Blown engine? Anyone want to guess? (Long Story)

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Soooo...I take a vacation last year of biking and going around CO. So over the course of the year I build my truck so I can go to places other can't, bike and...stay in my RTT instead of spendy hotels. Well...this year I take a 2 week vacation to go to Bryce/Zion/Moab/Telluride/Ouray/Alpine Loop/ect. I leave on a Sunday (first day of vacation) and stay in Mammoth on Sunday night. Monday, grab some breakfast and head towards Bryce/Zion. Well, middle of Area 51 (literally) my CEL comes on along with the christmas tree on the right. I'm going up a grade so I figure just make it over the grade and cruise on down the other side. Well, little did I know the whole time coolant was spewing out everywhere. Halfway down the grade my engine just dies and I coast to the shoulder. F***! I see what I think is smoke so I pop my hood, get out and run to my hatch and grab my 5lb fire extinguisher. Do I let her burn to the ground? He** no! There is beer and food in the back and I don't want to start a desert fire! Well, it wasn't fire, it was hot cooland and steam from the return line from the cap to the reservoir spewing lovely colored pink coolant ALLLLLL over my engine compartment. SH*T! Not good. Sooooo I spend a half hour looking around my engine and noticing all my skids and wheel wells covered in coolant. Finally call AAA. "You should hear from them shortly." OK...I have beer in the back. Car won't start. What will they do? Pull out my chair, put on sunscreen, put the keys on the front left tire, pop a craft brew. Wait. Wait. Wait. Finally....1hr phone rings on 3G network. "Hi, will be there in an hour." SH*T! Do I pop my BBQ out and cook the rib-eye I have in the fridge? Nah, I'll wait. Time goes by...one beer, two beer, three beer...F*CK it! Lighting the BBQ up. Well, truck pulls up. Load her up 3hrs later. Now it's the 2.5 hour trip to Vegas.

Get to Vegas, unload at dealer. Appt first thing in the morning. Stay at some crap hotel. No I don't gamble or really like strip clubs. Prefer to spend my money on other things. Dealer says $135 to diagnose coolant leak and $135 to run codes. Uhhhhhh, codes have to do with the coolant dontcha think?! 2 hours later and them telling me it'll be $500 to pull part of the engine apart and/or $9000 to put a new engine in a decide, I'm towing this ***** home. I can do my own work! So after Penske told me my 4R was a fat pig and couldn't go on their trailer a U-Haul was rented and back to NorCal it was with her with an empty truck and a full trailer and SUV. 2am. Park.

Next day unload it and put the 4R in the garage next to Triumph TR4 restoration project. Shut door. Say goodbye. Go home. Use miles to get plane tickets to CO. Leave because just don't want to deal with it and it was supposed to be 100-115 for the next 5-7 days.

So here we go, get back Wednesday night and then Thursday do a quick compression check. Front forward right (1)-100 Front right (2) - 60 Front left (1) - 0. Stop that. Drain radiator (see pic). White chunks. No...not me throwing up from drinking. Buddy thinks stop leak was used. Does have an exhaust smell to it. Definitely not a coolant smell. Tear off complete front end and nothing seems out of place. Timing is on. I'll bearings are great. Everything....perfect. So all I can think is, that shit in the radiator clogged it and it backed up and caused the coolant to spew out the hose connecting near the coolant cap and the reservoir. Oil has a VERY bad "burnt" smell to it. I definitely overheated the engine. Sooooo, my question to you gurus is....

1. I'm buying a new TB/WP kit and replacing everything
2. Buying a new radiator even though it was replaced 30k ago
3. Buying a new heater core and going to swap it out. I know...overkill, but I heard it girgling and you should have seen how much white stuff came out of my radiator. So I can do this
4. Drain and refill oil and coolant
5. Compression check again
6. Attempt to start and see what happens
7. Pull heads if it doesn't go as planned? Then....
8. What do the gurus think step 8 should be?

I will say this...if I have to pull the heads some DT headers ARE going on. If I cooked the engine I'll of course have to look at the piston rings, valves, etc. If things are destroyed, drop used engine (already came across one with 39K, for $3800 or rebuild this one stronger and eventually drop a SC on it?

