2004 Toyota Prius

If your Toyota Prius has a 100k miles or more, it’s time to change the CVT Transmission fluid.  Toyota doesn’t recommend a service interval but after much research and discussion with Prius experts, I have decided to perform this service at 100k mile intervals.  It is a petroleum-based lubricant and will eventually become dirty and lose some lubricity.

Toyota Prius CVT Transmission Fluid Change - Fluid Condition

This is not a difficult job.  Anyone with some mechanical knowledge and basic tools can perform this maintenance task.

Parts List

• Four quarts of Toyota ATFWS transmission fluid
• Two new Toyota CVT drain/fill plug gaskets
• Torque wrench
• 10mm allen socket
• socket extension
• oil drain pan
• section of plastic tubing and funnel that fits in the tube end
• Carpenter’s level
• rags

Prius Transmission Fluid Change - Tools

Maintenance Steps

1. Drive the car around to warm up the fluid. This will make it flow easily for draining.
2. Put the car in Park, turn it off and set the emergency brake.
3. Drive the front of the Prius onto ramps.
4. Open the passenger side door and place a level on the door jamb.
   

   Leveling the Prius

5. Have an assistant watch the level while you jack up the rear of the vehicle using a heavy duty jack. Once the car is level, place two jackstands underneath for extra insurance. You are now ready to change the fluid. (if you don’t level the car, you won’t be able to get the correct fill level in the transmission.)
   

   Jacking up the Prius rear to level

6. Climb under the vehicle and locate the drain and fill plugs on the CVT transmission. Find two 10mm Allen plugs on the end of the transaxle. The fill plug is just behind where the right wheel half shaft comes out of the transaxle. The drain plug is down and further to the left. The inverter coolant drain is on the bottom, the two we are interested in are on the end of the unit (toward the passenger’s side).
7. Remove the fill plug. Both plugs will be tight and you may need some leverage. Always remove the fill plug first!
   

   Dirty Prius CVT Drain Plug

8. Remove the drain plug and drain the old fluid into a pan.
9. When it is finished draining, put the drain plug back and tighten to 29 ft-lbs. with a torque wrench. Use the new washers purchased from Toyota when buying the ATF fluid.
   

   Toyota Prius Clean CVT Drain and Fill Plugs

10. I snaked a hose down between the inverters and the firewall right over the fill plug and stuck it in the fill hole. Put a small funnel in the hose and started poring in the fluid. Use Toyota ATFWS purchased from the dealer. Don’t use anything else. This is a precision instrument and this fluid is designed for it. Anything else is risky and you’re only going to do this once every 100k miles.
11. After adding 3 quarts, have an assistant watch while you slowly pour about another half quart in. Once it starts to come out of the hole, stop pouring.
    

    Toyota Prius CVT Transmission Fill Funnel and Tube

12. Insert the fill plug with a new washer and tighten to 29 ft/lbs. with a torque wrench.
13. Check for leaks after putting away tools and funnel.
14. Remove jack stands and jack. Drive car off of ramps. You’re done! Drive around and know that you are taking good care of your Prius!

2004 Toyota Prius

In September of 2011, I sold my wife’s Jetta TDI and started looking for a fuel efficient, sustainable vehicle for her to drive with an automatic transmission.

I try to make sustainability an important part of all my life decisions including purchasing a car.  Here are the prioritized criteria I used for the decision:

1. I want to buy a used car so I’m recycling an existing vehicle and not introducing another new vehicle into the global fleet.
2. I want a fuel efficient car that uses as little petroleum as possible for the distance I cover.
3. I want a vehicle that can use alternative/renewable fuel sources other than petroleum.
4. I want a reliable car that won’t require tons of maintenance and parts replacement to keep it running.

After much research, I found that the second generation Toyota Prius built from 2004 to 2009 is a very reliable, fuel efficient vehicle that uses electricity for a portion of its propulsion.  While electricity isn’t always produced from renewable fuel sources, it definitely has that as an option.  I can eventually install a plugin kit where I can charge it with solar or any other fuel source that I can use to generate electricity.

