Can the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket cause milk shake in the radiator?

[TheMikeOfMikeness]

So one year ago in my 2000 4runner, I got the pink milkshake. I researched everything on the forum that I could on what to do. New radiator, separate transmission cooler the whole nine yards. I did it. A year goes by and I was about to go on a road trip and though. "Gee I should flush the radiator and do a oil change before I driver over a 1000 miles."

Now I know that any "good” gear head should have been checking in on situation periodically. Well, when it got to -20 this winter I couldn't bring my self to go check it and do my own oil changes. So I just had Valvoline do it. And let it slip from my mind…

So, on the up side I caught it before I would have over heated. The down side is I have already replaced the radiator and added a transition cooler. I have no idea how I got another milk shake?

My only idea is this. I bought my 4runner used, So I took it to my Toyota dealer in Fargo. (Bought it down in the Twin Cities) I asked them to check it over and see if there was anything major that need to get taken care of. The only thing that they came up with was breaks and ... the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket.

Now having owned a '98 Ford Ranger in the past. (Please forgive me, I have seen the light that is the 4runner) I have had other dealers try this on my before just to get some more cash out of me. I ignored the recommendations and focused on the breaks.

SO, could the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket be leaking and cause me to have another milkshake. I would love some advice on this one guys/gals. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[BrianSD_42]

Can the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket cause milk shake in the radiator?

To this question I will say:

NO, I don't see how that could happen .

 

[satek]

So one year ago in my 2000 4runner, I got the pink milkshake. I researched everything on the forum that I could on what to do. New radiator, separate transmission cooler the whole nine yards. I did it. A year goes by and I was about to go on a road trip and though. "Gee I should flush the radiator and do a oil change before I driver over a 1000 miles."

Now I know that any "good” gear head should have been checking in on situation periodically. Well, when it got to -20 this winter I couldn't bring my self to go check it and do my own oil changes. So I just had Valvoline do it. And let it slip from my mind…

So, on the up side I caught it before I would have over heated. The down side is I have already replaced the radiator and add a transition cooler. I have no idea how I got another milk shake?

My only idea is this. I bought my 4runner used, So I took it to my Toyota dealer in Fargo. (Bought it down in the Twin Cities) I asked them to check it over and see if there was anything major that need to get taken care of. The only thing that they came up with was breaks and ... the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket.

Now having owned a '98 Ford Ranger in the past. (Please forgive me, I have seen the light that is the 4runner) I have had other dealers try this on my before just to get some more cash out of me. I ignored the recommendations and focused on the breaks.

SO, could the Valve Cover Gasket and Intake Gasket be leaking and cause me to have another milkshake. I would love some advice on this one guys/gals. Any ideas? Thanks!

No,

The valve cover gaskets are at the top of the engine and only prevent motor oil from leaking out the top. The intake gaskets only prevent air leaks and neither touch coolant at all I believe or transmission fluid.

 

[Kenworth]

Milk

Head gasket ,if u bypassed trans cooler from rad, then only other possibility is motor oil , unless oil cooler went bad:der:

 

[BrianSD_42]

If you replaced the radiator AND you added a trans cooler and now a year later you think you have a milkshake then something is up.

What I would guess is they never really flushed the trans properly (eg multiple times) after the first milkshake.

Can you post a picture of the fluid in the radiator and also the trans? Take a picture of the radiator resevore cap and also a paper towel with the fluid on it. Same for tans, use a paper town and also dipstick.

That will really help.

 

[runner823]

Now everyone on this forum is going to ran to the parts store to buy an external cooler to by pass their oil cooler.

 

[BrianSD_42]

I don't run a trans cooler. No need -for me.

I did replace the radiator at 195k miles.

 

[Kenworth]

Is it only rad that's show oil contamination ? Or is it in trans or
Engine ?????

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Is it only rad that's show oil contamination ? Or is it in trans or

Engine ?????

This......where is the milkshake is it in the rad? If so its either the engine oil cooler or a head gasket.

