coolant leak - new to me 02 4runner

[vanderwiel]

So I just picked up this truck last night, when I inspected it I saw no leaks. I took it for a ride for a few minutes, then when I returned and let it sit I still found no leaks. After driving it home 2.5 hours, then driving it a few miles today and parking it, I found a puddle of coolant underneath. On top of that the check engine light is now on. Figures all of this happens once I take it home having paid pretty much 100% of the blue book value. Any idea where I should start looking for leaks. Attaching a picture to better illustrate where the leak is coming from underneath.. (Drivers side under engine) The previous owned mentioned that he had a radiator replaced somewhat recently..

 

[JayRolla]

Check lower and upper radiator hoses. Check the hoses going to the trans cooler near the bottom left of radiator. Then research "Pink Milkshake". Radiator just replaced on these are a red flag of sometimes something worse. But again it could just have been replaced for another reason than pink milkshake.

 

[thegipper]

Just pray that the radiator wasn't replaced because of a pink milk shake. I would inspect the transmission fluid right away also. See if it look out of the ordinary (brand new fluid, cloudy, pinkish cloudy). In this case, if it just looks like used transmission fluid, that would be a good sign.

As Jay said, the radiator could have been replaced for a different reason. Keep looking until you find the source of the leak..

 

[BoomSticks]

Start with inspecting all the hose connections. Loose clamp or cracked hose.

Get under there while it's running, and it shouldn't take long to figure out where it's coming from.

 

[Scramble]

Hopefully it's just an old hose failing after the 2.5hr drive. But like said above, check the trans fluid pronto.

 

[vanderwiel]

Hopefully it's just an old hose failing after the 2.5hr drive. But like said above, check the trans fluid pronto.

The drive back did involve about 10 miles of a pretty bumpy dirt road. I bought it from a couple in their 60s that only used it to drive around town occasionally. I'm hoping that maybe this was the first rigorous drive it had been on and that caused something simple to fail. After dropping 5k I hardly want to spend much more..

 

[Scramble]

The drive back did involve about 10 miles of a pretty bumpy dirt road. I bought it from a couple in their 60s that only used it to drive around town occasionally. I'm hoping that maybe this was the first rigorous drive it had been on and that caused something simple to fail. After dropping 5k I hardly want to spend much more..

Being an older couple makes me feel better that someone isn't selling you a pink-milkshake vehicle.

 

[Toy2play]

The drive back did involve about 10 miles of a pretty bumpy dirt road. I bought it from a couple in their 60s that only used it to drive around town occasionally. I'm hoping that maybe this was the first rigorous drive it had been on and that caused something simple to fail. After dropping 5k I hardly want to spend much more..

Did they say when the last time the timing belt and water pump was changed? If not the hoses, I'd check near the water pump.

Have you checked the code for the check engine?

 

[vanderwiel]

Being an older couple makes me feel better that someone isn't selling you a pink-milkshake vehicle.

The guy said that when it passed inspection last month he had the mechanic look it over and he said there were no issues to be addressed.. (Who knows how legitimate this info is).

Did they say when the last time the timing belt and water pump was changed? If not the hoses, I'd check near the water pump.

Have you checked the code for the check engine?

I asked about the TB / WP and the guy said he was unsure if it had been changed yet. So I am assuming not (127k miles).

 

[4runnerWiniarski23]

After just dealing with a ''pink-milkshake" I can say that its not enjoyable.

I would double check upper and lower rad hoses. I can bet the lower hose has some hair line cracks causing it to leak under pressure.

Best of luck and keep us update!

 

[cfranck1]

I think the only thing that far back in the coolant system on that side of the vehicle is the oil cooler and its hoses..

Check out the picture.

But do check other hoses and clamps as others have said.

 

[Toy2play]

The guy said that when it passed inspection last month he had the mechanic look it over and he said there were no issues to be addressed.. (Who knows how legitimate this info is).



I asked about the TB / WP and the guy said he was unsure if it had been changed yet. So I am assuming not (127k miles).

Something you may want to add on the to-do list. On a positive note, 5k for a 127k runner is a pretty good deal. 90% of the time any car 15+ years old needs some form of work done. As long as its not the pink milk shake, I think you are sitting pretty.