Anyway...yes, long story but trying to have fun with it and be positive about it because it ruined a vacation I had been looking forward to for a year. One day in. Ugh. Anyway...pics attached

Pictures: Stranded in desert. On the flatbed. Winch works (Gotta load the trailer!). $135 diagnostics even tho I had an app. White stuff (Gross). White stuff in coolant that smells like exhaust. And the gunk in the radiator AFTER it was flushed (took a good minute to flush it all out)

Any questions...ask! Any recs, please speak up. I'm all ears...well not really. I've always been told I have small ears. :dancin:

 

[Rodtheviking]

If its that far torn down, I'd pull the heads and check the cylinder walls. My guess is clogged coolant passages with all the stop leak crap. And with 0 compression on one cylinder (if I read that right) its going be a cooked valve or blown head gasket?

 

[av8ter]

Would recommend cutting ties with the engine. You have compression going into the cooling system, problem being head gasket(s) and heads that now need to be serviced(not to mention possible damage to the block).

Have to price out 2UZs in LC200s all the time at work due to the coolant Ts(back of engine splitting coolant to heater box and rear AC) cracking without warning and the customers running them hot.

Grab a nice used motor(source from LKQ or similar), buy a new Denso rad(and hoses) off Amazon, and just clean the heater core out with water from both directions when the engine is out.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Would recommend cutting ties with the engine. You have compression going into the cooling system, problem being head gasket(s) and heads that now need to be serviced(not to mention possible damage to the block).

Have to price out 2UZs in LC200s all the time at work due to the coolant Ts(back of engine splitting coolant to heater box and rear AC) cracking without warning and the customers running them hot.

Grab a nice used motor(source from LKQ or similar), buy a new Denso rad(and hoses) off Amazon, and just clean the heater core out with water from both directions when the engine is out.

Yeahhhhh, I'm thinking that's what it might come down to. I thought about rebuilding a little stronger and supercharging but already have a source for a used motor with 39K on it so may just go that route once I pull the heads and see what's up. Also, not sure I want to drop $5k+ to SC it. Would rather have a drawer system in the back. Headers will definitely help tho.

 

[av8ter]

Yeahhhhh, I'm thinking that's what it might come down to. I thought about rebuilding a little stronger and supercharging but already have a source for a used motor with 39K on it so may just go that route once I pull the heads and see what's up. Also, not sure I want to drop $5k+ to SC it. Would rather have a drawer system in the back. Headers will definitely help tho.

Engineers hit the nail on the head with the 4.7. Not many options out there to "make it stronger" for boost. Best bet is to get it back to factory-fresh and...

Gears. Not a bandaid solution like a SC. Will aid all areas of driving; fuel consumption, acceleration, and maintaining a nice cruising speed on the Hwy. 4.56s if not 4.88s. Look up "Zuk", you're close enough to him.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Engineers hit the nail on the head with the 4.7. Not many options out there to "make it stronger" for boost. Best bet is to get it back to factory-fresh and...

Gears. Not a bandaid solution like a SC. Will aid all areas of driving; fuel consumption, acceleration, and maintaining a nice cruising speed on the Hwy. 4.56s if not 4.88s. Look up "Zuk", you're close enough to him.

I hear ya. Going to start pulling the heads off tomorrow, drain oil (that smells burnt), and then yank that bad boy out. Now...yank with trans/TC connected to engine? I've read there is quite the risk of damaging one or the other if you disconnect them before. Hmmmmmm.

But gears might be a good thing while it's apart. Gotta add what I can while this thing is apart and sitting idle. Joy joy!!

 

[4Reak Show]

The compression is the nail. If you're already prepared for a new engine, I wouldn't chance it. Pull a head and see, sure. But even a minor crack you might not notice and then it'll bite you later. Also, wouldn't waste time/money "building" the 4.7. They are TANKS. Already (almost) bulletproof. If it were me, I'd grab a used motor, and while its out, I would pop the head off, have the valve seals done and spend money on the new engine. Do the timing belt and all that and then be worry free. I find it odd you didn't notice a high temp reading... Either you didn't watch closely or a catastrophic failure immediately. Either way, live and learn. They are great vehicles and worth the time and money if you have it.

