4runner overheated...

[Atreyus]

I was driving around for about 2 hours with the AC on full blast and it's pretty hot in soCAL right now. It just started to over heat when I hit the freeway. Is this normal or is something wrong here? My dad said I shouldn't have used the AC in this heat but I don't know what to think...please anyone chime in!

 

[4runner_kid]

I was driving around for about 2 hours with the AC on full blast and it's pretty hot in soCAL right now. It just started to over heat when I hit the freeway. Is this normal or is something wrong here? My dad said I shouldn't have used the AC in this heat but I don't know what to think...please anyone chime in!

That's not right as far as i know. It still run fine?

 

[Atreyus]

Yeah I was able to make it home just now. When I got home I lifted the hood and the coolant res was making noise and like boiling or something. I'm probably gonna get it checked out next week.

 

[4runner_kid]

Yeah I was able to make it home just now. When I got home I lifted the hood and the coolant res was making noise and like boiling or something. I'm probably gonna get it checked out next week.

Check your oil, if it's milky you blew your head gasket. But it could also just be as simple as a water pump or thermostat.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

It's definitely running too hot. Just need to figure out why. And FYI, if it starts to run hot, either:
Pull over, shut it off and let it cool down. Or,
If you can't stop, sitting in traffic, etc, roll the windows down and turn the heat on. Turning the heat on will circulate the coolant which should help cool down the engine.

 

[Atreyus]

Check your oil, if it's milky you blew your head gasket. But it could also just be as simple as a water pump or thermostat.

oil is fine, had the water pump replaced a month ago. I just noticed that the coolant res is empty now. I wonder what it could be?

 

[4runner_kid]

oil is fine, had the water pump replaced a month ago. I just noticed that the coolant res is empty now. I wonder what it could be?

They change the thermostat to? You have a coolant leak?

 

[Atreyus]

I think the changed the thermastat also, I did have a coolant leak before and they found out it was the waterpump.

 

[4runner_kid]

I think the changed the thermastat also, I did have a coolant leak before and they found out it was the waterpump.

Smell your coolant, if it smell's like exhaust it's a head gasket. I don't know what else it could be.

 

[Atreyus]

Just smells like coolant, if it is a head gasket are those expensive to replace labor and parts? I know I have to do a valve cover gasket soon too would that be easy to replace while I'm doing the valve cover?

 

[4runner_kid]

Just smells like coolant, if it is a head gasket are those expensive to replace labor and parts? I know I have to do a valve cover gasket soon too would that be easy to replace while I'm doing the valve cover?

Head gasket's for me are simple, but they are time consuming and not cheap to fix if you have a shop do it. You could do it when you do the valve cover gasket if you want to go that much farther.

 

[the great him]

is it an auto of manual trans?

 

[Brutus]

I had a similar problem in my 94 pickup. After messin around with it, changing the thermostat, and other things, I replaced the radiator cap and solved the problem.
$8 fix for me. Good luck!

 

[Atreyus]

it's an auto

 

[Atreyus]

This is a video of what sound it was making in the coolant res after I turned off the truck...


YouTube - 4runner over heating.MOV

I put coolant and water and drove it around with the heater on for 20 mins, and it didn't overheat but when I turned off the truck it made that noise in the res again. It almost sounds like boiling water or something.

 

[J-money$$$]

thats the sound of some good ole boiling going on... Its most def running too hot. most likely a faulty thermostat. thats where i would start

 

[Atreyus]

thats the sound of some good ole boiling going on... Its most def running too hot. most likely a faulty thermostat. thats where i would start

Is that easy to replace? How much would it be for parts and labor?

 

[atokin]

I had a similar problem in my 94 pickup. After messin around with it, changing the thermostat, and other things, I replaced the radiator cap and solved the problem.
$8 fix for me. Good luck!

this happened to me last week too.... my cap was falling apart and not doing its job. i would start at the top with the cap and work my way down to the other more expensive/ harder parts. GL :cowboy:

 

[Atreyus]

this happened to me last week too.... my cap was falling apart and not doing its job. i would start at the top with the cap and work my way down to the other more expensive/ harder parts. GL :cowboy:

Actually when I was putting coolant in the rubber part of the cap and like a metal thing came apart..I'll go get another one now thanks guys! I'll update you all hopefully tomorrow.

 

[brian2sun]

A bad cap can definitely cause it to boil like that. Sounds like your cap is falling apart so I would start there. The thermo is cheap and easy to replace, but if they just did the water pump, that would be pretty hokey for a shop to not do the thermo at the same time.

Hopefully you didn't let it get hot for too long, you can warp and crack your heads so be careful and shut it off as soon as you start to see the heat rise above normal.