 

[vanderwiel]

Something you may want to add on the to-do list. On a positive note, 5k for a 127k runner is a pretty good deal. 90% of the time any car 15+ years old needs some form of work done. As long as its not the pink milk shake, I think you are sitting pretty.

It's got a year old 4.5 inch rough country lift and came with a set of 31x10.5 duratracs..which is nice.


Im not very mechanically inclined, but a buddy took a quick look, and he thinks it's leaking from the seal on the thermostat? I don't know how knowledgeable he is either.

I poured coolant into the radiator with the engine off and could watch it leak out of the side of the engine fairly rapidly. I need to get it into my mechanic asap..

I just had the code ran and it came back as p0701...which according to auto zone is mass air flow sensor

 

[Toy2play]

It's got a year old 4.5 inch rough country lift and came with a set of 31x10.5 duratracs..which is nice.


Im not very mechanically inclined, but a buddy took a quick look, and he thinks it's leaking from the seal on the thermostat? I don't know how knowledgeable he is either.

I poured coolant into the radiator with the engine off and could watch it leak out of the side of the engine fairly rapidly. I need to get it into my mechanic asap..

I just had the code ran and it came back as p0701...which according to auto zone is mass air flow sensor

Driver side, or is it in front of the engine? Hmmm my guess is the water pump, though I don't know if it would leak without the engine running. Like someone suggested, maybe the lower hose.

Run a search on this forum for that code. I recommend cleaning your mass air flow with some mass air flow cleaner. It's very easy to do. It's good to do once in a while anyways as regular up keep. You can get some at auto zone or Walmart.

 

[absalom]

Get yourself a service manual. Locate the leaks on the motor, and then refer to the manual to learn the names of those parts. Then, follow the directions in the manual to properly replace those parts.

Remember, we're here as a resource. Don't be afraid to dive in and start finding leaks. They can be scary at first, but I assure you, we'll help you get them patched up in no time. Leaks are a lot simpler than most folks make them out to be.

Finally, I'm betting you're still riding around on the original LBJ's (lower ball joints). I'd recommend getting new, OEM LBJ's and installing them yourself. This is a great confidence-boosting bit of much needed maintenance. Especially with some horrible Rough Country lift on there.

Get a flashlight, your cellphone camera, and start snapping pics of the leaks. We got your back.

 

[alumarine]

If you can see it run out take a picture of it and post it.
Otherwise people are just guessing.

 

[Kbuch1]

First things first. Get the skids off so you can better see.
I just did a complete cooling service on my 2000, including top and lower hoses and OEM thermostat. The seal was shot, allowing galvanic corrosion between the thermostat and the aluminum thermostat cover/lower hose mount.
What I found, was shortly going to be a leak if the service and replacement hadn't occurred.
With all new parts, there remained some doubt in my mind that a potential leak might be in my future.
I took some metal epoxy paste, and patched the imperfections and reshape the lower house mount to repair the seal surface.

In short, based on the location of your picture, it is coolant, my experience, that is the first place I would look with the skids removed. You probably won't be able to see it from the top.

Remember, jiggle valve in the 6 o'clock position. Get OEM, as the stat I removed did not have a jiggle.

Good luck.

 

[vanderwiel]

Get yourself a service manual. Locate the leaks on the motor, and then refer to the manual to learn the names of those parts. Then, follow the directions in the manual to properly replace those parts.

Remember, we're here as a resource. Don't be afraid to dive in and start finding leaks. They can be scary at first, but I assure you, we'll help you get them patched up in no time. Leaks are a lot simpler than most folks make them out to be.

Finally, I'm betting you're still riding around on the original LBJ's (lower ball joints). I'd recommend getting new, OEM LBJ's and installing them yourself. This is a great confidence-boosting bit of much needed maintenance. Especially with some horrible Rough Country lift on there.

Get a flashlight, your cellphone camera, and start snapping pics of the leaks. We got your back.

My mechanic doesn't work weekends, and I really don't want to wait wondering whats going on with it until he is available. So I think tonight after work I'll make an actual attempt at identify the problem. Pictures to follow.

 

[jeremyc74]

These things are prone to leak a little around the water pump gasket after its been on there a while. When I pulled mine off it had a developing leak, and you could see a little crust where coolant had started seeping through, and that was in the area right around the thermostat. I'd give that a good look once you get the skids off.

 

[stir_fry_boy]

Post some pictures of the leak.