Toyota Prius Engine Replacement Swap - Second Generation 1.5L (2004 - 2009)

This is a guide to removing and replacing the engine in the second generation Toyota Prius with the 1.5L engine.
The car in this video is a 2008 Prius suffered engine damage and had a hole in the block. Amazingly, I was still able to drive it back to my garage! Keep in mind that there is more than one way to perform this swap and the steps in this video is how I prefer to do an engine replacement on this platform.
www.happywrenching.com
Music in this video -
Wanted by Purrple Cat | purrplecat.com/Music promoted by www.chosic.com/free-music/all... Commons CC BY-SA 3.0creativecommons.org/licenses/...

[@stealthhelp]

Always a good feeling hearing that its a good motor and everything is smooth when you turn it on LOL Always stressful when using a used engine/transmission.

[@peterad1529]

Nice video mine has 275k miles no holes in the block but using oil like crazy now . I plan to swap it out for a lower mileage unit. And for the nay sayers or people who ask if it’s worth it, yes it’s much cheaper than a new car. As much as I’d like a new car it’s just too expensive back even used cars are too expensive for me at this time. But I’ll also be doing the swap myself so someone who doesn’t know cars would have to calculate that into their justification 😊

[@stealthhelp]

Mine has 326k and purrs. So eager to see how long it'll last me lol

[@ridenda67camaro]

Great video!

[@vtecbrown]

Great work. I'm doing one on a 2006 right now. Only had 167k miles when it blew but the previous owner let a head gasket go way too long..

[@happywrenching]

Those pesky head gaskets! Just did a swap on a 2013 Prius with a bad head gasket. Should have that video up soon.

[@khalid109q]

Well done.

[@cesarnunez891]

Where did you mount the engine hoist on diver side? It’s that the PCV valve? Can it handle that much weight?

[@Sic3r]

Mechanic asmr 😌

[@riceburner4747]

Is it possible to drop a 1.8L?

[@hansgroenewegen6910]

Great video! Thanks. Question: why did you remove the complete cable harnas? Is that necessary?

[@charleshorseman55]

You have to remove it entirely from the engine AND from the firewall. It stays connected to fuse box and flips over out of the way.

[@remi2317]

Did you have to flash the ecm?

[@midwestcommunitynews3847]

Was the engine used a jdm version or american engine ?

[@redamohamed4759]

Hi happywrenchy, Great job, I am doing swap atm and following your video and stuck to separate engine from the gear. When I left the engine it separates from the gear below more than top and I could not take it out completely. Any advice please ? Thanks

[@happywrenching]

Make sure you remove the crankshaft pulley to get more clearance. More space below than the top means the engine is not balanced properly on your lift. Most engine lifts come with a load leveler bar that is used to shift the weight of the engine. As an alternative, you can use another jack under the engine to balance it from the bottom. Good luck

[@redamohamed4759]

@@happywrenchingthanks a lot for your reply. Any advice how easily to remove the pulley please ? Do I need to prey the engine? Is there any specific sites for preying? Thanks

[@happywrenching]

@@redamohamed4759 Removing pulley easily is done using an impact wrench. If you don't have an impact you need to hold the crankshaft in place. You can wedge something between the crankshaft and the block or wedge something in the flywheel to keep it from spinning when loosing the crankshaft pulley bolt. You may need to pry the engine from the transmission - that is assuming you have room for the engine to slide to the passenger side and you have all of the bolts out.

[@redamohamed4759]

@@happywrenching thanks a lot for your advice ( levelling the engine). Luckily I have tried to take the engine without removing the pulley. Any advice please reg installing the new one ?? Thanks

[@happywrenching]

@@redamohamed4759 only thing i can recommend is to go slow and check around the engine often as you lower it so you don’t damage anything.

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

Do you know if it's common for these engines to blow? I've seen a lot with holes in the block. I've got a 2007 Prius I bought for nearly nothing in great shape, but this worries me. Also, I love the calming music you added. There's nothing worse than the generic "popular" music people usually add to YT videos.

[@happywrenching]

I’ve also seen a lot of these with holes in the block. I think its owners not paying attention to oil levels.

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

@@happywrenching Good point, thanks. Even though it's low mileage, I'll have to keep an eye on the oil on mine.