I'd check engine oil cooler first.

If milkshake is in the trans then.........

 

[JBurt]

What color is your milkshake this time?

 

[TheMikeOfMikeness]

Hey guys I took some photos as asked, let me know what you think.


Under the hood

Transmission Cooler

Reservoir tank has milkshake in it. I had cleaned it all out

Under the cap

transmission dipstick

oil dipstick

Here is a time-lapse of me swapping the radiator out last year.

Time lapse of swapping out the radiator in my Toyota 4Runner - YouTube

 

[BrianSD_42]

Question time:

When was the oil last changed? (This help put the picture in perspective)

When was the trans fluid last changed?

When you had the pink milkshake before and fixed it, how many times did you drain and fill the trans OR did you do the machine flush?

Is your vehicle currently showing any significant signs of a transmission issue?

Did then vehicle overheat recently?


To me ... Of all the pictures the trans dipstick and color looks the most normal.

 

[19963.4lsr5]

It looks like engine oil contamination to me. Check your engine oil cooler. Or just remove it and replace all the o-rings. And drain oil and refill with something like Supertech from Walmart for now till this is resolved. Also you can borrow a combustion gas tester from a autoparts store to see if any are present in the antifreeze.

 

[Kenworth]

We'll the video was interesting ? Why did you pull rad out from bottom ? Just wondering why, when u last had milk shake did u flush engine /coolant out ?

 

[shootmymime]

Looks like tranny fluid. But no way to get it in the coolant now. I'm sure they didn't flush out the cooling system properly

 

[19963.4lsr5]

If your sure it still lingering trans fluid you need to do the Calgon flush. Its the only way to get the oil residue out if it completely.

 

[yukonrider]

Looks to me like you just need to flush your cooling system better. Oil looks fine (dirty but fine) and the tranny fluid looks fine, but it is harder to tell. Can you get some more maybe in a little cup? But with what I see there it is fine.

What I think happened is you just didn't do a very good job flushing out your coolant system, and that has since whipped up into what you see there. Flush it out well, put new coolant in, and monitor.

Remember when flushing to run all the heaters, and make sure it gets warm enough to open the thermostat.


EDIT: On second look, get more oil pictures too, it looks a little brown, but again hard to tell with the pictures.

 

[TheMikeOfMikeness]

I don't put very many miles on my 4runner. So I don't change it as often as I probably should monthly-wise. The last time it was changed was probably January.

The transmission fluid would've been about a year ago when I did the original radiator overhaul. I did not machine flush it. I drained and filled that thing at least 6 to 7 times. Not even exaggerating! I did not replace the transmission filter.

When I was still driving it...before I noticed this...I hadn't noticed any major hard shifts and or slips. I was quite proud that I have save my 4runner from milkshake related death! ...until now...

The vehicle is never technically overheated. The only time I've ever gotten any sort of heat warning sensor to go off was from the transmission, and clued me off to the pink milkshake. About a year ago.

I did have the radiator flushed at a Valvoline, after I had gotten done doing all of the transmission flushes.

Compared to the last time, this milkshake is much more of a tan color. It does not have very much of a pink color to it.

... Yeah so about getting that radiator out in the video. The brackets had rusted and really kind of being a pain the ass. I just unbolted from the brackets pulled it up from the bottom. The I gave give them a little whack with a hammer on the left and the right. Pop out, and reattachment of the other one ... By no means was that the graceful way to get the job done!

So, I decided to go ahead and pull the plug on the radiator just to see how much milkshake I'm dealing with. Surprisingly, as the picture will show, there was barely any. I only had time to do one flush tonight, but plan on doing a couple more before watching some fireworks tomorrow.

Then my plan is to get one of those combustion gas tester things and see if I have a bad head gasket. Any thoughts?

Pulled the plug ... and this is what i got!?!?!

 

[BrianSD_42]

Looking at the picture of the oil dipstick ....

How many miles since you changed the oil and filter?

I'd look into the engine oil color/crud as a concern.