Well after a couple days of work, over a week and a half I finally got my 93 22re pickup together after doing my timing chain/cover/guides/waterpump/oilpump I started her up tonight with much excitement! To find out I now have oil and coolant mixing. I first noticed it on the dip stick. then decided to start it up again to see If maybe it wasnt that bad. But now under my oil cap its all creamy.

Im looking for some advice for a newbie, think its my headgasket? I did bend it a little bit when I was finagling the new timing cover on. Being lazy I didnt take off the oil pan or the head for the job. I did use the toyota gasket stuff.

That hidden bolt thats under the timing cover felt funny going in. Maybe it didnt seal the top end of the timing cover?? How can I find out whats wrong before tearing everything apart again..? Any help will be appreciated thnks!

 

Has your coolant level really dropped ??

You did change the oil before starting things up??

Very easy to get coolant in the oil pulling the head.

Cooling system pressure test will tell you if you have a leak.

You did torque the head bolts to 65 footpounds ??

 

coolant level didnt drop from what I could tell.. I only had the truck running for a couple minutes before I noticed and turned it off.

yup I put in new oil and fresh coolant right before the startup. theres $60 down the drain

I never took off the head... Kind of kicking myself now for cutting corners.

 

What was the original reason for doing the timing chain, oil pump and water pump? Preventative maintenance? or did u have a failure of some sort?

 

It does not take much coolent to make things look bad. I did a timing job once and had the same thing but i drained the oil and started fresh. I think coolent go in the oil while changing the cover.

 

I swapped my tchain cover without pulling the head. That in it self shouldn't compromise the head gasket. Worst case it leaks oil between the head and cover. Like turtl3 said, why'd you mess with it?

 

Thanks for the quick responses yotatech is awesome. This project started when I noticed my drivers tchain guide was broken. I did buy a kit from engnbldr for a new cover + guides.

I think my next course of action will to be to buy a radiator pressure tester. pull of my valve cover, pressurize the cooling system and see if I can find that danm leak

 

There are passages that go from the cover to the block and maybe if the gaskets are on backwards they could leak. You'd probably have to try pretty hard to get them installed backwards, I've never had that problem. That cover is probably the most complicated part of that engine due to all the brackets and practically every bolt being unique.

 

Ya I know what you mean, Itd be pretty difficult to install those backwards

So.. I bought a coolant pressure tester. hooked it up, took off my valve cover. and I dont see or hear any escaping.. I looked down through the timing chain with a flash light to see if I could notice any leaks with no success. the outside of the cover looks clean Im happy with that. This is my first time doing this job. Im feeling real stumped here. I used all new gaskets. and used some of the toyota black stuff on the oil pan and top of the timing cover



In the time being should I drain the oil? Is it bad for this stuff to be sitting? Im not driving it this way obviously. I have a 2nd vehicle

thanks

 

I replaced the set like what you did but removed the oil pan because the original plastic guides broke and some chunks fell into the oil pan. Doesn't sound like you damaged the headgasket and hopefully you were slow and gentile sliding the timing cover out. You should check the cooling system pressure and that will give clues if the headgasket is shot. When you do remove the cover, coolant continues to flow out of the engine block and WILL drip into the oil pan so hopefully maybe some poured into the oil pan while you were buttoning stuff back and that's what's it. Your milkshake doesn't look white so maybe only residual coolant. Cross your fingers.

 

come to think of it I did have the oil pan drain plug bolted up during all that. Thanks for the input Ill give it a shot tonight! If thats all it was Ill feel stupider than I thought I was ahha

 

Hey man live and learn. It's all good and not stupid so don't feel stupid.

 

If your cooling system holds pressure there are no leaks.

The needle oy your pressure tester will hold steady and not move.

It is always better to err on the side of caution

Good luck

 

Sure enough! it was just some coolant that dropped into the oil pan during removal and installation of the timing cover! Im not sure if Im happy that it was something super easy or kickin myself for not realizing that sooner haha

anyways, shes back on the road! super stoked thanks everyone!!

 

There's a huge mess of oil and coolant that drops out when you pull the cover! Didn't realize you hadn't pulled the pan, glad it was an easy fix!