Reservoir Question

[T4RBoarder]

So my coolant reservoir had been really weird lately. I recently had my timing belt and water pump changed. They re-filled the radiator and reservoir with the pink super long life coolant. Since then coolant keeps seeping out at the cap and runs off the side of the reservoir and I have no idea why.

 

[Mike07SE]

Is it on tight? Is it sealing?

 

[T4RBoarder]

I've checked like ten times to make sure its on tight, doesn't seem to make a difference

 

[CJ3Flyr]

I vote for a new radiator cap. I'd suspect that some crud/dried & cracked seal is stopping the primary radiator cap from sealing properly causing the overflow bottle to pressurize & blowoff... Taking the cap on and off at t-belt replacement probably disturbed the delicate balance...

:cheers:

 

[T4RBoarder]

so should I replace the radiator cap or the overflow cap? or both? I just wanna make sure I get the right one.

 

[ABooker]

Replace the radiator cap. The overflow reservoir cap is NOT air tight and should not need to be replaced. If that does not fix it then you have a more serious problem with the radiator, water pump or thermistate.

Or it could be that they just over filled it and you might be just fine after it burps a few times.

good luck!

 

[T4RBoarder]

the thing is that the coolant level is never much higher than the full line, thats what made me think it was the lid. I will get a new cap asap and see if we have the solution

 

[03_4x4Runner]

It sounds like they just overfilled the reservoir. It should be at the line on the side of the tank when the engine is cold. It will be higher when the engine is hot.

 

[PredBlue]

So my coolant reservoir had been really weird lately. I recently had my timing belt and water pump changed. They re-filled the radiator and reservoir with the pink super long life coolant. Since then coolant keeps seeping out at the cap and runs off the side of the reservoir and I have no idea why.

I've had the same problem with coolant leaking at the reservoir plastic cap as well. It's never wet, no drips, nothing, but you can see the residue so it's obviously seeping around that plastic cap or the small rubber hose somehow. My neighbor has the same thing on the V-6 as well. It's almost like the coolant gets hot, runs to the reservoir tank for expansion and the hot coolant expands the plastic reservoir cap or something keeping the cap from properly sealing on the plastic tank and somehow it leaks out.

I've got a 2006 Accord that does the same thing around the plastic cap.

 

[T4RBoarder]

It sounds like they just overfilled the reservoir. It should be at the line on the side of the tank when the engine is cold. It will be higher when the engine is hot.

They actually only filled it half way. The next morning when it was cold I filled it to the full line. Even when its hot its just above the full line and nowhere near the top, which has been normal for all of my 4Runners.

Thats what really stumped me cause the small hose that connects the cap to the reservoir is completely fine, no leaks, it just seeps out from under the lid and pools on top of the reservoir.

 

[04 sc V8]

They actually only filled it half way. The next morning when it was cold I filled it to the full line. Even when its hot its just above the full line and nowhere near the top, which has been normal for all of my 4Runners.

Thats what really stumped me cause the small hose that connects the cap to the reservoir is completely fine, no leaks, it just seeps out from under the lid and pools on top of the reservoir.

I believe it should be on the lower line when cold and it rises to the full line when the coolant expands @ operating temp. It sounds like you're over filling the reservoir.

 

[T4RBoarder]

Ordered the new cap! It'll be here sat, so I gotta cross my fingers

 

[T4RBoarder]

so I got the cap saturday and every thing seemed fine until I checked today and there is a tiny tiny puddle under the cap...

 

[Kotrin]

Ever figure out why or where it was leaking?

I got a 3rd gen with a mysterious water leak, done head check, new water pump/thermostat etc....don't know what else to do ;(

 

[zerowkul98]

It's posts / threads like this one that make me REALLY WARY of getting the 90k done and worry about issues afterwards...