Over heating issue

[KingJerd]

Ok, i have an 89 4-runner with the 22re

I have no coolant leaks, but about once a week or so, my temp gauge will start to creep up so I go to check on the radiator and its about 1/2 gallon low. Where is my water going? Is it boiling out into the over flow? I didnt think the over flow would hold that much.....The oil looks normal and doesnt show any signs of a blown head gasket, but I could be wrong i guess...I still dont see that much water going through a head gasket without the truck running like crap. It runs like a dream, just wants to over heat now and then. What in the world is my truck doing????????

 

[ovrrdrive]

Start with a new pressure cap. They're cheap and fail often. If that's not it, I'd look for pinhole leaks in the radiator. I had one that took me 6 months to find even though I routinely smelled antifreeze under the hood. A new ready rad fixed the problem nicely.

 

[pacman]

my 88 did the same thing. the coolant was leaking out the side of the block. where the block and head meet together. oil was fine and coolant was fine. but i still had to replace the head gasket

 

[KingJerd]

Thanks guys. Ill start by putting carboard under the motor (taped up close to the oil pan, not all the way down on the street) to see if there are any extremely small leaks I wouldnt normally be able to see. ill also go ahead and change the t-stat and pressure cap. My radiator will probably be the where the leak is if there is one. About 40% of the fins are missing or bent to hell. I know a new radiator would help me tremendously anyway. You got a link to that radiator?

 

[ovrrdrive]

I got it from Autozone here. Looking at their website they don't look like they're carrying Readyrad anymore, but this seems to be the replacement for the one I ordered.

http://www.autozone.com/R,3078688/v...partType,00172/shopping/partProductDetail.htm

If the link doesn't work, their site is pretty east to figure out. Just click the shopping link on the left.

 

[KingJerd]

Went to Checkers to get a new Radiator cap and the part number they had netted me a cap that was TINY! They tried looking up the DLX, SR5, V6, and 4 cyl and both engines in both trim levels use the same part number. I brought my cap in from the truck and we found a generic replacement that fits. Its a 16 lb cap, is that too stiff? I also put a new T-Stat in and flushed the whole system.

Thought this fixed it. It was good for about 4 days but then yesterday on the way home from work in a matter of just about 2 miles I went from 1/3 on the temp gauge almost all the way to the red! I pulled over, the radiator is half drained.....again....I checked all around the head, checked the oil, watched under the truck for about 2 minutes for leaks.....nothing. All dry.

Im getting so damn frustrated. Im tired of having to fill gallons of water every time I get home just to make the trip. I guess the radiator will have to be replaced. When i do the radiator, its also getting an electric fan.

 

[KingJerd]

Head gasket blew this morning.