Can this be had short of pulling the motor?

[Bmerr98]

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/classic-t4rs/181591-head-gasket-radiator-help.html

Got this leak, I believe. At the pick a part now trying to get the heater return line that is so prone to leaking. The above thread says the 8 take plenum has to be removed, and I've done that, but how do you get at the lower end short of pulling the engine?

Any help out there?

It's about the 5th post 8n the linked thread.

 

[Bmerr98]

Well, over 50 have looked, but no replies...I'm guessing no news is bad news. As much as I'm generally opposed to stop leak, I like pulling motors even less. Also, this will never be a DD, trail use only, so ima try some stop leak and hope it works. If it doesn't, I was going to have to pull it and try to fix it anyway, so for ten bucks I'll try it.

Will keep ya posted.

 

[HanginInUtah]

Looking at your other post, and this one, I'm a bit confused.

If it's the return line... that's bolted at the top front of the engine above the water pump and has a hold down at the back, along with several hoses connected to it. Best to go new, but a used part will do ya. And it's in the valley under the intake, so you're gonna have to pull a bunch of parts out of the way.

But your other post says you determined it was a heater hose. They're all at the back of the engine, and other than a little tightness and puzzle-piece routing, you can get to them without pulling the intake. And I wouldn't ever go used part with a hose. They're not that expensive.

So where is your leak? Or what part of the story am I missing?

 

[Bmerr98]

The post I linked to is one I found through a search of the site (I used the search function - hooray!!!). The piece shown in the linked post...you say that's under the intake? If so I'll have to dig deeper. That linked post just said the intake plenum would have to be removed. I removed the plenum from the donor vehicle, and thought I traced the line to the back side of the motor, but I've been wrong before.

My leak appears to be right where the guy is pointing to in the linked pics. Looking again, I see how that tube makes a 90 sweep and goes toward the front of the engine. I haven't been able to find the part new yet, but I'd rather put in new than old, of course. My search continues.

I'll have to take another look and go deeper into the donor...Thanks!

 

[HanginInUtah]

Sorry, I got confused.

Yeah, so the metal tube thing is underneath the intake manifold. It moves water from the front of the engine above the water pump, to the rear and then branches out to a few heater hoses.

One of the best tools for any coolant leak, if you can borrow one from a buddy in a shop or maybe from the nearest parts store, is a pressure tester. Pump that puppy up, and see where it's leaking without having to get the engine hot and get burned. Plus you can get a bit more pressure than normal operating, and that usually points out the leak real quick.

I agree those pipes CAN leak, but on my two runners, they haven't. So I'd make sure it isn't a hose leaking at the rear of the engine close to the tubes that makes it look like the tube but isn't. Thus, a pressure tester would be extremely handy.

 

[nicnmike]

You can pull the intake without pulling the heads, if that's what needs to be done. That pipe is actually one of the suggested parts to be replaced when doing something like the head gaskets since your that deep into it. If you need to pull the intake, you might want to replace some other parts too, like the knock sensor pigtail.

 

[Bmerr98]

This isn't the original motor, so I'll see what things look like when I get in there. This 4Runner will be for occasional off road use only tho, so it's low budget and I don't want to replace anything that doesn't need it. Seems the list of things to do keeps getting longer...guess I needed a hobby.

 

[nicnmike]

Mine was supposed to be that way too, but once you start pulling parts, it's hard to put it all back without wanting clean, scrub, replace, refurbish, upgrade.... Mostly because I don't want to have to do it again, or get stuck out in the woods somewhere.

 

[Bmerr98]

Still haven't found my leak, but I got the heater return pipe from the Pick a Part lot. The truck I was pulling from had gone to the crusher, but they had a 1989 with a 3VZ-E (and lots if other good parts). What a pita to get to! On the plus side, it was cheap. $12 for a set of plug wires and the pipe, then I went back and got one of the rims for a spare and a brand new 31x10.5x15 BFG Long Trail tire for an additional $65. Can't believe people call that place a junkyard. It's like Wal-Mart for guys.

 

[89FourRunner]

Now, this one I may get flamed for.

Five years ago I kept smelling coolant and seeing an occasional drip somewhere back there on my 3zve. My buddy who is a huge Subaru gearhead was like "here put some of this subaru coolant conditioner" in it (the conditioner used at the dealer for whatever issue subaru is having). So I did, the minor leak stopped, truck stopped consuming the tiny bit of coolant it was consuming, and it has been good, knock on wood, for nearly five years.

To this day I have no idea where the leak was, but I suspect it was one of those tiny rubber lines under the plenum between the valve covers.

Again, do not recommend as a permanent fix, but it sort of was for me, and it works with Toyota Red coolant. Subaru owners are required to pour this stuff in each time the dealer does a coolant service or coolant related repair, or their warranty is voided. Most likely a super mild stop leak.

 

[Bmerr98]

Found my leak! I had feared and prepared for the worst, but lucked out. It was just a hose, the inverted U shaped one at the back. I still had to pull the plenum to have room to work, but at least I didn't have to go any farther.




I may get to take it out this weekend after all...

 

[HanginInUtah]

Found my leak! I had feared and prepared for the worst, but lucked out. It was just a hose, the inverted U shaped one at the back. I still had to pull the plenum to have room to work, but at least I didn't have to go any farther.

I may get to take it out this weekend after all...

Not sure if you already have this under control or not, but that hose can be found online. However, if you have a good parts store nearby (not the cheapies) they may have something in stock that matches up. I worked for Napa for three years, and still have some good buddies at the stores close by. I know I matched that hose to one they had in stock that I had to cut some length off of, but I can't find my notes for the part number. A good parts guy can take you back to the molded heater hoses to help find it, or they'll be good enough to find it for you.
Some of the heater hoses are really OEM due to the bends. But that one should be okay to match up.

 

[Bmerr98]

Thanks for that, sir! I just bent some straight hose over and made the loop. I think it's long enough to keep from kinking, and I don't think there's a huge amount of flow there anyway. It's back together and loaded on the trailer, hoping for a fairly early departure to Turkey Bay tomorrow. Rain tonight, but should clear off my morning. No heat as yet, so hopefully it won't be too cold for the wife.

 

[HanginInUtah]

Glad to be of help. Thinking more about it, I may have done the same thing on my first project. Or maybe it was the molded PVC hose. Either way, as long as it doesn't kink, you'll be good!