I spent a month researching the Prius using online resources like Priuschat to determine the right questions to ask and troubleshooting inspection points to check when buying a used Prius.  Here are some of the questions and troubleshooting points I used:

1. Check Carfax for the vehicle accident report.  I didn’t want a wrecked and rebuilt Prius.  The Synergy drive systems are complex and there is risk that rebuilding the car might not be done correctly.
2. Do a complete visual inspection inside and out making note of any visible problems with the vehicle.  This includes testing all of the features such as lock/unlock buttons, window operation, gauge operation, lighting, tires, undercarriage, etc.
3. Use troubleshooting sequences to verify condition of the primary and auxiliary battery systems
4. Check fluid levels and condition
5. Look for a Check Engine light.  Make sure stop, drive and start the car at least three or four times to make sure the Check Engine light wasn’t reset by the owner before the test drive.  If you get a check engine light, ask to drive it to a local Toyota dealer and have them pull the codes and give you an estimate on the repair.  Some codes like coolant valve malfunctions can be hundreds of dollars in labor to fix and are only repairable by a Prius-certified service shop with proper equipment.
6. Most Toyota dealerships will do a free pre-sale multi-point inspection of any Prius.  Find one and get it done.  You won’t be disappointed and can negotiate price using this report.

Once you are satisfied with the condition of the vehicle and make the purchase, here are the suggested updates to make on the car after purchase:

Reconditioning Steps:

1. Change all fluids.  This is an easy DIY project except for the inverter coolant.  If the previous owner doesn’t have proof of an inverter coolant flush and the car has over 100k miles, go ahead and get it done by the dealer.  Otherwise, wait until you get a check engine light for any coolant-related issues to change the inverter coolant and make sure they perform the flush during the service.
2. Change the spark plugs using Toyota or OEM equivalent spark plugs.  Get the right ones for best performance.  The good news is most Toyota dealerships have good parts pricing and you won’t save much by shopping elsewhere if you are buying the correct OEM replacement parts.
3. Change the PCV valve if you have 100k miles or more.  These eventually clog from carbon deposits and the check valve sticks.  This will affect driving performance and/or fuel economy.
4. Change the CVT transmission fluid.  I’m singling out this fluid change since it isn’t recommended by Toyota but should be done at least every 100k miles.  It does get dirty and running any petroleum-based product for more than 100k miles or more isn’t a good idea. (especially since these 2nd generation Priuses can run over 300k miles before needing an overhaul)
5. Have a Toyota dealer or a good independent shop check the brakes and suspension for wear.  Repair or replace worn components.

Once this is complete, you should be ready to go for a long, sustainable auto life!

Mercedes 5 cylinder diesels of the 1980's

Over the past 40 years, there have been a few vehicle models that stand out as excellent examples of superior design and engineering. Typically, they are models at the peak of a certain engine design. What also makes these vehicles sustainable? I used the following criteria for defining a sustainable vehicle:

Reliability – The fewer repairs and parts replacements, the more sustainable the vehicle. The longer they last, the fewer new vehicles have to be built to replace them.

Biofuel ready – Cars that can run on renewable biofuels are more sustainable. The more flexible they are for different fuel types the better.

Fuel Efficient – Vehicles that use less fuel are more sustainable. An extremely fuel efficient vehicle that will run on multiple biofuels is about as sustainable as you can get.

EMP Hardened – This is more of a preventive criteria for sustainability. In the event of an electro-magnetic pulse (EMP), vehicles that are not EMP-hardened will have all electronic systems permanently damaged and disabled. Any vehicles that use electronics would fail and be inoperable until new electronics are installed. I consider cars that are completely disabled to be a sustainability issue. Vehicles that can continue to run indefinitely even after any type of EMP are a more sustainable option. An EMP can be caused either by natural or Man-made sources. Severe solar storms or a nuclear explosion in the stratosphere are two possible causes of powerful EMP events.

There are certainly other criteria that could be used such as use of recycled materials in construction, the recyclability of components and the distance from where components are sourced and where the vehicle was manufactured vs. the destination of sale/usage. However, most auto manufacturers from this time period didn’t have any of this on their radar.

Here are my TOP THREE Sustainable Vehicles of the 20th Century:

1. 1981-1985 Mercedes Diesel Vehicles

2. 1993-1998 Dodge RAM 2500 Cummins Diesel Trucks

3. 1999.5-2003 Volkswagen TDI Vehicles with 5 speed Manual Transmissions

One of my Biodiesel Jetta TDI's

Half way through the model year in 1999, Volkswagen introduced a new body style of their Jetta with an improved “ALH” TDI engine.  When combined with the 5 speed manual transmission in any of the body styles, this drivetrain was extremely fuel efficient and very reliable.  This 1.9 liter direct injection diesel engine was available in the Jetta, Golf and Beetle body styles.

