When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Still cleaning up. Finally found a spot for the Warn remote control- on the fuse block cover. A few holes and corresponding screws, finished.
It fits nicely between the bulge in the door and the dash, protected from my knee
I dunno if I can't catch a break...or if I've been darn lucky.
Pulled into the parking lot at work this morning, went to back into my parking space when I noticed I didn't have power steering. Belt wasn't squealing. Parked it and took a look...first thing I notice is a couple of puddles of antifreeze on the asphalt. Then I lifted the hood and saw coolant had been sneezed all over the front. PS loss solved, coolant contaminated belt.
I noticed the upper radiator hose was oddly loose, with some coolant getting past the hose at the radiator nipple. Weird, why would it pop an upper radiator hose?
Went in and worked.
After work I brought out some water. Wasn't sure how much coolant I'd lost, turns out it wasn't a whole lot. Very lucky me. I also checked the upper hose...
After loosening the hose clamp it very easily pulled loose from the radiator, there was some kind of ridge of black stuff about an inch from the end. AHA! Not a popped hose, a popped radiator. The inlet crumbled into pieces and broke off just behind the hose clamp. The hose clamp somehow held it together well enough to keep a lot of coolant in.
There was about an inch of inlet left on the radiator so I attached the hose to it, then used a little spare wire to wrap around the hose and hose clamp, then tied it to my bumper hoop. I was able to drive it home with no more coolant loss.
Time to buy a new radiator. The last one was bought at a local parts place in Oct 2012 at mile 245,030...almost 90,000 miles ago. The plastic that was the nipple is easily crumbled by hand.
Last edited by habanero; Oct 24, 2022 at 06:21 PM.
The factory radiators seem to give plenty of warning when they get tired, the plastic fades, the surface gets that cracked/crazed look, and eventually it crumbles. This plastic was still black and shiny and perfect looking outside, crumbly and separated into layers on the inside.
There was a 3/2012 manufacture date cast into the top of that radiator, I checked my '99's, it says 2016 on it. Hmmm... *clock ticking sounds*
Glad it didn't completely turn loose on ya. 13.9 PSI doesn't sound like much, but it can push a lot of coolant out pretty fast. I've noticed that on my 99 4Runner, every time they replaced the timing belt, they replaced the radiator. Seems to have been an effective policy. No record of any radiator failures.
Having said that, I don't understand why no one thought to put an all metal type radiator in. I did that in the 87's I had, well the 87 4Runner just got sold, but I still have the pickup. I put all metal, 3-core radiators in both of those a while back. Like some 25 years ago, or so. I lived in Yuma at the time, and that extra radiator core helped in the temps we got there.
The 4Runner's blew it's top off a few years ago, but the pickup is still going strong. I'm going to need to replace it sooner or later. The downtubes are starting to get restricted, and clogged up, with corrosion. But I think nearly 30 years is a good run for a radiator.
Something to consider, anyway. I know CSF makes an all metal, 3-core radiator that fits the 99 4Runner perfectly. I am generally an OEM kinda guy, but I feel that this is a worthwhile investment to make. Just my opinion, though. Take it for what it's worth....
Pat☺
The factory radiators seem to give plenty of warning when they get tired, the plastic fades, the surface gets that cracked/crazed look, and eventually it crumbles. This plastic was still black and shiny and perfect looking outside, crumbly and separated into layers on the inside.
There was a 3/2012 manufacture date cast into the top of that radiator, I checked my '99's, it says 2016 on it. Hmmm... *clock ticking sounds*
4 more years-ish...or not??? Toyota no longer supplies oem radiators for these. For a bit Toyota was selling Denso rads, not sure if that's still happening. Those are plastic tanks, but how bad a thing is that? For around $400 you get all metal aluminum That's a bit more than 2 Densos. 15-20 years of Denso or 20-30 years of metal? Do you know how old I'm going to be in 20 years? 30 years? Younger than you, that's how old!
Originally Posted by coopster
(insert Grim Reaper emoji thing here)
Cumulative effect of heat on plastic? Or time on plastic?
Can it be both? Like the husband said, it's weird crumbly plastic layers. Given it's where antifreeze is in contact with it...maybe more heat + maybe the coolant itself? The tank looks good, but I haven't tried crumbling it. Even the part of the inlet that's still there looks fine and didn't crumble when I used the hose clamp on it so I could drive home. Maybe it's the same thing that happens to our heater control valves where the one side tends to break off? Except you get more than 20 years on that little doodad.
