mysterious leak (3vze 1992 4runner)

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 09:26 AM

hi guys- I have a mysterious leak coming from the passenger side.
I have been checking the fluids over the past few days, and the oil level is fine, pwr steering fine, coolant OK, brake fluid OK, windshield wiper OK.

what other fluids could be responsible for a passenger side leak? Fluid seems very clear. No odor. Could this be something related to the A/C? Have not used the A/C all winter.

thanks for helping me troubleshoot this
taiko

kmcc78240 · 03-06-2007, 09:30 AM

Are you using the AC now? is it oily at all? How much is leaking ( acouple dots or a puddle)

TNRabbit · 03-06-2007, 09:34 AM

Is this on the ground? Where exactly is it dripping from?

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 09:54 AM

Hi Kevin and TN Rabbit- thanks for the fast reply!
I'm not using the A/C at all, have not used it all winter. the leak is more than a few drops...not a big puddle, but it is definitely losing fluid from somewhere. it's enough to start running down the driveway after a few days...but the thing is that all my fluids that I check are tiptop.

oil, pwr steering, coolant, brake, washer all seem fine.
I switched to synthetic everything recently, should have mentioned that first.
redline oil, redline manual tranny and trsnfr case, royal purple front/rear diff

but this leak is definitely passenger side. it drips off my budbuilt and down past the sonoran steel truss (you can see them in the second photo).

GSGALLANT · 03-06-2007, 09:55 AM

When using your A/C (or when your air vent selector is selected to defrost the windshield), your A/C compressor will run intermittently which cools and dries the incoming air. The moisture that condenses from the air drips out a rubber drain hose which comes through the firewall and hangs down around your front passenger tire area. In the winter, you will not often see any drips coming from it, because the air is already so dry (assuming you live somewhere that gets cold and dry during winter, that is), but on a hot, humid summer day, when the A/C is on, that hose will drip like crazy (assuming your A/C system is fully charged and working properly). Check to see if it's leaking from that hose.

91TPU · 03-06-2007, 09:56 AM

what color is it? what does it smell like?

GSGALLANT · 03-06-2007, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91TPU

what color is it? what does it smell like?

From his very first post, "Fluid seems very clear. No odor", so... clear... and nothing.

TNRabbit · 03-06-2007, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 91TPU

what color is it? what does it smell like?

READ the very first post: "Fluid seems very clear. No odor."

EDIT: Wow! We both jumpt on that one!

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 10:12 AM

it is clear. I put a white piece of paper on it, and it did not discolor the page.
It is perhaps not pure water however as I can get a bit of viscosity when I rub it together. I am using red coolant so I would be able to see red on the paper if it were coolant, is this logic correct?
as far as A/C goes, I have not used it in months. I Do however use the defroster, and heater everyday. I'm visiting weasey in vancouver for cams in 3 weeks and he told me that he'd take a look, but I was hoping to stop this up before then if possible. thanks for the great response. this is why many minds are much better than one (especially better than my muddled one!

GSGALLANT · 03-06-2007, 10:12 AM

Yep, we're quick here at Yotatech!

GSGALLANT · 03-06-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taikowaza

it is clear. I put a white piece of paper on it, and it did not discolor the page.
It is perhaps not pure water however as I can get a bit of viscosity when I rub it together. I am using red coolant so I would be able to see red on the paper if it were coolant, is this logic correct?
as far as A/C goes, I have not used it in months. I Do however use the defroster, and heater everyday. I'm visiting weasey in vancouver for cams in 3 weeks and he told me that he'd take a look, but I was hoping to stop this up before then if possible. thanks for the great response. this is why many minds are much better than one (especially better than my muddled one!

But where is it coming from? With a puddle that big, you gotta be able to trace it to something. Take a look for that hose dangling down right near the back of your front passenger tire, and see if it's coming from there.

cormel · 03-06-2007, 10:15 AM

Maybe put a container under the rig over night to collect it and better anylze what exaclty it could be.

