We took our 4runner wheeling a little bit today, well more like a lot today. It doesn't usually get driven as hard as it did today. We went through some "puddles" that were a lot deeper than they looked and the front end got submerged in water for a split second.
The first time it died as the front was lifting back out of the water, so no water was getting into the engine after it died. We got a running start at it so it only died after the front end was back out of the water. We let it sit fora minutes and started it back up, it bogged a little at first but we put it into gear and got out. It smoked for about 20 minutes, I assume burning up what water may have been sucked up. The second time the buddle was shallow, then dropped down real fast and came back up ( didn't know this until it was too late). So again we got a running start and took kind of a dive into the water to about the hood line and then it shot back up, it kept running for a few seconds and died. I started it up again and had to keep the starter going for long than usual to keep the engine turning and pushing whatever water was in there, out. Once it started soon thereafter, I kept it running. The nose was def out of the water, but the back was still pretty far down, the tail pipe was under water pretty far. Again it smoked some and then went away.
Ok, fast foward to the way home. I notice steam coming from under the hood, I look down at the gauge and its way past the red area. I don't know how long it was overheating for. So I slam on the brakes and pull over, shut it down, pop the hood, and steam was burrowing out the tube on top of the resevior, connected to the radiator. I was thinking I needed it to cool down as soon as possible so I took the radiator cap off, as I'm pulling it off, I am expecting really hot water to come out really fast. Which it did, and it blew the cap to places still unknown to me. I couldn't find it. So I put a gallon and a half of water in it, and construct a monstrosity if a radiator cap (a bunch of duct tape with a large hose clamp to hold it there). I start her up and watch the gauge and look around a little to make sure everything is ok. Everything seems to be, so we continue on looking for the closest place to find a legit radiator cap.
A minute or so goes by of driving and there is steam coming out again, I can see it in the rear view and coming from under the hood, I am lookng at the temp gauge and it is right where it should be, but I pull over and check things anyways. The steam was coming from my makeshift radiator, there was a pin hole in the tape letting the steam out. So I figure as long as my temp gauge stays down I'm ok.
So we continue on for about another 10 miles, the whole time watching the gauge to make sure its not hot. We start to slow down so I give it more gas and it feels like all the sudden we towing something and its hard to accelerate. At this point the check engine light comes on. I start to pull over and before I even stop the engine isn't running anymore. I try to start it and nothing, wont start. I get out to look things over and it smells like burning under the hood, that is the only way I can decribe it. At this point I'm a little nervous. So I call my dad and he tells me to take the oil cap off and see if there is water in the oil. I pull it off and sure enough, the "oil" was now more like the color a cream pudding. Very light tan and milky. Shit. I smell the oil cap and underside was the sorse of the burning smell, which tells something with the internals is very not good.
At this point, I've been on the side of the road for about 30 minutes. We call up AA and the send a truck out and get it towed to my parents house.
Tomorrow, when its light and I have tools, I am draining the milky oil, and putting on a new filter and new oil in hopes that it wasn't overheating for very long, and everything expanded so much during this short time and let some water in. Yeah not likely but its worth a shot. Realistically, I'm thinking a headgasket is blown, and it let a bunch of water in the oil, and now that i think about it, there was a lot of what I thought was steam behind us after it stopped overheating, but now I think it may have been smoke from the headgasket.
I don't know a lot about engine internals beyond a DSM, and even then my knowledge is limited. I know the headgaskets and bearings will probably need to be replaced, but what else? I am also confused about what could have caused it to over heat. I think there was enough coolant in radiator, but I can't be sure because it came out real fast. I only added a gallon and a half though before it was full.
Anyways, my dad knows his stuff and he can definetly help me, but I'm just looking from input from other people.
I also was wondering if anyone had a clue what it would cost to fix?
Thanks for any input.
PS Sorry for typos, but i'm not going through all that.
The first time it died as the front was lifting back out of the water, so no water was getting into the engine after it died. We got a running start at it so it only died after the front end was back out of the water. We let it sit fora minutes and started it back up, it bogged a little at first but we put it into gear and got out. It smoked for about 20 minutes, I assume burning up what water may have been sucked up. The second time the buddle was shallow, then dropped down real fast and came back up ( didn't know this until it was too late). So again we got a running start and took kind of a dive into the water to about the hood line and then it shot back up, it kept running for a few seconds and died. I started it up again and had to keep the starter going for long than usual to keep the engine turning and pushing whatever water was in there, out. Once it started soon thereafter, I kept it running. The nose was def out of the water, but the back was still pretty far down, the tail pipe was under water pretty far. Again it smoked some and then went away.
Ok, fast foward to the way home. I notice steam coming from under the hood, I look down at the gauge and its way past the red area. I don't know how long it was overheating for. So I slam on the brakes and pull over, shut it down, pop the hood, and steam was burrowing out the tube on top of the resevior, connected to the radiator. I was thinking I needed it to cool down as soon as possible so I took the radiator cap off, as I'm pulling it off, I am expecting really hot water to come out really fast. Which it did, and it blew the cap to places still unknown to me. I couldn't find it. So I put a gallon and a half of water in it, and construct a monstrosity if a radiator cap (a bunch of duct tape with a large hose clamp to hold it there). I start her up and watch the gauge and look around a little to make sure everything is ok. Everything seems to be, so we continue on looking for the closest place to find a legit radiator cap.
A minute or so goes by of driving and there is steam coming out again, I can see it in the rear view and coming from under the hood, I am lookng at the temp gauge and it is right where it should be, but I pull over and check things anyways. The steam was coming from my makeshift radiator, there was a pin hole in the tape letting the steam out. So I figure as long as my temp gauge stays down I'm ok.
So we continue on for about another 10 miles, the whole time watching the gauge to make sure its not hot. We start to slow down so I give it more gas and it feels like all the sudden we towing something and its hard to accelerate. At this point the check engine light comes on. I start to pull over and before I even stop the engine isn't running anymore. I try to start it and nothing, wont start. I get out to look things over and it smells like burning under the hood, that is the only way I can decribe it. At this point I'm a little nervous. So I call my dad and he tells me to take the oil cap off and see if there is water in the oil. I pull it off and sure enough, the "oil" was now more like the color a cream pudding. Very light tan and milky. Shit. I smell the oil cap and underside was the sorse of the burning smell, which tells something with the internals is very not good.
At this point, I've been on the side of the road for about 30 minutes. We call up AA and the send a truck out and get it towed to my parents house.
Tomorrow, when its light and I have tools, I am draining the milky oil, and putting on a new filter and new oil in hopes that it wasn't overheating for very long, and everything expanded so much during this short time and let some water in. Yeah not likely but its worth a shot. Realistically, I'm thinking a headgasket is blown, and it let a bunch of water in the oil, and now that i think about it, there was a lot of what I thought was steam behind us after it stopped overheating, but now I think it may have been smoke from the headgasket.
I don't know a lot about engine internals beyond a DSM, and even then my knowledge is limited. I know the headgaskets and bearings will probably need to be replaced, but what else? I am also confused about what could have caused it to over heat. I think there was enough coolant in radiator, but I can't be sure because it came out real fast. I only added a gallon and a half though before it was full.
Anyways, my dad knows his stuff and he can definetly help me, but I'm just looking from input from other people.
I also was wondering if anyone had a clue what it would cost to fix?
Thanks for any input.
PS Sorry for typos, but i'm not going through all that.
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