'90 4runner cooling issues
mike9721
12-22-2005, 04:03 PM
To start off, I have a 1990 4Runner with the v6 engine.
Ok, about a week ago, I started the car up and drove about 2 miles to school. About half way there the temp gauge was maxed out. Once I got to my parking spot and killed the engine, steam billowed out from the hood. A classic case of overheating. I refilled the radiator and was able to make it home ok. The next day, I didn't manage to get out of my driveway before it overheated. But I hadn't had any problems with overheating until the instance the day before.
First off, I checked for leaks, but there were none. The radiator cap looks fine. Next I pulled the thermostat out and boiled it and it seamed to be fine as well. Pulled the radiator out and it was clean and nothing was clogging it. The only thing left that I could see as a problem was the water pump. So I tore into the engine and got to the timing belt, witch was actually seamed really lose, especially when it came in contact with the water pump. So I marked that as a possible issue. I then removed the pump to find that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Looks like it just came out of the box. So I figured it had to be the timing belt being lose. I replaced the belt and reset the timing and put it all back together.
Started it up and let it run and within 15 min, the temp gauge was maxed out again which was very shortly followed by a cloud of steam.
I'm out of ideas, anyone else out there have a clue what’s going on?
Ok, about a week ago, I started the car up and drove about 2 miles to school. About half way there the temp gauge was maxed out. Once I got to my parking spot and killed the engine, steam billowed out from the hood. A classic case of overheating. I refilled the radiator and was able to make it home ok. The next day, I didn't manage to get out of my driveway before it overheated. But I hadn't had any problems with overheating until the instance the day before.
First off, I checked for leaks, but there were none. The radiator cap looks fine. Next I pulled the thermostat out and boiled it and it seamed to be fine as well. Pulled the radiator out and it was clean and nothing was clogging it. The only thing left that I could see as a problem was the water pump. So I tore into the engine and got to the timing belt, witch was actually seamed really lose, especially when it came in contact with the water pump. So I marked that as a possible issue. I then removed the pump to find that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. Looks like it just came out of the box. So I figured it had to be the timing belt being lose. I replaced the belt and reset the timing and put it all back together.
Started it up and let it run and within 15 min, the temp gauge was maxed out again which was very shortly followed by a cloud of steam.
I'm out of ideas, anyone else out there have a clue what’s going on?
4Wheel
12-22-2005, 07:17 PM
Blown head gasket, Sorry. :crying:
On these V6s there won’t be much of any other symptoms no oil in the water check your compressions look closely at the #1 and #6 cylinders.
Head design causes excessive wear (from expansion/contraction against alu/iron) on these two cylinders.
Do a search in this forum for head gasket and read on. Many posts here about the problem with Toyota’s V6 head gasket. The service campaign has long since stopped.
when you had the timing cover off you might have noticed seepage at the #1 cylinder head/block interface.
On these V6s there won’t be much of any other symptoms no oil in the water check your compressions look closely at the #1 and #6 cylinders.
Head design causes excessive wear (from expansion/contraction against alu/iron) on these two cylinders.
Do a search in this forum for head gasket and read on. Many posts here about the problem with Toyota’s V6 head gasket. The service campaign has long since stopped.
when you had the timing cover off you might have noticed seepage at the #1 cylinder head/block interface.
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