yodamomma

So, my new to me 94 4 runner was being driven home from sf when white smoke started blowing out the back end. Then it stopped. (The smoke, not the engine.) It drove up the hill, overheated, and green coolant is leaking out from the drivers side, but it looks not to be coming from the engine. This engine is new to me, and I'll have to download the tech specs...

so question: Anyone ever use SteelSeal? And is it possible to swap out the existing engine for a 22r 5 speed (my engine of choice). Thanks

space-junk

iTrader: (1)

im guessing its a v6?? might wanna give some info...

where is it leaking from exactly??
if its the radiator, then alumiseal will work okay... as long as the hole isnt too big...

yodamomma

Oh yeah, v6 3VZE

I can't tell where the heck it's leaking from, like I said, it's a new engine, and I'm downloading the manual as we speak. It looks to be leaking (looking down at the engine/radiator) from under this big humpy air filter thang (to the extreme right of the radiator) to what looks like it could be a water pump looking thingy, but I'm not sure...leaking good though...the download's going to take a while, so I'll be back with more info

yodamomma

It appears to be leaking somewhere under the coolant reservoir,
so maybe it just burped out after overheating, but it begs the question why did it overheat in the first place? Grrr.....karma's gonna get the guy that just sold it to me...

Guess I'll have to go to the mechanics, I don't see anything obvious...

parkkicks

HEADGASKET!

874runnersr5

sounds like a headgasket, get a leak down test to confirm it first, check the plugs..

yodamomma

So I'm thinking about an engine swap, rather than fix the gasket on the rebuild. This will take the last of my money, or I junk the car and try to get something else...does the 3.4 have these gasket problems, and is it hard to swap out? and is it hard to find? Thanks for the answers

abecedarian

the 3.4 swap is involved- harness, etc. has to be changed.
Have you done a compression or leak-down test to verify it is the head gasket(s)?
I ask because if the thermostat stuck closed for just a few moments, it could cause coolant to blow out the overflow and then while driving, the coolant could get on the exhaust causing white smoke to appear to come from the rear as you're driving.

yodamomma

you're a nice man, I like that answer. I will have to wait to do any testing until after the new year, when my mechanic can get to it. I used to work on my vdubs back when I was ever so much younger than I am now, but age has made wrenching somewhat problematic. I certainly HOPE it is the thermostat, the smoking thing came up after climbing a hill with a load (no trailer, just car full 0'stuff after a show. I'm trying to cover my options, and do the research before I go into the mechanics (which I should have done before I bought the car) I've only driven the thing 300 miles. It got no power, but I love the thing. My whole family, in the car at once, home through the snow. Wow. Hoping this thing won't put me under...



So, even if it's not blown, I've read in other parts of the board about headers and eliminating crossover to circumvent the gasket problem. Can you give an idiot a simple explanation of this? Is it hard, or will my mechanic charge me a fortune, or could I take a chance on a shade tree mechanic?

Thanks...for your kind patience with a noob

abecedarian

I don't like seeing people mindlessly throw money at a problem when the problem's apparent solution may not be the correct one. My route may be involved... and honestly could end up costing more, but I prefer to look at the best case solution first before jumping into the worse case. So as I as alluding to, white smoke seen in the mirrors may not be a blown headgasket... particularly if the smoke stops as quickly as it started.

I see two 'seemingly' connected things: overheat and white smoke. Like I mentioned before, if the thermostat stuck closed for just a little bit, when it opens it could cause the excess pressure to blow past the radiator cap and into the coolant expansion tank. If the tank was full at the time, it could blow coolant out the overflow. Since the truck is moving, natural air flow will blow that coolant back and onto the engine and exhaust. The shape of the truck and air flow around it will keep any evidence of 'steam' or 'smoke' under the truck, leaving it to appear behind the truck. I say this with some confidence because it's happened to me before, both with coolant and transmission fluid... where both ended up hitting the exhaust and causing steam or smoke, respectively. When I pulled over... *poof* steam / smoke stopped. I was like "WTF?" A little careful examination lead me to the overflow for the coolant problem and a pin-hole sized leak on a transmission fluid cooler hose for the smoke. Both made themselves well known by more than a drip on the ground when stopped due to the steam/smoke created when they hit the exhaust pipe while driving. (yeah, long paragraph, so my apologies given)

Now to the matter at hand. I cannot say that a blown headgasket is not the culprit. That can cause white smoke out of the tailpipe. However, it does not usually, simply, just 'stop' though... unless you have no more coolant to enter the cylinder. Even then, it doesn't necessarily indicate a head gasket. So, you fill the radiator back up and drive it some more. If the smoke resumes and continues until your radiator is low again... then... most likely it's a head gasket.