The average fuel mileage ranged from 45-50mpg without any special driving techniques or modifications.  The fuel system was very flexible and can be run on biodiesel with little modification.  Even though this is a direct injection engine, waste vegetable oil can be used as fuel if a heated, two tank conversion kit is installed that gets the injection temperature of the fuel up to at least 160*F.

Stay away from automatic transmissions.  They are prone to failure and are very expensive to repair or replace.

Pros

• Engines are extremely reliable
• There are lots of online resources for technical troubleshooting and inexpensive parts
• Extremely fuel efficient. Averages 45-50mpg without tuning or hyper-miling
• Can be run on biodiesel with little effort. Just replace the fuel return hoses with viton or another fluoro-elastomer hose.

Cons

• Interior and body parts are of low quality. Parts tend to break. The engine and transmission will outlast the body.
• Avoid autumnatic transmission vehicles. The auto transmission is prone to failure and is very expensive to repair.
• Timing belt and water pump MUST be replaced at recommended interval. Older models can be retrofitted to a 100k mile interval by replacing rollers, tensioners and all recommended auxiliary parts during timing belt change. Failure to service at recommended interval will cause timing belt failure and damage to head, valves and cylinders.
• EGR systems are prone to coking in the intake manifold and throttle body. They need to be cleaned when the Check Engine light comes on and is an EGR-related code. There are EGR deletion kits that prevent this but are not legal for road use.
• Vacuum hoses tend to harden with age and crack. They need to be replaced at around 100k intervals or when failure occurs.
• Cooling systems should be maintained properly and only VW pink coolant should be used. Switching to green coolant or mixing the two will cause issues for cooling system components.
• Injection system is electronic and is not EMP-hardened. There are mechanical injection pumps that can be retrofitted to make it EMP-hardened

Buying Guide

• Most used VW’s from this era will have the check engine light on.  Take it to a chain store and have the codes read.  The problem is likely EGR or glow plug system related.  These are not hard or expensive to fix but you should adjust the buying price accordingly.
• Plan on replacing the timing belt and water pump immediately after purchase unless the previous owner can produce a recent invoice for replacement.  In this case, call the repair shop and find out what types of parts they used.  You can’t assume a 100k mile service interval unless you are certain these updates were performed during the last change service.
• Refer to online VW TDI sites for more technical troubleshooting.  Fred’s TDI Forum is a great resource for knowledge.  ID Parts or AutohausAZ are good choices for inexpensive parts.

Preventative Maintenance

• Change the oil every 7,500 miles with a full synthetic oil such as Shell Rotella T6 or Mobil-1 Full Synthetic (5W40)  Use good quality oil filters and replace o-rings during the oil change
• Service the timing belt and water pump immediately when service intervals are reached.
• Replace the fuel filter every 30k miles or as needed from dirty fuel
• If you suspect water in fuel, make sure to use the drain plug in the fuel filter to periodically drain off the water and contamination.
• Change the manual transmission fluid every 60-100k miles depending on usage
• If you have an automatic transmission, sell it. (changing the fluid could cause problems if it wasn’t serviced regularly)

In 2004, Volkswagen introduced a new diesel engine called the PD which used a high pressure fuel system and other modifications to the camshaft and valves.  They require special additives to the full synthetic oil and are prone to cam lobe failure.  Later TDIs from 2006 and on had more updates.  There is not enough information on these models to recommend.

NOTE: Volkswagen diesels built before 1999 are also very reliable and fuel efficient. However, there were some issues with head gaskets on earlier 1.6 diesel engines. If the cooling systems are properly maintained and the fuel injection system or turbo are not over-boosted, they are very reliable and fuel efficient.

Diesel Fuel – This is the fuel your engine was designed to use. Choosing diesel is the easiest solution and doesn’t require any special considerations other than the source of where the fuel comes from and the emissions it creates.

B5 – Diesel fuel with a 5% biodiesel additive is really no different than choosing diesel as fuel. However, the biodiesel fuel additive is a solvent and will help keep your fuel tank and injectors clean. The dilution is so low that special alcohol-resistant fuel lines are not needed.  