Stevo3 · 03-06-2007, 10:15 AM

Im gonna have to go with, its from using your defrostor, or condensation from the exhaust???

TNRabbit · 03-06-2007, 10:25 AM

TASTE IT!

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 10:25 AM

sounds good, I will use a bucket to catch those offending drops and check it out. I'd love to get in there and trace the leak but I must admit that removing the budbuilt from the sonoran steel truss (those are beefy bits o' hardware and HEAVY dudes!) is low on my list of 'fun things to do with the 4runner today'

that said maybe it needs to be done! if this fluid is from the A/C, I don't care too much, as I won't be using it for a while...if it's something more serious (worst nightmare would be impending HG doom) than I'd want to know. other frightening possibility is that the starter (which was ghastly in itself to replace last month with those thorley headers creating the blocking bars of entanglement for the starter) might be getting dripped on...water torture for the starter!

TNRabbit · 03-06-2007, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cormel

Maybe put a container under the rig over night to collect it and better anylze what exaclty it could be.

or you could do this......it's more BORING, though...

GSGALLANT · 03-06-2007, 10:28 AM

You shouldn't need to remove the skidplate. Try to reach in from the top in the engine compartment to find that hose. Look down the firewall right on the passenger side. It comes out through the firewall, and dangles down to nothing.

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 11:38 AM

well I went out and checked again. Some new info that makes me think it may be an oil leak after all! first, those tubes leading down from the firewall aren't leaking. Turns out that the fluid is first falling on the skid, and then running along the skid and coming out on the passenger side due to the angle of the driveway. I checked the color again and it's a lot less clear than it was last time! sure looks suspiciously like oil to me today. problem solved...and changing to synthetic may indeed have caused a bit of a leak. I've heard that it's an old wives' tale that synthetic being smaller 'finds the places to leak through'...but I sure have heard it from a lot of people. I'm having all my seals changed with weasey and I know that he will be able to get to the bottom of this! I'll report back when I learn more. in the meantime I will keep it topped up and put a bucket under there. Thanks for all your help! tallyho!

kmcc78240 · 03-06-2007, 11:42 AM

Power steering might e the culprit, clear at first put after leaking and picking up all the dirt and grease from the engine compartment could do it. Mine leeks like a siff.

taikowaza · 03-06-2007, 12:11 PM

thanks...hmm might be pwr steering too, but my levels are fine! no drop in either oil or pwr steering to compensate for all that fluid leak. there's the rub!
I bought the pwr steering pump rebuild kit from 1sttoyotaparts which is going in with the new water pump, cam and valve seals, oil seals etc. will definitely be a nice rebuild. I'm hoping to have a leak-free runner after all's said and done. by the way, and last question- is there anything that threatens to leak on the starter (anything placed strategically that could theoretically leak onto the starter, ie pwr steering pump or other?

03-06-2007, 09:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	mysterious leak (3vze 1992 4runner) hi guys- I have a mysterious leak coming from the passenger side. I have been checking the fluids over the past few days, and the oil level is fine, pwr steering fine, coolant OK, brake fluid OK, windshield wiper OK. what other fluids could be responsible for a passenger side leak? Fluid seems very clear. No odor. Could this be something related to the A/C? Have not used the A/C all winter. thanks for helping me troubleshoot this taiko __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank

03-06-2007, 09:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
TNRabbit Contributing Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: TENN Native Stuck in Maryland Posts: 1,993	Is this on the ground? Where exactly is it dripping from? __________________ TNRabbit Stock '94 DLX XtraCab 4x4 5 spd, Newly Rebuilt 3VZE, 2006 Taco 17" Alloys, 224k miles, AISIN Hub Swap Kenwood Double-DIN Head Unit, 1x 290 watt Kenwood Amp driving 2 Klipsch speakers, 1x Kenwood 1000 watt sub amp driving 2x10" Infinity Perfect 10.1D subs

