Coolant Problem?

[clivehorridge]

Hi Moz, is it a manual or auto box?

In my experience, you can rule out the water pump, unless it's leaking. It's only a circulating pump, meaning it doesn't create a "pressure".

As Shayne says, easy and cheapest first, rad cap, and thermostat are the first on the list, as you're doing.

After that it gets more complicated. With a new rad, you shouldn't be having blockages in the rad core or tanks cause overheating, which will then only leave the cylinder head as the suspect.

The heater system, hoses or the heater rad core, could cause your unseen leak, but not overheating, unless the coolant level has dropped considerably.

See how you get on with the cap and thermostat.

While you're trouble-shooting, I would favor just using water for a while until it's sorted, coolant isn't cheap and the thought of pissing out £'s while you sort it out will only add to the frustration. Once sorted, coolant in the system is a must, longer term. JMHO.

Good luck.

 

[silvercruiser]

Just an update.
Have ordered and will pick up new Stat today, finally managed last night to get the housing off (not much room) and old stat out. So from tonight, I will start to put it all back and we will see what happens.
Next question. Refill coolant system, several say put only Toyota Red Anti Freeze in the system, I have always used Red anyway but I get this from an oil company around the corner, Caldo Oils (own make) what do you guys think? Once again thanks for all your help.

I always put the Toyota Red in. but i wouldn't worry too much over names as long as its the red coolant to the right mix.

 

[MOZ]

Hi Guys - Monday morning feeling, anyway an update on the Cruiser problem.
Finally, fitted the new 76 deg Stat, what a job, needed two hands at times but only enough room for one, everything back together so I took it out for a 40 mile run on Saturday afternoon, everything fine, Temp Gauge remained the same, just below halfway, only lost about an egg cup amount of coolant. Took it for another run on Sunday, 30 miles and the same result. Did notice that the Rad & Pipes were still running very hot.
So Sunday night I decided to hook up the Caravan (2 ton) and give it a tow around, result being that after about 10 miles of hammering it, the gauge started to move towards 3/4, took my foot off and it dropped back to below 1/2 way again, I kept going, did start to rise on hills but it never boiled over as I was controlling it on the 'gas'. When I finally got back home after around 20 miles, the Cruiser was smelling very hot, checked the expansion tank and that had risen from Max. to 3/4 full and the Rad was down on coolant.
Just another point from the posts, yes it is an Auto and it appears my Fan is in operation from the moment I start up (which I would have thought may help the situation) on another point I have noticed that my belts (3) may require tightening up as one is quite loose.
So apart from the obvious what other ideas have we.
Do I now need to look at a 'Pressure Test'?

 

[Shayne]

Even if its an auto a new rad would cure the known water into oil problem . I think you better go for the pressure test i have heard of these trucks running for a year or more despite having a cracked head but the damage just gets more expensive to fix with every mile .

You should also be aware that the factory temperature gauge is rubbish the needle will sit in its usual place which should indicate 76 degrees until the actual temp hits about 90 degrees and your well into the danger zone . A deliberate design flaw by Toyota

 

[Beau]

Like Shayne said, best to get it checked sooner than latter.

There's a possibility that water can be entering the bores and over time it'll eat up inside there and damage them, meaning a overall engine replacement - Ask me how I know.

With everything you've done so far, it still points to being a cracked/failed head gasket - Sounds pretty bad in my opinion.

 

[MOZ]

It looks as if I'm now into the 'dark side' and we are having to face up to a cracked block/head gasket problem. So it looks as if I need to be going down this route, so where would be the best place to buy another block and head gasket set, pointless messing around anymore, just go for it.
Also, not a job I would like to be doing so can anyone suggest anyone for this job (I live in North Wales).
Just another point, someone in this thread mentioned the Fan & Coupling, I've noticed that from start up, mine kicks in straight away, is this right would you think I have coupling fault as it seems to rotate the fan freely with no resistance.

 

[Shayne]

Personally i would still go for a pressure test just to remove all doubts before chucking new head money at it .
With a cracked head confirmed i would go for an AMC head kit from roughtrax and have the lads at Freedom 4x4 fit it .

 

[froggy Steve]

I think wot Shayne said is a good idea - as far as the fan goes, iirc, it should roar away on start up then drop out after temp reached. When getting hot (too hot) it should kick back in.

 

[clivehorridge]

My experience with the fan on my 80 (and I think the principles of operation on these fans are identical) is that on start up, although the fan rotates and appears to be 'at running speed' it's not. If you take a piece of timber (which by the way I don't recommend, just in case it is being powered) and attempt to stop the fan when the engine is still cold, you'll probably find the fan isn't being driven by the pulley, it's just idling round.

I say this because on mine the fan always rotates from cold but makes no sound.

When the engine heats up beyond 'normal' running temp, the fan 'drive' kicks in noticeably and with a vengeance, meaning there's a roar like a WWII Spitfire taking off, to the extent it makes me jump sometimes, as it's rare that the engine gets that hot.

My engine goes above normal only on rare occasions, usually on long very steep offroad climbs, in low gear in hot weather, that's when the fan is likely to kick in, and the OEM needle will have risen to between the centre and and upper lines.

The needle never gets to the top line, it drops the instant that the fan kicks in, irrespective of the driving conditions.

I don't tow anything, but I imagine the scenarios to be the same or similar, but I never need to ease off to bring the needle down.

The fan does it all, it's a beast IMO.

