Did I just fry my heads?

[MtnT4R]

Just went out for a few miles on a 4x4 trail near my place, truck ran great all the way there and back, but once I hit the graded road I noticed a strange vibration. Drove about a mile and stopped to pick up some trash and take a phone call, so turned the truck off for about 5 minutes. When I started it again I noticed a pretty rough start, but seemed to run ok until I hit the uphill back to my house. At the turn to the driveway the power steering went out, idiot lights all popped, I let off the gas and the truck died.

Popped the hood, engine is smoking lightly but everything looks ok. Got it to start after 3 or 4 failed attempts, drove it to the next bend where RPM dropped and it died. Started again, got to the garage, where it died trying to back it up. This is where I noticed my engine temp gauge was pegged over the red- I had been looking at my scangauge and water temp and tranny temp seemed ok. There was a little coolant leaking from the lines, but reservoir is about half full.

With the engine smoking(although pretty sure this was just oil from previous leaky heads cooking off) and temp gauge pinned to the max I'm worried I fried my heads. After talking with a friend and looking around on here for about 30 minutes, I went out to take temps on the scangauge- water temp 205 and dropping, tranny temp normal. So I started it, and analog temp gauge is reading normal. As it sat there and idled, the water temp dropped slowly below 200 and kept falling.

I'm thinking a bad tamp sensor, but worried I did some major damage driving it and restarting a couple times with the temp past the red. Cant believe I didn't look at the temp gauge sooner.
Do I need to start scraping cash together for a big shop bill?

 

[MtnT4R]

Update: I just drove it about 2 miles to my folks place, about 1,000 feet elevation change, down and back up. Temps and gauges were steady and normal the whole drive, truck sounded and drove fine, until the end of the driveway, where the truck died when it hit idle RPM again and dash lights went on. Engine lightly smoking again. I'm thinking the analog temp gauge was actually showing normal until the dash lights lit up, then pegged. Could this be electrical?

What the hell is this?

 

[sleepydad]

Update: I just drove it about 2 miles to my folks place, about 1,000 feet elevation change, down and back up. Temps and gauges were steady and normal the whole drive, truck sounded and drove fine, until the end of the driveway, where the truck died when it hit idle RPM again and dash lights went on. Engine lightly smoking again. I'm thinking the analog temp gauge was actually showing normal until the dash lights lit up, then pegged. Could this be electrical?

What the hell is this?

Are you losing coolant?

 

[MtnT4R]

Are you losing coolant?

There is a little coolant dripping out of the lines at the bottom of the radiator but the reservoir is about half full.

Also I misspoke, the smoking engine is from when I had loose valve covers a few months ago. Something is overheating even though my gauges aren't registering.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Reservoir doesn't always indicate low coolant.
Let it cool down, then see how much is in the radiator.

Thermostats are $12, engines are a bit more.

 

[CB3G_GM]

Check your alternator belt and output as well as battery health.

 

[MtnT4R]

Check your alternator belt and output as well as battery health.

I was going to put in a CS144 alternator this summer, but just replaced all belts about a month ago. Battery cranks strong, but is at least 4 years old. Date sticker unreadable.

 

[MtnT4R]

Well it turns out I'm an idiot. The radiator was dry, because at some point a stick put a 3" diameter hole in the fins. So I drove about 2 miles downhill, then a 500 foot half mile climb with a dry radiator. Think I might have engine problems?

 

[BrianSD_42]

These trucks seem to do well with overheating although I am a bit concerned that a bunch of lights lit up and the engine actually died.

That's unfortunate but I hope it all turns out ok!

 

[Vansnxtweek]

When one of my head gaskets went, my gauge would bounce from normal to sky high repeatedly back and forth. I thought the temperature sending unit was fried..even though I knew the head was smoked. Turns out it must have been air pockets in the coolant and whenever air would pass by the temp reading would sky rocket then it'd go back down as the air pocket was replaced by coolant again.

Good luck with this man, hope its not gone!

 

[tvpierce]

There is a little coolant dripping out of the lines at the bottom of the radiator but the reservoir is about half full.

The two small lines at the bottom of the radiator are the transmission cooling lines -- assuming you have an automatic. The coolant you're seeing there could be dripping from the leak you found above... let's hope so. Because if you're actually leaking coolant at these fittings, you're a good candidate for a pink milkshake. How old is your radiator?

Before you start the engine again, check your transmission fluid. What does it look like? Red and clean, or milky and pink?

 

[thegipper]

At least you know what the problem is now. All you can do is hope that you didn't fry the motor. Since you over heated it so bad that it actually died, it's probably not going to end well.

Fix the radiator and fill it back up and see what happens. You can do a leak down test to see if you blew a HG or warped/cracked the heads.

Good luck

 

[MtnT4R]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm calling the shop to order a new radiator, hoses, and adding a tranny cooler while I'm at it. Was gonna replace the radiator this summer anyways.

How old is your radiator?

Before you start the engine again, check your transmission fluid. What does it look like? Red and clean, or milky and pink?

Radiator is original, but was flushed at dealer service around 100k. I bought at 145k and am now at 195k. I need to check transmission fluid this morning but I'm pretty sure everything was from that hole. I tried to refill and it dumped right out all over the driveway.



IF the engine is toast, I might bit the bullet and find a shop to do a diesel swap. I'll need to take out a loan either way :ybrick:

 

[Scramble]

I know this is late advise but always let it cool down & check the rad not the reservoir. When I overheated my 3RZ not only did I destroy my head gasket but also warped my engine bearings. I needed a full rebuild.

 

[MtnT4R]

I know this is late advise but always let it cool down & check the rad not the reservoir. When I overheated my 3RZ not only did I destroy my head gasket but also warped my engine bearings. I needed a full rebuild.

Yeah I am definitely not going to make that mistake again.

I put in a new radiator, added a transmission cooler, replaced thermostat and refilled with 2 gallons of coolant. She started up and ran, drove about 20 miles- town and interstate. Everything seems to be running fine...is there something specific I should keep an eye out for?


Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[T4R2014]

Now I feel like checking my radiators. I think you're fine. Keep an eye on temps but not really much else to do. If there's permanent damage, then what's done is done.

 

[Mark_BC]

You probably blew a head gasket, it only takes once. My mom's drives OK but it has white smoke in exhaust and cream under the oil filler cap. Check that. Mine will only get worse so I will need to do a head gasket job. Or maybe a diesel swap as you say. To what diesel?

 

[thegipper]

Just keep an eye on the coolant levels and oil going forward. If you start having a misfire or rough idle at start up or white smoke, then there is a problem.

Fingers crossed for you!

 

[MtnT4R]

You probably blew a head gasket, it only takes once. My mom's drives OK but it has white smoke in exhaust and cream under the oil filler cap. Check that. Mine will only get worse so I will need to do a head gasket job. Or maybe a diesel swap as you say. To what diesel?

Apparently Cummins released a 2.8 that will fit nicely in the 3rd gen. I ran across this thread a while back:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/242163-cummins-2-8l-3rd-gen.html

Or one guy in that thread suggests just finding a 1KZT-E from JDM imports that would be a much easier swap.

I probably have some backasswards logic, but when I need a new engine, if I'm gonna spend $$ I might as well spend $$$ and grin like an idiot every time I drive around.

 

[T4R2014]

The 1KZ-TE is a piece of crap, don't bother. I don't think anyone understands how big of a pig that thing is. I think you're fine. If you feel like blowing money then save up for a supercharger. You can get a lower mile 5VZ for $700 at a JDM engine shop anyway.