1988 t4r 3.0... smoking! Yota gurus come help!

10ac

10ac

New member
so when its been sitting a while and cold starting, doesn't start right off the start till about 30 seconds then begins smoking very badly. its like a vapor smoke. not oil burning. checked oil and no signs of water in oil and also checked coolant, no sins of oil in there. but do notice my coolant level is down. seems as if it burning coolant??? also while its smoking, it runs like its off timing or has a bad miss, but once smoking goes away which thats about 5 min or so when warm, it runs so smooth! I'm guessing its a bad head gasket????
youtube video attached.

https://youtu.be/Hf3-DIorHwg
 
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Hardly a guru, but did you ever check your compression numbers and or do a leak down test? My audio is out on my computer so I didn't hear the comments, how does the exhaust smell?

Did you get any records when you bought the truck? Toyota covered a one time head gasket recall back in the '90s for the 3VZE. It would be interesting to see if it was ever done on yours. The recall is over, so you're on your own either way if it is a head gasket issue.
 
Looks like coolant to me.
Probably the head gasket because we all know that's the failure of the 3.0.
Could be a cracked head or even cracked block leaking in as well.
As for it going away it is probably when the engine block warms something ether contacts or expands and closes the gab the coolant is passing through be it head or block or gasket.
Happy tear down bud get that junk motor out and you will be so much happier!


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mholme said:
Hardly a guru, but did you ever check your compression numbers and or do a leak down test? My audio is out on my computer so I didn't hear the comments, how does the exhaust smell?

Did you get any records when you bought the truck? Toyota covered a one time head gasket recall back in the '90s for the 3VZE. It would be interesting to see if it was ever done on yours. The recall is over, so you're on your own either way if it is a head gasket issue.
Click to expand...
i haven't done the compression check yet. that is next on my list. I've been out of town for work and just got back. not sure if the recall was done from the dealer but the previous owner did say to me that the head gaskets and valves were all done on it. how long ago, i don't know. i can look around that area of the heads and looks so clean as if done few years ago or so. the exhaust doesn't smell like antifreeze or burning oil. and when its coming out thick, it kinda just evaporates in the air as seen in video. no audio required, i didn't explain much, i was just talking to my friend videoing.


Bad_Vision said:
Looks like coolant to me.
Probably the head gasket because we all know that's the failure of the 3.0.
Could be a cracked head or even cracked block leaking in as well.
As for it going away it is probably when the engine block warms something ether contacts or expands and closes the gab the coolant is passing through be it head or block or gasket.
Happy tear down bud get that junk motor out and you will be so much happier!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

ill just hope no cracked anything!! head gaskets I'm ok with sorta. just time consuming doing that job.
 
gaskets

what will be the very BEST head gaskets i can get? i don't wanna have this problem again anytime soon. i want it to be reliable so i don't wanna cheap out on crap gaskets.
also while I'm doing this job i will be doing the crossover pipe mod to help prevent this from happening again. i would do headers, but they are 650 a set and id rather put that cash towards the 3.4 5vz swap.
 
10ac said:
what will be the very BEST head gaskets i can get? i don't wanna have this problem again anytime soon. i want it to be reliable so i don't wanna cheap out on crap gaskets.
also while I'm doing this job i will be doing the crossover pipe mod to help prevent this from happening again. i would do headers, but they are 650 a set and id rather put that cash towards the 3.4 5vz swap.
Click to expand...

I used Toyota gaskets and head bolts, but everything else, timing belt/water pump, etc was off of amazon. All in was less than 350 I think. Well not including the new aluminum radiator.
 
10ac said:
do notice my coolant level is down. seems as if it burning coolant??? also while its smoking, it runs like its off timing or has a bad miss, but once smoking goes away which thats about 5 min or so when warm, it runs so smooth! I'm guessing its a bad head gasket????
Click to expand...

You can buy a block test kit to be sure, but this is almost definitely a bad head gasket.
 
thanks y'all

appreciate all of you helping me out. I'm new to the 1st gens. guess ill be learning to replace head gaskets too. wasn't what i wanted to be doing so soon. i just bought this thing and haven't put 500 miles on it yet! now i gotta read up more on doing the crossover pipe elimination mod.
 
KidVermicious said:
You're not going to eliminate the crossover without headers. You can wrap it and that will help.
Click to expand...

I'm planning to eliminate it. there is a write up on a mod to eliminate it. ill do that because headers are too expensive. id rather spend that on a swap. also after the mod, ill wrap it as well just to keep that area cooler for piece of mind.

https://www.yotatech.com/f116/crossover-eliminator-diy-198561/


also, is this the kit i need?