B20 – Biodiesel diluted in diesel fuel is a great choice for most diesel vehicles. It reduces emissions and requires less diesel fuel. It also keeps the fuel tank and injectors clean as well as reducing dependence on petroleum. Older vehicles should eventually be updated with alcohol-resistant fuel lines but newer vehicles should be fine with existing fuel lines. If you have a new diesel vehicle, make sure that the manufacturer allows B20 fuel without voiding the warranty. Unfortunately, some of the newer vehicles have very sensitive fuel regulators and pumps that won’t operate properly with prolonged use of biodiesel. Make sure to check this with the manufacturer before purchasing the vehicle if your intention is to run biodiesel.

B100 – Pure biodiesel is a great choice for the environment and greatly reduces dependence on petroleum. Particulate emissions from the exhaust are eliminated and the exhaust has a much more pleasant aroma for those that are more susceptible to toxic diesel fumes. You will need to replace both supply and return fuel lines with alcohol-resistant hoses. Viton or Viton-lined hoses are a great choice. Most “high pressure” fuel hoses have an alcohol-resistant lining such as Viton or another fluoroelastomer. These fuel hoses can be identified with the “SAE30R9” designation printed on the hose. Using B100 will likely void any manufacturer’s warranty so take this into consideration when choosing this fuel option. You should also plan on having to replace any o-rings or seals in the fuel management system and injection pump in a shorter service cycle than when running diesel.

WVO Two Tank System – Using WVO as a fuel source is more labor intensive than other fuel choices. Typically, a source for WVO has to be located and may involve multiple sources depending on the amount of fuel you need. A relationship has to be maintained with the restaurant and the fuel has to be cleaned and dried properly before using it. There are extra steps to running the vehicle that have to be performed at the proper times for the car to keep running. If the fuel source is switched to early on startup or if the driver forgets to switch back to diesel and purge, the car may not start next time or significant damage could occur to the engine. If you are a good “shade tree” mechanic and are technical, this might be a good option for you. It can be fun if you know what you’re doing or a financial disaster if you’re not technical and expect it to work just like filling up at the fuel station.

WVO One Tank System – I have heard mixed results on this option. Typically, the only partial successes I’ve heard of involve using a one tank WVO system on an older Mercedes diesel. These vehicles are built like tanks and are very forgiving when it comes to fuel types and abuse. However, they are not indestructable and prolonged WVO use without proper consideration and care will eventually destroy the engine. A one tank system leaves more room for error and risk than the other options above. Proceed at your own risk.

However, some folks in the international biodiesel community have taken much of the information on the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial and built an even more informative site called the Make Biodiesel Tutorial.  This is soup to nuts everything you need to know to make biodiesel from building an appleseed biodiesel processor from an electric hot water heater to the best way to titrate oil.

If you are considering making your own biodiesel fuel, this is the site for you.  Read through the different sections to see if you think making your fuel will be the best fit for you!

1. Increasing our domestic production of oil in a responsible and sound manner

2. Increasing our investment and production of next generation biofuels

Watch the video and learn more about Obama’s plans to help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil to make our country more secure.

Methanol as a Transportation Fuel

In our quest to find sources of energy to replace petroleum, it is hard not to look at other fossil-based resources that haven’t been over-utilized and are abundant in the United States and the Americas. Natural gas definitely fits the bill.  Natural gas is an excellent energy carrier and is available domestically. However, transporting the fuel and retrofitting vehicles to use it as a primary fuel source is labor intensive.  When you compare the issues surrounding acquiring and transporting petroleum from the Middle East, the vehicle conversion and transport efforts seem worth pursuing.

When investigating a project of this magnitude, looking at scale and efficiency through picking a path with the least amount of changes to affect the largest number of outputs can make the difference between success and failure.  In this light, the idea of retrofitting every single transport vehicle seems very labor intensive if the changes are significant. A more effective solution would be to transform the energy source into a fuel that can be consumed in existing vehicles with little or no modification. You make a change to the fuel that can be used in an infinite number of vehicles. This seems like the better option but is it possible?

Natural Gas is made up of more than 80% methane. Methane can be transformed into a liquid fuel called methanol. Methanol is a simple alcohol that is more energy dense than ethanol and is less likely to absorb moisture. It is, therefore, able to be transported in existing pipelines and tankers and can be stored in the same underground tanks as gasoline and petroleum.