Just start over with a new motor. Also, never heard of torque converter issues. Maybe like when you pull the motor and then it sags onto the seal or somethings and makes it leak(?). I don't know. But that's down the line.

I'm sure a SC is built to run on a factory engine so if that's your end game, go for it. Wouldn't waste time adding $1,000's on the interals to an alreadly great powerplant. But the old motor seems toast and even if you salvaged it, I would think the trust would be forever ruined and you probably wouldn't be able to comfortably travel with it until years of use have gone by.

Keep us updated please and good luck.

-4Reak

 

[V8Man]

Rebuilding a 4.7 is pricy too. I think a complete gasket set is $400. Cannot imagine what rings, bearings, or pistons would cost.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

The compression is the nail. If you're already prepared for a new engine, I wouldn't chance it. Pull a head and see, sure. But even a minor crack you might not notice and then it'll bite you later. Also, wouldn't waste time/money "building" the 4.7. They are TANKS. Already (almost) bulletproof. If it were me, I'd grab a used motor, and while its out, I would pop the head off, have the valve seals done and spend money on the new engine. Do the timing belt and all that and then be worry free. I find it odd you didn't notice a high temp reading... Either you didn't watch closely or a catastrophic failure immediately. Either way, live and learn. They are great vehicles and worth the time and money if you have it.

Just start over with a new motor. Also, never heard of torque converter issues. Maybe like when you pull the motor and then it sags onto the seal or somethings and makes it leak(?). I don't know. But that's down the line.

I'm sure a SC is built to run on a factory engine so if that's your end game, go for it. Wouldn't waste time adding $1,000's on the interals to an alreadly great powerplant. But the old motor seems toast and even if you salvaged it, I would think the trust would be forever ruined and you probably wouldn't be able to comfortably travel with it until years of use have gone by.

Keep us updated please and good luck.

-4Reak

Yeah....I've already come to the conclusion that I'm going to be getting a new motor for reasons you mention above. Who knows what happened to the block. And yes, I think it happened so quick that the temp reading never went up. The coolant exited so quick and I honestly never saw any signs that the coolant was being dumped till I stopped moving and THEN I saw the steam. Crazy. Something I never experienced and it does suck. I still had power going up that incline but I bet I was pushing the engine SO hard that when I went over and was cruising down the other side it decided enough is enough. Even when I parked, the temp gauge didn't budge. SO SO odd.

Anyway, supposed to be hot in the Bay today, as you know since you're close, so not sure how much work I'll get done on it before I decide to go sit at a friends house and drink beer by his pool.

 

[4Reak Show]

...not sure how much work I'll get done on it before I decide to go sit at a friends house and drink beer by his pool.

This option makes the most amount of sense of all available choices.

 

[Keros]

Yeah....I've already come to the conclusion that I'm going to be getting a new motor for reasons you mention above. Who knows what happened to the block. And yes, I think it happened so quick that the temp reading never went up. The coolant exited so quick and I honestly never saw any signs that the coolant was being dumped till I stopped moving and THEN I saw the steam. Crazy. Something I never experienced and it does suck. I still had power going up that incline but I bet I was pushing the engine SO hard that when I went over and was cruising down the other side it decided enough is enough. Even when I parked, the temp gauge didn't budge. SO SO odd.

Anyway, supposed to be hot in the Bay today, as you know since you're close, so not sure how much work I'll get done on it before I decide to go sit at a friends house and drink beer by his pool.

Factory temperature gauges (and/or the sensor) can be notoriously insensitive to sudden changes in inputs. Result is what you saw: sudden temperature spike and the gauge doesn't budge.

I'm glad you were properly equipped to chill for a while in the sun. Best luck with the motor swap.

 

[duffdog]

Eh, this is not that bad.

