Well, I've had radiator problems for the past week. Thought it was my radiator cap and replaced it. The old one did have complete cuts through the seals on it. Once I replaced it there was no more overheating (I think???).

Now, I drove my truck and I got out when I parked - coolant was leaking like a sieve. Got underneath and couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It is draining from somewhere behind the engine and it is running down my transmission and then running back the transmission directly under the shifter and dripping off.

I can't get it to leak every time I drive it. It leaked bad when I drove it this morning, then I parked it and drove another car to work. Got home and drove it again, leaked like crazy in a parking lot. Then I drove it home and it's not leaking anything at all. Parked for 20 minutes and drove again - no leak at all.

One thing I thought could be a possibility was that my thermostat is sticking. But it leaks pretty good so I'm thinking I'm screwed. Are there any hoses between the engine and firewall that could be leaking? The temp gauge reads normal at all times. After driving for a few minutes it shows that it is warm then stays there until it cools down.

I might be able to get a look at where it's leaking if I take my tires off the front tomorrow. We'll see. I've got to go secure a ride to work for tomorrow. I'll be checking back though. This sucks.

I keep replacing things and the something else goes wrong immediately. I'm getting pissed.

 

I know on the 22RE there are coolant lines that go behind the head and they can get worn out and leak. I'm not sure if there is something similiar on the 3.0.

Rob

 

there is a heater bypass hose at the back of the engine. very easy to replace. there was a thread about someone needing to change theirs very recently on here. do a quick search in the 86-95 section

 

It's not coming from the hoses or connections that connect the water pump and upper back driver's side of the engine to the firewall? I messed with those on my truck today and they were pretty crusty.

 

The water pump is on the lower front of the engine, and all it connects to is the engine and the radiator.

The hose that runs into the firewall would be the heater hose.


Correct, and here is that thread.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...-motor-124838/

And pics of the #3 and #5 coolant by-pass hoses, either of which could be leaking coolant from the back off your engine.

 

sure its not your freezeplugs?

 

I was talking about 22RE, not sure about the V6. But I definitely have a line from my water pump (yes, front of engine) into the firewall that contains coolant. Heater lines can leak too, no?

Check freeze plugs also.

 

First off.. I just finished thanking the brilliant minds of yotatech the other day in my first radiator thread (https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...t-day-127954/). I would like to do it again here because in 45 minutes flat I got some freakin amazing responses that will likely save me hundreds of dollars in labor.

A very big thank you to all of you who already helped. I love this place.

Now, I'm going to check all this out tomorrow when I get off work. But if there is anyone else who has any more input I would greatly appreciate it.

 

Heater lines can leak like crazy. On my FJ60 I had one heater bypass hose go, replaced it, and another one went, replaced it etc. From now on if one dies I'm just going to replace them all including rad. hoses.

 

"Right you are Ken!" (If you've seen the TV show I stole that from you might find that funny)

But yeah, they can, just wanted to clarify which they were as there are an assortment of coolant filled hoses in that general vacinity on a 3VZE.


"Not bein' a dick....." I swear.

 

Thanks guys.. I'll check this all out and let ya know.

 

There are lots of places that could leak coolant on the backside of the 3VZ. Here's some pics of one (click full view for a close up):




There are the heater hoses and those smaller hard lines and hoses, the manifold that the heater hoses go into have lots of sensors threaded into it, there are the freeze plugs, and don't forget a head gasket can also leak externally in the back of the head/block union (Cebby's 3VZ blew the HG there).

I'd start by using an inspection mirror and a small high intensity flash light to look for the source. If you have to climb up on top of the engine do that, you might even have to remove the hood to get a better view.

 

Thanks for the pics mt goat.

Here's another question... If the head gasket was leaking from the rear would I have any other indicators i.e. milkshake coolant or white smoke?? Is there any way to rule that out using indicators?

 

Maybe not if it were just an external leak, no milkshake, no white smoke out the tail pipe.

 

Well.. you called it - unfortunately. I took it into my buddy's shop who I have do all my major work. He called me a few minutes ago and said that he thought it was my HG. He's working up the numbers for me now. I don't think it's gonna be pretty

Thanks again for all the help guys.

 

If you're going to blow a HG an external leak would be better than having a crank case full of milk shake. Good luck

 

Would this be covered under the headgasket recall assuming it hasn't been done already? If you're not sure, it wouldn't hurt to check and save $$$.

 

You sure are right about that.. I'll keep my chin up just knowing that. I'm still not really sure what the difference is.. but I guess it doesn't matter at this point.

I called a dealership about a month ago to see if my truck qualified.. and apparently it does not. The model year is 1990, but my serial # is from December of 1989. The SN had to be starting in 1990. Ohh well. I might call another stealership and hope that they miss the technicality.

 

I havn't seen any mention of leaks under the intake manifold or from the manifold gasket itself. I know your mechanic says headgasket, but it would be very hard to distinguish if it was leaking from the manifold or valley

 

Well, Targetnut, that's definitely something I'll make sure he's checked. If there's any possibility it's not the HG, I'm all over that...