I have a slow coolant leak. About every 2 months the overflow reservoir (sp) is almost empty. This morning I called underneath and saw a drip of green fluid coming off the luggage rack. I check the heater control valve and hose (it's a tight fit behind the motor) as far as I could see, it was dry. It has been like this for over a year. Noever any better or worse. Ideas?

 

Let me get this straight...this morning you crawled underneath and saw a drip of green fluid coming off the luggage rack?

Luggage as in cargo? Underneath your 4Runner?!

Sorry, I'm lost...?

 

I think he means steering rack

 

ha ha ha sorry i was typing fast cause i was at work and the boss man was in a pissy mood. yeah i meant steering rack

 

See my posts above (below) somewhere! Could be a freeze plug, I'm finding my leaking coolant on the steering rack as well.

Good Luck!

 

my friend would drip a couple drops of coolant every time he parked... I pour like 2-3 oz of bars stop leak/conditioner and it went away.

 

I don't ever suggest using that stuff, far better to just fix the cause of the leak.

If you can find the leak easily then you should be able to trace where it came from and find the source of your problem. If you still can't see the source, use a blacklight because most coolants will glow under UV light and the problem should become obvious at that point.

 

Also a good time to check the footwells inside the Cab to see if the carpet is wet. If so, you have a heater coil leak and it Suxors to fix.

 

+1 bazilion on the don't use stop leak crap!!!!

I had to replace an old Subaru engine in a car I bought several years ago, had to replace the radiator because it leaked pretty bad and the previous owners had put some stop-leak in there, more than once I'm sure, and the entire cooling channels looked like they had been crammed with oatmeal, it was really nasty. Do it right and save yourself down the road.

 

Thanks for the tip, I will look at the freeze plugs.

 

ok i loooked at the freeze plugs. I noticed on the passenger side of the block where the motor mount is, it is wet there. It lookes like there may be some leakage from the middle plug on that side. But it looks more wet around the mount area on the block. There is a bolt there too i dunno what it is to though. I doubt I have a leak from the block. If i did wouldn't it be serious?

 

This plug seems to be hard to replace. what abou the rubber ones?

 

simular problems let me know how it goes