Small coolant leak with pics
11-20-2010, 10:19 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Small coolant leak with pics
Hey guys, trying to figure this out quick. I've been seeing some spots on the driveway. Took off the skidplate today and found a coolant drip onto the oil pan and eventually further down. Coming from a place where a large hose ends...maybe it is a gasket leak? If anyone recognizes this and can point me in the direction, I'd be much obliged. Thanks.
11-20-2010, 10:22 AM
#2
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So after researching for a couple minutes it seems like this is the thermostat housing. Is it reasonable that the gasket would start leaking without the thermostat even being changed or anything?
11-20-2010, 10:34 AM
#3
Your thermostat is that low? It sure looks like that's what it is.
Anyhow;
You can see that the mounting studs for that housing are completely corroded. It could be the housing is cracked, or the thermostat 'seal'(a rubber ring around the thermostat that serves as the gasket, nothing else) has finally failed. Personally, I can't see how you'd get those nuts off without damaging the threads, and even then, you'd probably not want to use them again, right?
If you have a book, I'd look into exactly what you need to do/remove/what tools you'll need to remove that housing, then replace the studs while in there. It's the 3.0, right? ...so is the thermostat housing bolted to the aluminum intake or to the block? Don't have my book in front of me, sorry, and not a big 3.0 knowledge base myself, lol. Be sure you clean the surfaces of both the housing AND flange where the thermostat seal rests, VERY WELL, ....then go from there. Maybe someone on here will know what the size of those studs are. Meaning "M8x1.25" ???? You can probably order all 3(maybe there's 2? lol) with the nuts, from Toyota, for a few dollars. Eventually, that could be sucking in air to your coolant system, which will cause some wonky running in some cases. But more importantly, you can't have a leak that could get VERY MUCH WORSE while driving around town, ya know?
PS> I pulled the timing cover and waterpump feed pipe(on mine, that's kinda what it looks like and where it is, to be honest), from a junk yard clean motor for a buddy... took all the studs and bolts from the entire cover, etc.... My point is, you CAN find the stuff, many places... Personally, I'd just order them and be done with it for 8$ or whatever.
PSS> is it running warm? If so, would make sense that the Thermostat is stuck and causing tons of pressure, thus...LEAKAGE! lol. I'ma go get my book and see what that is... Is that picture looking from the top, downward, at the right side of the timing cover?
Anyhow;
You can see that the mounting studs for that housing are completely corroded. It could be the housing is cracked, or the thermostat 'seal'(a rubber ring around the thermostat that serves as the gasket, nothing else) has finally failed. Personally, I can't see how you'd get those nuts off without damaging the threads, and even then, you'd probably not want to use them again, right?
If you have a book, I'd look into exactly what you need to do/remove/what tools you'll need to remove that housing, then replace the studs while in there. It's the 3.0, right? ...so is the thermostat housing bolted to the aluminum intake or to the block? Don't have my book in front of me, sorry, and not a big 3.0 knowledge base myself, lol. Be sure you clean the surfaces of both the housing AND flange where the thermostat seal rests, VERY WELL, ....then go from there. Maybe someone on here will know what the size of those studs are. Meaning "M8x1.25" ???? You can probably order all 3(maybe there's 2? lol) with the nuts, from Toyota, for a few dollars. Eventually, that could be sucking in air to your coolant system, which will cause some wonky running in some cases. But more importantly, you can't have a leak that could get VERY MUCH WORSE while driving around town, ya know?
PS> I pulled the timing cover and waterpump feed pipe(on mine, that's kinda what it looks like and where it is, to be honest), from a junk yard clean motor for a buddy... took all the studs and bolts from the entire cover, etc.... My point is, you CAN find the stuff, many places... Personally, I'd just order them and be done with it for 8$ or whatever.
PSS> is it running warm? If so, would make sense that the Thermostat is stuck and causing tons of pressure, thus...LEAKAGE! lol. I'ma go get my book and see what that is... Is that picture looking from the top, downward, at the right side of the timing cover?
11-20-2010, 10:36 AM
#4
Registered User
yep! just like anything else parts over time wear out. the gasket should be cheap and while your at it do some preventive maintenance and chage your thermostat 
11-20-2010, 10:40 AM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
One picture is from below where the skid plate would be, and one is from above. Yes its the 3.0. I'm not driving the truck right now, getting ready to sell it actually. I'm not completely sure that's the thermostat housing but it seems like it based on reading in the haynes manual...is there also something called the water outlet?
Also...it seems there isn't a full gasket that goes on the housing but just a rubber o ring that sits inside...surprising that that would be enough to prevent leaks...