03-06-2007, 09:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	leak Hi Kevin and TN Rabbit- thanks for the fast reply! I'm not using the A/C at all, have not used it all winter. the leak is more than a few drops...not a big puddle, but it is definitely losing fluid from somewhere. it's enough to start running down the driveway after a few days...but the thing is that all my fluids that I check are tiptop. oil, pwr steering, coolant, brake, washer all seem fine. I switched to synthetic everything recently, should have mentioned that first. redline oil, redline manual tranny and trsnfr case, royal purple front/rear diff but this leak is definitely passenger side. it drips off my budbuilt and down past the sonoran steel truss (you can see them in the second photo). Attached Thumbnails __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank

03-06-2007, 09:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
GSGALLANT Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 998	When using your A/C (or when your air vent selector is selected to defrost the windshield), your A/C compressor will run intermittently which cools and dries the incoming air. The moisture that condenses from the air drips out a rubber drain hose which comes through the firewall and hangs down around your front passenger tire area. In the winter, you will not often see any drips coming from it, because the air is already so dry (assuming you live somewhere that gets cold and dry during winter, that is), but on a hot, humid summer day, when the A/C is on, that hose will drip like crazy (assuming your A/C system is fully charged and working properly). Check to see if it's leaking from that hose. __________________ 2002 4Runner, Auto-A340F, 3.4L, 4.30 Gears TJM T15 Front Bumper & Warn M8000, 4xInnovation sliders, Sonoran Steel 1.2 Lift, Toytec LCA Skids, Extended rear diff breather, Deckplate Mod, Andymod, Dual batt setup with Optima blue top aux battery, Hardwired 1000W inverter, Aux fuse box, Full time power to 12V plugs, Yaesu FT7800R Radio. 1993 4Runner, Auto-A340H, 3.0L, 4.88 Gears Extended rear diff breather. "4-air" system for airing up/down tires. Last edited by GSGALLANT : 03-06-2007 at 09:57 AM.

03-06-2007, 10:12 AM	#9 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	color/clarity of leak it is clear. I put a white piece of paper on it, and it did not discolor the page. It is perhaps not pure water however as I can get a bit of viscosity when I rub it together. I am using red coolant so I would be able to see red on the paper if it were coolant, is this logic correct? as far as A/C goes, I have not used it in months. I Do however use the defroster, and heater everyday. I'm visiting weasey in vancouver for cams in 3 weeks and he told me that he'd take a look, but I was hoping to stop this up before then if possible. thanks for the great response. this is why many minds are much better than one (especially better than my muddled one! __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank

03-06-2007, 10:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
GSGALLANT Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 998	Yep, we're quick here at Yotatech! __________________ 2002 4Runner, Auto-A340F, 3.4L, 4.30 Gears TJM T15 Front Bumper & Warn M8000, 4xInnovation sliders, Sonoran Steel 1.2 Lift, Toytec LCA Skids, Extended rear diff breather, Deckplate Mod, Andymod, Dual batt setup with Optima blue top aux battery, Hardwired 1000W inverter, Aux fuse box, Full time power to 12V plugs, Yaesu FT7800R Radio. 1993 4Runner, Auto-A340H, 3.0L, 4.88 Gears Extended rear diff breather. "4-air" system for airing up/down tires.

03-06-2007, 10:15 AM	#12 (permalink)
cormel Registered User Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 26	Maybe put a container under the rig over night to collect it and better anylze what exaclty it could be. __________________ 93 4runner 3.slow

03-06-2007, 10:15 AM	#13 (permalink)
Stevo3 Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 452	Im gonna have to go with, its from using your defrostor, or condensation from the exhaust??? __________________ 96 4Runner SR5 S/C - 03' Tacoma coils 3'' Toytec Spacer lift with 1'' Diff Drop. 3 1/2'' Downey Rear lift Coil Springs. 285/75R/16 Goodyear MT/R.

