Just as I was pulling into my garage, I noticed my engine temp rise, and smoke was coming from my hood. There is antifreeze dribbling down near the front of the transmission on the driver side. It seems to be comiong from below the exhaust manifold, but what could this leak be????? After 300,000 KM, is this the dreaded head gasket leak?

 

Took another look and the leak is coming from close to where the manifold meets the block for cylinder #6. I can see some black (gasket?) material which looks like it is missing from the corner of where the block meets the transmission.

 

The dreaded Head gasket has reared its ugly head...At 300K.... Whew. got your money out of that one..:-)

On something with that many KM's --- approx 180K miles.. It probably isn't worth fixing unless your a serious mechanic and have about 2K dollars.(US)

If you are a serious shade tree mechanic - and use every original part except the Gasket set - you'll only be down 220.00. But things will get interesting once you start tearing it down.

 

Is there any way to verify if it is the HG? I'd hate to call it quits on my truck before checking every other possibility.

 

Get a compression test done. You should notice the compression on the effected cylinder to be significantly down if the HG is shot on that side.

Post the numbers here.

 

Not to familar w/ the engine compartment layout for the v6, Is that also where your heater core line are. (passanger side of fire wall?). If your lucky the heater core could be clogged and has sprung a leak at a hose The gasket between the trany and engine doesn't have antifreeze behind it, unless a freeze plug let loose back there. To confirm the head gasket you could do a compression test, pressure test of cooling system. Do you have 'sugar' stains on the block below #6?? This would be another sign of blown HG.
I'm just thinking ideas here since you asked for other possibilities
cheers, Nathan

 

No sugar stains that I could see. I will do a compression test after work tomorrow.

Someonehad mentioned that it could be the water bypass at the back of the engine. (hope hope)

 

If it is an external head gasket leak - where the fluid is actually leaking from between the head and the block and onto the outside of the engine. It might not have broken in the combustion chamber - therefore a compression check will not catch it.

This is very common on the 3vze at the back of the engine - Drivers side (Left Side).

Happened to me. (At 100K miles).

Your lucky if it hasn't started contaminating the oil - or gotten into the combustion chamber yet. - The head gasket back there in the back is no more than 1/4" wide between the water jacket and the outside of the block. Pitiful. This 1/4" wide piece of gasket rusts out / corrodes and then it will start leaking. The longer you drive it - the worse the leak will get. Pretty soon it will be shooting out of their pretty good.

Stop driving it until you get it fixed.... Or do like the sorry bit*&^ did that sold me my runner - pour some stop leak in it - and sell it.

 

I had this problem on my 4runner turned out to be the water bypass hose under the intake manafold, PITA to get to but dooable, actualy goin to toyota next week to get an idea of what all the parts are going to cost me. when i pulled my intake manafold the valley under it was full of a real nice color of orange water im hopeing once i clean it all up the block wont be too rusty one cautionary word, be sure to releive the pressure to the fuel rails before mucking about with them

 

Yeah there is two hoses that go from the engine to the firewall and they tend to leak. check those first and then i would say the only other thing would be the head gasket. Start at the easiest fix then work up from there. H/G is not good.
B

 

had a similar leak on my 3.0. turned out to be a freeze plug on the head had busted. let the coolant leak out. pain to deal with cause you gotta pull the heads to replace them. good luck finding and fixing your leak.

 

That's what forced me into my swap. I had the EXACT same thing.

 

The stock oil cooler is also on that side of the truck, although that is more to the front...I popped the rear hose on the oil cooler and the anti freeze sprayed out......

If it is the HG at 300K you cant really complain too much can you.....