be great to find a UK / London based garage /mechanic who has done this successfully and has a reasonable charge. I think as you say a lot of mechanics are uncertain when it comes to Hybrids , also it appears that after gen 2 its either much easier to get to the timing chain or less likely to stretch. I have even called a number of garages who advertise themselves as timing chain specialists but as soon as you say Prius they say they cant help.  

 

That’s unbelievable, mechanics or many of them are just living earners not real mechanics. Toyota’s are one of the easiest cars to work on together with Mitsubishi. There are many videos , there are parts available, there is no need of special tools or diagnostic equipment. An average diy person can do it. The hybrid ( the high voltage) it’s not involved, why these people are scared is beyond me. Toyota may have strict procedures and require engine out but in many cases that is not necessary. , perhaps you need to remove one engine mount and support the engine underneath. You may want to try these ones Tech One Toyota Specialists
020 8302 0600
https://maps.app.goo.gl/7VNt46h3j6yMgjPh9?g_st=ic

or Japex Automotive Ltd
01923 260707
https://maps.app.goo.gl/5YqBKxQ9jJGscbsy5?g_st=ic

the second ones are away from you and not cheap but good to ask . If no luck perhaps you may think as diy job. My dad had recently issue with his car timing chain tensioner on a 20v Vw, job above the Prius and many garages refused, he asked me for some tools and parts , I had sent to him and he fixed his car by himself. Job done and happy days. 👍

[Hybrid21]

Certainly I renewed the timing belt on my Golf GTi a good few years ago, although not a chain and not a Prius.

If you have the workspace, the tools, the time and the patience, as Tony says I would give it a go Joe 👍

[Hybrid21]

That was over 20 years ago and it's needing done again 😀

No YouTube in those days, I just followed the procedure from a VW Motoring magazine which I still have.

Took me a few days to do it but very satisfying 👍

[Tokyojoe]

Thanks very much i had contacted one of the garages in the list already and they did quote +£1000 for a timing chain change although to be fair to them they had not seen the car and this was over the phone. I will try the other garage. I can get a reconditioned engine with new timing chain fitted for approx £1200 ( though sure this will introduce other problems ) and this is the baseline I am using to judge ( If I am paying   close to or over £1000 then I may as well put a new ( reconditioned )  engine in . The car does drive perfectly and has for quite a while with the engine light on but know it is probably only a matter of time before it stretches too far and I damage the engine permanently.. 

[Hybrid21]

If otherwise the car is in good condition Joe  £1000-£1500 is acceptable to keep it on the road for a few more years 👍

My daughter has been quoted £2500 to change the injectors in her 2011 RAV4, the garage have had it for about 8 weeks and still not fixed it ☹️

[flash22]

Try one-tech in Sidcup, or apollo auto's in Erith,

8-10 hours labour most places are in the £65-100 an hour range

31 minutes ago, Hybrid21 said:

If otherwise the car is in good condition Joe  £1000-£1500 is acceptable to keep it on the road for a few more years 👍

My daughter has been quoted £2500 to change the injectors in her 2011 RAV4, the garage have had it for about 8 weeks and still not fixed it ☹️

thats not bad £1200-1400 for the injectors alone with out any other misc parts

[APS]

There should be LOADs of knowledge and experience looking after these engines as a small industry has been established to keep taxi Prii rolling. I used to do a lot of travel for work, which meant going in Prius taxis to airports. My local Taxi 'broker' had about 80 Prii in his fleet and he had a garage that specialised in these cars, that he always used. 

Unfortunately I don't have a contact for you, but have faith. The knowledge is absolutely out there 🙂

[Rhymes with Paris]

That is very good advice, taxi people know an awful lot about keeping cars going for minimum cost.

After all if they are off the road, they stop earning.

There is a private hire firm near here that has their own service garage that has started taking in other cars besides their own for service and repair.

In fact come to think of it, I might give them a try, they can't be worse than the last idiot who did not do what he was asked to do, and did do a useless engine flush (well charged for it anyway) that was not wanted or asked for.

