jim389

Got a 2002 4Runner. About a year ago I put stop-leak into the rad. (didnt want to, but it was a last ditch emergency, an was far from home) about a month ago, I went to change the rad. fluid (it was uglier and worse than I expected, and I was dreading and anticipating that, and thats why it took me so long to get to it)I pumped out the rad. overflow resevoir first, fluid was brown. Once I pumped it out, I noticed the walls of the overflow resevoir were caked with brown soot. Knew it was the result of stop-leak. Used an old tooth brush to scrap walls, and filled overflow tank with water and pumped it back out 4 more times (ran out of time, had to pick up daughter) I then just put water in overflow without doing a mix of any anti-freeze. But there was still fluid in the radiator.

A week later, saw steam coming out from under hood while driving, knew it was probably the bad mix of more water than anti-freeze, so I wasnt too worried. Got anti-freeze into it, and no problem.

Couple of days later, going to work, I threw it into gear, and it took a few moments to engage into drive, drove a mile and heard a bit of a high pitch coming from under driver's side foot area toward the engine. Drove a little farther and it felt like someone was ramming another vehicle into the rear of mine, or else like the transmission was tugging, hard. I checked the trans. dip stick and it was like a chocolate milk high up the stick.

Got vehicle back home and drained transmission fluid, and it came out thick, and was brownish. Got new fluid into it, and it drove ok for 10 miles, with just a little tugging, but then it got worse and worse.

Figured the cooler in the rad. went bad and leaked the bad brown rad. fluid over into the trans. cell. Replaced the radiator, and it seemed a little better, then got a trans. flush and new filter. Drove 30 miles and felt slight tugs when accelerating uphill. After 34 miles check engine light and VSC light came on. Checked trans. dipstick, and a little bit of milky fluid on it.

I know I screwed up by not changing the rad fluid correctly the first time, but I spend 72-96 hours a week at work sometimes more, and the little bit of time I get home, I have to play catch up, and cant do all the work I need to do

4Runner was running like a champ before I tried replacing rad fluid. Guessing, when I scraped the walls of overlow resevoir, all that crud must have clogged up cooler.

So anyone with any other ideas I can try. Shes got alot of miles on her, but like I said it was running great before the rad. fluid change. Dont really want to replace it, its my everything vehicle.