[Guest]

The ICE radiator overflow (expansion) tank, located behind the
headlamp on the passenger side of the engine compartment, is molded
with baffles to control the air flow into the air intake tube for the
ICE. In my Prius this tank's mounting position is cocked such that
the baffles do not contact the foam air seals on the air intake tube
mounting bracket. I would like to remove the tank so that I have
access to the tank mounting bracket. I could then reposition the
bracket so that there is proper sealing of the air passages. Can
anyone tell me how to remove the tank from its support bracket? There
is a channel molded into the tank that accepts the the metal bracket
which is bolted (I presume) to the car. Is the tank just held to the
bracket by a molded in detent, or is there some trick required to
release the tank from the bracket?

I would appreciate any help in understanding how Toyota put this part
of the Prius together.

[%sig%]

 

[Guest]

I looked at mine, sorry, but I think I would go to your dealership on this one. There isnt enough room under there to sneeze...

[%sig%]

 

[Guest]

Thanks to an e-mail response from Peter Blackford, which I'll repeat here, I was able to remove the tank and reorient its mounting bracket.

Peter Blackford wrote:

First, why not let the Toyota techs fix it?

If you really want to, the "pull button" which attaches it to the front cross
member is the "key" to taking off the top part (which also provides access to
the headlight alignment screw, BTW). The rest I've not had the reason to
remove, but it will be easier to see with the top bit out of the way!

I also have the microfiche service manual on the way....

Pete

To which I responded with the following:

I would rather do small jobs myself rather than take my car to Toyota and wait for them to do it.

Thanks for the clue as to removing the top part of the air intake tube. Once I got the air intake tube off I was able to get both hands on the overflow tank. I found that by pulling the bottom of the tank away from the bracket, the detents released and the tank slid up and off the bracket. I was then able to loosen the bracket bolt, rotate the bracket to the correct position, retighten the bolt, and reinstall the tank and the air intake tube. Now the air baffle can do its job.

Thanks for your input which made it all possible.

[%sig%]