Originally Posted by 2ToyGuy
Glad it didn't completely turn loose on ya. 13.9 PSI doesn't sound like much, but it can push a lot of coolant out pretty fast. I've noticed that on my 99 4Runner, every time they replaced the timing belt, they replaced the radiator. Seems to have been an effective policy. No record of any radiator failures.
Having said that, I don't understand why no one thought to put an all metal type radiator in. I did that in the 87's I had, well the 87 4Runner just got sold, but I still have the pickup. I put all metal, 3-core radiators in both of those a while back. Like some 25 years ago, or so. I lived in Yuma at the time, and that extra radiator core helped in the temps we got there.
The 4Runner's blew it's top off a few years ago, but the pickup is still going strong. I'm going to need to replace it sooner or later. The downtubes are starting to get restricted, and clogged up, with corrosion. But I think nearly 30 years is a good run for a radiator.
Something to consider, anyway. I know CSF makes an all metal, 3-core radiator that fits the 99 4Runner perfectly. I am generally an OEM kinda guy, but I feel that this is a worthwhile investment to make. Just my opinion, though. Take it for what it's worth....
Pat☺
Agreed! Glad it failed so that the hose clamp could somewhat hang in there. I'm looking at all-metal radiators now. I have to be mindful of the dual battery box, a 3 row is going to be too wide. Looking around, so far it looks like Koyo has what I need, it's even for the manual trans (no oil cooler). They do a bit of 'and you have to buy our $42 cap because oem won't fit' jazz, I'm a small amount annoyed with that. Since I have something else I can drive I can give this a few days of perusal and gleaning of other people's experiences via the forums.
I could see replacing your radiator with a t-belt change if you've got an automatic because of the transmission oil cooler/ pink milkshake scenario, I don't know how important that would be with a manual trans/ no oil cooler. Then again, I did the tb in...2017 I think...if I'd changed it then it would have been 6 years old and not broken. Prior to that I did the tb in 2010. That's actually not an entirely terrible interval for the rad given it only made it 10 years.
By the bye, the oe radiator was 16 years old when the tank finally developed a mildly leaking crack.
New radiator day. After a lot of thought and research I finally settled on a plastic-tanked Denso. It comes with the side supports and is not so thick that it won't fit in front of my dual battery box and coolant recovery tank on either side. Fyi- it does have the transmission cooler at the bottom that I don't need. Since the online parts places all listed it as shipped directly from manufacturer I found the least total cost at Home Depot, also shipped direct. I had it sent to them so I could refuse the box at the store if it was damaged. Happily it was in fine shape. It will also be easier to return if this doesn't go as hoped. This radiator was manufactured 1/2022.
IIRC the broken one is a Spectra Premium.
The 4Runner radiator would be a Denso 221-0508, with a 22.75" tall core. With my 1" body lift it still hangs below the frame another 2 1/2". So far the skid has done well to protect it, but there's not much clearance between the skid and bottom of the radiator, with slightly less in places as the bumpy trips and years go by.
The Tacoma gets three choices:
221-3138 with a 22.75" core
221-3136 with a 20.63" core
221-3137 with an 18.75" core
All the Denso 4Runner and Taco radiators have a 1.25" thick core.
With the manual transmission I might have been able to get away with the shortest core, but given our desert fun and the winch and 4xInnovations bumper + the skid, I'm just aiming to tuck it up a bit while not sacrificing too much cooling power.
I'm going to need a longer small ID hose for the recovery because it's been relocated. I'm also going to need a different cap, apparently the same era Tacoma and 4Runner radiator caps aren't the same. Weird. It's also possible I'll need a new bottom hose, but research suggests the current upper hose will work.
The coolant is fairly new so I will be capturing what comes out and re-using it.
That's the plan, gonna let it warm up a bit first and have some breakfast.
Installed the radiator. The cap is going to be a minor problem, it's a quarter inch higher than the 4Runner's and under one of the hood's ribs. Currently it touches on the frontside of the cap so I'm going to think that one out a little.
More later.
The denso radiator is a bolt-on deal. I unbolted the radiator shroud and left it hanging on the fan. After draining the radiator and pulling the hoses I unbolted the 4 bolts that hold the radiator to the side supports and the 4 bolts that hold the side supports to the truck.
Out came the old radiator and supports.
Old 22.75 core vs New 20.75 core
I modified the existing shroud, cutting holes for the lower hose, cooler hardware, and draincock. I'll be reusing it. The hole at the top left of the shroud is clearancing for the dual battery box.
There are two holes on each side of the front support, alongside the headlights, to bolt the side supports to. I did so loosely for wiggle room.
There are holes at the top and bottom of each side of the radiator to bolt to the side supports. Again, loosely. The shorter core means the bottom bolts are close to the frame. On one side I had to unbolt enough to let it drop to get the bolt started, then bolt back up. On the other side the bolt squeezed in. Everything then gets tightened up.
