xcmountain80

I've noticed this on and off over the last 6 months and really thought nothing of it. I have 200k on my 02 4Runner and wondering what is up. There is a exhaust smell in my garage awaiting me after I have left. It look like (close to) when you start your vehicle and it's cold out. Any thoughts.

Aaron

tj884Rdlx

are you having to add coolant or oil? if you're adding coolant: head gasket. if you're adding oil: rings. do a search for "white smoke" and see what others have come up with in the past.

if you're adding nothing, do a "block test" to determine if your HG is on the way out. google search block test. it's stuff you put in your rad.

xcmountain80

Perhaps just humid as hell out, not adding any fluids what so ever.

Aaron

stir_fry_boy

Next time you do an oil change, measure how much comes out. Compare that to how much you put in.
Another way to tell is if the smoke smells sweet (antifreeze) more looks like a jet engine out the back. Or does it smell like burnt oil (oil) more of a bluish/grey smoke? Or no smell, just water?

atistang

if your not having to add antifreeze then it is probably just moisture from the humidity

xcmountain80

Ok I'm about 90% certain this is a head gsaket as the humidity doesn't smell like coolant. Sheesh now the truck goes in Monday for a HG replacement quote, what PIA, I guess I could do it but time is not on my side.

A

logsurfer

So you're not loosing any coolant? I noticed that i'm losing coolant, about 1/4 of an inch per week, but i don't see any white smoke coming out of the pipe. I might try to replace my rad cap and see if thats the cause.

Man, I wish i have your senses..

brian2sun

I would do a pressure test on the cooling system and see if you can find a leak (logsurfer). A compression test will usually tell you if it's a HG. If all cylinders still have acceptable compression, then you can also do a leak down test. If it passes both, HG is very unlikely.

xcmountain80

Yep the smoke is sweet and some times sour, it isn't looking good. Tomorrow I'll make a mess and drain off a qt. or so to see if any water is in the bottom of the pan (water heavier than oil will separate) I have to drive 150 miles on Monday then I'll drop her at the shop,k hat tools do I need to do a pressure test, or is that a shop only kinda deal? I hope to have this solved soon .... as I can't be going along and have a kaboooom



A

brian2sun

It's a pump similar to a bike tire pump with a press. guage on it and a fitting that screws on your radiator (where your cap goes). In your case, I would probably just let the shop diagnose the problem since you don't seem to be loosing any coolant anyways.

Sounds like a HG to me, sorry man I've been there. You may even want to consider buying a used low mileage long block and throw that in. That can be done for not much more $$ than a HG job (especially if they need to resurface the heads and other misc stuff while they're in there).

I only say this because you have 200K on it and it may be worth a few hundred more to get a 60-90K motor w/ a warranty. Years ago I replaced the HGs in my old 4runner (200K or so) and I threw a rod like 2 months later. It was just that engine's time. I wished I would'a just bought a used long block instead of spending $2000+ only to have a useless motor again.

In logsurfer's case, he may be loosing coolant from anywhere so a pressure test may just pinpoint it cuz he might see it spraying or dripping out. Beware that putting too much pressure into your cooling system can blow a leaking HG altogether, but if it's leaking out of a crack in a hose or something you should be able to find it and fix it.

xcmountain80

Well this may be time to have the engine rebuilt altogether. I have been considering having it done for some time. It would make the addition of the SC a little more reliable too. LC Engineering offers all the parts to do what I'm thinking about. I have anoter 5vz with a little over 100k on it (for sale in another thread) and even if that were swapped in I'd rebuild it at some point too. The rebuild would include machining the heads and all the fun parts that go with a rebuild. But I'll wait and see what they quote me for a HG.

A

b0n3mast3r

another way to tell if you have a hg is start the runner open the radiator cap watch for bubble coming out of the neck or smell the radiator with the cap off if you smell exhaust fume in the radiator you have a hg. runner does not have to be full warm up for the exhaust smell so smell it while it cold

mastacox

In case you're interested XC, here is a link to my and MTL's head gasket replacement threads. We both ended up rebuilding our engine top-ends, including remanufactured heads.

It sounds like your symptoms are very similar to mine. Right before I took everything apart my engine had serious trouble starting and would give off a James Bond style white smoke cloud until the engine warmed up. I was burning about 1 gallon of coolant a week near the end there Id say the whole process for me was about 40 hours of work, spread out over 6 days.

Mastacox's Top-End Rebuild
MTL's Top-End Rebuild

xcmountain80

Well I took it to the shopped and it passed the block pressure test, and then it failed the regular pressure test. The radiator came unglued at 16psi....... so while my problem is still unsolved a radiator later (yet to install, meetings out the ass today). There was no water in the oil pan or on the dipstick. The mystery continues ...... the mech said the rad. had been leaking for some time as there were stains on the radiator where to coolant sat (though I didn't see them and I clean my engine compartment).

A

xcmountain80

Read both posts, and well darn I just replaced the valve cover gaskets........... I was 1/2 way there. Well the job isn't out of my reach but wanted to rebuild the bottom end as well, forged stuff and all. Then add fuel upgrades for the SC.


A

xcmountain80

Oh wait can't afford fuel upgrades yet so SC install will hae to wait.


A

xcmountain80

Well the P300 random misfire code keyed the tech in on the coolant smeel in the exhaust and he agrees it's a HG. Ok no to order the HG H bolts and I think thats it. No really looking forward to this teardown but I can do it. Oh and its a minute leak that seems to happen only when the engine is cold, when it expands there is no issue.

A

mastacox

#1 Important- You need a factory service manual if you want to do a head gasket job IMO. Hunt one down online (doesn't TTORA have them?) for your truck and print out the pages regarding the timing belt and head replacement so you'll have all of the torque specs and steps that need to be followed. It will also help you make sure you have all the tools necessary, the only real specialty ones you will need are the crank pulley SST, a pulley removal SST, and an assortment of sockets, wrench u-joints, wrenches (including ratcheting ones if you can afford them), and about 2 feet total in extensions. Also, make sure to start soaking your exhaust manifold nuts in PB blaster, those things were a huge PITA for me.

xcmountain80

I've got the tools, the SST can be made from what I've read. And why soak the exhaust manifold? I don't plan on taking it off unless I missed something in my research. I do have a question about what HG to use, the factory ones or some high performance units? I will be running a SC soon have faith in the factory HG as it was not replaced when the SC's were added to other vehicles.

A


Aaron

mastacox

Yup, make your own. I didn't have luck with the 2x4 version, so I made mine out of aluminum angle. It worked great!

Because the exhaust manifolds are bolted to the heads, and you have to remove the heads to replace the head gaskets! You might want some spare studs and nuts on hand in case any of them get damaged in removal too.

Use the factory gasket. It is the best, most long lasting one supercharged or stock. You might consider getting the "rebuild gasket kit" which includes all of the gaskets you'll need for the job (head gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, exhaust gaskets, gaskets for the intake, etc. etc.). It's kind of expensive at $400, but is worth it IMO.

You're getting the heads decked while they're off right? Rebuilt?