cgeorge

I noticed this morning that my truck's temp gauge went a little higher than normal and then the heat went cold. When I got back home - I let the truck sit for about an hour and checked the coolant level. It was low and I added probably several quarts of coolant. I checked it about a month ago when it was warm and it wasn't low.

The truck has no symptoms of a head gasket issue as the exhaust is clean and there isn't any detectable coolant leaking from the the head.

I do know the PO replaced the thermostat several months ago. I'm hoping he didn't properly bleed the system and now that I'm using the heater everyday that there was air in the system - causing my low level.

There is some rust in the radiator. I want to flush it. Besides taking it somewhere that has a BG Flush machine - or something similar - what is the best way to do this myself (products, etc.)?

How else can I determine if the head gasket is blown?

Thanks for the advice..

92 TOY

My opinion as far as a radiator goes is replace it. Inexpesive,less than $100 for mine and hoses, at least gave me the "ok that's not gonna be an issue again anytime soon". I read something somewhere was that, simply put, said that a flush is more of a rinse and you will never truly get the passages open or enough flushing ability at the bottom of the radiator to ever get it back to great shape.

as a newb back earlier this year, this was an easy and basically skill-less job. Changing out the thermostat is also quite simple....bit of advice, use PB blaster on the bolts for the thermostat housing, i broke a bolt and had to helicoil it (well actually a neighbor did that)...

cgeorge

Yeah.. I was looking at radiators... I think I might just do that and get the hoses replaced as well. I'm finding a lot of issues that the PO didn't really take care of.

oh, and I started it up again this afternoon.. no detectable coolant smell from exhaust or leaks.

92 TOY

we got ours (2) from JcWhitney for less than $100 a piece, more like 80-90.

cgeorge

So, I went to flush my cooling system this morning. I drained about a gallon out of my radiator - it was green and very slightly rusty. Looking into the radiator it is a little rusty. I added some coolant flush and filled the rest of the system with distilled water. I warmed the truck up for about 10 minutes. It is about 38 degrees this morning so there was a lot of condensation from the exhaust. I noticed though, about 8 minutes, the condensation from the exhaust pretty much stopped but then started up again. My exhaust has never smelled like coolant or anything and I don't remember it blowing that much white smoke.

I'm going to drain and refill with just 100% distilled water. I'll run it again and then drain. I may drive it (bad idea?) with just the water in it for a few minutes just to see if the white smoke/condensation goes away.

I really hope it isn't a blown head gasket.

Worst case - if it is a head gasket - I should be able to do this myself - however, $$ is something I don't have a lot of. I know I should do the water pump, timing chain along with the head gasket. What else should be considered?

cgeorge

Also, checked oil and it doesn't look bad at all (changed it about 1000 miles ago) and no detectable coolant/isn't milky.

DupermanDave

Try flushing your heater core too. I did that and it revealed I had a big hole in it and that's where my coolant loss was coming from. Sprayed it with a garden hose and got my interior all wet.

swampfox

my 89 was losing antifreeze a while back , it turned out to be a spring clamp not sealing.it was on the lower radiator hose, under the guard on the front end.it was only leaking when under pressure. just a suggestion.

cgeorge

I just filled with distilled water and drove it for about 5 mins. No smoke.. at all.

Got back and letting it cool. I noticed that the overflow is filled up.. kind of boiling. It was pretty much empty when I started this. I'm guessing this is because the water has a higher boiling point and has expanded into the overflow tank?

Armalite

ya water has a lower boiling point but it will also freeze at a higher temp so if its really cold outside get the water out so it doesnt expand and pop your radiator.

sb5walker

Driving with water only is a bad idea. Coolant does all kinds of necessary things for you. It's not just anti-freeze, but anti-boilover too. Also a lot of corrosion can happen very quickly with all water. If fact, corrosion increases a lot in antifreeze/distilled mixes that have less than 45% antifreeze. Even 45% antifreeze causes more corrosion than 50% mixes. And straight water isn't good for the water pump, either.