Toyota 4Runner 3.0 V6 3VZE Cylinder Head Gasket Set Genuine OE OEM | eBay


found it for 268 shipped somewhere else tho.
 
Looks like the kit I used for the gaskets. Before you order a timing belt/water pump kit, make sure your engine is original to the vehicle or the same production range. The later production 3VZE use a hydraulic belt tensioner and early use a spring tensioner.
 
mholme said:
Looks like the kit I used for the gaskets. Before you order a timing belt/water pump kit, make sure your engine is original to the vehicle or the same production range. The later production 3VZE use a hydraulic belt tensioner and early use a spring tensioner.
Click to expand...

funny, that was gonna ask about if the tensioner on mine is it hydraulic or spring? how can i tell? i don't have anything disassembled yet.
also which timing kit do you all recommend other than OEM?
also i don't see a pipe outlet on my water pump, but i see some with it. what was that for?

is this a good one?

https://www.amazon.com/Evergreen-TB...=1988:toyota:4runner&keywords=timing+belt+kit


and this for head bolts:

https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Reinz...mm=1988:toyota:4runner&keywords=head+bolt+set
 
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10ac said:
what will be the very BEST head gaskets i can get? i don't wanna have this problem again anytime soon. i want it to be reliable so i don't wanna cheap out on crap gaskets.

also while I'm doing this job i will be doing the crossover pipe mod to help prevent this from happening again. i would do headers, but they are 650 a set and id rather put that cash towards the 3.4 5vz swap.
Click to expand...



Rockauto.com save money they are fantastic! Never gave me the wrong or bad part yet and been buying from them for over 8 years!


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10ac said:
funny, that was gonna ask about if the tensioner on mine is it hydraulic or spring? how can i tell? i don't have anything disassembled yet.
also which timing kit do you all recommend other than OEM?
also i don't see a pipe outlet on my water pump, but i see some with it. what was that for?

is this a good one?

https://www.amazon.com/Evergreen-TB...=1988:toyota:4runner&keywords=timing+belt+kit


and this for head bolts:

https://www.amazon.com/Victor-Reinz...mm=1988:toyota:4runner&keywords=head+bolt+set
Click to expand...

'88 should be a spring tensioner. No way to tell other than looking at it.

I think I went with something similar to what you linked, except I got an AISIN water pump.

Head bolts-I wasn't trusting something like those to amazon where I didn't know what I was getting. I went with OEM. I got them from camelbacktoyota with free shipping on a bulk odds and end order. Do what you want. Some people reuse them.
 
Bad_Vision said:
Rockauto.com save money they are fantastic! Never gave me the wrong or bad part yet and been buying from them for over 8 years!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

2nd vouch for rockauto, just an overall great site! Good prices on everything and fast shipping!
 
mholme said:
'88 should be a spring tensioner. No way to tell other than looking at it.

I think I went with something similar to what you linked, except I got an AISIN water pump.

Head bolts-I wasn't trusting something like those to amazon where I didn't know what I was getting. I went with OEM. I got them from camelbacktoyota with free shipping on a bulk odds and end order. Do what you want. Some people reuse them.
Click to expand...

i cannot for the life of me find a aisin water pump without the outlet pipe!
i even found a killer deal on aisin toyota oem from ebay. but it has a outlet pipe or tube. sucks! is there anything else i can get thats a good quality other than aisin? also, is there a way i can just get the water pump i linked and plug it somehow? i thought about getting it and removing the outlet tube and tapping it (threading the hole the tube was in) and plugging it.

Heres the ebay link for the toyota aisin.

New 89-92 Toyota 4Runner Pickup Engine Water Pump Factory Original OEM 3.0 3.0L | eBay

i just ordered the toyota oem head gasket kit that comes with alot of stuff including injector seals and so on. then I've pieced together my timing kit to save money which was working well to get oem. got nsk, koyo and mitsuboshi belt and oem toyota tension spring. now just water pump and hopefully I'm set.
 
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Make sure you order the right parts, seems like I remember the 88 being an oddball 3.0 since it was the 1st year of the 3VZE

How many MILES?
 
Dropzone said:
Make sure you order the right parts, seems like I remember the 88 being an oddball 3.0 since it was the 1st year of the 3VZE

How many MILES?
Click to expand...

Its got 162k on it. The head gaskets were done by the dealer i think. There are printed sticker labels with numbers on most all the vac lines and connecting points. Someone told me they thought dealer did that most time. Not sure.
Hope i ordered the correct parts, lol.
 
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