rattlewagon

Yesterday on my way in to work, I start seeing steam coming out from under the hood. Pull over and pop the hood, and I can head the coolant boiling in the hoses. I feel both radiator hoses and the bottom one is cold, I figure its just the thermostat. I wait for it to cool, then continue to drive to work. No issues. On my lunch I went up and bought a new thermostat and some coolant. Topped off my radiator and went on my way. Drove probably 30 miles after work, changed the thermostat in there somewhere, no more issues.

Then this morning on my way in. it does it again. Crap, now I'm thinking head gasket Boils over, blows the cap off of the overflow bottle. Once again I let it cool and drive to work. No heat at all. The temp gauge climbed to the red and I thought I was going to have to pull over again, but then it leveled out and was fine. Did a some searching and not really coming up with any other answers. This is my dd, so it needs to be reliable. Any input would be great.

This motor supposedly only has 25k on it.

Thanks,
Caleb

Edit: It was also 5 below this morning. Im effing freeezing.

yotarob2005

It might well be just the theromostat. Toyoya sells a dual stage stat and 4crawler has a write up on drilling a small hole in the plate of the thermostat to fix the issue. Was the heater on?

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTri...tml#Thermostat

rattlewagon

Heater was on full blast, but not blowing any not air. Probably because there isnt any coolant left in there.

Just read that article from 4crawler. Im going to try this tonight, drilling a hole in my thermostat. Any idea on how big of a hole to drill?

yotarob2005

Well I am going to go out on a limb and bet that you just need to pull your new thermostate out and drill the hole as described in 4crawlers write up.

yotarob2005

I think it is 1/8" or so. Not 100% sure. Somebody will know.

snobdds

I have found start with a small hole, < 1/8, and go up from there. I drilled a hole in my old theromostat (3/16) a few years ago and it did fix the temp problems...almost too good. It was almost like the engine was overcooling. The temp gage only got up to about an 1/8 of the way up. It took longer to warm up, but I didn't mind too much.

rattlewagon

Its supoed to be this cold up here (around 0) for the next couple of days and I have about 3 hours worth of driving to do tomorrow. Im going to put a hole in my T stat tonight and well see how that goes.

Thanks for the replies! I was really worried this AM that I poped this HG.

peow130

you'd know if you popped the HG. The truck wouldn't run worth crap..
I'd inspect the lower coolant line.. Maybe it froze up?

rattlewagon

Did what 4crawler sugested and drilled 2 small holes in the tstat. drove about 30 miles around here again after work. Worked fine. Well see how it goes. Driving 2 hours to pick up a solid axle. Booya.

muddpigg

iTrader: (1)

Hope the Tstat trick works. Your symptoms are almost exactly like mine were when my HG went. I tried everything minus the Tstat hole, as I have a short drive and it doesn't work so well for them. What gave away the HG was blown without a doubt: I hap pulled the rad cap to blurp it and smell fuel and exhaust fumes coming out the radiator. Said quite a few curse words.

Might want to spend quite a bit of effort and really clean your heater core but disconnect it from the engine has you don't want that crap in your block. I think it might have cost me the HG to begin with.

FourwheelinVT

That sucks about cooling issue, it would have to happen at below zero temps! Where are you picking up that solid axle? I'm jealous, still looking for one but have no $

bicklebok

I would make sure you have the right amount of antifreeze at those temps. I have had antifreeze in mine before, but it wasnt enough. A little bit of ice would form in the cooling system and caused a problem with cooling. The ice wouldnt melt before the temp overheated, which is not what one would expect.

turyota90

had the same problem. coolant was being pushed out of the radiator and into the overflow bottle. lower hose was cold. head gasket needed to be done. thermostat is usually in the top hose. if the bottom hose is cold most likely it's getting air bound by exhaust gases. and a bad head gasket won't always make the truck run bad unless coolant is going into the cylinders. sometimes exhaust gas will leak into the coolant ports. i've seen them go both ways.

rattlewagon

Well so far so good. Its been in the 20s so the real test will be when its 0 again. Drove about 250 miles this weekend and were all good.

The axle was in Rutland. Im originally from Royalton. My parents still live there and my TR at their shop, so Im down there pretty much every weekend.

yotarob2005

Glad to hear it is working so far. A quick compression test would put any doubts about the HG to rest.

rattlewagon

8 F out side today and were all good under the hood.

However, my starter is going and I have a new odd break issue. Fix one get 2 more. Haha.

rattlewagon

2 day in a row of single digits and still good. Calling this one fixed.

However, I ignored everyones advice about starting with a small hole. I drilled 2 7/32 holes in it, I didnt want to have to do it again. Should have just done one. The truck takes longer to heat up, but I guess its better than over heating! I still have my old thermostat, so when I have some free time, Ill just drill one hole in that one and drop it in.

yotarob2005

Cool, glad to hear it RE

henrypaz

Hi Fellas!

Just my 2 cents worth here, nothing related to facts maybe. After having a couple of thermostats fail-closed, and having replaced them, and not having gotten all the air out of the system, I have taken the habit of drilling that small hole some of you guys have suggested doing. I find that it sure helps prevent the "dry thermostat syndrome"...ie coolant not in contact therefore can't open. Not all vehicles have a bleeder screw in the highest point of the system, do they? So it helps. If you ever hear a pounding "boom" type noise as your going along, sorta like running over a brick in the road, it could be the sound of a failed thermo talkin' to ye! Steam will expand a bubble that will collapse with a bang when it meets a cool spot in the system. Watch out boys!

henrypaz

Hi Fellas!

Just my 2 cents worth here, nothing related to facts maybe. After having a couple of thermostats fail-closed, and having replaced them, and not having gotten all the air out of the system, I have taken the habit of drilling that small hole some of you guys have suggested doing. I find that it sure helps prevent the "dry thermostat syndrome"...ie coolant not in contact therefore can't open. Not all vehicles have a bleeder screw in the highest point of the system, do they? So it helps. If you ever hear a pounding "boom" type noise as your going along, sorta like running over a brick in the road, it could be the sound of a failed thermo talkin' to ye! Steam will expand a bubble that will collapse with a bang when it meets a cool spot in the system. Watch out boys!