I've got a 1990 toyota 4x4 with the 3.0 v6 in her. It got hot yesterday and I figure the thermostat was stuck, so I took it out. Idleing around Texas summers chasing wild pigs does get hot sometimes, so i figure no need for a thermostat til winter. Anyways, it got hot again and lost all my water. So the changed the old cracked radiator cap, same thing tonight, and I by the way, I did kill a pig. I just can't keep water in her and from all I can tell, it's just going out the overflow hose. Maybe I'm missing something here. The previous owner advised me of that it would need water from time to time and she did have some radiator work done to it before I bought it. I figure it was just a re-saulder like most yotes need, but maybe they clogged up the core? I dunno, I'm kinda wondering what to do next. Looks like the water pump is circulating fine, and not thermostat now to contend with. Once the radiator is topped off, it runs almost to cool, like never getting off the "C". This ole motor has 180,000 miles and I know little of the previous treatment, but I can't quite figure this one out. WIthout seeing any obvious leaks, I'm thinking I have a radiator that is clogged up. ....... I just don't know.

 

check your plugs and your oil. also, it is leaking on the ground anywhere?

 

The oil looks fine as far as water in it. I'll check the plugs tonight. That is sort of what I'm afraid of. I reakon the idicator of water in the cylinder will be rust on a plug?

 

My 92 had similar issue. There were dozens of almost microscopic holes in the radiator. It would only seep when the engine warmed and created pressure on the system. After a few days (or weeks) of this, the coolant level would be low. You couldn't see any leaks on the radiator or any drips on the ground becuase it only leaked when hot and the leakage immediately evaporated. Too many little pinholes to fix it. Had to replace the radiator. No problems, since.

Mike in AR

 

Take this with a grain of salt, and I hope for you that it is not the case..

Check the plugs, but also either check or have some check for exhuast gases in the coolant..

Mine was loosing water for about a year, I kept a close eye on the water level but this last summer did it in. So I got a new radiator cheap and easy.. but then I almot overheated when it was in the upper 80's checked the coolant level dry again.. I could not figure it out.. just had a tune up and everthing looked good including the plugs.. but then I noticed one cool morning a little extra steam coming out of the tail pipe. I checked it and there was my coolant. the sweet smell of coolant burning off. At this point I was using about half a gallon every thrid day in Texas so I know how hot it gets..

I hope its not the case for you but the heads are easy to warp so if you over heated once it is a possibilty.. mine was a small pin hole leak into the #3 cylinder, :cry:
Ps I got her fixed and is running great now

 

if you're leaking water into a cylinder, the plug will have a white crusty residue on it.

 

damn mechanic I had a tune up so I guess the mechanic did not check the conidtion of the plugs when he took them out. How well after I narrowed it down to my HG they subtracted the labor for the tune up off the HG replacement it was the stealership, I new no one I trusted and did have the time or energy myself

 

I started her up yesterday and finally took a good look at the exhaust. It steams like a start up on a cold morning. Hmmm, I sure have the feeling I'm losing water out the tailpipe. I think that it must be such a small leak and the exhaust is so hot it vaporizes comeing out. I reakon the previous owner probably got it hot and either blew a head gasket or warped a head.

I'm almost temped to try alittle bars leak to see if I can limp along til late summer. I'm hunting the heck out of the wild hogs right now and need ole red to get in and out of the swamps, but if this is gonna cause futher trouble down the road I don't want to try it.

kmcc, can you give me a ballpark figure on what a new set of head gaskets and reprofiled heads would cost. I'm thinking about $300.oo but I've never tore into one of my yotes before.

 

Call a dealership and ask if your HG was changed under the recall recall. They just need your VIN. That is the cheapest and best way. just cross your fingers it has not been done yet..

I believe the gaskets them selfs are around that price I forgot though. to have the heads machined with valve job around $400. Second I had the stealership do the HG the headgasket with parts and labor, was I think $1400. If you do it yourself must use new headbolts and I'm sure every one agrees OEM gaskets.

I would make sure, there is a cheap test either radiator shop or mechanic can test for exhaust gases in coolant to be sure..

I tried some block sealer it worked for a couple months, but then back to same old losing coolant. If you can get it done right. The new HG ith new bolts are suppose to fix the issue.

 

Thanks bro!

 

Something you might want to try before you do all that work. If it is truely a small leak in the head gasket, then you might have some luck with BARS LEAKS Block Seal Head Gasket Repair. I had a really small leak before in a vehicle and this stuff was recommended by a friend and it actually worked and has ran well since. You can get it at just about any parts store. It's definitely worth a try because it is a potential cheap fix.

http://www.barsproducts.com/product.cfm?id=41