I think you could pull the heads and get them redone by a reputable machine shop. I only trust Del's in Sacramento, but if you know a real machine shop then go for it. Get a whole complete new gasket kit then get a new radiator and just throw the whole thing back together and keep it for another 100k miles.

 

[Bumbo]

Your story makes me sad OP...

I recently did a solo trip like that and I would have been devastated if that happened to me.

Look at it this way... If she was going to give out, she did in the right time and place.

Better on a freeway at the beginning than in the middle of nowhere, on a trail, by yourself.

The pucker factor for me would have been so much higher on the trail, even with my ham radio. There are no guarantees in radio communications.

As to the motor... you have a nice rig, I would look for a factory replacement, but a part of me would want to do something a little more wild... dreams of an LS swap over here.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Eh, this is not that bad.

I think you could pull the heads and get them redone by a reputable machine shop. I only trust Del's in Sacramento, but if you know a real machine shop then go for it. Get a whole complete new gasket kit then get a new radiator and just throw the whole thing back together and keep it for another 100k miles.

Well, I took off the intake manifold yesterday. It was melted on the passenger side which caused the plastic to go down into the intake tube. PRETTY sure that this engine is toast. Every experienced Toyota tech I've talked to said if it got that hot that motor is done. I found one for a good price with 140,000 from a reputable place in the Bay. So may go that route.

But, I hear you on Dels! Great shop. They did all the work on Triumph TR4 motor. Cleaned it up, balanced, new valves, guides, seats, etc.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Your story makes me sad OP...

I recently did a solo trip like that and I would have been devastated if that happened to me.

Look at it this way... If she was going to give out, she did in the right time and place.

Better on a freeway at the beginning than in the middle of nowhere, on a trail, by yourself.

The pucker factor for me would have been so much higher on the trail, even with my ham radio. There are no guarantees in radio communications.

As to the motor... you have a nice rig, I would look for a factory replacement, but a part of me would want to do something a little more wild... dreams of an LS swap over here.

Luckily I had cell service where I was....shockingly. I also have HAM and CB, but I was out in the middle of NOWHERE. But, that's why I carry a Garmin Inreach with me. I didn't need to use it, but it's there if I need it if I'm someplace with zero coverage. But I hear you...better here than somewhere on a trail less traveled or up on Engineer Pass or something like that.

 

[kmahl]

Feel your pain. Been replacing my 4.7 over the last couple weeks. I sourced one with 100k for 1,700

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Feel your pain. Been replacing my 4.7 over the last couple weeks. I sourced one with 100k for 1,700

Yeah. Ive been watching your thread. What engine was your new one out of? I sourced one locally with $140k for $1500. Its out of an 07 Tundra tho so I know the manifolds, engine mounts and brackets and lower pan would need to be swapped. No biggie, but looking online the Tundra motors will built in the US and 4Runner in Japan. Both will run forever...but would be nice to have a 4R motor. Problem is they are getting hard to come by and sourcing one local is the other thing. What happens if someone ships me a crap motor. Or one with more mileage than stated.

 

[kmahl]

Yeah. Ive been watching your thread. What engine was your new one out of? I sourced one locally with $140k for $1500. Its out of an 07 Tundra tho so I know the manifolds, engine mounts and brackets and lower pan would need to be swapped. No biggie, but looking online the Tundra motors will built in the US and 4Runner in Japan. Both will run forever...but would be nice to have a 4R motor. Problem is they are getting hard to come by and sourcing one local is the other thing. What happens if someone ships me a crap motor. Or one with more mileage than stated.

06 4Runner. It took some looking around to find a decent one. Ordered on eBay came from New York. Looking at mine I probably could of gotten away with just a new rod. I don’t know if any damage occurred other than rod itself breaking.

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

06 4Runner. It took some looking around to find a decent one. Ordered on eBay came from New York. Looking at mine I probably could of gotten away with just a new rod. I don’t know if any damage occurred other than rod itself breaking.

Did you look just for 4R engines or others as well? When do you think youll be up and running again?

 

[Billynath1988]

Think a 5.7 swap out of the tundra/land cruiser is doable? lol