A Sustainable Methanol Cycle

Gasoline vehicles can use methanol as a fuel with small modifications to the engine computer and by replacing fuel hoses with an alcohol-resistant, fluoroelastomer equivalent.  Diesel vehicles can use a dehydrated form of methanol called Dimethyl Ether (DME) with similar modifications to engine control and fuel hoses.  While this isn’t zero modifications to existing vehicles, the changes are minimal.

Retrofitting our transportation infrastructure to use methanol has future renewable implications as well. Methanol can be manufactured from renewable feedstocks such as biomass and can be formed through chemical recycling of carbon dioxide through selective absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere! Yes, we can make fuel from CO2 and help solve the issue of carbon pollution!

How can you help with the transition?

1. Read the “Beyond Oil and Gas: The Methanol Economy” by nobel laureate George Olah to learn more about methanol and its use as a petroleum alternative.
2. Educate your friends, neighbors, coworkers and children about the benefits of methanol as a road fuel
3. Contact your state and federal Congressional representative and ask them to push for funding research for methanol.

Voter's Guide

Before you go to the voting booth this year, make sure you do a little research on the candidates and understand where they stand on reducing our dependence on petroleum.  If asked, all candidates will answer, “I support reducing our nation’s dependence on oil.”  However, you need to look at a more granular level to see how they will act on specific programs to help promote this initiative.  Here are a few specific issues to research before choosing a candidate:

Do you support increasing the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standard to 40 miles per gallon?
This would save our country between 2 and 3 million barrels of oil per day.  Supporting legislation to increase this standard is the number one issue that could affect our dependence on oil.  Even a phased in approach that reaches 40 mpg over the next ten years would make a huge dent in our oil consumption.

Do you support the Pickens Plan for converting big rig trucks to natural gas?
If you are not familiar with T. Boone Pickens and his Pickens Plan, it is worth reading about his initiatives.  We have abundant natural gas resources in the US that could help us reduce our petroleum usage and reduce our imports of foreign oil.

Will you support reinstating the Biodiesel Tax Credit and will you support initiatives and incentives that promote the production and use of ALL biofuels?
Congress let the $1 per gallon tax credit for biodiesel expire in December of 2009.  Most biodiesel refineries have shut down and the investors who made big investment risks in the future of our country have lost their investment.

There is much debate over whether first generation biofuels are good for our country and whether we should wait for second generation biofuels.  If you were an investor in first generation biofuels and the government pulls support of your initiative and you lose your investment, what is the likelihood that you will invest in a second generation biofuel initiative?  Smart money will look elsewhere.

If we want to get to second or even third generation biofuels, we need to support the risk-takers who will invest and get us there.

Will you support Renewable Energy tax incentives to help foster residential and commercial conversion to renewable sources for heat generation?
In colder climates that use heating oil as a fuel, renewable alternatives such as biofuels, solar and biomass are viable replacements.  However, they need incentives to help them reach critical mass and bring costs down.  We need politicians that will pass legislation to put solid incentives in place to help reduce our dependence on heating oil as a fuel.

Do some digging and see what you can find out about how candidates stand on these issues.  If you get a chance to attend a debate or town hall meeting, try to ask these questions yourself.  You can also try stopping by a candidate’s local election office, call or email to get answers.

Good luck and most important of all, make sure to get out and vote.  It’s a freedom that many people in this world don’t have!

Present Day Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Tonight, I watched the Imax movie, Arabia, at the Fernbank Museum and enjoyed the history lesson in the Two Golden Ages of Arabia.  The first was led by the Nabataean culture and the natural resource that created their empire was frankincense and other spices.  The Roman Empire’s polytheistic worship drove the insatiable demand for the exotic spice trade dominated by the Nabataeans.

The second golden age was led by King Abdul Aziz who conquered vast land masses in the Arabian Peninsula and formed the nation of Saudi Arabia.  The natural resource that created their empire was oil and the Western World’s thirst to drive the machines of the 20th Century.  Saudi Arabia’s domination is now shared with Arab nations that have this natural resource in common, including Iran and Iraq.  Every year, the US transfers hundreds of billions of dollars of GDP to the Arab Peninsula to fund our addiction to petroleum.

The last segment described how Arab nations are using this vast wealth from oil as the catalyst for the third golden age of Arabia.

The next golden age needs to be led by the West and the natural resource should be clean energy.  The United States and other countries that support freedom for their people need to lead the charge toward clean sources of energy.  It is time for us to wean ourselves from our addiction to petroleum and create innovative alternatives to fossil fuels.

Roll up your sleeves and let’s get started.