BIGBOCK

I bought a new rig a few months ago. It's an 86 4runner with a 22re swapped in from a 93 pickup with 130k on it. I have not driven it much as it's trail rig only. Lately it's been VERY cold out and I have noticed white exhaust each time I move it into the garage and back. That kind of had me worried. I also have a coolant leak I haven't been able to track on the backside of the engine running down onto the bellhousing.

This weekend while I was doing my rear springs I changed the oil. no water, no chocolate milk which was good.

Also, the PO has quite the janky exhaust system going on. Here's a pic of the tail pipe so you guys can see where I am going with this longwindedness.




Take note the tailpipe points upward...so today it was warmed up outside so I started the truck and let it idle for about 20 minutes until the heater was blowing hot. The exhaust started out white for the first few minutes but then went to a more normal color which was a slight relief. While the engine ran there was water on the ground under the tailpipe so I am thinking with all the snow and such we have been getting there is a chance there was some water in the tailpipe?

Also, while the heater was going, and it was sunny and bright out, I climbed into the engine bay, yeah dont try this at home while its running, Im a trained professional . And, I spotted that damn coolant leak which is droppong a drop about every minute while the engine is running. Here are some pics, but listen carefully....I dont have a paint program to circle the area so Im gonna Zoom you kind people in where I see it dripping onto the bellhousing and maybe you can offer me advice on what it could be. It is under the metal tube you see as far left as you see in the pic.






Wait For it








So up against the left side of engine where the tube runs behind the engine, the coolant is dripping possibly off the tube then running down the bellhousing. I didnt see it traveling down from the hose clamp or anything. I need to pick up one of those extendo spy gadget mirrors to get a closer look.

Any thoughts on the leak generally?

misterzee

take the pressure off the cooling system after the engine comes back to ambient temperature, and disconnect that hose. Use some Permatex#2 around the tube before you reinstall it. At the other end of this heater/water tube is the intake manifold. It is attached with two little bolts with 10mm heads. There is an O-ring sealing that one up. You will probably need an inspection mirror and flashlight to see, but check for a leak there.
I would hope there's not an external head gasket leak off the back... use your mirror to check

flyingbrass

It could be coming from any hose or hose connection. Or the rear cover (plate on the head with 5 bolts). Just have to track it down. Here's what you have back there, more or less. This is a carbed 86:

flyingbrass

Slightly OT, but related: Is there a reason Toyota didn't connect the hose directly to that tube? BIGBOCK's pic under "wait for it" shows the connection well. It's a short piece of hose into a short pipe, then another hose from there. What's that about? Any reason to keep that setup when replacing the hose?

abecedarian

flyingbrass' pic is the way it should be. BIGBOCK's is not factory.

BIGBOCK

Thanks for the info guys. Any one have another pic of the backside of the 22-RE such as the one above by Flyingbrass. Just to give me some more idea of what i will be looking for.

BIGBOCK

Thanks for posting this!

flyingbrass

Abe, I'm thinking his hose is a replacement because the clamps look too pristine to be from 86. But, the arrangement he has seems to be stock. Mine is similarly nonsensical, and I know it's original.

Why did Toyota implement this crazy hose connection? Hose clamped to a short piece of pipe, then again to more hose? Were engineers covering for someone who came up a few cm's short on the hose length in the latter stages of the design plan?

Back to BIGBOCK's problem, a mirror could be helpful. Might also try looking up from underneath using a flashlight. Fluid runs down to the lowest point before dripping off, sometimes making the leak diffucult to trace particularly when it runs on the underside of components or pipes. It's like finding ant hills. Follow back to the source.

BIGBOCK

Thanks again for everyones input. Its supposed to single digits or below outside the rest of this week so the ol antifreeze leakage will have to wait until this weekend but I will post up what I find. STAY WARM!

BIGBOCK

Looks like its coming out under the rear cover plate with 5 bolts as shown in pic by Flyingbrass. I tok some pics into the mirror but they didnt focus too well.

This pic is taken into the mirror and behind the engine directly center from the left side if you were facing the grill. It;s leaking right between the two bolts on the back cover.




Look at end of red arrow above, you may be able to see some lettering on the metal, the leak is directly under the letters.