03-06-2007, 10:25 AM	#14 (permalink)
TNRabbit Contributing Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: TENN Native Stuck in Maryland Posts: 1,993	TASTE IT! __________________ TNRabbit Stock '94 DLX XtraCab 4x4 5 spd, Newly Rebuilt 3VZE, 2006 Taco 17" Alloys, 224k miles, AISIN Hub Swap Kenwood Double-DIN Head Unit, 1x 290 watt Kenwood Amp driving 2 Klipsch speakers, 1x Kenwood 1000 watt sub amp driving 2x10" Infinity Perfect 10.1D subs

03-06-2007, 10:25 AM	#15 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	there's a hole in my bucket! dear Lyza! sounds good, I will use a bucket to catch those offending drops and check it out. I'd love to get in there and trace the leak but I must admit that removing the budbuilt from the sonoran steel truss (those are beefy bits o' hardware and HEAVY dudes!) is low on my list of 'fun things to do with the 4runner today' that said maybe it needs to be done! if this fluid is from the A/C, I don't care too much, as I won't be using it for a while...if it's something more serious (worst nightmare would be impending HG doom) than I'd want to know. other frightening possibility is that the starter (which was ghastly in itself to replace last month with those thorley headers creating the blocking bars of entanglement for the starter) might be getting dripped on...water torture for the starter! __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank

03-06-2007, 10:28 AM	#17 (permalink)
GSGALLANT Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 998	You shouldn't need to remove the skidplate. Try to reach in from the top in the engine compartment to find that hose. Look down the firewall right on the passenger side. It comes out through the firewall, and dangles down to nothing. __________________ 2002 4Runner, Auto-A340F, 3.4L, 4.30 Gears TJM T15 Front Bumper & Warn M8000, 4xInnovation sliders, Sonoran Steel 1.2 Lift, Toytec LCA Skids, Extended rear diff breather, Deckplate Mod, Andymod, Dual batt setup with Optima blue top aux battery, Hardwired 1000W inverter, Aux fuse box, Full time power to 12V plugs, Yaesu FT7800R Radio. 1993 4Runner, Auto-A340H, 3.0L, 4.88 Gears Extended rear diff breather. "4-air" system for airing up/down tires.

03-06-2007, 11:38 AM	#18 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	leaks well I went out and checked again. Some new info that makes me think it may be an oil leak after all! first, those tubes leading down from the firewall aren't leaking. Turns out that the fluid is first falling on the skid, and then running along the skid and coming out on the passenger side due to the angle of the driveway. I checked the color again and it's a lot less clear than it was last time! sure looks suspiciously like oil to me today. problem solved...and changing to synthetic may indeed have caused a bit of a leak. I've heard that it's an old wives' tale that synthetic being smaller 'finds the places to leak through'...but I sure have heard it from a lot of people. I'm having all my seals changed with weasey and I know that he will be able to get to the bottom of this! I'll report back when I learn more. in the meantime I will keep it topped up and put a bucket under there. Thanks for all your help! tallyho! __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank

03-06-2007, 12:11 PM	#20 (permalink)
taikowaza Contributing Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 616	leak thanks...hmm might be pwr steering too, but my levels are fine! no drop in either oil or pwr steering to compensate for all that fluid leak. there's the rub! I bought the pwr steering pump rebuild kit from 1sttoyotaparts which is going in with the new water pump, cam and valve seals, oil seals etc. will definitely be a nice rebuild. I'm hoping to have a leak-free runner after all's said and done. by the way, and last question- is there anything that threatens to leak on the starter (anything placed strategically that could theoretically leak onto the starter, ie pwr steering pump or other? __________________ '92 4runner,Thorley Ceramic Headers,Stan's Custom Exhaust,OME Suspension,Downey HD Coils,Marlin HD Clutch,PIAA520s,24/30"Magnaflow Muff/Cat,Warn Prem Hubs,BudBuilt IFS Skid+Xmbr,Sonoran Truss,Odyssey bat,33x10.5 BFG A/T,ISR Mod,Boyle's HO Alternator,Powerlock,Rustbuster,Dual 4.88 Truetracs,LCE bored TB,Weasy Cams,NWMP Xtnd Range Tank