[Tokyojoe]

Thanks all I think that's the dilemma . There are firms who specialize in complete engine swap outs with reconditioned engines that would include a brand new timing chain for not that much more than the cost of replacing the timing chain alone. the car is running well and has generally been looked after well ( apart from the timing chain) then one option is just to run it until the Timing chain starts to really impact the engine and then just swap everything out. The other option as people have said is to try to do it as a DIY job buying the replacement chain , sprockets , tensioner etc for approx £120 .  ( The third option is to pay a garage to do the job and hope the car goes for a few more years

 

This is a great forum and I really appreciate the advise that everyone has taken the time to give.

 

 

[TonyHSD]

If me I will try do it myself. In worse case scenario if I can’t do it I will call a mobile mechanic who will come and get it done for probably £200-300 plus £120 for the kit. £1200 for new engine a bit on the higher side imo 

[Levon]

It might be worth your while talking to Paul , in Guildford about this.

http://www.toyotatech.co.uk/

[flash22]

Be aware a reconditioned engine is just a used engine, It's given a once over (supposedly stripped and cleaned) and parts replaced as required, it's the same as a rebuild

A remanufactured engine is machined with new parts back to factory specifications (oversized where required), typically at a cost of £2K+ for the engine work alone

 

 

[Tokyojoe]

Yes thanks Flash . Replacement engine is definitely a minefield and a lot of shady offers out there . Ironically a replacement engine for a generation 3 Prius is cheaper and more plentiful ( I am told because Japan made their emissions laws stricter and a Gen 3 Prius was no longer compliant so lots of comparatively low mileage engines were stripped out and shipped to the UK ). I am told a Gen 3 engine replacement is also easier as it can be done without removing the gear box.

 

I am now getting a number of quotes from far and wide for the Timing chain replacement and will come back if I go down this route. Theres definitely a reluctance from some garages / mechanics to work on Hybrids. 

 

 

[TonyHSD]

Be careful with the indi hybrid specialists as these guys are very friendly once they got your money and fit your replacement engine anything goes wrong afterwards is on you and your expense. Before you go to the garage read reviews in Google maps, these are usually the real ones. 

[Peshnish]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:43 PM, Tokyojoe said:

Yes thanks Flash . Replacement engine is definitely a minefield and a lot of shady offers out there . Ironically a replacement engine for a generation 3 Prius is cheaper and more plentiful ( I am told because Japan made their emissions laws stricter and a Gen 3 Prius was no longer compliant so lots of comparatively low mileage engines were stripped out and shipped to the UK ). I am told a Gen 3 engine replacement is also easier as it can be done without removing the gear box.

 

I am now getting a number of quotes from far and wide for the Timing chain replacement and will come back if I go down this route. Theres definitely a reluctance from some garages / mechanics to work on Hybrids. 

 

 

Did you get this sorted? Who did you use?
HOw easy is it to replace the sensor?

[Tokyojoe]

Hi . No I have not had the work done yet and added about 10,000 miles since my original post and car still going strong ( for the moment ) . I did call multiple garages and most did not have a clue or quoted silly price. 

By far the best who was quoted by Levon on this forum ( above )  was Paul from Guildford 

http://www.toyotatech.co.uk/

 

He was the only one who seemed to have practical experience of doing this and quoted a reasonable amount but it would have meant me leaving the car in Guildford for a couple of days . I will reach out to Paul in the near future to get the work done.

 

Changing the sensors was done by a local garage and fairly cheap but the new sensors still showed the timing chain stretch so I thnk the work will need to be done.  ( I was warned that the engine noise will change and the engine sound rougher when the work becomes critical.

 

I

[Lyle osborne]

On 9/24/2022 at 6:45 AM, Tokyojoe said:

Hello first time post . I have a 2007 Prius T Spirit 1.5 with 203K miles on the clock . It’s a great workhorse and has been very reliable.

 

for a while now I have had a P0016 error code ( camshaft sensor) I have replaced both the sensors and believe that this is almost certainly a stretched timing chain / tensioner wear . Question is I am struggling to find anyone in London who knows how to replace the timing chain / tensioner and sprockets. The kits are available on line with all the parts for a reasonable price although I know the labour is going to be the major part of this exercise. The only people I have found are suggesting swapping out the whole engine which seems a bit overkill when only the timing chain needs changing. The car is stil driving well although possibly an occasional rattle from the chain. Any suggestions or is it really a case that eco omicaly it is better to swap the whole engine out just for a worn tensioner and chain?

 

 

Hello if u still need your timing chain done hit me up