My rec is to use to use distilled (or any water) as a flushing agent only. (And distilled to mix w/antifreeze, of course.) Just run the motor up to operating temp, then give it some revs to circulate the water for 2-3 minutes, then shut down the motor, let it cool, then drain & refill.

As far as the rust, this is the upteenth time I've heard of rusty green coolant. I have never run across a report of rusty toyota red coolant. Just something to think about. I'm sure that if you leave toyota red in there enough time, it will eventually turn acidic and begin corroding the engine. Just, I've never seen an account of that. Maybe someone will point out a case.

Rusty coolant means that coolant has become acidic and begun to rust the block - it does not necessarily mean the radiator is bad. My coolant was incredibly rusty in 1998, and here it is 11 years later and I still have the same radiator and it is still holding up fine (knocking on wood right now!) The signs of a bad radiator are leaks or clogging. If it's leaking, yeah, replace it. If clogged, it's worth trying a good flush agent - something I usually never recommend because they strip the protective layer on the block and head, making them more prone to corrosion before the new coolant forms a new protective layer. But a flush agent is worth a try before spending money on a new radiator. The safest effective ones are citric acid based - Gunk's 'SUPER RADIATOR FLUSH' is a good one.

cgeorge

I drained the water out. I never intended on keeping it in there for more than a few minutes ... just to warm it up.

I drained it ... rusty as heck again. I stuck my finger inside of the radiator to see if the rust would come off and the radiator is in terrible shape. It is going to be replaced. I'm going to do the upper and lower hoses as well as the short one (that looks like a major pain in the ass to replace).

The PO replaced the thermostat. I have no idea what he used. So, I removed that as well. It looks like a generic 195. I'll get a Toyota OEM replacement as this is something I keep seeing people comment on as a good thing to spend the extra $$ on.

As far as a radiator, I can't do OEM. I don't have the $$. I've seen a Spectra online at JC Witney as well as RockAuto. They look decent. Any opinions on this?

I also ran water through the motor and flushed the heater core - all with distilled water.

cgeorge

I had to take a few pics to show the lovely crap I drained out of my truck. No - it isn't delicious chocolate milk. It is spent coolant/water/rust.

Isn't that making you thirsty?


Not good...


Check out the water neck:


Upper and lower hoses


More of the water neck


spent radiator

sb5walker

Boy, that coolant really got acidic - yuck. It's practically impossible to get the rust completely out of the system with water flushes - 6 flushes won't even get it all. If I had it to do over I would have tried a flush agent. Like I mentioned, I like Gunk's product:
http://www.gunk.com/CAT_C2124.asp
http://www.gunk.com/prodinfo/C2124.PDF
http://www.gunk.com/msds/C2124.PDF

You could do worse than a CSF brand radiator, though it is not quite up to OEM quality. Some folks like new-style aluminum radiators. Folks mention Radiator Barn & radiators.com as good sources.

cgeorge

yeah... that coolant is spent..

I used the a flush agent as well. It was Prestone. I ran water through the heater core until it came out clear. I also ran water through the top (from water neck w/o thermostat in) and had it drain out of the bottom of the motor (removed lower hose) until it was clear. Anything else that could be left in is minimal.

sb5walker

Taking another look at that bottom pic, the radiator passages look open. So if its not leaking, I would try keeping it.

cgeorge

they are open.. at least on the top.. but it feels soft.. I think the radiator is spent..

bottles

i just do new hose and radiator you well know if you have a blow head you would be smoking all the time and it would be a really havy white smoke but you well not see water around head gasget 90% of the time if it has bad.

cgeorge

I'm doing a new radiator and hoses.

gNARLS - what radiator (besides stock/OEM) do you recommend?

cgeorge

Thanks.. I plan on all of the above.. the OEM stuff is insanely expensive
!!