Possible leak

[jetboy1975]

I'm trying to source a possible leak and need some help. My T4R is always parked in the garage but I parked the trailer in the drive so it stayed out last night. It rained heavy driving home and then turned to snow. When pulling out of the drive this morning I noticed a lot of bright yellow coloured (like anti freeze) snow under the T4R. I can't figure out what is that colour in our T4R? I've always had the fluids replaced with OEM so it's not anti freeze (red), tranny fluid, or oil and I don't imagine the diff fluid would be that colour. Power steering and brake fluid levels are normal and no signs of leaks in those areas. I'm thinking possibly rust proof fluid but that was done in the fall and shouldn't drip anymore. I removed the xreas in the fall but just the shocks, the rest of the lines and reservoir are still in place. Anybody know the shock fluid colour? The greatest concentration is from the passenger side of the engine, nowhere near any xreas components which is why I have doubts it's that, but I can see where it has blown back as far as the muffler and parts in between. The snow was blowing hard so it got into the wheelwells and engine and I could see yellow snow as high as the exhaust manifold. I drove it for a while today in the snow and haven't noticed anymore.
Any thoughts??

 

[Acidmeld]

Clean power steering fluid coulld be that color. The reservior is on the passenger side of the engine bay. Check your lines.

 

[jetboy1975]

Clean power steering fluid coulld be that color

Don't think it's that, mines gone a little brownish, probably time for a flush. I'm went out again and looked it over. Starting to lean towards the fluid from the Xreas maybe leaking out of the loose lines. Too cold and wet right now to look further but I'm hoping that's all it is.

 

[jetboy1975]

After driving all day in a snow storm and parking it outside again I was pleased to see clean snow underneath this morning, although now more confused. What could it be??? What colour is the OEM world Tranny fluid and diff fluid?

 

[jetboy1975]

All the knowledge on this site and nobody can tell me the colour of the fluids?? Anybody? I'll start;

Oil - golden yellow -->brown
Coolant - pink
Brake - yellowish
Steering - yellowish
Trans - ?
Diffs - ?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

All the knowledge on this site and nobody can tell me the colour of the fluids?? Anybody? I'll start;

Oil - golden yellow -->brown
Coolant - pink
Brake - yellowish
Steering - yellowish
Trans - ?
Diffs - ?

Oil-Golden Brown
Coolant Pink/Red-> Dark Red/Brownish
Brake Clear/slightly golden->brownish
Steering Amber->Brown/black
Trans Red -> Brown/blackish
Diff Golden->Black

 

[4RNNR]

so you're not loosing any antifreeze ?

how's it look around the water pump ??

 

[jetboy1975]

Thank you, that's what I was looking for. In the snow it was bright yellow like Mr. Clean and my first thought was anti freeze since I had the timing belt and water pump done a couple of months ago, but pretty sure it's not Toyota anti freeze since ours is pink/red. I'm totally stumped.

 

[4RNNR]

I'm not a mechanic and I don't play one on TV (LOL) but there's a relatively easy test for the water pump

take it back to the place that did the repair and ask them to pressure test it

that should either disprove the water pump theory, or it will show where the leak(s) are .... could be around the pump itself, in the radiator, hoses, around the top of the engine (intake manifold leaks), or on the side of the engine at the freeze plug or possibly leaking at the heater core ..... leaks suck because the can dribble all over other parts, so initially (at least in my experience) you can start looking where you see the initial mess- to where the actual problem is ..

that's what I would try, anyway

if they didn't fix it right the first time .... have them do it again

 

[4RNNR]

how about this:

if you have a antifreeze tester - so you can see test and see how cold its set for ... (you know, like this one K Tool International-Antifreeze Tester )

suck some up and see what color it is ... might be the color we are looking for ... just a quick thought

 

[colombo]

Some time ago, I was pulling to driveway thru deep snow. Left the car on the driveway for 5 min. Then, pulled it into garage. I noticed random yellowish drips appx. 4 sq. in. area on the snow on the driveway, after I drove vehicle into the garage. I checked underneath, everything looked fine. Then I analized. The area where I found dreeps is appx. 3 feet behind the front axel. There is a cross bar of the frame there. Right over the cross bar is exaust pipe. The cross ber has holes in it by design. I had rust proffing done some time in the fall. I think that yellowish drips was a mixture of rust proofing oil and melted show that came from inside of the cross bar.

 

[jetboy1975]

Just got off the phone with the rust proof company and they say the fluid they use is clear, so that's out.

 

[jetboy1975]

I FIGURED IT OUT!! Well actually the local Toyota dealer did with a quick phone call. Up here in the north they usually put salt on the roads in the winter when snow or ice are forecasted. In the last year or two they started spraying a chemical called calcium chloride on the roads which lowers the freezing point of water and reduces icing. This stuff sticks to our vehicles and makes a mess (kind of oily cosistency which holds dirt) but washes off easy. I never knew it was bright yellow. Driving in the rain must have washed it off the roads and sprayed the underside of my T4R which then dripped all night on the snow. Boy am I relieved. Thanks all for the input tho.

 

[charlier180]

Had it been my 4Runner I first would have suspected that the neighbor's cat was keeping warm under my 4Runner and had peed on the snow.

Charlie

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[4RNNR]

glad thats all it was

good deal for you