Coolant Overflowing

[FrogginAround]

I took the dogs to the park the other day and I stopped for beer on the way back home. When i came back out to the car coolant was leaking pretty solidly onto the ground. I got home and started freaking out. It was really hot and the reservoir was so filled it was overflowing. I started doing some research and really started freaking out. Head gasket is just what I need right now. The wife came home and said she topped off the coolant. She missed the markers and filled the whole thing up. I'm really hoping that's all it is. I'll check the radiator cap just to be sure it's not that. Any damage I should be worried about? Only drove about 30 25 miles. Thanks.

 

[VernySanders]

I took the dogs to the park the other day and I stopped for beer on the way back home. When i came back out to the car coolant was leaking pretty solidly onto the ground. I got home and started freaking out. It was really hot and the reservoir was so filled it was overflowing. I started doing some research and really started freaking out. Head gasket is just what I need right now. The wife came home and said she topped off the coolant. She missed the markers and filled the whole thing up. I'm really hoping that's all it is. I'll check the radiator cap just to be sure it's not that. Any damage I should be worried about? Only drove about 30 25 miles. Thanks.

That's not gonna hurt anything. Pressurized system with too much fluid so it overflowed. If it hurt anything it woulda been a blown radiator hose or blown radiator etc. Wont do anything to your engine, pressure leaves through the point of least resistance in this case your overflow tank.

 

[jgue467]

Was coolant boiling in overflow tank when you saw it?

The wife topping off the coolant is suspicious on its own.

I mean why?

Has there been a slow leak that would cause her to look and top off? Again, why?

If you cannot recall when the radiator cap was replaced, then replace it with a genuine Toyota cap.

Luck and enjoy the Runner. :cowboy:

 

[Dieselchessy]

My thoughts.

Why did your wife need to top off the coolant?
What prompted your wife to even check the coolant in the first place?
When she filled the expansion tank, did she look in the radiator? Was it full?

Your comment "It was really hot" doesn't go along with an over filled expansion tank.


Sounds to me like you are loosing coolant somewhere.

 

[rallypoint_1]

I had a leak a few weeks ago. Pressure tested the system and ended up being the water pump.

Don’t guess at it. Pressure test it and check for leaks first. Just my $.02

 

[FrogginAround]

I could see where it was overflowing from the reservoir. It didn't appear to be boiling in there. I meant it smelt hot but that was probably just coolant leaking down and burning up. The wife topped it off because she was doing it to her own car. She asked me if she should do it to the 4runner but I was busy building her a garden work bench and not listening as usual and just said sure.... that's on me.

 

[phattyduck]

Probably want to go check her car for the correct level too! Set them at the max cool level on the bottle.

Sounds like it just overflowed because the tank was overfilled. There needs to be significant expansion room in the tank due to normal volume changes while driving. The max heat in the system happens right after shutdown, so that's when you are most likely to notice it.

The engine bay always seems hot during/after running - I wouldn't take a 'feeling' of it being hot as a problem.

-Charlie