I flushed my radiator per the directions on the prestone flush bottle directions this past weekend.

I noticed now that when I'm in Park or Neutral and give it gas I get that gurgling/woosing water under the dash sound.

I've read posts on here many times about and went outside to burp it of air.

Parked on a steep incline. Took off cap. Started motor. Stood there squeezing hose waiting for the level to drop to add more water. It would drop a little and I'd add a little here and there.

This went on for 42 minutes and I though SURELY THE AIR IS OUT OF HERE NOW! Nope

Shut it down parked on level ground and the woosh is still there. Heater not getting as hot as it used to either.

I'm pissed. I'm tired. I'm hoping it is a head gasket so I can drop a used motor in here and sell it to the next sucker.

What used to be my pride and joy has become the bane of my existence.

 

sounds like your heater core may be clogged

 

Turn on the heat all the way hot, open up the radiator cap and wait for the stat to open up. Doing this should send coolant through the heater core, and of course the level will drop due to displacement. How's your stat?

Or as Elton suggested, you may have a problem with the heater core itself. I would suggest running water through both sides of the heater core and see if that helps.

Or turn the heat all the way up and just drive for a while. No need to turn the fan on, just move the adjustment lever over to hot. Keep the overflow topped off so it can suck down and displace air. Good luck.

 

Well I had the front elevated, cap off, burping hose like a mad man and nothing worked.

Next morning I went out, opened the hood, opened the cap to the first position (still on, but open..you know what I mean?), started it, went inside came back out and problem solved. This was the suggestion in a thread posted by Nunsa...it always pays to search, and search, and search, and search................

Anyways problem solved for now.

 

I have an air bubble in my system. 88 4runner with 22re. Sometimes the temp. gauge will climb into the red until I turn the heat on. The PO told me it needed to be "burped."

Would the best way be to turn the radiator cap to the first posisiton and let it run??

 

Filthy Rich,

That is what I ended up doing and it worked for me. I went through all 5 million posts about this and that is the only thing that did the trick for me. I guess I would be sure and keep an eye on temp gauge while idling in case it starts to overheat.

 

so just open the cap to the first posisiton and let it idle??

And of course I will keep an eye on the temp gauge.

 

How long do you need to let it idle?

 

thermostat is stuck closed.

 

Snap on has a good point. Mine didn't overheat with the air bubble, so you may have a faulty thermostat.

I let mine idle until the thermostat opened and then let it go for about 5-10 more minutes. Then I added a bit of coolant/water to the overflow tank and let her rip.

 

If it is a faulty t-stat, then what is the best to get?
OEM or locally auto parts store brand for stock vehicle?
TIA

 

Thanks gohawks

 

I didn't just let mine idle, when I flushed and filled. I opened the rear heat valve all the way and the temp valve on the dash all the way to 'HOT". Then I revved the engine to about 3000 and held it steady for a couple of minutes- slightly feathering the accelerator pedal down to 2500 then back up,,,occasionally. The pump will put out more pressure , up to a point, when the engine is running faster. I only saw the temp gauge climb ove mid-point one time and I immediately went out and burped the hose. The gauge went back down to just below mid-point. Next, I let the engine cool for about an hour with the hood up and checked the level in the radiator again. Needed more fluid, but would only take about a pint. Drove it around for 5 minutes and let it set again. Took another pint. Drove it and let it sit overnite. Took another pint in the morning. I have it up to top now.

The 3.0 4Runner with rear heat is the hardest system to get 'full' that I have dealt with. I also did my two, 4-cylinder Camrys and my old straight 6 Chevy pickup that day too. Didn't have to burp any of those.

Mike in AR

 

180* or 192* t-stat???

Still trying to get my hands on a FSM....
I am thinking about doing the Prestone radiator flush, installing new t-stat, and adding Toyota red coolant

 

Well if you can wait I don't think an OEM thermostat is very expensive. I'm sure Strap can get you one pretty darn cheap.

 

^^^
good call. I need some other stuff too...

 

OEM id the way to go because of the secondary bypass valve on it.

 

OEM t-stat for sure. I have a plain old OEM t-stat in my 85, no bypass valve, don't know about the 87, but I've done this to both on them.

Flushing your engine/radiator is cake.

Take the top hose (return) loose at the radiator (on mine it is on the top passenger side). Drain all the old crap out and dispose of properly. Fill it full of water and drain it again. Now close the drain, fill the radiator full of water, turn the heater on high (front and rear if it applies) and turn the engine one. Leave the hose running (doesn't have to be full power here, about half power works fine) in the top of the radiator and just let the truck run, when it gets hot and the t-stat opens it will start spewing hot water out that hose you took loose, so be careful, but this gets all the old gunky crud out of your engine block. You'll have to let it cycle getting hot several times, takes 30-45 minutes maybe. Once the water coming out of the top hose is clear, you are done. Shut the engine off, drain the radiator, close drain and fill the radiator full of Toyota Red, and to the appropriate place on the overflow, no need to add water here cause everything else (block and hoses) has enough water in it to make the mix about right.

I've done this to both my 85 and 87 and they both cool perfectly now. Neither needed a new t-stat after doing this so the ones that were in there are still in there. Obviously if you don't get any fluid coming out the hose your removed, your t-stat is stuck closed and needs to be replaced...if it is a small amount, you might have a t-stat with the bypass valve but the other valve is stuck. When the t-stat opens as it should water will GUSH out the top radiator hose you removed.

Sorry for the long post.

If you don't have a good local Toyota parts guy, strap22 (Phil) is the man!

 

strapp22(phil) has already been pm'd.
I might as well replace the t-stat b/c I am there.

My truck's temp gauge rose to high, not red this am. The PO told me the radiator needed to be burped. As soon as I put the heat on high, the temp dropped to normal.

Now seems like a great time to replace t-stat, flush radiator and replace with Toyota red coolant.
Thanks Brian

 

Remember the OEM t-stat on the 1st gen will do that...information on Roger Brown's website about it all...it will get high and then level off, that is when the t-stat is opening because it has no bypass valve in it. My 85 does it everytime I drive it, goes about 3/4 up then level off at about 2/3. Cools fine. The 87 does about the same, so I assume they both have the normal t-stat, not the bypass one. If it becomes an issue and I'm there, that is what I'll go with.

When you gonna learn, just ask me first on a 1st gen...I probably have done it with one of my two already.

Again, if you flush it the way I did, no need to buy premixed Toyota Red, just straight up coolant cause there is enough water in the block/hoses to make a good mix.