Coolant looks thick and muddy in Wife's '95???

[Hammer]

I had originally posted this under Problems & Warranty, but maybe I should've put it here to begin with considering the 4Runner's age.

Anyhoo,....

OK, I was just checking fluids on my wife's '95 SR5 4Runner, (3.0L auto if that helps).

Oil was a tad low and so was trans fluid, so I topped everything and took it for a spin around the block. When I parked it, it sounded like a coffee machine "perkulating". Popped the hood and heard bubbling from top rad hose and in the return bottle. Let it cool and opened the rad cap to find a brownish paste. Not real thick, but not the watery consistancy it should've been. When I looked in the return bottle it was filled with this "goop"!! The rad was just replaced by the dealer in '02. I used the right kind of coolant the last time I topped the rad off, (sometime ago), but I did not use the red stuff the dealer used.

Can anyone give me some input on this?? It has been recommended in the other post that I just flush and fill. Thanks in advance.

Big Dave

 

[fourwd1]

Sounds like you have oil in the coolant. Pull the dip stick and check the oil.

Depending on what engine you have, could be a blown head gasket (or worse), or the timing chain could have worn a hole in the tc cover.

 

[rustyrazor]

It definitely sounds like you have one of the symptoms of a blown head gasket.

Definitely check the oil. If it looks like runny peanut butter than that's another symptom.

A compression check could possibly give you some more clues.

Have you noticed anything else going on lately? More smoke? Running hotter? Bad mileage?

 

[ovrrdrive]

A 95 is going to be auto transmission and 3.0 V6. The 3.0 is the motor that has had so many problems with the head gaskets blowing and that is what my first guess would be too.

It's not going to have the worn timing cover issue that the 22RE does...

I'd start with a compression check. That will give you a good indication if the head gasket is blown.

There was a recall for that some time ago... If you start to think that might be what it is, call a dealer and have them run the VIN for you to see if it was ever done. If not you might save $2k if you can get them to do it for you.

It's a pretty bad job to do yourself...

http://www.yotatech.com/showthread.php?t=88538

 

[Hammer]

First off thanks for your guys' input!!

It is the 3.0L V6 and the only reason this was discovered is because I finally got around to checking the fluids. There was no hint of a problem except she said the trannie was slipping a little, hence the low fluid I found.

It really has not lost any power. At least none that my wife has mentioned and she would be the first to complain if it had lost power. I drove it yesterday to get the trannie warmed up and ran like a top.

Oil looked fine when I checked. About a half qt low, which wasn't bad considering it's been almost 2 months since I checked it, (new job, my bad). Been running Mobil 1 Syn the last 2 oil changes and I love the stuff!

I did hear something today from a local rad shop that if you mix the Toyota red coolant, (which the rad was last completely filled with), and then mix the Prestone or other reg brand it can have some kind of reaction and do just this. Now last fall I did top off her coolant before winter with Prestone, so this theory may float.

If this is true, I consider this to be price fixxing to make me buy Toyota's $$/gallon coolant, sorta like having you by the short & curlies. In my opinion this is illegal and worse yet to have nothing posted on the rad cap or under the hood NOT to mix other brands with theirs!! Sounds like class action lawsuit to me!! Is this how certain Toyota dealers keep you coming back for more?? I'll be asking them this same question, after I ask about the recall on the headgasket. Never heard about that one by the way, thanks!

This may be why the rad blew back in '00. We had not met yet then, and she used to take the Runner to local quick oil change place. Hell, all the manufacturer recommends is standard ethylene-glycol antifreeze. Says it in the Owner's manual and in the Chilton manual.

I am having the whole system flushed out on a machine tomorrow morning. Not by the local stealer!! Having it done with regular anitfreeze, though. Getting the rear coil springs replaced on Monday and will have my mechanic do a compression test just for poops & giggles.

Thanks again guys!

After all if the wife ain't happy,.......

 

[Hammer]

Hey guys, wanted add a little update for someone else's future use/reference.

Here's what was discovered. This 4Runner rad uses part of itself as a trans fluid cooler as well. This part of the trans cooler developed a crack/leak, so the Runner was leaking AT fluid into the antifreeze! That's what caused the soupy, peanut butter, looking coolant!

Fortunately, I discovered this before it caused any serious damage, or so I hope! I will be taking the Toyota rad back to the stealer and throwing it on their service manager's desk, because it has a sticker on the top saying "Lifetime Warranty". Don't know how far I'll get with them, but I am curious about who's lifetime they base their warranty on, (maybe a housefly?), since this rad was just installed 5 years ago by them and charged my wife, almost $1800!!

I'm really disappointed in Toyota.

Thanks again for the input!!

Later,

Big Dave