No, it's not running warm, but yeah I would replace the thermostat anyway during all of this...
Also...it seems there isn't a full gasket that goes on the housing but just a rubber o ring that sits inside...surprising that that would be enough to prevent leaks...
No, it's not running warm, but yeah I would replace the thermostat anyway during all of this...
Last edited by CoolDoodz99; 11-20-2010 at 10:48 AM.
11-20-2010, 11:02 AM
#6
Hey there,
One picture is from below where the skid plate would be, and one is from above. Yes its the 3.0. I'm not driving the truck right now, getting ready to sell it actually. I'm not completely sure that's the thermostat housing but it seems like it based on reading in the haynes manual...is there also something called the water outlet? That's what I mentioned... the Water Pump Outlet has a slightly bulbous look(thinking not that much, lol) and it's only seal is the hose clamp... That seems to have studs....which means it mounts, independently, unlike the water pump outlet.
Also...it seems there isn't a full gasket that goes on the housing but just a rubber o ring that sits inside...surprising that that would be enough to prevent leaks... There are several like that on these Yotas.... Tiny lil o-ring holds the up-pipe into the underside of the manifold on the 22re.... And, these thermostat housing seals are actually genius.... I have had them stay sealed for 13 years, and probably would have stayed sealed if I hadn't gone in there for replacing the thermostat when I bought it.
No, it's not running warm, but yeah I would replace the thermostat anyway during all of this... Get an OEM Thermostat, as well... only a few bucks and well worth it. However, if you're selling it, and you want to save around 5$.... I guess it wouldn't matter much(I'd feel better selling it with an OEM one in there, lol...Just me, maybe, lol)
Also...it seems there isn't a full gasket that goes on the housing but just a rubber o ring that sits inside...surprising that that would be enough to prevent leaks... There are several like that on these Yotas.... Tiny lil o-ring holds the up-pipe into the underside of the manifold on the 22re.... And, these thermostat housing seals are actually genius.... I have had them stay sealed for 13 years, and probably would have stayed sealed if I hadn't gone in there for replacing the thermostat when I bought it.
No, it's not running warm, but yeah I would replace the thermostat anyway during all of this... Get an OEM Thermostat, as well... only a few bucks and well worth it. However, if you're selling it, and you want to save around 5$.... I guess it wouldn't matter much(I'd feel better selling it with an OEM one in there, lol...Just me, maybe, lol)
11-20-2010, 11:42 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: San Francisco East Bay
Posts: 8,252
Likes: 0
Received 820 Likes
on
648 Posts
WAIT! Before you do anything, replace the clamp on the lower radiator hose with a screw-type clamp.
The spring clamp can lose a bit of oomph after all these years, and the connection can leak slowly.
The bad news is that you probably need to drain the radiator to do it, but that doesn't take too long, and you can pour the same coolant back in to check to see if that was the real problem.
And if that fixes it, but you didn't like what you saw in the coolant, draining the coolant a second time (to replace it) will be easy-peasy.
The spring clamp can lose a bit of oomph after all these years, and the connection can leak slowly.
The bad news is that you probably need to drain the radiator to do it, but that doesn't take too long, and you can pour the same coolant back in to check to see if that was the real problem.
And if that fixes it, but you didn't like what you saw in the coolant, draining the coolant a second time (to replace it) will be easy-peasy.
Trending Topics
11-20-2010, 11:47 AM
#8
WAIT! Before you do anything, replace the clamp on the lower radiator hose with a screw-type clamp.
The spring clamp can lose a bit of oomph after all these years, and the connection can leak slowly.
The bad news is that you probably need to drain the radiator to do it, but that doesn't take too long, and you can pour the same coolant back in to check to see if that was the real problem.
And if that fixes it, but you didn't like what you saw in the coolant, draining the coolant a second time (to replace it) will be easy-peasy.
The spring clamp can lose a bit of oomph after all these years, and the connection can leak slowly.
The bad news is that you probably need to drain the radiator to do it, but that doesn't take too long, and you can pour the same coolant back in to check to see if that was the real problem.
And if that fixes it, but you didn't like what you saw in the coolant, draining the coolant a second time (to replace it) will be easy-peasy.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
the1998sr5
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
15
07-14-2020 08:35 PM
jasonty
Pre 84 Trucks (Build-Up Section)
41
12-23-2018 01:00 PM
GreatLakesGuy
The Classifieds GraveYard
8
09-04-2015 09:27 AM
Avenged
95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners
4
07-09-2015 07:55 AM
