this thread is about the 95 4runner with 3.0 v6

about 5 years ago my truck had the headgasket problem and was repaired at the dealership. In the last 6 months my truck has become hungry for coolant. Maybe after about 500 miles my reserve tank is dry and the top portion of the radiator is low.

the truck has ZERO symptoms of a headgasket leak, no rough idle cold or warm, no excessive white smoke, nothing. truck runs like a dream with plenty off power, just loves coolant. i have zero leaks that i can tell. i even have the skidplate off and there is nothing on the ground at all.

Any ideas?

 

Did ya check the oil?

 

Also check the ATF, if you have an auto tranny.

 

check the easy stuff like oil and coolant for contamination first.

Then pressure test the cooling system and see if you can find a small leak somewhere.

If that does not reveal anything check for the presence of CO2 in the cooling system. this is the definitive HG test. Keep in mind that a quart or so in 500 miles will not usually create much in the way of symptoms.

 

Also check the valley of the eng. Sometimes the gaskets leak externally into the valley and you wouldn't know it. Park on a steep incline and se if you have anything dripping of the back of the motor. Other than that pressure test the system and do a chemical sniff test on the radiator

 

ya it burns oil too, but thats another diagnosis. no contamination of water in the oil, though

i'll have to check the auto tranny, but i assume after doing this for atleast 5,000 miles it would have messed with the tranny by now.

I probably have a small leak somewhere that im just not seeing and it's getting burnt before it hits the ground.

is there any problem with going on a 200 mile trip without the skid plate?

 

not a problem going anywhere without your skid plate. However there is a problem going on a 200 mi trip when you are losing coolant and not knowing where and why. Don't go till its fixed

 

dont have a choice on that one, military calls but one weekend a month.

ive been driving around a lot. i'll just fill it up when necessary.

 

my truck has a small leak at the top of the radatior, the water comes out as steam, so no signs of leakage otherwise. when its cold out you can see the steam coming out of the hood when im stopped, but other than that you cant really tell its there. might want to check that

 

Drive around and get it hot then pull over and open the hood. Most of the time I can smell a coolant leak

 

I had that problem for about 6 months and I could smell coolant under the hood but never find the leak. It ended up being a hairline crack in one of the tanks of the radiator. The oem tanks were plastic and I guess it finally gave up the goose. New rad and changed the water pump while I was at it and truck is fine now...

 

I have an 88 4runner with the 22re. When I first got it, it was eating fluid without dripping anywhere or showing up in the oil. It turned out to be the water pump was loose and it would only leak when it had pressure, and would be dry when i checked it.

 

yeah coolant does have that unique kinda sweet smell, it would be a good idea after fully warming up your engine to go under the hood and sniff around.