Does anyone have any pics of their 22re on a cherry picker or something so I can get a better view of this?

Cheers

milehigheric

There is only one coolant hose behind the engine...All the pics in the world won't fix it, unfortunately it is in the worst possible place to fix

1990yota-pickup

i would just add coolant every day until it warms up outside..

you can count one of those 5 bolts to break while removing the cover.. get in there with som PB blaster first...

i had a bolt break on me when i was trying my enging down on the stand.. so good luck while the head is still in there..

BIGBOCK

Thanks for the info. Should I expect alot of coolant to come out when I pull that cover if the engine is cool?

1990yota-pickup

i recomend some long handled ratchet wrenches will make the job alot easier...
pick some up at harbor frieght tools and just take them back after your done. and get your money back if your a penny pincher..

flyingbrass

I think you'll need to pull the head (or the whole engine if you prefer). I don't know how else you'd be able to get that plate off, clean the old gasket crud off the rear of the head decently, and put everything back together again with so little working room. You're using a mirror just to look at it.

None of the bolts broke when I took my rear cover plate off. One was a little corroded, but nothing that a wire wheel didn't easily clean up. However, given the small sealing suface area between the gasket and some of those bolts, badly rusted ones probably aren't unusual.

BIGBOCK

UPDATE:

Today I had about an hour of sunlight to jump into the engine bay and do some checking. I grabbed a short 1/4 drive and a 12mm short socket as well as a 12mm wratcheting wrench. I was able to get the socket on the lower left bolt and realized it was not very tight at all. This engine is a 22RE out of a 93 pickup that was supposedly rebuilt recently. I was able to easily wrench this first bolt 3/4 of a turn with a short 1/4 drive. I figured if I could tighten the bolts down a bit I may be able to reduce the leak if anything. When attempting the 2nd bottom bolt I ran into a problem. The coolant tube running behind the engine has a metal tab on it that is in my way of getting the wrench on it. My guess is it is just as loose. I may pull the hood off tomorrow and see if I cant bend that tab back to get the socket on it. If it doesnt help reduce the leak, I wil need to pull the plate anyways so that tab will ned to be out of the way. I know it is not going to be easy but if it still leaks, I am pretty sure I can pull this plate, clean it up, change the seal and put it back on without pulling the engine or head. Here's to hoping!

flyingbrass

Good luck. If tightening those bolts mostly takes care of the leak, I wouldn't even bother trying to remove the plate until after giving it some time. A minor seep may eventually seal up.

My FSM doesn't give torque values for those bolts, but going by the general values in the back of the book, that type and size seem to want 9 ft/lbs., which is what I used for mine. Snug, but don't go too crazy.

BIGBOCK

Thank you, this information is very helpful. Guys like you are why this is one of the best forums around. If you are ever in Colorado, we should hit the trails.

1990yota-pickup

did you get it fixxed yet?

If you know how to make a gasket's.. cereal boxes work pretty good. with some rtv.

thats what i did.. when i swaped my engine. hasnt leaked a drop sense..

BIGBOCK

I posted this yesterday, havent got out there today yet:


UPDATE:

Today I had about an hour of sunlight to jump into the engine bay and do some checking. I grabbed a short 1/4 drive and a 12mm short socket as well as a 12mm wratcheting wrench. I was able to get the socket on the lower left bolt and realized it was not very tight at all. This engine is a 22RE out of a 93 pickup that was supposedly rebuilt recently. I was able to easily wrench this first bolt 3/4 of a turn with a short 1/4 drive. I figured if I could tighten the bolts down a bit I may be able to reduce the leak if anything. When attempting the 2nd bottom bolt I ran into a problem. The coolant tube running behind the engine has a metal tab on it that is in my way of getting the wrench on it. My guess is it is just as loose. I may pull the hood off tomorrow and see if I cant bend that tab back to get the socket on it. If it doesnt help reduce the leak, I wil need to pull the plate anyways so that tab will ned to be out of the way. I know it is not going to be easy but if it still leaks, I am pretty sure I can pull this plate, clean it up, change the seal and put it back on without pulling the engine or head. Here's to hoping!