This was the tightest spot, but no worries. You can see I was able to use a wrench to tighten the bottom bolt.
The upper hose can be reused. The hose for the recovery tank should also be usable. Since my tank is on the side of the air box I needed a longer hose for it.
The lower hose...well...
The shroud is not bolted on in the above pic.
The new one is definitely shorter- that's the old lower hose in its original position.
A gates 22515 was mentioned as fitting without modification. I felt it was a bit to bent out of shape in mine, a small piece was removed for a much better fit.
Got it all back together. I had to get a radiator cap for the Tacoma as my 4Runner cap wouldn't fit.
Now for the top.
The new rad fill/cap sits higher in my truck
Than the 4Runner radiator cap sits in the 99
It's also in a different area where there's not as much room. That's the part I'm gonna do some head scratching and...stuff...to make enough room. It is darned close, so hopefully not too much stuff.
Took the snort out as a precaution (4 nuts, 1 screw in a small hole that you don't want to forget), and had a talk with the hood using a hammer. It didn't need much clearancing, pic is mid beating.
Put a quarter inch of goop on the radiator cap and closed the hood several times. No transference of goop so I think it's good.
Thanks so much for your awesome write ups on so many things.
I just ran across your MAF upgrade and I'm so happy I didn't butcher my new (cheap) air cleaner assembly to make my old in-line MAF fit. The real key for me was this picture you posted:
My wire colors are all different and I don't have the wiring diagram for a newer model to figure it out, so going with the logic that I would have to make the same moves worked out, Seems to be working great!! Thanks again!
Thanks so much for your awesome write ups on so many things.
I just ran across your MAF upgrade and I'm so happy I didn't butcher my new (cheap) air cleaner assembly to make my old in-line MAF fit. The real key for me was this picture you posted...
My wire colors are all different and I don't have the wiring diagram for a newer model to figure it out, so going with the logic that I would have to make the same moves worked out, Seems to be working great!! Thanks again!
This makes me so happy! Glad your reasonable logic worked out
The denso radiator is a bolt-on deal. I unbolted the radiator shroud and left it hanging on the fan. After draining the radiator and pulling the hoses I unbolted the 4 bolts that hold the radiator to the side supports and the 4 bolts that hold the side supports to the truck.
Out came the old radiator and supports.
Old 22.75 core vs New 20.75 core
I modified the existing shroud, cutting holes for the lower hose, cooler hardware, and draincock. I'll be reusing it. The hole at the top left of the shroud is clearancing for the dual battery box.
There are two holes on each side of the front support, alongside the headlights, to bolt the side supports to. I did so loosely for wiggle room.
There are holes at the top and bottom of each side of the radiator to bolt to the side supports. Again, loosely. The shorter core means the bottom bolts are close to the frame. On one side I had to unbolt enough to let it drop to get the bolt started, then bolt back up. On the other side the bolt squeezed in. Everything then gets tightened up.
This was the tightest spot, but no worries. You can see I was able to use a wrench to tighten the bottom bolt.
The upper hose can be reused. The hose for the recovery tank should also be usable. Since my tank is on the side of the air box I needed a longer hose for it.
The lower hose...well...
The shroud is not bolted on in the above pic.
The new one is definitely shorter- that's the old lower hose in its original position.
A gates 22515 was mentioned as fitting without modification. I felt it was a bit to bent out of shape in mine, a small piece was removed for a much better fit.
Got it all back together. I had to get a radiator cap for the Tacoma as my 4Runner cap wouldn't fit.
Now for the top.
The new rad fill/cap sits higher in my truck
Than the 4Runner radiator cap sits in the 99
It's also in a different area where there's not as much room. That's the part I'm gonna do some head scratching and...stuff...to make enough room. It is darned close, so hopefully not too much stuff.
And that's it for now. More to come.
You stuck with plastic after all, huh 😀
Last edited by octanejunkie; Dec 11, 2022 at 07:05 AM.
I like them, have to use a 1" wheel adapter with the 285/75r16 and the 295/75r16 tires, which I've been using since the Tundra brake upgrade years ago anyway
.
Originally Posted by octanejunkie
You stuck with plastic after all, huh 😀
I did. A Denso. I can't fit most of the metal ones in front of the dual battery box, and the couple I found that I liked required one to buy a expensive proprietary cap for. The cap on the Denso is just a Taco cap, should be able to find it at parts stores wherever I happen to be wandering.
Having had my 4Runner cap fail (twice) while out and about made this was important to me.
Oct 23, 2022 | 11:18 AM