 

[Shayne]

My temp issues were caused by the fan cowl distorting at speed rubbing the fan and increasing the load on the engine . And there is still the water pump to consider which is why i would get pressure tested .

It does sound like a cracked head but i would want to be sure .

 

[MOZ]

My temp issues were caused by the fan cowl distorting at speed rubbing the fan and increasing the load on the engine . And there is still the water pump to consider which is why i would get pressure tested .

It does sound like a cracked head but i would want to be sure .

I understand what you are saying about the fan and agree, not that I have ever heard it 'roar-in'.
After reading a few items on the internet, are we talking cracked head or block?
I have also found several Companies on the internet that supply, repair, or remanufacture cylinder heads?

 

[AndyCook]

Better to test fan with rolled up newspaper, not timber

the he reason why it roars at startup is the fluid settles down in fan coupling when you have parked up for a while and. Migrates into all the chambers in it, and means the fluid acts to lock up the fan.
But then centrifugal force of spinning when you start engine and have driven a bit makes the fluid move back to main reservoir in the coupling
when engine gets too hot a bi metallic strip coil expands and opens up some ports allowing fluid to flow and fan locks when the fluid thickens up due to shearing

 

[Shayne]

http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/complete-cylinder-head-1kzte.html

Beau can offer you the best advise you on this because he has replaced his 3 times i think .

 

[Shayne]

http://www.roughtrax4x4.com/complete-cylinder-head-1kzte.html

Beau can offer you the best advise you on this because he has replaced his 3 times i think .

 

[Shayne]

https://www.landcruiserclub.net/community/threads/strange-starting-problem.143599/

 

[MOZ]

Personally i would still go for a pressure test just to remove all doubts before chucking new head money at it .
With a cracked head confirmed i would go for an AMC head kit from roughtrax and have the lads at Freedom 4x4 fit it .

Shayne - I have contacted Freedom and he's given me a price, but my problem is that I need to travel about 200 miles to get to them as I'm all the way up in Rhuddlan, North Wales. I have tried some others, some can supply but I'm finding difficult to find someone that will strip and fit (I also have to consider that I have some other parts to change). I have tried West Coast in Southport but they are busy for the next 6 weeks, so I seemed to up against it in every department. I may end up in a garage who think they can do it.

 

[Shayne]

I will guess Freedom have advised you not to drive it there which puts you between a rock and a hard place so i don't know what to suggest .

Personally for the money involved and with my experience of local garages here in South Wales i think i would still cart the truck up to them .

Trev and Ed at Freedom are of the forum mate i met them before they went in business for themselves crashing around Lincomb forest at a club meet and both were driving swb collies . They are 2 hours and 40 minutes from me in South Wales and i would have no qualms at visiting them for far lesser work because i know it would be done right .

Other than that perhaps you could post in the lounge area of the forum searching for recommended garages in your area .

 

[Ian Chuter]

Shayne - I have contacted Freedom and he's given me a price, but my problem is that I need to travel about 200 miles to get to them as I'm all the way up in Rhuddlan, North Wales. I have tried some others, some can supply but I'm finding difficult to find someone that will strip and fit (I also have to consider that I have some other parts to change). I have tried West Coast in Southport but they are busy for the next 6 weeks, so I seemed to up against it in every department. I may end up in a garage who think they can do it.

Julian Voelcker at http://www.overland-cruisers.co.uk/ may be able to help. I would have thought that would be closer.
Not used them myself (yet) but many others have but I gather they are always very busy. Chas certainly swears by them.
Hope that helps

 

[Beau]

It may well be worth the drive to Trev or other forum members/sponsors who can do the job than your regular garage. The job isn't difficult, but with anything, if you don't know what you're doing you can mess something up pretty easily. And with a job like this, do it once and once only.

Also I found a company called SMS diesels are cheaper than roughtrax for the AMC Head. Worth giving them a call, I had great service from them.

 

[khalid]

Hi Guys - (Landcruiser Colorado - 1999) I'm really looking for some good advice from you experts, the thread might be somewhat long (sorry) but I need to give you the full story.
For sometime I have been losing coolant, sometimes nothing other times quite a bit, I must also state I mainly use the Landcruiser for towing my large twin wheel caravan.
So recently, apart from changing the complete brakes & discs all round, I decided to change the Radiator and top & bottom hoses (all new) as I thought I might be losing coolant, I could never see it and there is none in the Oil.
So this has all been done, I went to take it out last week with the caravan on the back and it 'boiled' over, blew the expansion tank cap off and it was like a steam pipe, the radiator, top & bottom hoses were very hot also. (only done 10 miles)
When I had the new Rad fitted and was running it around without the caravan I was still losing some coolant, so I was advised to put some 'steel seal' in the rad, which I did.
I have now used the Landcruiser on a couple of occasions (without the caravan) not used any coolant, do not appear to see any water leakage anywhere, rad and hoses very hot (20 mile trip)
Temp Gauge - when it boiled over it went right up, but at present it is doing what it has always done, within approx 2 miles it goes up to just below halfway, after 20 miles, still in the same position. So I'm now looking for some good sound advice, anyone have any without seeing the cruiser?
Thanks.

I have Prado 97 1kz and was having the same problem collant disappears regularly one day I went to mechanic and he opened the engine for overhaul. On the head there were very tiny cracks (lines very thin) first we decided to change the head assembly than we replaced the whole 1kz with a slightly used one now for Six months not a drop of coolant added.
Hope it could be helpful to you.