[@jackass55100]

Mine just got a nice window in the block today. I always pay attention to water and oil levels twice a week I check, I'm just very wierd about it had too many vehicles blow up from ignorance to paying attention to the levels. Looks like I'm going to have a great day putting a new engine in

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

@@jackass55100 Oof. Sorry to hear that. What year is it and how many miles on the engine? Mine just turned -80,000- Sorry, meant 70,000. I bought it with 58,500 which is low for an '07 Prius. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with oil type. There's a lot of disagreement about what oil to use on Prius forums that I looked through. Apparently Toyota said 5w-30 but then changed it to 0W-30 in 2008. Or vice versa. And some people say it requires semi-synthetic and others say fully synthetic. I'm wondering how much of a difference it makes, and if oil type is to blame for some of these engine blowouts.

[@EJD339]

@@MyNextShotWontMissI use full synthetic. Imo it’s worth the extra money especially when I lived in Phoenix. Some people would disagree but the two car people I trust tell me to do full synthetic.

[@pfoxhound]

6 hours? Looks so easy!

[@charleshorseman55]

Not the easiest. Keep the bolts with the parts or put them back in their threads. Take pictures. The wires weave over and under water lines

[@haydeemarti4168]

After installation we needed reprogramming? Computer?

[@happywrenching]

Nope, nothing else needed

[@haydeemarti4168]

Thanks ,because a mechanic installed used engine and chargerme for programming with special computer

[@JOSERAMIREZ-hi9ri]

How did you remove flex plate from transmission?

[@happywrenching]

It's not a traditional flexplate so there is nothing to remove. Much like a manual transmission, the "flexplate" just slides on to the transmission output shaft.

[@rhythmtone]

Nicely done, I only want to know one thing, where did you get those gloves? Haha

[@happywrenching]

Lol, I'm always on the look out for the perfect gloves. I think I got these from autozone at some point. I recently tried a pair of astro-grip gloves made by SAS and was blown away by how good they were.

[@wpcote108]

Did you have to remove the water pump off the front of the engine?

[@happywrenching]

Not on this generation Prius. I only removed the crank pulley on this one. The 2010+ generation I had to remove the electric water pump.

[@mouawangtzullc6316]

I need you to replace my prius, do u live in MN

[@supremeonly]

Good morning I swap my engine but I'm not getting heat. any help will be appreciated

[@happywrenching]

Most likely air trapped in the coolant system. There are KZbin videos out there on how to burp the heater core on the second gen prius.

[@colinerdman]

Does the ECU need to be swapped as well?

[@happywrenching]

Nope, engine only

[@lani6575]

Can you list the tools used? Trying to do it myself for the first time 🙃

[@arturoguevara8525]

SOCKETS: 10,13,14,19

[@charleshorseman55]

​@@arturoguevara852512, 20mm as well

[@charleshorseman55]

It's possible to remove the ice without taking off the pulleys and water pump, but it's quite obvious putting the new one in will require it unless you've got 6 hands on it 😅

[@HassanHansenTV]

Question please replacing the engine is new ???? Or used !!

[@happywrenching]

Not sure what you are asking - I put in a used engine.

[@HassanHansenTV]

@@happywrenching I meant saying putting new engine zero mileage is there a possibility!

[@gerardodiazmoran6824]

21:47 I expected to hear the start of the prius, but another car interrupts it.

[@local701]

Yes it did. Sounds like a GM Ecotec, chime and all.

[@B0ND0N1777]

I was looking to see if someone commented about the engine start. Hybrids don't crank like that, at least my Prius hasn't ever.

[@scooterwoodley195]

Nice job! How much was the donor engine?

[@happywrenching]

Keep in mind that I did this swap 2 years ago so not sure of today's prices but at that time, the donor engine with 166k miles on it was right around $500 after taxes and fees. Thanks for stopping by!

[@Noslime]

Was the vehicle even worth the trouble?

[@happywrenching]

It’s different for everyone - in this case, $500 for a replacement engine plus a crazy discount on labor :) and the person had a cheap fuel efficient first beater car.

[@jaybailey990]

What do you charge us to do this?

[@happywrenching]

I charged $800 for the last one I did but I'm not a shop mechanic and do this on the side.

[@janvanderlinde3039]

where did you put the start motor ??? never hear my start motor :( ( it has non ) - it,s a hybride you now

[@robertthomas8281]

Hello i need it done on a 2010 anyone in Houston Tx

[@drakulawarlord5646]

I wanna put this in a mercedes glc

[@azemhanna4096]

I need it for my 2012 prius ..anyone willing to do it for me?

[@werdy]

Where are you located?

[@Lisachelle]

@@werdy i need it for mt 2013 in S cal?? :(

[@FWDSlip]

That fake engine start 🤣 21:47

[@thewatchman3918]

The motors seem to fail because people don't keep an eye on their engine oil level 🎚️💥