Please help!!

[sb253]

Hey everyone. I have a problem and need some help.

I noticed my 2000 limited shifting funny a couple days ago. Checked the fluid level when it was at operating temp and it was a bit low so i added what i had left in a quart at the house. Today when i got home from work, i noticed a thick dark brown/red fluid all over the right front of the underside of the truck. Looks like it was coming from the overflow tank. I dropped the skid plate and cleaned it up while the truck cooled down. As i pop the rad cap, its overflowing.
Heres a pic:

I know im in for some work either way, but is this the start of the pink milkshake or head gasket. It drove fine and wasnt overheating. Super bummed, but do any of you guys have any advice about what path i need to take based on the pic?

Thanks

Sb

 

[justwoody1]

Drain the radiator and tranny fluid. And flush. Install an aftermarket trans cooler like the B&M tranny cooler.

 

[sb253]

Thanks. Ill start sourcing parts etc. would you say its not a head gasket, though?

 

[justwoody1]

If it was the head gasket. Your runner may not be running, you would be loosing coolant or burning a high amount of oil and/or white smoke coming out of the tail pipe. There would be more oil separation in the fluild. You would know it if it's the head gasket.

and it wouldn't be causing the truck to shifting funny.

 

[sb253]

Thats what i was thinking but ive never popped a HG, so just checking. Ill start getting ready to pull her into the garage and fixing her up.

 

[sb253]

Thanks

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I think your problems are bigger than you may think and yes, that looks like the start of a pink milkshake.

IMO you better check your tranny fluid ASAP.

If you have a head gasket go, you will see a frothy build up of moisture on the filler cap and an unmistakeable sweet smell when the engine is running.

This is the other the side of the coin however and if your tranny cooler has failed and the coolant and transmission fluid are mixing you WILL destroy your transmission if you keep driving the vehicle.

 

[sb253]

Thanks for the advice. Got the trans drained, and the radiator out. Im think im going to drop the pan and do a full service to the gearbox.

 

[sb253]

Update:

So i had the 4runner towed to my shop, then over to a dealership we are associated with. I had them do a full flush and filter. I got it home, but it still shifts rough, lags going into first at a stop, doesnt like to upshift during acceloration, and i even had an instance where it couldnt decide what gear to be in.

Should i still have hope that i can get it shifting normally? Or is this thing toast?

 

[BrianSD_42]

So i had the 4runner towed to my shop, then over to a dealership we are associated with. I had them do a full flush and filter. I got it home, but it still shifts rough, lags going into first at a stop, doesnt like to upshift during acceloration, and i even had an instance where it couldnt decide what gear to be in.

Did they replace the radiator and all coolant (Y/N)?
Did they do a complete transmission fluid flush (Y/N)

 

[sb253]

Yes and yes. They even did a new trans filter