I just had the head gaskets replaced on my 4runner and was driving it home last night and it was running a bit hot, not overheating, but close enough to overheating for comfort, so i pulled off into a parking lot to check the fluid levels and it was low on coolant, so i thought that maybe the mechanic who did the job forgot to put coolant in after removing the heads, so i put coolant in and stopped for gas only to find that i smelled burning coolant. popped the hood and looked in, busted to radiator hose, so got new hose on, put coolant in, thought my problems would be solved, but no, still running hot. any ideas?

 

Mine kept doing this to me for months and I finally found out why; the water pump was going bad, and was leaking a very small amount out when hot. Do you have the 3vze or 22r engine? Mine is the V-6 & you don't really notice the leaking coolant because it comes out of weep holes in the timing belt cover that is over the crank. I ended up blowing all the coolant out one night and had to leave it by the side of the road. Luckily, I didn't warp a head or blow a head gasket.

Head gasket could be another reason for overheating. When the engine is COOL, open the radiator and start it up, checking for exhaust bubbles in the coolant. It could also be throwing coolant out the exhaust.

That should get you started!

 

There may be a bubble in the cooling system,now, since it was not 'completely' full after the engine work. Lots of postings on here about 3.0 overheating / coolant changes. Do a search for 'burping', you'll prolly find more info than you want to read in one setting. You'll prolly find a solution that works. I sure hope it's just water pump , thermostat, etc.

Mike in AR

 

it is the 3vze, and i checked the levels a bit later to see if they were down at all but no dice. i don't know, a thermostat maybe, i just got the truck and don't know that much about it any other ideas?