So I was on my way to work this morning when I had to stop for gas. I pumped my gas and then was waiting to pull out into traffic. This guy started honking at me and I rolled my window down.. he said I was leaking all over.

I got out and antifreeze was going all over the place. I panicked.. but did OK. I turned the truck off and opened the hood. There was no leak, but it was coming out of the overflow. I felt the radiator hose and it was boiling. So I thought it could be bad, but so far I think I'm allright.

I pulled back into the gas station and took a look at it while I called in late to work. Through the entire ordeal, the thermostat was showing a "normal" temperature, so it's probably shot. I determined that there were no leaks, let it cool down and went to work.

When I got to work there was no more boiling, but it was pretty hot. I checked it out on my lunch break, and took the radiator cap off. The seals were gone to crap, so I know now why it was boiling. The scary thing was when I opened it, I thought I saw milky antifreeze and almost crapped my pants. It turned out to be some residue just under the cap from the breakdown of the cap's seal. Plus.. no white smoke.

So, I get off work, drive 2 miles to Schucks and get a new radiator cap and some antifreeze coolant. Drive it for 45 minutes and no overheating. Got to wal-mart to get some oil and it was perfect.. the hose wasn't even all that hot. Drive over to NAPA for filters and still good.

So I get home and change my oil, and all goes well. I turn the truck on after I fill the crankcase (this was about 20 minutes ago at night), and I swore I saw white smoke. I'm still nervous, but it took me a second to realize that it's fairly chilly out, and it's nighttime. After a couple of good whiffs of the exhaust, I thought it smelled a little sweet, but I think it was just my mind playing tricks on me. I went back out and smelled again, the exhaust smells pretty normal. I think it was just cause it's cold outside.

So, I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed.. but I think I'm good. I've gotta tell you guys something though...

I'm a new member here at YT, and in the short time I've been here I learned everything that helped me prevent further problems. BEFORE - I would have had to take it to a mechanic and pay him 100 bucks to tell me I had a bad radiator cap and it would cost me 25 bucks for the cap.

I would have not known to check the color of the coolant and keep an eye and nose out for white smoke.

You guys are awesome!

 

thats what forums are all about... people that like the same stuff sharing information..

welcome!

by the way if your guage never said hot you need to read a thread i made... https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...stions-119003/

shortly after i bought my yota the cap went bad and i went through everything else besides the water pump to find out what was wrong... i would if never thiught that the cap went bad...

ttyl

 

sweet man! Glad you hunted the problem down yourself. I learn stuff on here everyday. There is another awsome forum over at marlincrawler.com
I get a TON of info there too. READ READ READ...thats what I do.

 

your tail pipe will have water in it if it has sat a while and that could have been the moisture that you were haveing. also welcome to yt.

 

yeah, i have to tell you, i had no idea of how much a difference you can make in your car, by just keeping a good airfilter, oil, sparkplugs, and fluids checked and changed...

im amazed at how much i have learned on here.

im addicted lol!!

 

what dose it meen wen you have the deisel 2lt motor and white smoke?

 

you can also put on the heater full blast to help drop the temp if you are driving and you see the temp gauge start to rise. my t stat would stick on my ford from time to time in the summer and I could not all ways stop right away so I would put on the heater it felt like hell in the cab of the truck but it would get the temp down until I could stop and smack the t stat housing.

 

Not only is the mechanic trying to rip you a new one, but whoever your gonna buy that radiator cap from for $25 is ripping you a new one too, and if the mechanic is the one selling it to you, well then, he's double dunking on that freshly ripped one you got...

I paid $6 bucks for mine brand new...

 

Ummm... double post somehow???

 

That's what I meant to imply when I said 25 bucks for a cap. The one I got today at Schucks was $6.50.

 

with a diesel most of the time white smoke is unburnt fuel and black smoke is half burnt fuel.

 

Welcome to YT

 

Welcome to Yotatech! Glad everything worked out for you

 

Welcome to the family!