White smoke when stopped, blown head gasket what to do?
10-27-2009, 01:02 PM
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White smoke when stopped, blown head gasket what to do?
Ok after reading here about the issues that the 3.0l v6 has with head gasketes, it looks like I am a victum of this problem. My my questions are as followed. Will just replacing the head gaskets be enough? Can I still drive it or should i stop driving it now? there is no oil in the lower end so am I in better shape than most? Does Blue devil work?
10-27-2009, 01:13 PM
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Not a bad idea to get them checked by a machine shop for warpage or cracks, they will mill them if need be.
What do you mean you have no oil in the lower end? Do you mean no coolant in your oil, and vice versa?
What do you mean you have no oil in the lower end? Do you mean no coolant in your oil, and vice versa?
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10-27-2009, 01:41 PM
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Well I just bought the rig. I noticed sludge in the coolant so I flushed the rad and changed thermostat. May have been sludge from oil or the guy put sealant in it. Once I flushed the sealant out it got worse maybe.
10-27-2009, 01:44 PM
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Just wondering how screwed I am or if I got a raw deal. Looks like an engine for swap, like going to 3.4l is going to cost 1500 just for the engine. 100 bucks for gaskets. I am willing to do that if I can grab 2 years out of the truck at least.
10-27-2009, 02:10 PM
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just buy some good head gaskets not cheap aftermarket ones and do the timing belt and water pump as well. You might want to consider buying new head bolts as they are Torque to Yield on the 3.0 which means they stretch. I would stop driving till you get it fixed. The heads will most likely be fine but it won't hurt to get them checked out before you put them back on. I would probably just go ahead and buy the head gaskets and bolts from Toyota.
Don't use blue devil or any other stop leak additives just fix it right the first time and it will serve you well for a long time, the 3.0 has a very stout bottom end.
Don't use blue devil or any other stop leak additives just fix it right the first time and it will serve you well for a long time, the 3.0 has a very stout bottom end.
Last edited by pruney81; 10-27-2009 at 02:13 PM.
10-27-2009, 04:27 PM
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just buy some good head gaskets not cheap aftermarket ones and do the timing belt and water pump as well. You might want to consider buying new head bolts as they are Torque to Yield on the 3.0 which means they stretch. I would stop driving till you get it fixed. The heads will most likely be fine but it won't hurt to get them checked out before you put them back on. I would probably just go ahead and buy the head gaskets and bolts from Toyota.
Don't use blue devil or any other stop leak additives just fix it right the first time and it will serve you well for a long time, the 3.0 has a very stout bottom end.
Don't use blue devil or any other stop leak additives just fix it right the first time and it will serve you well for a long time, the 3.0 has a very stout bottom end.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...t=head+gaskets
10-27-2009, 04:31 PM
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No way don't get the fel-pro just get the toyota gaskets you can't go wrong and they aren't much more.
Or, look into http://www.engnbldr.com/ for the head bolts.
Or, look into http://www.engnbldr.com/ for the head bolts.
10-28-2009, 07:49 AM
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Does the white smoke smell? You could just be running rich and burning gas.
Are you sure the head gaskets are blown? Does it overheat? Have you done a compression test? Try the basic stuff first before flying off the handle and buying up stuff you may not even need.
Are you sure the head gaskets are blown? Does it overheat? Have you done a compression test? Try the basic stuff first before flying off the handle and buying up stuff you may not even need.
10-28-2009, 08:49 AM
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Well it only smokes when at idle and it kinda smells like rad fluid. So I assumed sense this seems to be a common problem. It started on the first cold morning when to use the heater and it started to over heat. Not enough water in the rad. Decided to flush and fill with new thermo for winter. Thats when it got worse. I mean this smoke cloud at stop lights is huge. Does not do it when it first starts. just after it gets warm. No it is not getting hot. But it seems like it is losing rad fluid from somewhere.
10-28-2009, 09:26 AM
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Well it only smokes when at idle and it kinda smells like rad fluid. So I assumed sense this seems to be a common problem. It started on the first cold morning when to use the heater and it started to over heat. Not enough water in the rad. Decided to flush and fill with new thermo for winter. Thats when it got worse. I mean this smoke cloud at stop lights is huge. Does not do it when it first starts. just after it gets warm. No it is not getting hot. But it seems like it is losing rad fluid from somewhere.
10-28-2009, 12:12 PM
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A normal 3VZE should stay pegged right below the half way point on the gauge at all times after warmed up.
If you are losing coolant and it spewing white smoke and you cannot find any external coolant leaks in the engine anywhere I would tend to suspect the head gaskets are blown because 3.0's blow head gaskets all the time.
Most likely you have an internal head gasket leak from the coolant into the exhaust, hence why it is spewing white smoke when warm.
If you are losing coolant and it spewing white smoke and you cannot find any external coolant leaks in the engine anywhere I would tend to suspect the head gaskets are blown because 3.0's blow head gaskets all the time.
Most likely you have an internal head gasket leak from the coolant into the exhaust, hence why it is spewing white smoke when warm.