In the mean time, even before doing that, I'd replace the thermostat... just in case it was one of those random occurences where the thermostat stuck. If you do that, and the smoke doesn't come back, and the truck doesn't overheat... I'd guess you just spent about 10-30 bucks on the thermostat and maybe another 20 or so on coolant and fixed the problem... far better than the thousand or so to rebuild the 3.0, or the couple thousand you'd spend to swap a 3.4 in.

yodamomma

I really have to thank you for your detailed reply, and on a holiday, too. You rock, abec!

I'm gonna chill on the panic button, try to find an idiots book for this model online, and follow your suggestions. It really didn't look like it was out of coolant, and after the spill on the overheat, it stopped leaking, so maybe this is it
(on knees praying).

Happy new year, hope it's prosperous and blessed for you.

abecedarian

Every New Year is blessed in one way or another. Karma has a way of doing that to people.

I doubt you'll find the "Idiots guide to Toyota 3.0 V6 equipped trucks" online...
... that is what we are: a guide "in progress".

NYChopshop

Does your truck have an auto tranny or a manual? I ask because from what I've read it can be much easier to swap a different engine (3.4l toyota V6, 4.3l gm v6, 5.7l gm v8, 4.0l lexus v8, and more - look up engine swaps on the forums) on to the vehicles with V6s originally and retaining the stock manual transmission vs. swapping out the whole automatic transmission to match the engine/making it work with more power. By no means is any non-stock motor swap EASY per say, but I myself eventually plan on putting the 4.0l lexus V8 engine in my 4runner when funds allow and a blown engine forces my hand. I wish you tons of luck with that smoke issue, but I agree, the fact that the smoke stops at all is a really good sign. The Achilles' heel of the 3VZE is the head gaskets. From what I understand, they have approximately a 200,000 mile life span depending on how you treat your 'yota. I haven't had that problem personally (yet!), but I do commiserate on what a dog the 3.0l engine is. There is almost no upgrading the 3.0l v6 engine to the point where it will put a big smile on your face, but the most bang for the buck I've gotten for my 3.0l is the S&B intake. Welcome to the 4runner ownership club, post some pictures of your ride! I have links to the intake and pictures of its install in my build thread - link in my signature. Happy new year!

abecedarian

/me wonders how the 3.0 3VZE is any more of a dog than a 22re...?

91Toyota

Good point. I like the fact that my truck sounds like a tractor and is the same speed as a tractor and yet is has about the same hp

Sounds like abe might be on a good lead!

NYChopshop

the 22re isnt more powerful or anything, its just a more remarkable engine because its a super reliable 4 banger that powers a genuine truck! I feel Toyota never really gave the 3.0l V6 their 100%. Some parts of my ton of toyota engineering really impress me and if you've ever seen the top gear series on trying to kill one hilux and turning another into a boat, you really see how tough these things can be. There have been attempts to try to create aftermarket parts for the 3.0l engine to deal with some of the more stupid weak points of the engine like the tiny air flow sensor. Unfortunately they havent been found to give enough power gains to make the product worth putting on shelves! As far as sounding like a tractor, great. Although it has about the same hp, the tractor has got lower gearing, more torque, and bigger tires (at least half of 'em are) than our toys

yodamomma

The weather cleared today, and I got out under the hood, the coolant was a little low, and there didn't appear to be any gunk in it, and the oil looked clean as well, so I'm leaning towards the thermostat hypothesis

Took it out for a drive down the mountain, no smoke, other than the start-up vapor variety after a cold wet day. Good power (for the engine, anyway) seems like I dodged the bullet, yeah!

I'll try to get some pictures up later this weekend, got a wedding to go to, and got to get ready.

desconhecido

Good luck, Keep and eye on that coolant level. and have a happy new year.